The Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutra are known as the prasthanathraya, forming the foundations of Indian philosophy of Vedanta. Upanishad is the Sruiti Prasthana, Bhagavad Gita is a Smriti Prasthana and Brahma Sutra is Nyaya Prasthana. The sutra technique is the most followed mode of Indian literature like Brahma Sutra, Sulba Sutra, etc. It should be noted that the word ‘sutra’ is used in two different meanings–like short form representation of literature to help memorise as in Brahma Sutra, and as a thread to detail the techniques as in Sulba Sutra.
BEFORE THE BIG BANG
Thomas Hertog, one of the last students of Stephen Hawking, describes Hawking’s final theory formulated by both Hawking and Hertog and detailed in the book, On the Origin of Time (written by Hertog). They discussed the problem of what was there before the Big Bang. To answer this, they reformulated the dynamics of the Big Bang. Hertog along with Hawking reformulated the singularity from which the Big Bang originated. They invoked quantum gravity and to avoid quantum uncertainty, they removed the Heisenberg uncertainty-based singularity and assumed a smooth curved surface; at the tip of singularity, space and time lose their identities. Their logic was that the question—what was there before the Big Bang—does not exist. Due to the smooth surface of the singularity, there is no provision for such a question. This is like asking, what is there to the south of the earth’s South Pole. The question on the origin of time does not arise.
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A scientist like Hawking, who dedicated his life to solving the problem of the origin of the Big Bang through the nature of singularity, did not have a question and hence no answer to what was there before Big Bang. In this context, it is worth remembering the story of the creation of the universe told by Rig Veda, namely the Nasadiya Suktha or Srishti Suktha. We also describe parallelism between Brahma Sutra and the string model of the universe.
One important focus of modern astrophysics is to understand how massive galaxies, like our Milky Way, formed and evolved. Using Gaia DR3 astrometry and spectroscopy, they studied two new substructures: They were identified as two confined, high-contrast over densities distribution of bright and metal-poor stars. Both have stellar masses of greater than 107 solar masses and are distributed on prograde orbits inside the Solar Circle in the galaxy. Recently, scientists observed a strange phenomenon, that some stars were crowded around two specific combinations of energy and angular momentum, which were named as Shakti and Shiva (SHIVA and SHAKTI: Presumed Proto-Galactic Fragments in the Inner Milky Way, Khyati Malhan and Hans-Walter Rix) (see fig). “Shakti and Shiva might be the first two additions to the Milky Way, initiating its growth towards a large galaxy,” said researcher Malhan, who named the two constituent galaxies. Both Shakti and Shiva have structures with an orbit-space distribution pointing towards an accreted origin. Detailed studies suggest the possible path of creation and evolution of the milky way to its present form.
Image Courtesy: The European Space Agency
UNIVERSE IN THE CONTEXT OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
According to Indian thought, the important part of the universe are the external elements called bhutas one of which is the cause of the rest. This element is called akasha which is the primal element out of which every gross thing proceeds along with prana. The prana and akasha combine and form all visible manifestations until at the end of the cycle, all these go back to the unmanifested form of akasha and prana. Rig Veda describes this phenomenon of creation as Nasadiya Sukta, the hymn of creation (Rig Veda, Mandala 10, Sukta 129). When there was neither aught nor naught, when darkness was rolling over darkness, what existed? The answer is given: It (the Eternal One) then existed without motion. Prana and Akasha were latent in that Eternal One, but there was no phenomenal manifestation. This state is called Avyaktam, meaning “without any vibration” or unmanifested. At the beginning of a new cycle of evolution, this avyaktam began to vibrate, and blow after blow of prana caused condensation. Gradually, through forces of attraction and repulsion, atoms are formed. These in turn condense into molecules and finally into every gross element of which every object in nature is composed. The akasha, with repeated blows of prana, produces vayu or vibrating state of akasha, which in turn produces gaseous matter. Rapid vibrations generate heat or tapa (fire) and as it cools off, gaseous form becomes liquid or apa and finally, transforms to solid or prithvi. Thus akasha à liquid à prithvi. It goes back in the reverse order to the end of the cycle, called kalpa. Creation is the product of prana and akasha manifesting to panchamahabhutas – Avyaktam (ether), Akasha, Agni, Jal and Prithvi.
