BRAHMA SUTRAM: A SIMPLE INTRODUCTION

ब्रह्मसूत्रं

BRAHMA SUTRAM

What is expressed in the least possible number of words to convey an idea or truth is a sutra, an aphorism. Brahmasutra is a basic text for all Vedantic schools of philosophy in the form of sutras. In it, Vyasa presents their substance in an extremely terse (short or condensed) form.  There is no reference in the Brahmasutra to specific deities such as Rama, Krishna etc.

Who or what is man (the individual self)? What is the nature of the world (jagat) in which he lives? And what is truth underlying all this? The Brahmasutra, which is a basic text of all Vedantic schools, seeks to answer these fundamental questions. These are indeed difficult questions but it behoves every human being to seek the answers.

There are commentaries (Bashyas) on the Brahma Sutram by the three Acharyas based on their philosophical schools.  They agree that Brahmam/Brahman is the cause of this world and that knowledge of Brahman leads to Moksha or the final emancipation, which is the goal of life. They also emphatically declare that Brahman can be known only through the scriptures and not through mere reasoning.

These Bhashyas on the Brahmasutra are themselves not easy for the layman to follow. So there are commentaries or teekas thereon by their followers. Below is an attempt to present meaning of the sutras in an easy and elementary manner. How very elementary is this attempt? The first sutra (1.1.1. below) has been explained in 113 slokas by Sri Madhwacharya in his Sutra Bhashyam!

1.I.1.अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा।

Athato Brahmajijnasa

The enquiry into Brahmam and its pre-requisites.

Hereinafter is the study/enquiry about brahmam. (There is no reference here to Brahma, the name by which God as creator is known or to the other Gods. This study is about the ultimate reality or ultimate truth about the universe. This goes by the name of Brahmam/Brahman in philosophical studies.) 

1.1.2.जन्माद्यस्य यतः

Janmadyasya yatah

Definition of Brahmam

(Brahmam is that) from which the origin etc., (i.e. the origin, sustenance & dissolution) of this (world proceeds.)

1.1.3.शास्त्रयोनित्वात्

Sastrayonitvat

Brahmam cognisable only through the scriptures.

The scripture being the source of right knowledge.

Sastra: the scripture; Yonitvat: being the source of or the means of the right knowledge. This sutra is incomplete and we have to fill in what will be obtained through the sastras. The object can only be Brahmam as that is being discussed here. Sastras refer to Vedas, Upanishads etc. A search of these will lead to knowledge about Brahmam. This explains the reason why all the sutras relate to these scriptures.

1.1.4.तत्तु समन्वयात्

Tattu samanvayat

Brahmam the main purport of all Vedantic texts.

But that (Brahmam is to be known only from the Scriptures and not independently by any other means, is established), because it is the main purpose (of all Vedantic texts.)

TAT: that; Tu: but; Samanvayat: On account of agreement or harmony, because it is the main purpose. As the scriptures are depended upon for knowledge about Brahmam, they are also the only source for reconciling differences therein.

Brahmam can be known only from the scriptures because all the scriptural passages can be harmonised only by such a doctrine. In Chapter six of the Chandogya Upanishad, Brahmam is purport of all passages. In the beginning you will find “This world, my child, was but the real (Sat) in the beginning”. It concludes “In it all that exists has its Self”. There is agreement in the opening and concluding passages.

The first four sutras have been explained in great detail in the commentaries (Bhashyas). In the case of Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra, the first three slokas (twenty four names in the namavali) are considered important, as the remaining slokas are elaboration of these three. Similarly if we understand in full the purport of these four sutras we will become completely aware of the following sutras.

SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMA: A Simple explanation

ॐ विश्वं विष्णुर्वषट्कारॊ भूत-भव्य-भवत्प्र्भुः

भूतकृत् भूतभृद्भावॊ भूतात्मा भूतभावनः     १

Om visvam vishnur-vashatkaaro

    Bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh

Bhoota-krit bhoota-bhrit bhaavo

     Bhootaatmaa bhoota-bhaavanah        1

पूतात्मा परमात्मा च मुक्तानां परमा गतिः

अव्ययः पुरुषः साक्षी क्षॆत्रञॊ अक्षर ऎव च      २

Pootaatmaa paramaatmaa cha

     Muktaanaam paramaa gatih

Avyayah purushah saakshee

     Kshetrajno akshara eva cha      2

   

यॊगॊ यॊगविदां नॆता प्रधान-पुरुषॆश्वरः

नारसिंहवपुः श्रीमान् कॆशवः पुरुषॊत्तमः     ३

Yogo yoga-vidaam netaa

      Pradhaana-purushesvarah

Naarasimha-vapuh sreemaan

       Kesavah purushottamah               3

(5) BHOOTHA-KRITH: Maker of all fundamental elements (Five fundamental elements: Space, Air, Fire, and Water & Earth).

