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English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.2.22 by Roma Bose:

鈥淭hat which possesses the qualities of invisibility and so on (is brahman), on account of the mention of (his) qualities.鈥�

Nimb膩rka鈥檚 commentary (Ved膩nta-p膩rij膩ta-saurabha):

That which is mentioned by the 膧tharva峁噄kas in the text: 鈥業nvisible鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.6^[1]) and so on, as 鈥榩ossessed of the qualities of invisibility and the rest鈥�, is the Highest Self alone. Why? 鈥淥n account of the mention鈥� of His 鈥渜ualities鈥� in the passage 鈥楬e who is omniscient鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.9^[2]), etc.

艢r墨niv膩sa鈥檚 commentary (Ved膩nta-kaustubha)

In the preceding section, 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 was set aside on the ground of qualities like 鈥榖eing a seer鈥� and the like which belong to a sentient being only. Now, by showing that the text: 鈥楴ow, the higher is that whereby that Imperishable鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5), and so on refers to Brahman, the author is disposing of the objection, viz. Let 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 be understood here (in the above text), owing to the absence of that (i.e. owing to the fact that the above text contains no reference to the qualities of a sentient being).

In the 膧迟丑补谤惫补峁嘺, it is said: 鈥楾here are two knowledges to be known鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.4). Among these, the knowledge of works, viz, the 峁欢-惫别诲补 and the rest, is the lower.^[3] With a view to teaching the higher, viz. the knowledge of Brahman, in contrast to it, it is said: 鈥楴ow, the higher is that whereby the Imperishable is apprehended, that which is invisible, incapable of being grasped, without family, without caste, without eye, without ear, it is without hands and feet, eternal, all-pervasive, omnipresent, excessively subtle, it is unchangeable, which the wise perceive as the source of beings鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5-6), 鈥榃ithout the vital-breath, without mind, pure, higher than the high Imperishable鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.1.12) and so on. Here a doubt arises as to whether here the Imperishable, the source of beings and possessed of the qualities of invisibility and the rest, is 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补, or the individual soul, or the Highest Self. The prima facie view is as follows:鈥擜s invisibility and such other qualities are possible on the part of 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 and the individual soul; as 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 is established to be the source of beings; and as the individual soul too, the cause of the body and the rest through its own works, can be so,鈥攍et one of these two be the Imperishable.

With regard to this, we reply: The Imperishable, the source of beings and possessed of the qualities of invisibility and the rest, is the Highest Self alone. Why? 鈥淥n account of the mention of qualities鈥�, i.e. because in the passage: 鈥楬e who is all-knowing, omniscient, whose penance consists of knowledge, from Him alone Brahman, name and form, and food arise鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.9), the permanent attributes of the Highest Self, viz. omniscience, etc. are stated, with a view to laying down the attributes of the Imperishable, the source of beings.

If it be objected: This view is not reasonable. Having referred to the Imperishable in the passage: 鈥楾he Imperishable is apprehended鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5), then again having designated the Imperishable as a limit in the passage: 鈥楬igher than the high Imperishable鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.1.2), the text next goes on to designate the meaning of the word 鈥榟igher鈥� as the Highest Self, in the passage: 鈥楬e who is all-knowing鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.9). If here the Highest Self be understood by the word 鈥業mperishable鈥� in the first passage, then how can the text: 鈥楬igher than the Imperishable, the Light鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.1.2) be possible, it being impossible for one to be higher than one鈥檚 own self, and there being no reality higher than Brahman, the Imperishable, the cause of the world and the topic of discussion, as evident from the declaration by the Lord Himself, viz. 鈥樷�淭here is nothing else, higher than me, O 顿丑补苍补帽箩补测补鈥�!鈥� (骋墨迟腻 7.7), as well as from the scriptural text: 鈥楾here is nothing higher than the Person鈥� (碍补峁环补 3.11)? Hence, let either 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 or the individual soul be the meaning of the word 鈥業mperishable鈥�, mentioned first, (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5); and let the Highest Self, higher than that high Imperishable, be omniscient,鈥�

(We reply:) Not so, because the word 鈥業mperishable鈥�, mentioned for the second time, (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.1.5) does not refer to the Highest Self. Thus, from the knowledge, called 鈥榟igher鈥�,鈥攎entioned in the passage: 鈥楾he higher is that whereby that Imperishable is apprehended鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5),鈥攊t is gathered that the Imperishable is the Highest Brahman alone, since no other knowledge, except that of Brahman, can be high. Thus, having begun with the Highest Self, denoted by the word 鈥業mperishable鈥� and celebrated in the texts: 鈥楬e teaches in truth that knowledge of Brahman whereby one knows the Imperishable, the Person, the True鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.2.13), 鈥楢s the hairs and the body-hairs arise from a living person, so from the Imperishable arises this Universe鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.7), 鈥楢s from a well-lit fire thousands of sparks of a similar form emit forth, so do, my dear, manifold existences from the Imperishable鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.1.1) and so on, and with the Imperishable, possessed of the attributes of invisibility and the rest, in the passage: 鈥楴ow, the higher is that whereby that Imperishable is known鈥� (惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5), Scripture, with a view to demonstrating His qualities and nature, designates Him once more as 鈥榟igher鈥� than the 鈥業mperishable鈥�, i.e. than the individual soul which is His own part; as well as than the 鈥榟igh鈥�, i.e. 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 which His own power,鈥攊.e. designates Him as their source and controller. Or, else, the 鈥業mperishable鈥� is that which pervades the mass of its own modifications; 鈥榟igher鈥� than that imperishable is 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 which is superior to its own modifications; and 鈥榟igher鈥� than this 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 is the Highest Self. Or, else, the Supreme Person is 鈥榟igher鈥� than the Person within the aggregate (or 贬颈谤补峁噛补驳补谤产丑补) who is higher than the Imperishable, viz. 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补,鈥攖his is the sense.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Quoted by 艢补峁卥补谤补, 搁腻尘腻苍耻箩补, 叠丑腻蝉办补谤补, 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补 and Baladeva.

[2]:

Op. cit.

[3]:

Vide 惭耻峁囜笉补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁�a诲 1.1.5.