WHAT ARE SUTRAS?
Padma Purana defines Sutra literature as the technique which should be concise and unambiguous, giving the essence of the arguments on a topic but all the same dealing with all aspects of the question, be free from repetition and lies. Thus, Brahma Sutra is a treatise written in short form of sutra technique which is an unambiguous form with mathematical precision. For example, a mathematical equation 4x+3 provides an integer solution x=1 while x2=1 provides two solutions namely x = +1 and x= -1. Such mathematical language of facts does not have any redundancy unlike natural languages. Lack of redundancy will lead to the absence of error corrections while redundancy in natural languages will have an inbuilt error correction so that most of the errors in the natural languages will be automatically corrected so that the target person will get the correct message. Hence, the lack of redundancy in sutra technique will have a large probability of getting incorrect messages leading to incorrect interpretations. Hence sutras should be learned from a Guru.
PRASTHANATHRAYA IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
As already noted, Upanishads are Sruti Prasthana , Bhagavad Gita is Smriti Prasthana (samastha vedantha sarasangraha bhutham) and Brahma Sutra is Nyaya Prasthana, setting forth the teachings of Vedanta in a logical order, also known as the Vedanta literature. Brahma Sutra has four chapters (adhyayas), each chapter with four parts (padas), each part has a number of sections (adhikaranas), with each section having one or more sutras.
The first chapter of Brahma Sutra is samanvaya, which describes Brahman as non-dual reality. The Panchabhuta Akasha (ether) is the source of everything coming out of it and at the end will get dissolved into it. Hence, Akasha can be taken as Brahman—the cause of the Universe. Brahman is the deity leading to Prana and also the manomaya as the object of meditation.
The second chapter of Brahma Sutra is avirodha or non-conflict, describing Brahman as the cause of appearance (the world). The third chapter is Sadhana, describing nirguna Brahman transforming to saguna Brahman (soul), which finally dissolves into nirguna Brahman leading to jivan mukti.
Swami Vivekananda describes our universe as the universe of the senses—prathyaksha prapancha—andis bound on both sides by the illimitable, the unknowable, the ever unknown. In Indian philosophy, nature which is prakriti also has a more appropriate name, avyaktam (undifferentiated), from which everything proceeds to come out as atoms and molecules, matter and force, mind and intellect. Indians have viewed mind as a finer form which is the state of equilibrium of three forces called sattva, rajas and tamas.
The bhutas have finer forms called tanmathras that cause the formation of gas and creation of atoms. Bhutas cause organs or indriyas which are the real seat of perception. The cause of these tanmatras and sense organs is self-consciousness. The sense organs are eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. All the five indriyas and internal instruments called anthakarana together constitute the finer body of man or linga (sukshma) sarira. Behind indriyas is the manas, the chitta or vritti which is the vibrational state of the mind. When any impression comes on chitta, it vibrates a little within the state of mind called manas. Then comes the reaction, the will or budhdhi. This accompanies all the acts of mind called egoism or ahankaras, the -consciousness, which says, “I am”, and behind which is what is called Mahat, the intelligence or the highest form of Nature’s existence. Behind mahat is the true self of man or Purusha. There is no difference between matter and mind except degrees of finer states of egoism, which change to organs of sensations and organs of reactions called brain or nerve centres and then emerge out of tanmathras, the gaseous matter, air, water and earth. They form the panchamahabhuthas namely, Akasha, Agni, Vayu, Jal and Prithvi.
As stated earlier, the Upanishads, Brahma Sutha and Bhagavad Gita are the prasthanathraya in formulating the Indian philosophy of Vedanta. The prasthanathraya through Vedanta unravels the secret of prapancha to man.
