वेदान्त पारिजात सौरभ (भगवद् निम्बार्काचार्य - द्वैताद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

162' VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA [SŪ. 1. 3. 13. ADH. 4.] This very world of the Supreme Brahman is declared as the object to be attained by the wise by another Upaniṣad of the same Athar- vanas, beginning "‘The place which all the Vedas record, that which all the austerities declare, wishing what people practise chastity, that place I tell you in brief’" (Kaṭha 2.15), and continuing ‘That is the best support, that is the supreme support. By knowing that support, one rejoices in the world of Brahman’ (Kaṭha 2.17). That very Upaniṣad declares the unattainableness of this (world of Brahman) by the non-knower, and its attainableness by the knower, as well as its difference from mundane existence in the passages ‘But he who has not understanding, who is inattentive, and ever impure, does not reach that place, and goes to transmigratory existence. But he who has understanding, who is attentive and ever pure, reaches that place, whence he is not born again. A man, however, who has under- standing as his charioteer, the mind as the rein, reaches the end of the journey, that highest place of Viṣṇu’ (Kaṭha 3.7–9). In the Śānti- parva, it is said in the beginning of the Hārita-gītā ‘Yudhiṣṭhira said: "A man of what nature, of what conduct, of what knowledge, of what resort, attains the place of Brahman, that is higher than prakṛti and eternal?" Bhīṣma said. "He who is engaged in the religious duties in connection with salvation, who is abstemious, who has conquered the senses, attains the supreme place that is higher than prakṛti and eternal"’ (Mahā. 12.9968-9969).¹ From such question and answer by the wisest men, the superiority of the world of Brahman—the object of enquiry—to prakṛti, its attainableness only through the religious duties in connection with salvation, and its eternity, are established. Hence, it is established that the object which one sees is Brahman, lying in the city, and higher than prakṛti, in its effected and in its causal conditions. Here ends the section entitled ‘One sees’ (4). COMPARISON Śaṁkara Interpretation different, viz. according to him, the question is whether the higher or the lower Brahman is meant here, and not ¹ P. 716, lines 22-23, vol 3.