"The gist of Sribhasyam on chatussutri" by Dr.NSA

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PArAs~arya vachassudhAm upanishat dugdhAbdhi

madhyOddhrtAm

samsArAgni vidIpana vyapagata prANAtma sanjIvinIm

pUrvAchArya surakshitAm bahumati vyAghAta dUrasthitAm

AnItAm tu nijAksharai: sumanasO bhaumA: pibantu

anvaham

 

In the second invocatory verse,RAmAnuja states that

the theme of his commentary is Supreme Brahman. The

subject matter of the bhasya are the sUtrAs. The

sUtrAs are expounding the essence of the upanishads

and the upanishads in turn propound Brahman. Thus, the

ultimate theme of the commentary is verily Supreme

Brahman.

 

The meaning of the second invocatory verse may be

briefly summarized thus:-

 

1. The nectar or amrta of the form of the words of the

great VyAsa, son of ParAsara, is expounded faithfully

in accordance with the letters of the sUtrAs for the

benefit of sincere aspirants, who are capable of

discriminating what is "sAra" and what is "asAra". The

author of the great commentary is inviting the earnest

to enjoy this nectar directly without undergoing any

strain.

 

2. This nectar is drawn from the depths of the milky

ocean of the upanishads. This nectar restores to life,

those who have been distanced from the Supreme

Brahman on account of the torments of the fire of

samsAra.

 

3. This nectar is the one that is well guarded by the

ancient masters.

 

4. This nectar is far from the several contradictions

and conflicts of many diverse opinions of different

teachers.

 

This is expounded through the words of the

BhAshyakAra, that are faithful to the wordings of the

sUtrAs of the great VyAsa.

 

RAmAnuja declares that Brahman is the ultimate

object of this great commentary and the ultimate

purpose of this work is perfect enlightenment upon the

ultimate realities. This exposition is based on valid

pramANAs and they represent the teachings gained from

tradition. By mentioning the greatness of VyAsa as

the great son of ParAs~ara, RAmAnuja mentions that

the son truly imbibes the greatness of his father. The

meaning of "ParAs~ra is this:-- He who vanquishes the

antagonists, i.e."parAn" of the form of (kudrstIs)

perverse thinkers by sharp arrows of the form of

pramANAs and tarkAs.(means of valid knowledge and

argumentation). That was the greatness of 'ParAs~ra'.

What to say about the noble and worthy son of such a

great master?

 

VEdavyAsA's name is mentioned in the vEda also. The

sUtrakAra BAdarAyaNa is not different from VyAsa. The

'skAndapurANa' expressly mentions that the great

VedavyAsa is the author of the 'BrahmasUtrAs'also.

 

By mentioning the holy name of VEdavyAsa, it may be

said that RAmAnuja is offering salutations also at the

feet of the great master. One should have supreme

devotion towards the guru, just as one has supreme

devotion towards God.

 

The word 'vachas' or words signifies the profound

meaning of those words. This suggests that the words

of the sUtrAs have a significant sense. The term

'sudhA' or nectar points out that these profound

meanings are enjoyable like 'amrta'or nectar. The

terms 'upanishat', 'dugdha' and 'abdhi', have

significant meanings. 'upanishat' signifies that this

work is related to the Supreme Brahman directly.

'dugdha' or milk suggests that the upanishadic portion

of the vEda has greater essence that that of the

earlier part namely the 'karmabhAga'.

 

'abdhi' points out that the upanishads are infinite in

number just as the vast oceans. The word 'madhya' or

'middle of it' declares that these truths are culled

out from the depths of the upanishads. This amounts to

saying that the subject matter of this great

commentary is the sUtrAs of BAdarAyaNa .

 

And the upanishads are the sources of the sUtrAs.

 

Ultimately the theme of the upanishads is Supreme

Brahman.

 

 

Thus this great work also has Supreme Brahman as its

ultimate theme. The schools that are non-vedic are all

excluded by this.

 

The second quarter of the verse declares the supreme

benefit that is derived from these sUtrAs. This is

'sanjeevini' or life restoring teaching. For whom?,

for those people who are suffering from the

non-attainment of that 'paramAtman' , on account of

the 'vidIpana' or terrible blazing of 'samsArAgni',

that is, the three kinds of torments that are the

results of 'samsAra'. SamsAra, in its totality, leads

to the three kinds of torments and on account of

this, one is 'gata, vyapagata', that is,

non-attainment of that 'paramAtman' from

beginningless time.

 

The word 'prANAtma' here means the very 'prANa' of all

'Atmans'. 'prANinAm prANanahEtu: paramAtmA'.

 

The Upanishads say that every entity here lives on

account of that 'prAna'. 'prANasya prAnam'.

 

People who are involved in this universe on account of

their beginningless karma have been unable to attain

their very inner self, the Supreme ParamAtman, though

He is residing along with them in the inner recesses

of their heart. This plight is from beginningless time

and there is nothing other than devotional surrender

unto that Supreme being that can take them to the

bliss of communion with that great paramAtman. That

can happen only when one gains the true knowledge of

his nature and the nature of his Lord paramAtman.

This attainment of knowledge is the aim of this

enquiry into Brahman made by the sUtrAs. Thus the

truths that are taught by the great BAdarAyaNa VyAsa,

when realised properly, will enable one to live in God

and attain the supreme benefit of life.

 

The third pAda describes that the truths that are

expounded here are gained from tradition and that they

were zealously guarded by the ancient masters and were

handed down to the devoted and worthy disciples from

time to time. It is also pointed out that these truths

are unassailable and all mutually contradictory and

conflicting views of other various masters are

distanced from these truths.

>From this, it becomes clear that the truths expounded

here are genuinely representing the essence of the

upanishads.

 

Having decided thus, the importance of this great

work, RAmAnuja heartily invites the sincere and the

fair minded aspirants to enjoy this nectar and get the

supreme benefit from this namely 'attainment of

paramAtman'. There is no 'phala' or benefit more

pleasing than the attainment of the Supreme

paramAtman.

 

dAsI

Padmini

 

 

 

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