Sri Adi Shankaracharya Swamiji's BHAJA GOVINDAM - A Call to Wakefullness - 2 : Swami Chidananda

11/08/2018
2. Introduction:

Bhagavad-pad-acharya, Jagad-guru Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest philosophers the world has ever produced, unparalleled in his Realisation, as well as in his exposition of the nature of the ultimate Reality, has commented upon all the three great scriptures that form the source of our religion Sanatana Vaidika Dharma. Vedas are the mother scriptures of those who follow the Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism. Therefore, we call it Veda-Mata (Veda, the mother) and our Dharma the Vaidika Dharma. Upanishads are that portion of the Vedas, which expounds the nature of the ultimate Reality, and thus, is one of the most important parts of these scriptures. The quintessence of the Upanishads is propounded in Srimad Bhagavad Gita in a brief, concise, aphoristic yet complete form by Bhagavan Veda-Vyasa, Bhagavan Badarayana, an amsha avatar (a partial incarnation) of Lord Vishnu.

They say of him : -

[Prostrations to Vyasa, the whole universe is whose manifestation, who is a form of Lord Vishnu; again and again prostrations to him who is established in Brahman and who is the descendent of the sage Vasishtha.]

He is no other than Lord Vishnu Himself, and he has given the quintessence of the vedantic philosophy, the wisdom portion of the Vedas. Just as Patanjali Maharshi gave the Yoga-sutras and Devarshi Narada and Shandilya Rishi gave to us the Bhakti-sutras, even so Bhagavan Badarayana, Maharshi Veda-Vyasa gave us the Vedanta-sutras, which are popularly known as the Brahma-sutra. It is the second great scripture upon which the entire Sanatana Dharma rests.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which is the most lucid, concise, as well as comprehensive marvellous teachings, expounds quintessential Truth and Anubhuti, the supernal Experience of all the Brahmasutras as well as the Upanishads — the Vedanta or the end portion of the Vedas. In the Bhagavad Gita we have got the whole of Vedanta, the whole of the upanishadic wisdom. All this has been given to us in a compact form within the range of seven hundred verses in eighteen chapters in an easy question and answer form, giving normal analogies familiar to our own experience in the world.

These three — the Upanishads, the Brahma-sutra and Srimad Bhagavad Gita — are known as Prasthana-trayee (the three authoritative landmarks in spiritual literature). They form the ultimate authority to decide all questions pertaining to religion, metaphysics, philosophy, sacrament, rituals, dharma and the ultimate Reality, the transcendental Reality in Hinduism. They are the three authoritative scriptures that decide in case of all disputes, and their conclusion has to be accepted as final. Great scholars and pundits say, "One’s learning or education is incomplete until one has mastered the Prasthana-trayee." Jagad-guru Adi Shankaracharya is one of the luminous commentators of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita. His commentary known as Shaankara-bhashya is forever of the ultimate highest standard. He has set a standard.

To be continued ..