The Brahmasutra , variously known as Sariraka Sutra or Sariraka Mimamsa or Uttara Mimamsa or Bhikshu Sutra of Badarayana, is one of the three texts that are collectively called Prasthana Traya , the other two being the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita . The text of Badarayana reveals that, before him, there were a number of teachers — such as Asmarathya, Audulomi and Kasakritsna — who understood the Upanishadic import in different ways.
One must admit that, at the present state of knowledge, the “heart of the Sutrakara” is difficult to comprehend. This explains why there have been innumerable commentaries on the Brahmasutra, the prominent among them being the ones by Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, and Vallabha.
Differ on numbers
These commentators differ even on the actual number of the Sutras or aphorisms. For instance, while Sankara places the figure at 555, Ramanuja puts it as 545. This is because these preceptors differ in what constitutes a particular sutra — what is one sutra for one Acharya is two for another, or vice versa .
The word ‘sutra' literally means the thread that stitches the various Vedantic teachings into a logical and self-consistent whole. Sankara imparts a poetic tinge when he says these sutras string the flowers in the form of Upanishadic passages ( vedanta vakyakusuma ).
Shailaja Bapat has taken the trouble of gathering and collating the basic material available in more than 200 manuscripts. Besides providing the variant readings of the aphorisms, along with critical analyses, she has taken care to give the meaning of the words in the sutras as also the translation.
The chief merit of this three-volume publication lies in that it presents Sankara's commentary, with cross references to the viewpoints of other important Acharyas like Ramanuja and Madhva. It may support the study of Brahmasutra Patha, and the notes Bapat has provided throw considerable light on the cardinal philosophical doctrines enshrined in the sutras.
There is, of course, variance in the texts traditionally handed down in different schools, and this gives room for an aphorism to be split into two. Also, it is possible to take some sutras as separate Adhikaranas. For example, Yamunacharya, the grand teacher of Ramanuja, objects to the way in which Sankara chose the sutras and formed the ‘Adhikaranas' (topics). Thus, Sankara treats the aphorism Charaachara etc., (II.iii.17) as a separate topic. This aphorism denies birth and death for the Jiva. But Yamunacharya says that this concept is taken up by the subsequent aphorism, Naatmaa etc. (II.iii.18) and so it is pointless to treat Charaachara, etc., as a separate topic.
It is unfortunate that the original text in Devanagiri and the transliterated Roman text are replete with printing errors. That it is so defeats the very purpose of this publication — namely, to bring out a flawless, reliable critical edition of the Brahmasutra . There is however no denying the monumental effort that has gone into the venture of providing the text of Brahmasutra in all its variants, and the editor deserves to be congratulated for it. The Glossary, Word index, and Bibliography are useful additions.
