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

[SŪ. 3. 2. 22. 544 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 6.] on. Hence absolute and universal negation is impossible and meaning- less. Therefore, Brahman cannot be negatived As such the text “Not so, not so” denies only the two previously mentioned corporeal and incorporeal forms of Brahman and thereby depicts the real nature of Brahman, viz. His absolute freedom from all differences. If it be said: Why should Scripture first designate these forms and then deny them?—the answer is that Scripture never actually proves that Brahman possesses these forms, but simply mentions them as the views of the ignorant for the purpose of showing their hollowness later on. Moreover, the repetition of the words ‘not so’ simply refers to the two forms separately. Thus according to Śaṃkara, there are two alter- native explanations of the sūtra (1) Having first designated Brahman as “Not so, not so”, the text goes on to say once more: “There is nothing higher than it, hence (it is called) ‘Not so’ ”. (2) (Or) there is no better designation of Brahman's real nature than the text: “Not so”; and the text declares something more, viz the name of Brahman.¹ Rāmānuja Interpretation same, but he does not begin a new adhikarana here, but continues the same adhikaraṇa up to sūtra 25. Bhāskara He also does not begin a new adhikarana here, but continues the same topic of the meditation on Brahman in His aspect of non- difference, as pure existence and consciousness. According to Him in the text: “Not so, not so”, the first ‘not so’ denies the corporeal and the incorporeal forms of Brahman, i.e. His form as the elements; while the second ‘not so’ denies His Vāsanā-maya form, i.e His form as the individual soul. Thus this text designates the pure, non- differenced form of Brahman, but by no means proves the non-existence of the world. Hence the sūtra: (“The text) denies the so-muchness of the topic of discussion (viz. Brahman) after that speaks (of Brah- man) once more (as the Highest Being)”.² 1 Ś.B. 3 2.22, pp. 737 ff. 2 Bh B. 3.2.23, p. 169