The need for nyAya prasthAna

Until now the pravacanam in satsang had focused on sAdhanA prasthAna (Bhagavad GItA) and upadesha prasthAna (Upanishads) of VedAnta.

But questions arise in the minds of sincere aspirants that cannot be addressed purely by these two methods. Then the need for nyAya prasthAna is understood. This is why SrI Adi ShankarAcArya wrote the Brahma SUtra bhAShya, even though his mind hardly needed any convincing regarding the Truth. Yet, when disciples need clarifications and in order to steady their minds in the light of conflicting doctrines, a logical exposition of the Path is needed. That is the nyAya prasthAna or the Brahma SUtra.

In the following posts, two different approaches to answer a question that arose in satsang are presented: one from the viewpoint of a bhakta (devotee) and the other from the viewpoint of logical exposition in the jnAna marga (path of Wisdom).

Note: The VedAnta (lit. end of the Veda) is traditionally reckoned to rest on three prasthAnas (or points of departure). The Upanishads comprise the upadesha prasthAna. They are the instructional texts that teach of Brahman. The Bhagavad GItA is considered the sAdhanA prasthAna. It is the practical application of the instruction. The Brahma SUtra is the logical exposition of Brahman. It is the last text that should be studied by the aspirant, if at all. For Self Realization the first two are sufficient. The last one only emerges as the teacher lays out the principles for disciples to logically remove their doubts and also to steady their minds against contrary schools of thought. The teacher may also write logical expositions that are new, but entirely consonant with the Brahma SUtra. However, nothing new can be added to the upadesha prasthAna, for it is part of the Veda and Shruti, and hence complete. Similarly, although the Bhagavad GItA is considered part of the SmRti, it too is complete and cannot be added to.