Book on Sri Ramanuja's Vedantha Deepa [From the Book review in The Hindu]

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Philosophical text for the layman

 

M. NARASIMHACHARY

 

 

 

VEDANTA DEEPA — Commentary on the Vedanta Sutras by

Bhagavad Ramanujacharya: Vol. II comprising chapters

III and IV (Sanskrit): English translation by Anantha

Rangacharya; pub. by author, No. 780, V Main Road,

Vijayanagar, Bangalore-560040. Rs. 250.

 

 

Ramanuja's commentary on the Brahmasutra is available

to us in the form of three different works: the

Sribhashya, which is very elaborate; a simpler

commentary called Vedanta Deepa; and a still shorter

commentary known as Vedanta Sara.

 

This volume is the second part of Vedanta Deepa. The

Brahmasutra or Vedanta Sutra of Badayarayana (also

known as Vyasa) is one of the triple texts called

Prasthanatraya. The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita

are the other two Prasthanas.

 

All Acharyas who wanted to expound their philosophical

views were obliged to show that their views were in

conformity with these Prasthanas. Sankara, Ramanuja

and Madhva commented on these texts, with the

exception of Ramanuja who commented on the Brahmasutra

and Gita, but not on the Upanishads. He, if we may say

so, filled this lacuna, through his work, the Vedartha

Sangraha, in which he selected important passages from

the Upanishads and explained them in the light of his

position. Since each Acharya explained the three

Prasthanas according to their traditional views, there

arose a lot of divergence regarding the actual import

of these texts.

 

The Brahmasutra is actually an aphoristic presentation

of important Upanishad passages. It consists of four

sections called the Samanvaya, Avirodha, Sadhana and

Phala Adhyayas. This volume contains the Sadhana and

Phala Adhyayas of the Brahmasutra.

 

Three commentaries

 

 

The question is generally asked as to why Ramanuja

composed three different commentaries on the same

work. The answer is simple; he wanted to cater to the

needs of people with different eligibility. The

Sribhashya is meant for those who have a very good

grounding in several branches of knowledge like

Vyakarana, Nyaya and Mimamsa. Laypeople who do not

have such a background will therefore be denied the

opportunity of knowing the contents of this work. The

Vedanta Deepa and the Vedanta Sara fulfil this

desideratum.

 

Anantha Rangacharya has already made a name for

himself as a lucid exponent of Visishtadvaita

philosophy through several works. He is an authority

on the Srinivashnava lore and his translations are

always simple and reliable.

 

This work contains the text of Vedanta Deepa in

Devanagari, followed by English translation and

explanatory notes. There is also a summary of the

various sections at the end.

 

******

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan