Introduction to Shankara- Being Parts of Shankara's Commentary on the Brahma Sutras Rendered Freely into English (An Old And Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Shankars is reputed to be one of the greatest philosophers that India has ever produced. Even those who cannot follow his doctrines do not fail to recognise his greatness. It is unfortunate that there is a general lack of firsthand aequaintance with the writings of this great philosopher in the original among sindents of philosophy. Shankara wrote in Sanskrit, and Although Sanskrit is widely studied in India, there are not many smong philosophers, even in India, who can freely read philosophical literature in Sanskrit. In the west, barring a few Indologists, aequaintance with Sanskrit is rather rare among philosophers. It is true that Shankara's works have been translated into English, but English translations of Sanskrit philosophical works always provide rather heavy reading, and sometimes fail to convey the exist meaning of the original. The art of translating Sanskrit works into English has not yet been developed so far that we can treat the translations as commend- able substitutes of the original, as can be fairly done in the case of Greek and Latin. Several of my friends from the west, who are philosophers and have tried to read Shankara's commentaries in English translation, have complained that they easily lose their way in the maze of words and phrases which fall to carry any clear sense. Moreover Shankara's philosophical writing is intermixed with his theological writing and writing on myths and rituals.

In order to avoid these difficulties, I have selected only the important philosophical portions of his great commentary on the Brahma Sutras which are generally prescribed as special texts for students of philosophy in India. I have translated them freely into English, without attempting to make my translation literal, but I have taken care to see that my version does not misrepresent the sense of the original. I have in this sense tried to remain faithful to the original text. In many places I have elaborated a point to make its meaning plain and in some other cases, I have abbreviated the arguments of Shankara.

Shankaracharya, as Shankara is generally called in India, meaning the great teacher Shankara, is universally recognised as a great philosopher. Many Indians regard him as the greatest philosopher that India has ever produced. But such is the general lack of historical knowledge and interest in India that we do not know when exactly this great philosopher lived. We know that he was born in the south, in the present state of Kerala, but there is uncertainty about his date. Many Indians place him in the remote past, whereas European scholars give him a much later date. But I believe it is now- a-days generally agreed among competent scholars, both Indian and European, that he flourished towards the end of the 8th century and lived most probably from 788 to 820. It is note- worthy that these scholars do not dispute the traditional belief that his earthly career did not extend beyond the brief period of 32 years. And it is really surprising how he could accomplish so much within such a short period. His works, as they were published many years ago, in a standard edition, consisted of twenty odd volumes. And he was not merely an author, writing serious commentaries and other philosophical treatises in prose and verse; he travelled a good deal throughout this vast country, when there was no easy means of travel available, and engaged himself in serious disputations with philosophical opponents. He founded four maths residental establishments for the holy men of his order, in four different corners of the country which are still in existence. Besides, being an orthodox religious man, ho must have given much time to religious practices, including study and meditation. When we consider his many-sided activities and the works he accomplished in his short life, we are really struck with wonder. And it is not surprising that he was credited with superhuman powers.