Natural Commentaries - Vyāsadeva's Own Explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra
The Vedānta-sūtra represents the highest pinnacle of Vedic philosophy, condensing the absolute truth into concise codes. To ensure these aphorisms were perfectly understood, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as his own natural commentary, providing an infallible and elaborate explanation of the supreme knowledge.
The Essence of Vedic Knowledge
The original Vedas were divided and condensed by Śrīla Vyāsadeva for the benefit of humanity, culminating in the Brahma-sūtras (or Vedānta-sūtra). Because these philosophical codes are highly concentrated and intended for advanced spiritualists, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that Vyāsadeva provided the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the natural, faultless commentary to make the cream of Vedic knowledge accessible and clear.
- The Vedanta-sutras, or the Brahma-sutras, were compiled by Vyasadeva with a view to presenting just the cream of Vedic knowledge. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary on this cream.
- As stated in the beginning of this book (Srimad-Bhagavatam), it is the essence of the Vedic desire tree and the natural commentation on the Brahma-sutras, the topmost philosophical thesis on the subject matter of Brahman.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentation on the Brahma-sutras compiled by the same author. This Brahma-sutra, or Vedanta-sutra, is meant for those who are already engaged in self-realization.
- It (Srimad-Bhagavatam) was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is extremely elaborate.
The Author's Personal Explanation
In literary and philosophical traditions, an author's own explanation of their work holds the highest authority. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is specifically termed the natural commentary because, as Śrīla Prabhupāda points out, it was written by the same person who authored the Vedānta-sūtra. We should naturally accept the original author's explanation over the interpretations of later scholars.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is a natural commentation on the Brahma-sutra, or the Badarayani Vedanta-sutras. It is called natural because Vyasadeva is author of both the Vedanta-sutras and Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the essence of all Vedic literatures.
- When the author is giving a commentary personally, we should accept that. Why others? So Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary given by Vyasadeva. We should accept.
- He (Vyasadeva) is the author of eighteen Puranas as well as the theosophical thesis Brahma-sutra and its natural commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam.
- Vyasadeva made Vedanta-sutra, the ultimate knowledge, and he made his comment also, natural commentary. That is Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Defeating Impersonal Speculation
Many philosophers, particularly Māyāvādīs, attempt to pose as Vedantists by relying on artificial commentaries like the Śārīraka-bhāṣya, which promote an impersonal understanding of God. However, the natural commentary of the Bhāgavatam systematically defeats these misconceptions, clearly establishing that the Absolute Truth is a fully conscious Supreme Person.
- Generally, these Mayavadis give prominence of the comment given by Sankaracarya about Brahma-sutra, Sariraka-bhasya. But that is unnatural. The natural commentation is given by the author himself, Vyasadeva.
- The Srimad-Bhagavatam, the natural commentary on the Vedanta-sutra by the same author, maintains that the source of all emanations is not like a dead stone but is abhijna, or fully conscious.
- Some rascals, without understanding Vedanta, without reading the natural commentary of the Vedanta-sutra they are posing themselves as Vedantist. That means they are misguiding people.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is the one unrivaled commentary on Vedanta-sutra. Sripada Sankaracarya intentionally did not touch it because he knew that the natural commentary would be difficult for him to surpass.
The Authority of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas
Unlike other spiritual communities that felt the need to write extensive new commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra, the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition, following the supreme authority of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accepted the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the final word. Because the original author had already provided the perfect explanation, no further commentary was necessary.
- Gaudiya sampradaya did not make any commentary on the Brahma-sutra because Caitanya Mahaprabhu took Srimad-Bhagavatam, as a natural commentary, because Srimad-Bhagavatam is also made by Vyasadeva, and Vyasadeva is the original author of Brahma-sutra.
- Gaudiya Vaisnava, Gosvamis, they did not write any comment on the Vedanta-sutra because they accept Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. So why they should write again.
- Bhagavata is natural commentary on Vedanta-sutra, and Lord Caitanya therefore gives evidence from the Bhagavata generally, and Puranas also, Mahabharata and Upanisad. They are all authorities.
- The followers of these acaryas, down to the present day, have written many books following the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam and accepting it as the natural commentary on the Vedanta.
Conclusion
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is unequivocally established as the supreme spiritual literature because it serves as the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the brilliant author of the original Brahma-sūtras, purposefully wrote the Bhāgavatam to provide a faultless, elaborate explanation of his own philosophical codes, ensuring the Absolute Truth would not be misunderstood. By studying this natural commentary, serious seekers of the truth are protected from the speculative, impersonal interpretations of the Māyāvādīs, who attempt to misguide the public with unnatural explanations. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas recognized this supreme authority, demonstrating, as Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly emphasizes, that there is no need to look further than the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to understand the highest conclusions of Vedānta and the true, conscious nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Natural Commentaries. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.