Table Of Content

1 Introduction ॐ सदाशिव समारम्भाम् िङ् कराचार्य मध्र्माम् अस्मदाचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वन्दे गुरु परम्पराम् ॐ ॥ Introduction ब्रह्मसत्रू is a Vedantic work written by व्र्ासाचार्य. The word सत्रू म् means a small statement with lot of ideas packed in it. Therefore, it is a pithy statement, a statement in capsule form which has got lot of ideas packed in it. In English, they translate सत्रू म् as aphorism. So, ब्रह्मसत्रू consists of 555 सत्रू s/ aphorisms dealing with ब्रह्मन्/the Vedantic teaching. In our tradition, the teaching was handed over/ received and given only through the mouth. Our tradition was an oral tradition, an audio tradition not a video tradition or visual tradition. So, writing was not there and even when the writing came, it was not used very much. The teaching was received through the ears, remembered in the mind and transmitted to the next generation. Because of this oral tradition, they had to find out the methods of storing the ideas in the mind. They did not store in books and cassettes, they stored all the ideas in the mind. It was a memory-oriented tradition, being an oral tradition. Therefore, for the sake of memorization they devised wonderful methods. There are two methods used for that: One method is keeping the ideas in सत्रू form. So, if they make use of the सत्रू method, a big topic which will run to pages can be condensed in one सत्रू . Similarly, a huge book can be condensed into a few statements. And they used to remember the सत्रू s and through that, they could keep the whole books after books in their mind. Therefore, सत्रू method 2 Introduction has been developed for the sake of memory. And we have got a huge सत्रू literature on all sciences, whether it is mathematics, logic, astrology, grammar, ethics, philosophy, all sciences we have got in सत्रू form. The purpose is to remember. The second they used was putting all the ideas in the metrical verse form, poetry form. It is difficult to remember the prose work whereas it is easier to remember a verse work because, there is a rhythm which can be tuned and sung also. That is why along with the सत्रू literature they developed this metrical literature also. Stories like रामार्ण and महाभारत are in metrical form which one can sing. Eighteen पुराणs are in metrical form. So thus, because it was an oral tradition and because it was memory-oriented tradition, we had these two types of literature – one is सत्रू and the other is poetry. And ब्रह्मसत्रू is such a literature in which all the ideas on ब्रह्मन्/वेदान्त have been packed up in 555 सत्रू s, which if when written in a notebook will not come even to ten pages. But if when expanded these 555 सत्रू s hundreds of books are written, each सत्रू is like an atom bomb. This is in short ब्रह्मसत्रू , a सत्रू work on ब्रह्मन् or वेदान्त. In this ब्रह्मसत्रू work, व्र्ासाचार्य takes up three tasks, three projects he has got in this ब्रह्मसत्रू . Firstly, he takes up some of the key statements of the उपशनषत्s, not all the उपशनषत्s but, especially the ten उपशनषत्s on which िङ् कराचार्य has commented. He analyzes these important मन्त्रs and through proper analyzes he 3 Introduction extracts, he brings out the entire Vedantic teaching. He does not independently present, but by way of analyzing some of the key Upanishadic statements he arrives at the Vedantic teaching. And naturally, it involves interpretations of these Upanishadic मन्त्रs and establishing the right interpretations and also refuting all the possible wrong interpretations. This is his first project: take key statements of the उपशनषत्s and then arrive at the right interpretations, dismiss the wrong interpretations through analyzes and by way of that arrive at the Vedantic teaching in a systematic manner. This is one task of ब्रह्मसत्रू . Now the second task is defending the Vedantic teaching when other systems of philosophy charge the teaching with logical defects. Because several other systems are there who refute the Vedantic teaching, who charge the teaching with various inaccuracies. Either they say the interpretation is wrong or they say it is illogical. And व्र्ासाचार्य defends the Vedantic teaching by refuting all the possible charges on the वेदान्त. Therefore, the second task for व्र्ासाचार्य is defending the Vedantic teaching. And thirdly and finally, he says that all those systems which are finding fault with Vedantic teaching do not have a right to find fault with us because, all their systems of philosophy are full of inaccuracies. So, from defense he goes to offence. What right you have to talk about logical defects when your systems are full of logical