PART 1: Brahman is described in the Vedas
Srila Baldeva Vidyabhushana refutes the idea of impersonalists that the Brahman is unknowable and the Vedas talk about only formless Brahman.
Adhikarana 5
Brahman Is Knowable
From the Vedanta Sutra commentary of Srila Baldeva Vidyabhushana Acharya.
1. Vishaya (statement): Now, by the use of logic and scriptural quotation, we shall refute the misconception that Brahman cannot be described. One may argue, however, that many scriptural passages support the theory that Brahman cannot be described by words. For example:
yato vaco nivartate
aprapya manasa saha
"The mind cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and words cannot describe Him."
—Taittriya Upanishad 2.4.1
yad vacanabhyuditam yena vag abhyudyate tad eva
brahma tad viddhi nedam yad idam upasate
"No one has the power to describe Brahman with words, even though everyone's speech occurs by the power granted by Brahman. Know that this Brahman is not material. Worship this Brahman."
—Kena Upanishad (1.5)
2. Samshaya (doubt): Is Brahman expressable by words or not?
3. Purvapaksha (the opponenet argues): The shruti-shastra states that Brahman cannot be described by words. If this were not so, it would not be said that the Supreme Brahman is self-manifested. That Brahman cannot be described with words is also explained in the following statement of {Shrimad-Bhagavatam (3.6.40):
yato 'prapya nyavartanta
vacash ca manasa saha
aham canya ime devas
tasmai bhagavate namah
"Words, mind and ego, with their respective controlling demigods, have failed to achieve success in knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, we simply have to offer our respectful obeisances unto Him as a matter of sanity."
4. Shrila Vyasadeva refutes these arguments in the following sutra:
Vedanta Sutra 2.1.5
ikshater nashabdam
ikshateh—because it is seen; na—not; ashabdam—indescribable by words.
Because it is seen (that Brahman is vividly described in the Vedic scriptures, it should be understood that Brahman) is not indescribable by words.
Purport by Shrila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
Here the word ashabdam means "that which cannot be described by words." In this sutra Brahman is described as not (na) indescribable by words (ashabdam). Why is this so? Because ikshateh (because it is seen that Brahman is described in the passages of the scriptures).
For example, Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad states:
tam tv aupanishadam purusham pricchami
"I shall now ask about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in the Upanishads."
We may note in this connection that the word aupanishada means "that glorious person who is described in the Upanishads."
We may also note that the word ikshateh is bhava (passive), and it is formed by adding the affix tip-pratyaya. The unusual usage here is arsha (a certain degree of grammatical liberty allowed to an exalted author).
That the Supreme Personality of Godhead may be described in words is also confirmed by the following statement of Katha Upanishad (2.15):
sarve veda yat-padam amananti
"All the Vedas describe the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
When it is said that Brahman cannot be described in words, the intention is that He cannot be completely described in words. In the same way it is sometimes said that no one can see Mount Meru because no one can see the entire mountain, but only small parts of it at any one time. Without accepting this understanding, that Brahman is not completely expressible by words or understandable by the mind, we would not properly understand the meaning of the scritpural statements yato vaco nivartate (words cannot describe Brahman), aprapya manasa saha (the mind cannot understand Brahman), and yad vacanabhyuditam (No one has the power to describe Brahman with words). These statements explain that Brahman cannot be completely described in words.
That Brahman can to some extent be described with words does not contradict the fact that Brahman reveals Himself by His own wish. The Vedas are actually the incarnation of Brahman, and therefore Brahman may reveal Himself in the words of the Vedas.
2. Samshaya (doubt): This may be so, but still the Suprme Person described in the words of the Vedas may be saguna (a manifestation of the Lord according to the modes of material nature), and not the perfect, complete and pure original Brahman who remains indescribable by words.
If this doubt were to arise, Shrila Vyasadeva would answer it in the following sutra.
---------- Part 1 ends here ------------
Part 2 will contain the following topics:
1. The doubts regarding Saguna and Nirguna Brahman,
2. The transcendental nature of Brahman
3, The Vedas talk about which Brahman, Saguna or Nirguna?