UPANISHADS
Upanishads discovered the ultimate cause of Prapancha. All the differences of opinions and arguments emerge due to non-understanding of the ultimate cause. The subject of Upanishads is to reveal the ultimate cause of the periodic oscillations of creations and destructions of the prathyaksha prapancha. Such an ultimate cause is called Brahman, which means the object that generates the chain of oscillation of prapancha. Brahman is the soul or atma. Paramatma and Parabrhama are the terms elucidating Brahman as the ultimate causation of Prapancha. Upanishadic words like Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati—those who know brahma dissolve to the infinitude of brahma loka. The real form of Brahman is Sachidanandan—sat, chit, ananda. Ithareyaopanishad defines Brahman as Prajnanam Brahma. Chit which is the knowledge or Jnanam and Prajna or consciousness are the indicators of the form of Brahman. Consciousness is Brahma. Ananda Rupa, which is still without movements, is Parabrahma—without movement anywhere and purna.
BRAHMA SUTRA
Only those who are in search of the ultimate cause of Mahaprapancha without any wavering will reach and get united with the Parabrahma, getting liberated from the chain of birth and death. Sankarachrya defines Brahma Sutra as the string which combines the gems of Upanishadic hymns to a garland. Without getting trapped in any of the varied paths emerging out of avidyas, those who proceed with their own path elucidated by Upanishads will reach the ultimate goal of Brahma Sakshathkara. Sankaracharya’s is the first comprehensive bhasya (treatise) of Brahma Sutra. Sankaracharya gave commentary on 555 sukthas in 192 sections and 4 chapters of Brahma Sutra and described Parabrahma as the amalgamation of cause and effect to manifest as the mahaprapancha or this universe.
The first chapter called Samanwaya (harmony) describes Brahman as non-dual reality. From Akasha (ether), all things come out and ultimately get dissolved into it. Thus, Akasha means Brahman which is the basis or foundation of this universe. Upanishads declare prana is Brahman, similarly the manomaya. Brahman is the reality which is the nature of existence—consciousness—bliss and is the object of meditation.
The first two sutras of the first adhyaya of Brahma Sutra describe the nature of Brahman. The first sukta, namely, ‘adhatho Brahmajijnasa’ elaborates the wish to know the Brahman, implying that those who wish to know the Brahman need to be qualified to know Brahman.
The second sukta, ‘janmadyasya yathah’, describes Brahman as the ultimate cause of this universe. Yathah (that = Brahman) from which are derived janmadi (births, etc., ie, births, continuance and dissolution). Brahman is the omniscient and omnipotent source from which everything takes birth and ultimately gets dissolved into.
Now we note Brahma Sutra based on the second meaning of sutra namely, thread as in Sulba Sutra. Sulba Sutras are mathematical texts which detail how to employ thread and a bamboo stick to construct complex geometrical shapes. Famous Sulba Sutras like Baudhayana Sulba Suthra and Kathyayana Sulba Sutra describe how to construct yajna sala and yajna kundas of various shapes. One of the most quoted physics models of particles in the universe is the string model. It will be interesting to explore parallels between string theory and Brahma Sutra, which will form the subject matter of another article.
SREEMAD BHAGVAD GITA
Bhagavad Gita is the last of the prasthanathraya which provides crystal clear statements on Brahma Sutra. Knowledge is the main content of Gita, as proclaimed by Krishna. Those who attribute importance to karmayoga and bhakti yoga do not understand the ultimate causation of prapancha. Bhagavad Gita is the text generated by Krishna from Brahma Sutra and Upanishads to explain their core theories to common man.
To conclude, the commentary on Brahma Sutra by Sankaracharya helps us to get details of Brahman as the ultimate cause of this universe. We will try to study Bhagvad Gita in the essence of Upanishads and Brahma Sutra in another article.
*The author is Visiting Scientist, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi. He can be reached at nampoori@gmail.com.
