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

[SŪ 1. 3. 36. ADH. 9] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 201 thus. 'He invested him, forsooth, with the holy thread' (Śat. Br. 11 5 3 13 ¹) and so on, "and on account of the declaration of their absence" thus: 'A Śūdra, belongs to the fourth caste and is once- born (G.D.S. 10 50 ²), 'And he is not fit for a purificatory rite (Manu 10 126 ³),—a Śūdra is not entitled to knowledge. Vedānta-kaustubha In the previous aphorism, the disqualification of a Śūdra for the knowledge of Brahman has been established on the ground of reason Now, his disqualification is being proved on the ground of Scripture, etc. as well. A Śūdra is not entitled to knowledge. Why? "On account of the reference to purificatory rites," i.e. on account of the reference to the purificatory rites of investiture with the holy thread in sections concerned with knowledge, thus 'He invested him, forsooth, with the holy thread' (Śat. Br 11 5 3.13). But, then, is it to be supposed that a Śūdra, too, is entitled to investiture? To this it is replied "On account of the declaration of their absence", i.e on account of the depiction of the absence, in the case of a Śūdra, of purificatory rites like investiture with the holy thread and the rest, in the passages : 'In a Śūdra there is no sin and he is not fit for a purificatory rite' (Manu. 10.126). 'A Śūdra belongs to the fourth caste and is once- born' (G.D S. 10.50) and so on The investiture with the holy thread is designated in the case of others in the passage: 'Let one invest a Brāhmaṇa with the holy thread at the age of eight, a Kṣatriya at eleven, and a Vaiśya at twelve' (Āś. GS. 17.1 3-4 ⁴) Hence, the reference to investiture with the holy thread fits in in the sections concerned with knowledge.

¹ P 861, line 19. ² P. 14, line 8. Ś, R, Bh, ŚK, B. Ś, R, Bh, Śk. ³ P. 419. ⁴ P. 72. Ś, R, Bh, Śk.