Commentary of Adi Shankaracharya on Brahma Sutras Explained

Introduction: The Foundational Commentary

Adi Shankaracharya (c. 8th century CE) wrote the most influential commentary (Bhashya) on the Brahma Sutras. Known as the Sariraka Bhashya (Commentary on the Embodied Self), it established Advaita Vedanta as the dominant school of Hindu philosophy . Shankara’s commentary is revered not merely as an interpretation but as the definitive exposition of the Upanishadic teachings, systematically presenting non-duality with rigorous logic .

The Opening: Adhyasa Bhashya (Preamble on Superimposition)

Before commenting on the first sutra, Shankara wrote an independent preamble called the Adhyasa Bhashya. This is one of his most important contributions .

Core Teaching: Shankara declares that all human experience is colored by Adhyasa (superimposition) — the natural human tendency to mistake the non-Self for the Self . We confuse the body, mind, and senses (which are not-Self) with the true Self (Atman). This superimposition is beginningless and is the root cause of all suffering.

Example: The rope mistaken for a snake. Ignorance (Avidya) veils the true nature of the rope and projects the snake. Similarly, ignorance veils Brahman and projects the world of names and forms .

Sutra 1.1.1: Athato Brahma Jijnasa (Now, therefore, the inquiry into Brahman)

Shankara’s commentary on the first sutra establishes the qualifications for a seeker .

Qualification	Meaning
Viveka	Discrimination between the eternal (Self) and the non-eternal (world)
Vairagya	Dispassion toward enjoyment of fruits of actions here and hereafter
Shatsampatti	Six virtues: calmness, self-control, withdrawal, endurance, faith, concentration
Mumukshutva	Intense desire for liberation

Shankara interprets “atha” (now) as implying that these qualifications must be present before one can fruitfully inquire into Brahman . Without them, the inquiry will not bear fruit.

Sutra 1.1.2: Janmadyasya Yatah (From which proceeds the origin, sustenance, and dissolution)

This sutra defines Brahman as the cause of the universe . Shankara explains that Brahman is both the material and efficient cause of creation — like clay is the cause of a pot .

Key Points:

• The universe originates from, is sustained by, and dissolves into Brahman
• Brahman is conscious, not unconscious matter (refuting the Sankhya view of Prakriti as the cause)
• This definition is drawn from countless Upanishadic statements

Sutra 1.1.4: Tat Tu Samanvayat (But that, because of harmony)

This sutra establishes that all Upanishads consistently teach Brahman as the ultimate reality . Shankara refutes the Purva Mimamsa claim that Vedanta texts merely supplement ritual injunctions.

Shankara uses the six characteristics to determine the main purport of any scripture:

Characteristic	Meaning
Beginning and conclusion	What the text starts and ends with
Repetition	What is repeatedly emphasized
Uniqueness	The unique subject not known elsewhere
Fruit	The benefit of knowing it
Praise	Eulogistic passages
Reasoning	Supporting arguments

Applying these to the Chandogya Upanishad’s “Sat” (Being) sections, Shankara proves that Brahman alone is the central teaching .

Sutra 2.1.14: The Nature of Ishvara (God)

One of Shankara’s most important and distinctive teachings appears in his commentary on Sutra 2.1.14 .

Shankara states: “The Lord’s being a Lord, His omniscience, His omnipotence, etc., all depend on the limitation due to the adjuncts whose Self is Avidya; while in reality none of these qualities belong to the Self whose true nature is cleared, by right knowledge, from all adjuncts whatever” .

Key Insight: From the absolute perspective (Paramarthika), Brahman is Nirguna (without attributes). Qualities like omniscience and omnipotence belong to Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes), which is Brahman as seen through the limiting adjunct of Maya. This distinguishes Advaita from Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita .

Knowledge vs. Action (Jnana vs. Karma)

Throughout his commentary, Shankara emphasizes that liberation comes from knowledge alone, not from ritual action .

He argues that knowledge of Brahman is not a product of action because:

1. Brahman is an already existing reality, not something to be created
2. Knowledge arises from valid means of knowledge (pramanas), not from injunctions
3. Even meditation (dhyana) is ultimately a tool for removing obstacles, not for producing the Self

Regarding the Upanishadic injunction “The Self is to be realized, heard, reflected upon, and meditated upon” (Brihadaranyaka 2.4.5), Shankara explains that these are not commands to perform action but directives to turn the mind inward, away from external objects .

The Three Levels of Reality

Shankara’s commentary systematically presents the three orders of reality:

Level	Sanskrit	Status
Absolute	Paramarthika	Brahman alone is real
Empirical	Vyavaharika	The world is relatively real (Mithya)
Apparent	Pratibhasika	Illusions like mirages

The world is not absolutely unreal (like a hare’s horn) but is Mithya — dependent on Brahman for its existence .

Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy

Shankara’s Brahma Sutra Bhashya remains the most important commentary on the text. It:

• Established Advaita Vedanta as a rigorous philosophical system
• Provided the hermeneutical tools for interpreting the Upanishads
• Clearly distinguished between the absolute and empirical levels of reality
• Demonstrated that liberation comes from knowledge alone, not ritual action

For over 1,200 years, this commentary has been the foundation for Advaita study, shaping the spiritual lives of countless seekers. As the tradition holds: without Shankara’s Bhashya, the Brahma Sutras remain a cryptic text; with it, they become a clear guide to Self-realization.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.