Ray of sunshine

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> In his introduction to the Gita, Srila Prabhupada mentions:

>

> "Brahman is more explicitly explained in the Brahma-sutra to be like

> the rays of the sunshine."

>

> Where is this explanation in the Vedanta-sutra (Pada, sutras)?

 

I didn't find such a passage in Vedanta-sutra. Light (jyoti) as

Brahman is mentioned, like in Vs 1.1.24, but not in connection to sun

as far as I can say. In Vs 4.2.18 sunrays (rashmi) are the first step

on the devayana path upward.

 

Meditation on the sun (though not sunrays) as Brahman is found in

Chandogya Upanisad 3.19.1-4 (I don't know whose translation is this

one):

 

1 The sun is Brahman: this is the teaching. An explanation thereof

follows:

 

In the beginning this universe was nonexistent. It became existent.

It grew. It turned into an egg. The egg lay for the period of a year.

Then it broke open. Of the two halves of the eggshell, one half was

of silver, the other of gold.

 

2 That which was of silver became the earth; that which was of gold,

heaven. What was the thick membrane of the white became the mountains;

the thin membrane of the yolk, the must and the clouds. The veins

became the rivers; the fluid in the bladder, the ocean.

 

3 And what was born of it was yonder Aditya, the sun. When it was born

shouts of "Hurrah!" arose, together with all beings and all objects of

desire. Therefore at its rise and its every return shouts of "Hurrah!"

together with all beings and all objects of desire arise.

 

4 He who, knowing this, meditates on the sun as Brahman pleasant

sounds will quickly approach him and continue to delight him, yea,

continue to delight him.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Your servant, bh. Jan

 

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