Brahma Sutras

-Introduction from Sri R.S.Panchamukhi's work Brahma Sutra Bhashya of Sri Madhvacharya

BRAHMASUTRAS

A Scheme of the Adhyaya, Pada and Adhikarana

(with Conspectus of Contents)

When the correct knowledge of the Vedas was clouded by wrong interpretation and the truth about God, world of matter etc., was miscarried, Brahma (Four-Faced), Rudra,Indra and other gods approached Narayana and entreated him to impart correct knowledge by incarnating himself on this earth. Narayana took compassion on the perplexed good souls and manifested himself as Vyasa.Vyasa or Vedavyasa called also as Badarayana and Krishna-Dvaipayana, divided the Vedas into different Sakhas according to the capacities of the souls yearning for truth and composed the Brahma sutras or the Brahma-Mimamsa Sastra to determine the meanings of the vedic texts by means of sound logic or Hetus. It is states in the Bhagavad-Geeta (XIII, 5)

RuShibhirbahudhA gItaM CaMdObhirvividhaiH pRuthak |

brahmasUtrapadaishcaiva hEtumadbhirvinishcitaiH || 5 ||

That is the correct knowledge about kshetra and kshetrajna (God and his creation) is given in the Vedas interpreted by the Brahma-sutras with proper reasons(hEtus or logical arguments). The Vedas provide means for the liberation of the souls from the bondage of miseries and the attainment of lasting happiness unmixed with sorrow.

aduHKamitaratsarvaM jIvA eva tu duHKinaH |

teShAM duHKaprahANAya shrutireShA pravartate || shrutiH ||

The God Sri Hari and Lakshmi Devi including the Muktas and the inanimate world are untouched by sorrow. It is only the induvidual souls who are duHKaspRuShTa and are eager to get rid of the circle of birth and death i.e., the Samsara. Vedavyasa therefore, composed the Brahma-Sutras to render the correct import of the Vedas for the benefit of the competent(Adhikari) souls.

The Brahma-Sutras are, in conformity with the definition of a sutra

alpAkSharamasaMdigdhaM sAravadvishvatomuKam |

astoBamanavadhyaM ca sUtraM sUtra-vido viduH ||

pity aphoristic sentences providing the arguments, hEtu or Linga to interpret the respective Vedic passages envisaged by them. They are five hundred and sixty four in number. They are classified according to the subjects treated in them under four heads or

chapters :

1. samanvayAdhyAya

2. avirodhAdhyAya

3. sAdhanAdhyAya

4. phalAdhyAya

Each Chapter is divided under four Padas or sectionsnamed according to the topics dealt with in them. The sutras in each section are sub-divided under several groups of sutras called adhikaranas, each dealing with a single subject matter. An adhikarana is defined as follows :-

viShayo vishayashcaiva pUrvapakShaHstathottaram |

prayojanaM ca pa~jcaitAn prAMco&dhikaraNaM viduH ||

statement of the problem, doubt ,debator's view, opponent's view (conclusion) , end or purpose (on both the sides). These constitute the adhikaranas and enable the student to examine the tipic in all its bearings and after searching analysis, arrive at a defnite conclusion.

The scheme of Adhyaya, Pada, Adhikarana and Sutra is beautifully summed up in the following couplet by Sri Vijayeendrateertha in his brahmasUtranyAyasaMgrahaH |

caturadhyAyagA nyAyaH

According to the principle of retrograde numbering (aMkAnAM vAmato gatiH) the total number

of adhikaranas or nyayas in each chapter will be

I 39

II 55

III 93

IV 35

in all 222

adhikaranas. They are distributed in the four padas of each adhyaya as follows :-

(1) samanvayAdhyAya

(2) avirodhAdhyAya

3. sAdhanAdhyAya

4. phalAdhyAya

Thus the total number of Nyayas is 222 and of the sutras, 564; both these figures are conveyed by the symbolic expression shrIrudrAH (2220 brahmamImAMsAnyAyAH ; sUtrANi bhUShaNaM (465 i.e., 564)

The distribution of Sutras shown above against each Pada and the Adhyaya is given there as :-