Pyramidal Vedantic Literature - By: Swamini Atmaprajnananda Saraswati

Prasthänatraya of Vedänta:

The Upanishads, the Bhagavadgitä, and the Brahmasütra are known as the prasthäna-traya – the triple foundation/cannon of Vedänta. Prasthäna means ‘foundation’ and thus, these three constitute the three foundations of – i) revelation (Sruti), ii) remembrance (Smrti) and iii) reason (Nyäya). They are respectively known as, the Upanishads or Sruti-prasthäna, the Bhagavadgitä or Smrti-prasthäna, and the Brahmasütra or Nyäya-prasthäna. 

The Vedas are referred to as Sruti, and since the Upanishads form part of the Vedas, their name as ‘Sruti-prasthäna’ is justified. The Bhagavadgitä stands next to the Upanishads with reference to authoritativeness, and is considered almost an equal. It is the ‘Song of the Lord’ - message of Lord Krshna to the humanity. It forms part of the epic, the Mahäbhärata  (Bhishmaparva, Chapters 25 - 42) which is a Smrti or remembered text. The Bhagavad gitä is accepted in the tradition because it is consistent with the Upanishads, and covers certain related topics that the Upanishads do not cover (i.e. Karmayoga, Values, Bhakti). Thus, Bhagavadgitä is known as the Smrti-prasthäna. The Brahmasütrarepresents the standpoint of reason since it sets forth the Vedäntic teachings in a logical order.

Thus, we see that the basic sourcebook of Vedänta, and therefore its basic doctrine, is based upon Sruti, and supported by Smrti and reasoning (Nyäya). In light of this, the central teaching of all three sourcebooks will be posited to be one and the same, i.e. Brahman. 

Since the Upanishadic statements are cryptic and apparently in conflict with each other, they are reconciled in the Brahmasütra. Sütra literature is also pithy, and requires explanation, thus the necessity of bhäshyam. Bhäshyam also requires knowledge of grammar, thus tikä. Even when tikä becomes a challenge, Äcäryas out of their tremendous compassion write tippani, which are like modern footnotes. Thus, a Pyramidal Vedantic Literature is built on the mülagrantha => sütra => bhäshyam => tikä => tippani. 

Definition of a Sütra

alpäksharam-asandigdham säravad-visvatomukham |

astobham-anavadyam ca sütram sütravido viduh ||- Skandapuräna 

The definition of a sütra is that it be brief – i) alpäksharam, of few words, but not ambiguous, so ii)asandigdham; it must be clear, iii) säravat, it must be meaningful, iv) visvatomukham, it has to keep the whole picture in view.

Bhäshyam (Commentary)

A bhäshyam is defined as: 

süträrtho varnyate yatra väkyaih sütränusäribhih |

svapadäni ca varnyante bhäshyam bhäshyavido viduh || 

The bhäshyam thus shares the dignity and precision of the sütra. It makes brief statements, which itself proceeds to explain and expand, according to the needs of the discussion. An imaginary disputant is the person, to whom the bhäshyam is directly addressed. 

The bhäshyam of Sankara on Brahmasütra is a blessing in as much as it gives a new lease to the tradition of teaching sampradäya. Following the style of Patanjali, the mahäbhäshyakära, Sankara is crisp and convincing. Sankara's bhäshyam is regarded as prasanna - clear and easily intelligible, as well as gambhira – profound (as described by Väcaspati Misra the bhämatikära). But since the topic is so profound, even the simple way it is presented can seem very difficult. Thus, there are further commentaries and tikäs to help us understand the bhäshyam. 

Tikä

Thus, even a bhäshyam on an original text may be found crisp and cryptic by students. Hence, tikäs are written on bhäshyam. Sankara's Brahmasutra-bhäshyam (BSSB) has been further commented on by many äcäryas thus, giving rise to two distinct Schools. 

Tikäs on Sankara’s Brahmasütra-bhäshyam have been written by Padmapäda (Pancapädika), Väcaspati Misra (Bhämati), Änanda Giri (Nyäyanirnaya), and Govindänanda (Ratnaprabhä). 

Tippani

Tippani is further explanation on the Tikä. In recent times, Swämi Vishnudevänanda of Kailasäsrama, Rishikesh has provided Tippani titled Govindaprasädini on Ratnaprabhä, which is of immense help to students. 

Vrtti

Vrtti is simple explanation of the main text. A vrtti is a short and simple gloss, explaining the sütras in a more elaborate way, but not as extensively as a bhäshyam i.e. without bringing in pürvapaksha andsiddhänta.  A vrttikära is thus a commentator on the original text - mülagrantha. The most well-known of the vrttikaras of Brahmasütra are Upavarsha and Bodhäyana. There are around eight vrttis on Brahmasütra. 

