Essay name: Srikara Bhashya (commentary)
Author: C. Hayavadana Rao
The Srikara Bhashya, authored by Sripati Panditacharya in the 15th century, presents a comprehensive commentary on the Vedanta-Sutras of Badarayana (also known as the Brahmasutra). These pages represent the introduction portion of the publication by C. Hayavadana Rao.
Page 168 of: Srikara Bhashya (commentary)
168 (of 953)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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INTRODUCTION 107 according to Sankara, the reason for the jign膩sa. The
reason is that the fruit of all actions is transitory. Good
actions lead to heaven, but heaven itself is transitory.
The knowledge of Brahman gives final release. Thus, the
highest that the P奴rva-Mim膩msa can point to as attainable
is held to fall far too short of what is required for final
absolution. R膩m膩nuja takes a different view. To him
also the word atha indicates sequence. But the antecedent
condition, according to him, is the study of the Karma-
k盲nda, or ritualism of the Veda. After the understanding of
works, the jign膩sa into Brahma follows. The word atha
indicates that the subject of jign膩sa is Brahman. The
person who has followed the Karmakanda knows that the
fruit of mere works is limited and hence his desire to
know Brahman for obtaining final release. His view is
that since the fruit of works as taught in the P奴rva-
M墨m膩msa is limited and transitory, and that of the knowledge
of Brahman as taught in the Uttara-M墨m膩msa is unlimited
and eternal, Brahman should be known after the knowledge
of works has previously taken place. According to
R膩m膩nuja, the Purva-M墨m膩msa of Jaimini and the Uttara-
M墨m膩msa of B膩d膩rayana form one body of doctrine which
should be studied in their due order. This view of
R膩m膩nuja has been elaborated by later Vishisht膩dvaita
writers. Thus in the Adhikarana S膩r膩rthad墨pika by
Mang膩ch膩rya Sr墨niv膩sa S奴ri, a disciple of Samarapunga-
v膩ch膩rya of V膩d奴lag艒tr膩, we have this point
the one-
ness of the M墨m膩msa as a S膩stra
force. The work provides us with a summary of the
contents of the various Prakaranas - or the topical sub-
divisions of the two Mim膩msas 鈥� and shows clearly their
interdependence. (See Madras D.C. Skt. X, No. 4853.)
Similarly in the Purvottara M墨m膩msaka-Kanthyam, we
have the oneness of the two Mim膩msas put forth in great
detail. (See ibid., Nos. 4930 and 4931.) Sr墨kantha is even
more explicit than R膩m膩nuja. He says that the word atha
denotes succession and not mere commencement or
auspiciousness. The latter is the view of Madhva and the
-
-
-
urged with great
