Where is impersonal Brahman in Vedanta Sutras ?

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obesiances unto your lotus feet.

 

In commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.4 Srila Prabhupada says that

" The Vedanta Sutra or Brahma Sutra, compiled by Sri Vyasdeva is full

deliberation of the impersonal absolute feature..."

 

But impersonal brahman is not at all mentioned anywhere in

Brahma-sutra. One can pick up Govinda Bhashya and check this. Srila

Baladeva never said that vedanta sutra is full deliberation of

impersonal absolute feature. Even the bhagavata which is the natural

commentary on Vedanta sutra doesn't vindicates that stance. So why

does Srila Prabhupada says so in his commentary ?

 

 

Your Servant Always

OM TAT SAT

Sumeet.

[Guest guest]

achintya, "sumeet1981" <sumeet1981> wrote:

> In commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.4 Srila Prabhupada says that

> " The Vedanta Sutra or Brahma Sutra, compiled by Sri Vyasdeva is

full

> deliberation of the impersonal absolute feature..."

>

> But impersonal brahman is not at all mentioned anywhere in

> Brahma-sutra. One can pick up Govinda Bhashya and check this. Srila

> Baladeva never said that vedanta sutra is full deliberation of

> impersonal absolute feature. Even the bhagavata which is the

natural

> commentary on Vedanta sutra doesn't vindicates that stance. So why

> does Srila Prabhupada says so in his commentary ?

 

Given that Shriimad Bhaagavatam is the natural commentary on the

Vedaanta, and that it deals primarily with Bhagavaan, my expectation

would be that Vedaanta-suutra would have the same subject matter.

 

My translation of the Govinda-bhaashya is by no means a devotee's

presentation. And I am certainly nothing like an expert in it. But

everything I have read from GB to date dose not corroborate the idea

that Vedaanta-suutra is "full deliberation of the impersonal absolute

feature." Hence, I had a similar doubt.

 

I assume that by "impersonal absolute feature," Srila Prabhupada

means that the Vedaanta Suutra describes the Lord in an impersonal

way, by distinguishing Him from the jiivas, from prakriti, etc.

Although it discusses Krishna as a person, it does not describe much

about His pastimes or personality, etc, so from that standpoint it

could be argued that it is impersonal in its presentation. I'm

guessing that this is what Srila Prabhupada means when he says this.

 

Then again, if I describe Bhagavaan in an impersonal way (by focusing

on His greatness, His transcendence, etc), is that any different from

discussing/describing the brahmajyoti? I don't know the answer to

this question. I'm interested in hearing what others have to say on

the subject. I would be especially interested in the opinions of

those who are seriously studying it - by which I mean that I have

heard of some senior devotees who are trying to come out with a

devotee's presentation of the Govinda-bhaashya.

 

yours,

 

- K