|
Introduction :
……… Brahma
Sutra was written Sri Badarayana, whose other famous name is Sri Ved Vyasa,
the celebrated author of Mahabharata and thus the Bhagwad Gita. Brahma Sutras
along with Upanishads (Sruti Prasthana) and Bhagwad Gita (Smriti Prasthana)
constitutes the ‘Prasthan trayi’ or the ‘three canons’ of Vedantic
scriptures, which are the pristine springs of Vedantic metaphysics. Study
of these three is the basic goal of all the students of Vedanta. Brahma
Sutra is called the Nyaya or Yukti Prasthan, because it logically
reconciles and explains the various questions & doubts which may
possibly come while going through the Upanishads, the basic pramana
granthas.
……… Sutra
means aphorism. They are short, crisp & pregnant sentences, which are
like seeds in which the whole tree resides. They have to be slowly ‘opened
& unfolded’ by the teacher. We have sutras of all the basic texts of
grammar, dharma, bhakti, yoga, sankhya, nyaya, or vedanta. The sutras which
reveal the fundamentals of Vedanta philosophy or Brahma Vidya are called
‘Brahma Sutras’ or the ‘Vedanta Sutras’. There is a commentary of Sri Adi
Sankara on Brahma Sutras which provides great insights and depths into each
Sutra. His commentary or Bhasya is like a crest jewel out of his various
immortal works. It is indeed a masterpiece, and today study of Brahma
Sutras is never said to be complete without the study of the Bhasya of Sri
Adi Sankara. Brahma Sutras should best be studied after completing the
study of all Upanishads and that also through a proper teacher.
Structure
of Brahma Sutra :
Total Number of Adhyaya (Chapters)
: 4
(Samanvaya, Avirodha, Sadhana &
Phala)
Number of Padas (Parts) in each
Adhyaya : 4
Total Number of Adhikarans
(Sections) : 192
Total Number of Sutras : 555
Chapter
1 : Samanvaya
:
……… Samanvaya means
‘establishing harmony’. In this chapter Sri Badarayana goes about to
clearly establish that the basic purport of all Upanishads is to reveal Brahman.
In most of the places where the Sruti has used words like Brahman or Atma
there are no problems, but in some texts some other words which are not
commonly used for Brahman are also used. Thus as there is a case of
possible misinterpretation, so the great teacher goes about to reveal that
in such places too the words point to Brahman alone. Such discernment is by
looking at the context (prakarana) etc.
Chapter 2 : Avirodha :
……… Avirodha means ‘non-conflict’.
In this chapter the Sri Vyasa discusses the objections that may be raised
against the metaphysics of Vedanta by other darshans. While the principle
objector is taken to be Sankhya Darshan, but objections of others like
Yoga, Vaisesika, Bauddha, Jain, and even some theistic schools have also
been dealt. By showing their fallacy it is established that the Vedantic
tenets stand unrefuted.
Chapter
3 : Sadhana
:
……… In this chapter on
Sadhana or ‘means’ the teacher talks about sadhanas at all levels which
have been revealed by the Upanishads. Upasana, Tattva-Gyana & even
Rituals. He shows why at some places Brahman is talked about along with
attributes. How this is essential for doing meditations or upasanas. He
tells that the nature & content of each upasana should be decided by
looking at its context. Many a times one name is used in two different
Upanishads, but the upasana is different. In some cases the names are
different but the upasana is same. He shows that a sanyasi should give up
all rituals, and the revelation of Self ultimately can be only by the
methodology of negation. With direct knowledge the Moksha is got right here
& now.
Chapter 4 : Phala :
……… The fourth chapter pertains
to the Phala or the ‘fruits’ of the sadhana. The teacher talks about result
of Saguna Upasana & also Tattva Gyana. While a saguna upasaka goes to
other realms of experiences, the man of knowledge realizes his real nature
right here to ‘be’ Brahman, and thus fulfill his life.
Commentaries on Brahma Sutras :
……… The most valid &
famous commentary on Brahma Sutra is that of Sri Adi Sankara.
On this famous Bhasya were written two well-known tikas or commentaries.
The first was Padmapadika by his disciple Sri Padmapada. In this tradition itself was written Vivarana and Tattvadipana. The second
well known commentary was Bhamati by Sri Vachaspati Misra, and this was
followed by Kalpataru & Parimala.
……… Apart from these
commentaries & tikas on Sankara Bhasya itself, other Acharyas have also
written their bhashyas on Brahma Sutras. So we have commentaries by
Bhaskara, Ramanuja, Madhava, Vallabha, Vigyanabhikshu etc. They may differ
with Sankara on moot points, but all of them are knowingly or unknowingly influenced
by Sankara’s commentary which has been accepted as ‘the’ model.
|
