prabhu kahe, vedÄnta-sÅ«tra Ä«Å›vara-vacana
vyÄsa-rÅ«pe kaila yÄhÄ Å›rÄ«-nÄrÄyaṇa
1 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: LCC(1)
prabhu kahe - the Lord began to speak; vedÄnta-sÅ«tra - the philosophy of Vedanta-sÅ«tra; Ä«Å›vara-vacana - spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vyÄsa-rÅ«pe - in the form of VyÄsadeva; kaila - He has made; yÄhÄ - whatever; Å›rÄ«-nÄrÄyaṇa - the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord said, “VedÄnta philosophy consists of words spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead NÄrÄyaṇa in the form of VyÄsadeva.
The VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, which consists of aphorisms revealing the method of understanding Vedic knowledge, is the concise form of all Vedic knowledge. It begins with the words athÄto brahma-jijñÄsÄ: “Now is the time to inquire about the Absolute Truth.†The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, and therefore the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra very concisely explains the human mission. This is confirmed by the words of the VÄyu and Skanda PurÄṇas, which define a sÅ«tra as follows:
alpÄká¹£aram asandigdhaá¹ sÄra-vat viÅ›vato-mukham
astobham anavadyaṠca sūtraṠsūtra-vido viduḥ
“A sÅ«tra is a compilation of aphorisms that expresses the essence of all knowledge in a minimum of words. It must be universally applicable and faultless in its linguistic presentation.†Anyone familiar with such sÅ«tras must be aware of the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, which is well known among scholars by the following additional names: (1) Brahma-sÅ«tra, (2) ÅšÄrÄ«raka, (3) VyÄsa-sÅ«tra, (4) BÄdarÄyaṇa-sÅ«tra, (5) Uttara-mÄ«mÄá¹sÄ and (6) VedÄnta-darÅ›ana.
There are four chapters (adhyÄyas) in the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, and there are four divisions (pÄdas) in each chapter. Therefore the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra may be referred to as á¹£oá¸aÅ›a-pÄda, or sixteen divisions of aphorisms. The theme of each and every division is fully described in terms of five different subject matters (adhikaraṇas), which are technically called pratijñÄ, hetu, udÄharaṇa, upanaya and nigamana. Every theme must necessarily be explained with reference to pratijñÄ, or a solemn declaration of the purpose of the treatise. The solemn declaration given in the beginning of the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra is athÄto brahma-jijñÄsÄ, which indicates that this book was written with the solemn declaration to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Similarly, reasons must be expressed (hetu), examples must be given in terms of various facts (udÄharaṇa), the theme must gradually be brought nearer for understanding (upanaya), and finally it must be supported by authoritative quotations from the Vedic Å›Ästras (nigamana).
According to the great dictionary compiler Hemacandra, also known as Koá¹£akÄra, VedÄnta refers to the purport of the Upaniá¹£ads and the BrÄhmaṇa portion of the Vedas. Professor Apte, in his dictionary, describes the BrÄhmaṇa portion of the Vedas as that portion which states the rules for employment of hymns at various sacrifices and gives detailed explanations of their origin, sometimes with lengthy illustrations in the form of legends and stories. It is distinct from the mantra portion of the Vedas. Hemacandra says that the supplement of the Vedas is called the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end. In other words, proper understanding of the ultimate purport of the Vedas is called VedÄnta knowledge. Such knowledge, as given in the aphorisms of the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, must be supported by the Upaniá¹£ads.
According to learned scholars, there are three different sources of knowledge, which are called prasthÄna-traya. According to these scholars, VedÄnta is one of such sources, for it presents Vedic knowledge on the basis of logic and sound arguments. In the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (13.5) the Lord says, brahma-sÅ«tra-padaiÅ› caiva hetumadbhir viniÅ›citaiḥ: “Understanding of the ultimate goal of life is ascertained in the Brahma-sÅ«tra by legitimate logic and argument concerning cause and effect.†Therefore the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra is known as nyÄya-prasthÄna, the Upaniá¹£ads are known as Å›ruti-prasthÄna, and the GÄ«tÄ, MahÄbhÄrata and PurÄṇas are known as smá¹›ti-prasthÄna. All scientific knowledge of transcendence must be supported by Å›ruti, smá¹›ti and a sound logical basis.
It is said that both the Vedic knowledge and the supplement of the Vedas called the SÄtvata-pañcarÄtra emanated from the breathing of NÄrÄyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The VedÄnta-sÅ«tra aphorisms were compiled by ÅšrÄ«la VyÄsadeva, a powerful incarnation of ÅšrÄ« NÄrÄyaṇa, although it is sometimes said that they were compiled by a great sage named ApÄntaratamÄ. The PañcarÄtra and VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, however, express the same opinions. ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu therefore confirms that there is no difference in opinion between the two, and He declares that because the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra was compiled by ÅšrÄ«la VyÄsadeva, it may be understood to have emanated from the breathing of ÅšrÄ« NÄrÄyaṇa. ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura comments that while VyÄsadeva was compiling the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, seven of his great saintly contemporaries were also engaged in similar work. These saints were Ä€treya Ṛṣi, Āśmarathya, Auá¸ulomi, KÄrṣṇÄjini, KÄÅ›aká¹›tsna, Jaimini and BÄdarÄ«. In addition, it is stated that PÄrÄÅ›arÄ« and KarmandÄ«-bhiká¹£u also discussed the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra aphorisms before VyÄsadeva.
As mentioned above, the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra consists of four chapters. The first two chapters discuss the relationship of the living entity with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is known as sambandha-jñÄna, or knowledge of the relationship. The third chapter describes how one can act in his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called abhidheya-jñÄna. The relationship of the living entity with the Supreme Lord is described by ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu: jÄ«vera ‘svarÅ«pa’ haya kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dÄsa’. “The living entity is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme God.†(Cc. Madhya 20.108) Therefore, to act in that relationship one must perform sÄdhana-bhakti, or the prescribed duties of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called abhidheya-jñÄna. The fourth chapter describes the result of such devotional service (prayojana-jñÄna). This ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. The words anÄvá¹›ttiḥ Å›abdÄt in the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra indicate this ultimate goal.
ÅšrÄ«la VyÄsadeva, a powerful incarnation of NÄrÄyaṇa, compiled the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, and in order to protect it from unauthorized commentaries, he personally composed ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam on the instruction of his spiritual master, NÄrada Muni, as the original commentary on the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra. Besides ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam, there are commentaries on the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra composed by all the major Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas, and in each of them devotional service to the Lord is described very explicitly. Only those who follow Åšaá¹…kara’s commentary have described the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra in an impersonal way, without reference to viṣṇu-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord, Viṣṇu. Generally people very much appreciate this ÅšÄrÄ«raka-bhÄá¹£ya, or impersonal description of the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra, but all commentaries that are devoid of devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu must be considered to differ in purport from the original VedÄnta-sÅ«tra. In other words, Lord Caitanya definitely confirmed that the commentaries, or bhÄá¹£yas, written by the Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas on the basis of devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu, and not the ÅšÄrÄ«raka-bhÄá¹£ya of Åšaá¹…karÄcÄrya, give the actual explanation of the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra.
