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Book Review
Purport of the Upanishads
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISADS: S. M. Srinivasa Chari; Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Post Box No. 5715, 54, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi-110055. Rs. 650.
THE BOOK under review is the latest one on the subject of the philosophy of the Upanishads coming from the facile pen of a highly venerated, distinguished scholar. His study is based on a careful and minute evaluation of the commentaries of the three important Acharyas — Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa who represent the views of Advaita, Visishtadvaita and Dwaita. Although Ramanuja did not comment upon the Upanishads like the other two Acharyas, he has taken up some crucial passages of Upanishads and explained them in his Vedarthasangraha. He had before him, the interpretations of some crucial Upanishadic texts given by Yamunacharya and Nathamuni. Sri Rangaramanuja is the regular commentator who followed the lead given by Ramanuja.
Several modern scholars like Dr. Paul Deussen (German), Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Swami Nikhilananda and Prof. K. T. Pandurangi have translated some important Upanishads. Innumerable are the works, which explain one or more of the Upanishads that have been appearing from time to time.
The author studies 14 principal Upanishads in the present work in a masterly and dispassionate manner. Apart from taking the views of the three traditional Acharyas, he has also carefully considered the views of Badarayana, the author of the Brahmasutra for a close examination. The Brahmasutra, in the beautiful language of Sri Sankara, strings the choicest flowers of the Vedantic passages.
The present book contains two parts. Part I presents the important passages of the Upanishads with an English rendering and throws light on the variations found in the interpretations of the three commentators. This part also discusses the philosophical implications in the Vedanta doctrines developed in the post-Upanishadic period. In part II the author discusses five important concepts of God, man, the world, means of liberation and the ultimate goal of life, which are to be found scattered all over the Upanishads. He, with sufficient evidence and conviction, tries to show that the Upanishads are not in favour of Sankara, according to whom Brahman is Nirvisesha (qualityless) and there is no difference between God and man. He also tries to show that there is no conclusive proof in support of some very popular Advaitic concepts like Maya and Jivanmukti. According to him, the purport of the Upanishads is Theistic Monism (Savisesha-Advaita) advocated by Ramanuja, but not idealistic monism (Nirvisesha Advaita) of Sankara. He has also set aside the view of Dwaita that there is gradation of bliss in the state of liberation
It may be observed in this connection that there is still no final word about the philosophy taught in the Upanishads, Brahmasutra and the Gita, which are collectively known as the Prasthanatraya. Debates are still going on between the traditional votaries of Advaita, Visishtadvaita and Dwaita about the actual philosophy taught in these texts and about the interpretation of some crucial passages and even words. To hold the view that only one Bhasyakara is right and to brand others as wrong is rather uncharitable because each commentator had behind him, an unbroken, long, strong tradition. If Truth may be compared to a multi-faceted diamond, then each face of it must be admitted to be dazzling in its own light and right.
The author is to be congratulated for this highly commendable composition.
M. NARASIMHACHARY
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