Shankara-Bhashya on the Brahma-Sutra: A Study

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The Brahma-Sutra is an authoritative work on the fundamental doctrines of Vedanta contained in the Upanishads. This work is of special interest not only to the historians of Indian philosophical thought but also to spiritual aspirants. The doctrine of Brahman was originally expounded in the Upanishads, which are the concluding texts of the Vedas and are regarded as the source of Vedanta. Badarayana outlined a coherent system of Vedanta philosophy and established its validity in comparison with the other schools of thought such as Samkhya, Yoga, Vaisheshika, Jainism and Buddhism.

The Brahma-Sutra is an authoritative work on the fundamental doctrines of Vedanta contained in the Upanishads. This work is of special interest not only to the historians of Indian philosophical thought but also to spiritual aspirants. The doctrine of Brahman was originally expounded in the Upanishads, which are the concluding texts of the Vedas and are regarded as the source of Vedanta. The Bhagavad-Gita brought about a brilliant synthesis of Vedanta with the then three existing schools of philosophic thought, the Samkhya, Yoga and Pancharatra. After making a critical analysis of the doctrines of the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, Badarayana outlined a coherent system of Vedanta philosophy and established its validity in comparison with the other schools of thought such as Samkhya, Yoga, Vaisheshika, Jainism and Buddhism. All the great founders of the Vedanta schools regard these three as the principal sources of Vedantic thought, however much they may differ in their interpretations. The Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita and the Brahma-Sutra are, therefore, regarded as the prasthana-trayi, the triple canon, which serves as a guide to men in their advance towards the goal of human life, namely liberation.

The Brahma-Sutra, however, does not give a direct presentation of the Upanishadic doctrine of Brahman as the origin of the world. It is a work of exegetical and polemical character, which interprets the Upanishadic terms and passages after a critical examination of the views held by other systems of Hindu philosophy. As I was keen to make a study of this work, it was essential to secure the guidance of a competent spiritual teacher, who was well- versed in our sacred books and had attained a higher stage of spiritual experience. This problem was solved through a providential stroke of good fortune.

The present book by Shri M. R. Yardi enshrines the quintessence of Vedanta philosophy and provides an insightful introduction to the understanding of the Brahma-Sutra for a lay person. While the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita are more well-known, more widely discussed and are more popular through lectures by many eminent sages and others, the third constituent of the prasthana-trayi is considered by the common people as the domain only of the saints and the philosophers. It is so because of its succinct pithiness which borders on abstruseness. The learned author had the unique opportunity to have the mysteries of the treasure-house of spiritual wisdom contained in the Brahma-Sutra due to the grace of the renowned savant His Holiness Dr. Kurtakoti, the former Shankaracharya of Karvir Peeth. He began to share that nectar with spiritual seekers through a series of articles contributed to the Samvit. Suitably edited, these contributions form the book for wider and more lasting circulation among lay persons with some interest in search for higher life. The book, I am sure, admirably fulfils this purpose.

The learned author provides a meaningful focus as regards the genesis, the nature and the significance of the Brahma-Sutra. In simple words, he has referred to the philosophical debate about the author and the likely period of its compilation, besides pointing out the principal commentaries and their approaches. He underscores the fact that the name of the author, Badarayana, figures only in seven sutras. While mentioning the special features of the Shankara-Bhashya, the author deals with themes and not with individual sutras, thus making the message as well as the significance of the Brahma-Sutra more comprehensible to us. Within sixteen chapters, subjects like the means to attain valid knowledge, the nature of Brahman in various manifestations, the relation of the individual self with Brahman, the place of ritual worship and meditation as integral to spiritual realisation, and the like. With remarkable felicity of diction and economy of expression, the interconnectedness of our spiritual scriputures and the essentials of the various schools of Vedanta have been lucidly brought out A perusal of the book will give a glimpse of the powerful spiritual impulse which made Swami Vivekananda proclaim:

"Let the lion of Vedanta roar, the foxes will fly to their holes. Bring forth the power of the spirit and pour it over the length and breadth of India.... Manifest the divinity within you, and everything will be harmoniously arranged."

Shri M.R. Yardi was a senior colleague of mine. He was universally respected for his qualities of head and heart. His conduct and competence, his poise and dignity were the envy of the younger generation of civil servants. Always known for his learning, in recent years, he has made accessible to the general public a number of spiritual texts through his translations and commentaries. I deem it a matter of privilege and honour to have the opportunity to go through his latest book in advance and this emboldens me to introduce it to the readers and suggest that it will surely be as useful and informative to other lay persons as I have found it. I may acknowledge that for this kindness, I feel indebted to the erudite author Shri M.R. Yardi and the revered Pravrajika Atmapranaji of the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, New Delhi.