Brahma Sutras – According to Shankara 1-3-11

Topic 11 - The ‘light’ is Brahman

In the last topic ‘Prāṇa’ was taken to mean Brahman from the context.

But in the text taken up for discussion in this topic, there is no such context by which ‘light’ can be taken to be Brahman—so says the opponent.

Sutra 1,3.40

ज्योतिर्दर्शनात् ॥ ४०॥

jyotirdarśanāt || 40 ||

jyotiḥ—Light; darśanāt—on account of (Brahman) being seen.

40. Light (is Brahman) on account of (Brahman) being seen (as the subject of the texts).

“Thus does that serene being, arising from the body, appear in its own form as soon as it has approached the highest light” (Chh. 8. 12. 3).

Here ‘highest light’ stands for Brahman. Why?

Because Brahman is the subject of the whole section. The ‘highest light’ is also called the Highest Person in that text itself later on.

Freedom from the body is said to belong to that being which is one with this ‘light’. Disembodied state or Freedom can arise only from being identified with Brahman.