loopholes. Thus, all 4 Introduction those systems which were prevalent in those days are taken and their defects are clearly pointed out. This is third task. So, (i) extract the Vedantic teaching through Upanishadic interpretations, (ii) defending the वेदान्त by answering all the charges, and (iii) refuting all other systems by showing their fallacies. These are the three main tasks accomplished by व्र्ासाचार्य through these 555 सत्रू s. This is the topic. Now the next question is who is qualified to study this ब्रह्मसत्रू s, who can study with advantage? Since, व्र्ासाचार्य is analyzing the Upanishadic मन्त्रs by arriving at the right interpretations and refuting wrong interpretations; once the question of interpretations come naturally you know, hair splitting is involved. Therefore, every word is looked into deeply and hair-splitting analysis of words is involved, hair-splitting analysis of sentences is involved, and hair-splitting analysis of ideas is involved. Whether it is interpretation of उपशनषत्s, whether it is refuting the charges on वेदान्त or whether it is charging him with inaccuracies, all these three projects of व्र्ासाचार्य involve logical hair splitting. Therefore, those who want to study वेदान्त should be mentally prepared for this particular thing and if a person is not prepared for this he may feel it is too dry a textbook. If a person is intellectual, logically oriented then he will enjoy otherwise this book may appear too dry for them. Therefore, the first thing is be ready for lot of तकय , lot of न्र्ार्, lot of logical hair splitting analysis. Therefore, 5 Introduction grammar will come, derivation of words will come; etymology, grammar all those things a person should be ready. Readiness for hair splitting is the first qualification. Now the second qualification is a study of at least ten उपशनषत्s will be required because, व्र्ासाचार्य is analyzing the Upanishadic statements and extracting the meaning. It is not an independent teaching but a teaching by way of analyzing the Upanishadic statements, especially the ten उपशनषत्s. Therefore, if a person has not studied the ten उपशनषत्s then that person may find these statements which are not analyzed will look odd and he may find it out of place. Therefore, a student who has studied the ten उपशनषत्s is the ideal student. Because many statements are taken from छान्दोग्र् and बहृ दारण्र्क. And if not the ten उपशनषत्s but at least six उपशनषत्s if a person has studied then he is fit. If he has studied only the गीता then ब्रह्मसत्रू will not be of much use. If a person is familiar with the मन्त्रs also then he can enjoy much more. This is the second qualification. Now the next question is do we require ब्रह्मसत्रू for ज्ञानम् and for मोक्ष? The answer is we do not require ब्रह्मसत्रू for ज्ञानम ् and for मोक्ष. Let it be very clear – we do not require ब्रह्मसत्रू for ज्ञानम ् and for मोक्ष. If a person studies भगवद्गीता and a few उपशनषत्s under a competent teacher that itself is more than enough to gain आत्मज्ञानम ् and मोक्ष. Because when a competent teacher teaches गीता and उपशनषत्s, the teaching is based on ब्रह्मसत्रू only. Any competent teacher teaches गीता and उपशनषत्s only based on 6 Introduction ब्रह्मसत्रू and therefore, study of गीता and उपशनषत्s under a competent teacher is indirect study of ब्रह्मसत्रू also. That you yourself will recognize during the study of ब्रह्मसत्रू . And therefore, one need not come to ब्रह्मसत्रू with the false notion that if I don’t attend the ब्रह्मसत्रू my knowledge is incomplete; nobody need not feel; if anybody wants to stop the learning with the study of गीता and उपशनषत्s, it is perfectly fine, and a person need not compare oneself with another student who has studied ब्रह्मसत्रू . Therefore, let it be clear that ब्रह्मसत्रू is not required for ज्ञानम् and मोक्ष. Then comes the next question, legitimate question – if ब्रह्मसत्रू is not required for ज्ञानम् and मोक्ष, then why the heaven are you teaching this ब्रह्मसत्रू ? There are two reasons. ब्रह्मसत्रू is considered as one of the three basic texts of Vedantic teaching, together they are called प्रस्थानत्रर्म् – प्रस्थानम् here means basic text, त्रर्म् means three – the threefold basic text. One is भगवद्गीता, the popular one, which we are studying and we have studied. It is known as स्मशृतप्रस्थानम्. It is first basic text because, भगवद्गीता comes under स्मशृत. Then the second one is the उपशनषत्s, at least the ten उपशनषत्s. This is the second basic text, technically called श्रुशतप्रस्थानम्. The third basic text is ब्रह्मसत्रू s, which is called न्र्ार्प्रस्थानम्. As the very word indicates it is the text book which deals with logical aspect of