Yoga in Brahmasutra Bhasya

It is in the Brahmasutra Sankara-bhashya that, a detailed reference to Yoga is seen. As scholars have pointed out, it is here that the strongest argument against Vedavyasa's authorship of the Yogabhasya and Sankara's authorship of Patanjala-yogasutra-bhashya-vivarana is lingered upon. The authors of Brahmasutra and Shankara-bhashya have not altogether refuted the philosophy of Yoga, nor they have declared Yoga apramana as a whole. It has been clearly asserted by Shankaracharya that the philosophy of Yoga is acceptable to some extent and the 119

acceptable and the non-acceptable aspects of Yoga have been separated. Sankaracarya is totally opposed to the Yoga theory of prakrti being the material cause of the universe and at the same time, he is not against the methodology of Yoga as long as it suits Advaita Vedanta. T.S.Rukmani points out that this dual attitude of Sankaracarya towards Yoga assumes significance in the light of the question of Sankaracarya's authorship of Patanjala-yogasutra-bhashya-vivarana " One of the sutras in Brahmasutra reads as- etena yogah pratyuktah. And in this sutra, Sankara has expounded an 94 argumentative commentary. 95 At the same Yogapratyuktyadhikarana," Sankara-bhashya has accepted Yoga as the road that leads to the lofty peak of the Ultimate knowledge taught by the Upanisads. Some scholars are of the opinion that at the time of Sankaracarya there existed a treatise on Yoga (written in sutra style). According to these scholars, it is to be considered that, by the reference made in Brahmasutra Sankara-bhashya II.1.3- 'atha tattvadarsanopayo yogah' the first sutra of that lost Yoga treatise is indicated." 96 Sankaracarya has declared that Yoga is accepted by the Veda as a means for the Realization of truth and cited 120

numerous references from the Upanisads in support. There are places in Brahmasutra Sankara-bhashya, where Yoga as a system is lauded, and where 97 Sankara quotes Yogasutra of Patanjali in support of his arguments. He quotes frequently from the Upanisads like Svetasvatara and Mundaka for 98 justification of Yogic powers. He mentions yama, niyama, dhyana, samadhi and other Yogic means that help one in spiritual 99 progress. He clearly believes in the acquisition of various 100 superhuman powers (siddhis) like anima, mahima, paracittapravesa, sariranirmana and so on. Sankara further refers to the asana (postures) in the fourth chapter of Brahmasutra,eva padmakadinamasanavisesanamupadeso yogasastre... ,,101 66 ata It is clear that Sankara has refuted the dualism of Sankhya and Yoga in many ways and questioned many of their doctrines. Sankara strongly rules out the insentient pradhana as 103 the cause of the universe. In another sutra, the plurality of souls admitted by Sankhya and Yoga is criticized. Sankara strongly blames the claims of both Sankhya and Yoga as means to liberation. 104 According to the philosophy of Sankara, liberation can only come through the realization of the unity of self, which is declared as such by the Upanisads. Therefore, he refutes Sankhya 121

and Yoga as dualist philosophies which do not recognize this unity of self. In the philosophy of Yoga, God is regarded as the efficient cause of the universe. In the introduction to sutra- 105 patyurasamanjasyat, Sankara states as follows: Those who follow Sankhya and Yoga conclude that God, who is the ruler of prakrti and purusa, is just an efficient cause (kecit tavat samkhyayogavyapasrayah kalpayanti pradhanapurusayoradhisthata kevalam nimittakaranam isvara itaretaravilaksanah pradhana-purusesvara iti). Considering the Yoga theory, it is said that, even admitting a special type of purusa over and above the other purusas will not solve the problem as that purusa is admitted to be indifferent to everything (... purusasya caudasinyabhyupagamat asamanjasyam). 106 At one context, it is depicted that, samadhi is a means to self-realisation. 107 In the sutras (etena yogah pratyuktah & na vilaksanatvadasya tathatvam ca sabdat) 108 it is made clear that Sankara is willing to accept Sankhya and Yoga so long as they do not go against sruti. The clarifications to the distinguished features between meditation and knowledge are given." 109 122

According to Sankara, meditation is a mental action while knowledge is not something one does. Knowledge is not what one does but which comes to one from direct perception and is a transcendental experience not dependent on human action or the act of meditation. According to Sankara, the practice of self-control and so on are but the means to the emergence of self-knowledge. T.S. Rukmani also points out that in Brahmasutra Sankara-bhashya, the commentator portrayed a hierarchy amongst these. It is also laid down that, placing the Yogic means to sama, etc., is closer to knowledge than 110 sacrifice. In the sutras," Sankara exalts the role of dhyana and ekagrata and gives definition of them in detail. It should be noted that, dhyana is defined as that which induces a continuous stream of similar thoughts. Ekagrata is used as a synonym of dhyana and there is no attempt to define ekagrata in Yogic terms. As mentioned before, Yogic powers are elaborated in many places in Shankara-bhashya on Brahmasutra112