Värttika

While it was regarded as the duty of the bhäshyakära to fully explain the intention of the sütrakära, he had also full latitude to start new utsütra - discussions, i.e., those not actually expressed in the sütras, but capable of being deduced from them, or at any rate, not inconsistent with implications of them. But he could not modify the sütras. This latter was the function of the värttikas, which are defined as:

ukta-anukta-duruktänäm cintä yatra pravartate |

tam grantham värttikam prähur-värttikäjna manishinah|| 

The värttikas, in other words, were sütras intended to correlate, modify, and supplement the originalsütras. We are familiar with Kätyäyani/Vararuci’s värttika on Pänini’s Ashtädhyäyi.

By analyzing and presenting the subject matter, the Brahmasütra becomes a source book - müla-grantha. The commentary on the Brahmasütra is considered to be a bhäshyam, rather than just an explanation or gloss - vrttih; because in bhäshyam the bhäshyakära has to defend what he says. Sankara's bhäshyas are on ten Upanishads, Bhagavadgitä, and Brahmasütra. As the author of this three-fold bhäshyam, Sankara is known as bhäshyakära. Patanjali's bhäshyam on Pänini's grammarsütras is known as the Mahäbhäshyam, and Patanjali, therefore is known as the mahä-bhäshyakära. Sabara's bhäshyam is on Pürva-Mimämsä-Sütras of Jaimini. Thus, there are further commentaries andtikäs to help us understand the bhäshyam. 

Tikäs on Sankara's bhäshyam, have been written by Padmapäda (Pancapädika) on first five sütras onBSSB), Väcaspati Misra (Bhämati), Änanda Giri (on all Sankarabhäshyam), and Govindänanda (Ratnaprabhä on BSSB). There are commentaries on tikäs also. Väcaspati Misra's commentary titledBhämati on BSSB of Sankara, is commented upon line by line by Amalänanda in his Vedänta-Kalpataru. And Appaiya Dikshitar comments on the Vedänta-Kalpataru in his work Parimala. As the analysis continues, more logic is introduced and thus it becomes a pyramid. 

Mülagrantha =>  Bhäshyam => Tikä=> Tippani

 

Mülagrantha =>  Bhäshyam =>Värtika

 

Mülagrantha =>  Vrtti

 

Mülagrantha =>  Kärika 

Bhamati School – Brahmasütra (Bädaräyana) => Brahmasütrabhäshyam (Sankara) =>Bhämati(Väcaspati Misra) => Vedänta-Kalpataru (Amalänanda) =>Parimala (Appaya Dikshitar). 

Vivarana School – Brahmasütra (Bädaräyana) =>Brahmasütrabhäshyam (Sankara) => Pancapädika(Padmapäda - 8th c.) => Pancapädika-darpana (Amalänanda 12th c.) => Pancapädika-Vivarana(Prakäsätmä Yati-12th c.) => Nyäya-nirnaya (Änanda Giri 1260-1320 CE), Ratnaprabhä(Govindänanda-16th c.).

 

 

Swamini Atmaprajnananda Saraswati's Profile

Also known as Swamini

Sannyäsini (Hindu Monk), Advaitin, Vedic and Sanskrit Scholar, Published Author, Researcher, Vedäntäcäryä and Vyäkaranäcaryä (Teacher of Vedänta and Sanskrit). Gurukula studies, Masters and PhD in Sanskrit, MBA (in previous Äshrama). Alumni of XIMB, Ärsha Vidyä Gurukulam, Utkal University, IGNOU. Swämini Ätmaprajnänanda Saraswati is a student-disciple of Swämi Dayänanda Saraswati (b.1930 -), founder of Ärsha Vidyä paramparä - tradition. She is a Dasanämi Sannyäsini of Shankara-Bhagavatpäda order, belonging to Niranjan Akhädä.

She is an Advaita Vedantin and Vedic and Sanskrit Scholar (holding a Ph. D. in Sanskrit). Her other areas of study and research are - Vedic Studies, Temple-Architecture, Buddhism, Bhakti and Sufi Movement in India. (Her other technical degrees are MBA (in Finance and Marketing), and PG Diploma in Journalism, Certificate in Human Rights, which she earned in per previous äshrama).

Her expertise lies in disseminating Advaita Vedanta, and presenting it to the students/readers without any entropy, demystifying it and presenting as a Pramana (a valid means of knowledge). Her decades of gurukula studies and University education (MA and Ph.D) and past coroparte work-experience makes her relate to her students/readers. Although a consummate Advaitin, she handles effortlessly other philosophies. She handles her contenders in Vishishtadvaita, Davita, Acintya Bhedabheda, Atheists, Iconoclast, Christians , Islamic scholars with ease and respect, and wins them over with her intellectual honesty without imposing her views on anyone, winning them overhand, gathering the additional knowledge to her corpus.. She waits for the other person to grow and be ready for Advaita.

 

 

Swämini Ätmaprajnänanda Saraswati is a Vedäntäcäryä and Vyäkaranäcäryä. She teaches Vedänta and Pänini in Ärsha Vidyä Vikäs Kendra at Bhubaneswar. She is the author of two published books -‘Nomenclature of the Vedas’ and ‘Rshikas of the Rgveda.