(6) BHOOTHA-BHRITH: Supports or sustains all beings.

(7) BHAAVAH: He who is pure Existence. He is Himself all the fundamental elements. He supports or sustains all of them. He gives them power and make them discharge their assigned duties.

(8) BHOOTHAATHMAA & (9) BHOOTHA-BHAAVANAH: He manifests Himself as all the existence. We worship the Paramaatma as he is the inner being (antharaathmaa) of all the fundamental elements. (Bhaavayathi ithi bhaavah)

(10) POOTAATHMAA: He whose nature is purity.

(11) PARAMAATHMAA:  He who has none equal to, or greater than Him. The Supreme Self. He is beyond cause and effect, eternal, pure, absolute consciousness, and free. (GITA: XV-17) He is other than, and different from all high beings.

(12) MUKHTHAANAAM PARAMAA GATHIH: He who is the highest goal of those who have attained release from rebirth.

(13) AVYAYAH: He who is unchanging. Vyayam naasthi – There is no shortage or decay in Him. This name refers to both the Paramaathmaa as well as the mukhthaathma (those who have attained release from rebirth.)

(14) PURUSHAH: He who fills all beings and dwells in them from the beginning, granting their prayers.

Bhahudhaanaath purushah: He who gives immensely, e.g. clothes, food, water etc.

Puri sayanaath purushah : He who resides in all the entities in the universe.

Puraannaathvaath purushah: He is the oldest (and yet becomes new for our enjoyment.)

Poornnathwaath purushah : He is perfect. He is not deficient in anything. Om poornamadah poornamidam  - The Divine is infinite and whole. (Shanti sloka from Isha Upanishad.)

(15) SAAKSHEE: He witnesses every happening in the universe.

(16) KSHETRAJNAH: He who resides in our bodies. (Gita XIII -2)

(17) AKSHARAH: EVA CHA - He who neither waxes nor wanes in His qualities or in His appearances.

Kshetrajnah and Aksharah are identical metaphysically and their difference is relevant only relatively.

(18) YOGAH: & (19) YOGA-VIDAAM NETAA:  (Samathvam yoga uchyathe) - Equanimity is called yoga. According to GITA: II-48, Sri Bhagavan told Arjuna “Perform actions remaining in yoga, abandoning attachment, and considering alike successes and failures”. Since the Supreme God is experienced  through yoga , He is known as yogah.

Another meaning of yoga – apraapthasya praapanam yogam (Receiving those which were previously not obtained.) God is the leader of those who know him as yogah. These persons are called yoga-vidh.

(20) PRADHAANA-PURUSHA-EESVARAH: Pradhana represents the 24 principles/ origins of the fundamental elements etc. Purusha represents the jeevatma (individual soul.) Isvara is the Master of both Pradhana and Purusha.

(21) NAARASIMHA-VAPUH: He who manifested Himself in the Man-lion body. This is the fourth avataara (incarnation) of Vishnu. Thus the first incarnation specifically mentioned in the Saharanama is that of Narasimha.

(22) SREEMAN: He who is inseparably united with Sree or Lakshmi.

(23) KESAVAH: He who has lovely hair. Or He who destroyed the asura (demon) Kesi in His incarnation as Krishna.

(24) PURUSHOTTAMAH: He who is the most high among beings.   GITA: XV – 18 “As I transcend the Kshara  (the perishable)  and Akshara  (non-perishable), I am called Purushottamah  in the Vedas and  in  common language.”

In the Brahma-Soothra , if one understands fully the purport of the first four Soothras, one can be considered as having known all the remaining Soothras. Similarly, if one understands fully the purport of the first three Slokas of the Sahasranama, one can appreciate that the names specified in the remaining Slokas stand covered within these three Slokas: The following Slokas  are all explanatory of the first three.  These three slokas declare the glories of the Gayatri as well as those of the ashtakshara manthra (Om Namo Narayanaya)  

 

(The first four names of the Sahasranama were posted in this blog on 15 July 2011).