Translation of artho yam brahma sutrana ...................

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003, sumeet1981 wrote:

> In the verse from Garuda Purana:

> artho yam brahma sutrana ...............

> Is it correct to translate the sanskrit as bhagavata is natural

> commentary on Vedanta Sutra ?

 

Yes.

 

> Does "artho yam brahma sutrana" really translates as "natural

> commentary on Vedanta Sutra" ?

 

Yes, of course; why not? Lord Caitanya cited this and numerous other

similarly explicit references in Caitanya-caritamrta, madhya-lila, chapter 25.

Authoritatively, Srila Prabhupada explained it as such too, like the acaryas

before him. What's the real problem here?

 

MDd

[Guest guest]

achintya, "sumeet1981" <sumeet1981> wrote:

> Hare Krishna

>

> In the verse from Garuda Purana:

>

> artho yam brahma sutrana ...............

>

> Is it correct to translate the sanskrit as bhagavata is natural

> commentary on Vedanta Sutra ?

>

> Does "artho yam brahma sutrana" really translates as "natural

> commentary on Vedanta Sutra" ?

>

> Insight from sanskrit knowers or scholars welcomed.

>

 

According to Cologne Online-Sanskrit dictionary the following

meanings are given for artha:

 

Entry artha

 

Meaning %{as} , %{am} m. n. [in RV. i-ix only n. [90,3] ; in RV. x

six times n. and thrice m. ; in later Sanskr2it only m.] aim ,

purpose (very often %{artham} , %{arthena} , %{arthAya} , and %

{arthe} ifc. or with gen. , for the sake of. on account of. in behalf

of. for "') ; cause , motive , reason Mn. ii , 213 , &c. ;

advantage , use , utility (generally named with ka1ma and dharma see %

{tri-varga} ; used in wishing well to another dat. or gen. Pa1n2. 2-

3 , 73) ; thing , object (said of the membrum virile S3Br. xiv) ;

object of the senses VarBr2S. ; (hence) the number , five "' ,

Seiryas. ; substance , wealth , property , opulence , money ; (hence

in astron.) N. of the second mansion , the mansion of wealth (cf , %

{dhana}) VarBr2S. ; personified as the son of Dharma arid Buddhi

BhP. ; affair , concern (Ved. often acc. a4rtham with %{i} , or gam ,

to go to one's business , take up one's work RV. &c.) ; (in law)

lawsuit , action ; having to do with (instr.) , wanting , needing

anything (instr.) , SBr , &c. ; %{sense} , meaning , notion (cf. %

{artha-zabdau} and %{arthAt} s.v. below and %{vedatattvA7rtha-vid}) ;

manner , kind L. , prohibition , prevention L. ; price (for %{argha}

q.v.) L. ; (%{At}) abl. ind. see s.v. below ; (%{e}) loc. ind. with

1. %{kR} (g. %{sakSAd-Adi} q.v.)

 

Based on the first meaning of "aim, purpose" I would say, yes, most

likely the translation is acceptable. However, there are two things

with this:

 

1) This quote from Garuda Puraana is not found in any extant edition

that I'm aware of - it is quoted by Madhva in his Bhaagavata tat-

parya nirNaya

 

2) The rest of the quote states that the Bhaagavatam is the

commentary on the gaayatrii mantra:

 

puurNaH so 'yam atishayaH |

artho 'yam brahmasuutraaNaa.m bhaarataarthavinirNayaH ||

gaayatriibhaaShyaruupo 'sau vedaarthaparibR^i.mhitaH |

puraaNaanaa.m saamaruupaH saakShaad bhagavatoditaH ||

dvaadashaskandhayukto 'ya.m shatavichchhedasa.myutaH |

grantho 'ShTaadashasaahasra.m shriibhaagavataabhidhaH ||

 

This Shriimad-Bhaagavatam is the most perfect Puraana. It is the

natural commentary on the Vedaanta-suutra, it establishes the meaning

of the Mahaabhaarata, it is a commentary on Gaayatrii, it explains

and expands the meaning of the Vedas, it is the Saama Veda of the

Puraanas, and it was spoken by the Supreme Lord Himself. It has

twelve cantos, hundreds of chapters, and eighteen thousand verses

(garuDa puraaNa).

 

.... while it says that it is the arthaH of brahma suutras. Why does

it say that it is a bhaashya on gaayatrii while it says that it is

the artha of brahma-suutras? Will someone quibble over this

difference? I'm not sure. But it is clear from the above that the

bhaagavatam is the aim or purpose of the vedaanta-suutra.

 

K

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 1 Oct 2003, krishna_susarla wrote:

> achintya, "sumeet1981" <sumeet1981> wrote:

> > In the verse from Garuda Purana:

> > artho yam brahma sutrana ...............

> > Is it correct to translate the sanskrit as bhagavata is natural

> > commentary on Vedanta Sutra ?

>

> But it is clear from the above that the

> bhaagavatam is the aim or purpose of the vedaanta-suutra.

 

Commentators quite often conclude their comments on a given text with the

phrase, "ity arthah" (Such is the purport).

 

MDd

[Guest guest]

achintya, mpt@u... wrote:

>

> On Wed, 1 Oct 2003, krishna_susarla wrote:

> > achintya, "sumeet1981" <sumeet1981>

wrote:

> > > In the verse from Garuda Purana:

> > > artho yam brahma sutrana ...............

> > > Is it correct to translate the sanskrit as bhagavata is

natural

> > > commentary on Vedanta Sutra ?

> >

> > But it is clear from the above that the

> > bhaagavatam is the aim or purpose of the vedaanta-suutra.

>

> Commentators quite often conclude their comments on a given text

with the phrase, "ity arthah" (Such is the purport).

>

> MDd

Thanks everyone for clearing up the doubt. Just had the confusion

because i couldn't understand how come artha is translated as

commentary. Well thanks once again for the valuable insight.

 

Your Servant Always

Sumeet.