the teaching, logical 7 Introduction establishment of the teaching, logical refutation of our charges and logically charging other systems of philosophy. So thus, स्मशृतप्रस्थानम्, श्रुशतप्रस्थानम् and न्र्ार्प्रस्थानम् – these three put together is called प्रस्थानत्रर्म्, they are called pillars of वेदान्त. Of these three प्रस्थानम्s I have been generally and regularly teaching गीता and उपशनषत्s very often. I must have myself taught more than ten times the गीता in different places and many of you must have heard also many times. So when I am taking स्मशृतप्रस्थानम् and श्रुशतप्रस्थानम् repeatedly, I, therefore, thought at least once to teach the ब्रह्मसत्रू so that प्रस्थानत्रर्म् is complete. This is one intention – completion of प्रस्थानत्रर्म् at least once. The second intention is because I am teaching गीता and उपशनषत्s repeatedly; I don’t personally get much time to dwell upon ब्रह्मसत्रू . Therefore, if I teach ब्रह्मसत्रू , I get wonderful opportunity to dwell upon it. To enjoy myself I am taking this ब्रह्मसत्रू . And when I am loudly thinking, loudly dwelling upon, if anybody wants to overhear and get some benefit it is welcome, otherwise it is primarily for my own sake. Remember for students - seekers of मोक्ष, ब्रह्मसत्रू is not compulsory, but for a teacher of वेदान्त ब्रह्मसत्रू is quite useful. From the teacher’s angle ब्रह्मसत्रू has a very important place, from the learners angle ब्रह्मसत्रू is not compulsory. Therefore, as a teacher I wanted to enjoy. This is the second reason of my taking up of the ब्रह्मसत्रू text. 8 Introduction The next question is how am I going to approach the study? As I said ब्रह्मसत्रू consists of brief statements, which contain packets of ideas. Therefore, if you simply translate any particular सत्रू , we don’t get any head of tail out of it because, it is like a code word. Therefore, the सत्रू s by simple translation will not make any meaning to the reader. So, generally ब्रह्मसत्रू is studied along with भाष्र्म् or a commentary. Very rarely people study ब्रह्मसत्रू ; generally, the study is ब्रह्मसत्रू भाष्र्म्, as भाष्र्म् brings out all the ideas packet in it. Even though this is the traditional method, I am not going to going to teach ब्रह्मसत्रू भाष्र्म् but I am not going to going to teach ब्रह्मसत्रू s, which will be based on the भाष्र्म् only. My teaching will not be off the भाष्र्म्, which means I won’t read the भाष्र्म् line by line and explain but, I will be explaining the सत्रू s based on the भाष्र्म् – िङ् कराचार्य’s famous commentary on ब्रह्मसत्रू म्, it is his magnum opus. िङ् कराचार्य is well-known for his ब्रह्मसत्रू भाष्र्म् only. Closely following the सत्रू भाष्र्म्, I will be explaining the ब्रह्मसत्रू s; while bringing out all the important ideas contain in the भाष्र्म्. This is going to be my method of teaching. From next class onwards I will start the introduction and there afterwards we will go to the text. And for the successful completion we will pray to the Lord and गुरु परम्परा. ॐ पणू यमदः पणू यशमदम् पणू ायत्पणू यमुदच्र्ते । पणू यस्र् पणू यमादार् पणू यमेवावशिष्र्ते ॥ ॐ िाशन्तः िाशन्तः िाशन्तः ॥ हररः ॐ. 9 Introduction आहार शनद्रा भर् मथै ुनञ्च सामान्र्मेतत् पिुशभनयराणाम् । बुशिशहय तेिामशिको शविेषः बुद्ध्र्ा शवहीनाः पिुशभः समानाः ॥ This is the popular verse which talks about the superiority of human beings. This verse points out that many things are common between animals and human beings because, human being also is basically an animal only. Those common features are: आहार – eating, शनद्रा – sleeping, भर्म् – sense of insecurity, मथै ुनम् – desire for the propagation of the species; all these are common to animals and human beings, सामान्र्मेतत् पिुशभनयराणाम्. If everything is common then why do we say the human being is roof and crown of the creation. It is because बुशिशहय तेिामशिको शविेषः. बुशिः the evolved intellect or intelligence or the power of reasoning is अशिको शविेषः, is the extra faculty because of which human being is different from all other animals. And therefore, बुद्ध्र्ा शवहीनाः पिुशभः समानाः – if you take the बुशि from the human being, the thinking facutly from the human being then the human being is also as good as an animal. So, बुशि is the unique feature. And because of बुशि, the intellect the human being is able to judge, reason out and come to conclusions regarding various things of the creation. As he gathers experiences, as he interacts with world - based on his experiences and interactions he is able to reason out and form judgements regarding the world, judgements regarding himself, judgements regarding the Lord. Not only that he is able to judge and form opinions or views, he is able to have clearcut 10