Vedanta Sutra with the Commentary of Baladeva Vidyabhushana (Set of 2 Volumes)

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All Glories to Guru and Gauranga. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Let me offer my respectful obeisance’s unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva.

First of all let me offer my respectful obeisances to my spiritual master Om Visnupada Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, then my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is associated with Sri Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu, as well as whose eternal assistants are the six gostamis, headed by Srila Rupa Gosvāmi, Sanatana Gosvami Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Śri Jiva Gosvami, Ragaunatha dasa Gosvāmi, as well as whose private secretary is Sri Svarupa Damodara dasa and His eternal attendant Govinda.

Then let us talk about the Brahma-sütra or Vedanta- sutra. There are many comments on the Vedanta sütra. In India especially the system is that anyone who is the head of a religious institution must be well conversed with the Vedanta-sütras, and is expected to write comments on the Vedanta-sütra, without which one is not accepted as an acarya. Acarya means one who knows the purpose of Vedic knowledge. He personally practices them as well as teaches to his disciples the system of Vedic knowledge. There are many dearyas, especially of the taisnava sampradaya, like the four sampradayas: rāmānuja- sampradaya, madhvacarya-sampradaya, visnusvami- sampradaya, and nimbarka-sampradaya. Our sampradaya is called gaudiya-sampradaya, or the Vaisnavas who are in the disciple succession of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The gaudiya-sampradaya actually belongs to the madhva- sampradaya and the madhva-sampradaya belongs to the brahma-sampradaya.

Besides these four vaiṣṇava-ācārya-sampradayas, there are also non-vaisnava-sampradayas, especially the impersonalist school headed by Sankarācārya. Sankaracārya has written a commentary on the Vedanta- sûtras, known as Sariraka-bhasya. Generally this Sariraka-bhasya made by Sankaracarya is very popular on account of the present Indians being influenced by materialistic activities. But still the other different bhasyas, or commentaries, made by the Vaisnava dcdryas are also available in the gaudiya-sampradaya, specifically headed by Rupa Gosvāmi.

Satyam jñānam anantam brahma-sivadi-stutam bhajad-rupam govindam tam acintyam hetum adoşam namasyamaḥ.

Lord Govinda is the Supreme Brahman, the absolute transcendental reality. He is transcendental knowledge. He is the original cause of all causes. He is limitless and faultless. Lord Siva and all the demigods praise Him. The devotees worship His transcendental form. We offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.

Sutrāmsubhis tamamsi vyudasya vastuni yah parikṣayate sa jayati satyavataye harir anuvṛtto nata-presthaḥ

All glories to Śrila Vyasadeva, the son of Satyavati. Vyasadeva is the incarnation of Lord Hari, and He is very dear to the devotees. With the effulgence of His Vedanta-sutra He has dispelled the darkness of ignorance and revealed the truth.

During the Dvapara yuga the Vedas were destroyed. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, responding to the prayers of Lord Brahma and the other bewildered demigods, appeared as Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, restored the Vedas, divided them into parts, and composed the Vedanta-sutra in four chapters to explain them. This is described in the Skanda Purana.

At that time many fools propounded various misinterpretations of the Vedas. Some said that the highest goal of life was to act piously in order to reap the benefits of good karma. Some said that Lord Visnu is Himself bound by the laws of karma. Some maintained that the fruits of good karma, such as residence in Svarga (the upper material planets) were eternal. Some said the jiwas (individual living entities) and prakyti (material energy) acted independently, without being subject to any higher power, or God. Some said the jivas (individual living entities) are actually the Supreme Brahman (God), and that the jivas are simply bewildered about their identity, or that the jivas are a reflection of God, or separated fragments of God. Some said that the jiva becomes free from the cycle of repeated birth and death when He understands his real identity as the perfectly spiritual Supreme Brahman (God).

**Contents and Sample Pages**