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Book Review
Quintessence of Upanishadic wisdom
S. REVATHY
AN ELUCIDATION OF BRHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD BY VIDYARANYA — Based on Anubhutiprakasa: S. Balakrishnan; Pub. by Adi Sankara Advaita Research Centre, New No,17(Old No.8-A) Bishop Wallers Avenue (West) Mylapore, Chennai-600004.
Rs. 100.
The Vedanta Sutras although intended to systematise the apparently divergent teachings of the Upanishads, are very brief and admit of a variety of interpretations. Hence arises the utility of the Prakaranas which are more systematic manuals exhibiting the truths of the Vedanta in a well-defined and unambiguous manner. There are many such manuals but not all have been made accessible to English readers.
The Anubhutiprakasa by Vidyaranya, a celebrated exponent of the Vedanta, may be said to contain the quintessence of Upanishadic wisdom.
This work in 20 chapters consisting of about 2800 verses covers the subject matter of 12 Upanishads including the eight principal Upanishads, excluding however the Isavasya and the Mandukya. Chapters 13- 18 of Anubhutiprakasa cover the first four chapters of the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad in two parts covering 346 mantras of the Upanishad in 1196 verses thus occupying a major portion of the text.
Elucidation
The present work is an elucidation of these chapters of Anubhutiprakasa. The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is very voluminous as the name suggests and hence Vidyaranya himself has chosen to comment on those Brahmanas where Brahmavidya is discussed. The author of the present book therefore aims at elucidating this portion of the Anubhutiprakasa so that the essentials of the Upanishad may be made easy for an aspirant.
The Brhadaranyaka itself is of great importance from the Advaita standpoint, as it deals with the major aphorisms such as “Tat tvam asi” and “Aham brahmasmi” that speak of the identity of the Self with the Supreme. Sankara’s commentary on it is naturally extensive. Vidyaranya has summarised it in verse form in six chapters without omitting any important mantra so that one would get a comprehensive account of Sankara’s Bhasya.
There are several verses explaining the significance of each word in the important mantras. The author has highlighted the major differences between the two commentaries wherever necessary.
The book comprises two parts. The first part deals with the six Vidyas. The second part elucidates the dialogue between Yajnavalkya and King Janaka. Here Brahman is described as the self-luminous principle transcending the states of waking, dream and deep sleep. To bring out the essence of so huge and important a work demands learning and industry of a very high order and we have abundant evidence of both in this book.
The book on the whole is a most welcome addition to the literature on Vedanta in English and can be commended to all interested in Indian thought.
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