Ramanuja on Brahma shabdam

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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Objective: To establish that it is Brah-man not

bram-han.

 

Explanation:-

Any term in Sanskrit is the derivation of the

taatparya / meaning of the term itself

That is, it is a kAraNa-p –peyar.

And what types of meanings are derived?

In Indian literature of yore (Kaavyaprakaasha), it is

held that the power of words to denote the taatparya /

meanings are of three types, namely,

Denotative,

Figurative and

Purportive.

The purportive signification of words is, by some,

maintained to be different from

The suggestive signification

And accordingly the power of words is also said to be

four-fold, including suggestive signification.

Sri Ramanuja accepts all the four in the course of his

Sri Bhashya to the 32 Vedanta sutras.

In the very first sutra, he discusses the root and the

meaning of the term Brahman in the light of the

four-fold power of words.

The sutra runs thus.

“Ahato Brahmajijnasa

(Then therefore the enquiry into the Brahman)

His explanation for the term Brahman gives us the

answer to the correct pronunciation.

In his own words (translation by Sri Rangacharya and

Sri Varadharaja Aiyengar)

 

“….the word Brahman is seen to derive its meaning from

the association of ‘brihattva’, i.e., greatness (with

the thing denoted by it); and whatever greatness is by

nature as well as by qualities, unsurpassed in

excellence, that is its primary and natural meaning.

And He (who possesses such greatness) is alone the

Lord of All . Hence the word Brahman is primarily used

to signify Him alone.”

 

The four-fold meaning as incorporated in the term

‘brihattva’ (it is brahmaandam in terms of denotative,

figurative, purportive and suggestive implications)

becomes the ‘primary and natural meaning’ of Brahman.

Hence it is Brah-man and not bram-han.

 

Once again in the second sutra, another dimension of

‘brah’ is discussed.

The sutra is

‘ Janmaadyasya yatah’

(the brahman is that) from whom (proceed) the creation

etc., of this (universe)

 

In his explanation, Sri Ramanuja goes on to establish

Brahman on the basis of what he calls accidental

characteristics, like the power to create etc.

According to him, this is established by nothing other

than the very term Brahman itself.

In his own words,

 

“ that which is characterized by means of accidental

characteristics is Greatness unsurpassed in

excellence: and it is Growth also, because the root

‘brih’ (to grow) is capable of that meaning. And the

creation, preservation and destruction of the world

constitute the accidental characteristics of that.

(Brahman thus made out to be Greatness and Growth)”

 

It might be of significance to remind the readers here

that though a liberated jiva ‘becomes the Brahman’

(Mund up) and is capable of all that the Brahman is

able to do, it is nevertheless prohibited from

initiating creation. Creation (Growth / brih) is the

sole prerogative of Brahman and Brahman alone. This

idea is incorporated in the very term ‘Brah’ – so as

not to give rise to any second opinion.

 

Jayasree Sarnathan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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