The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

आगमप्रधानेन मधुकाण्डेन ब्रह्मतत्त्वं निर्धारितम् ।पुनःतस्यैव उपपत्तिप्रधानेन याज्ञवल्कीयेन काण्डेन पक्षप्रतिपक्ष-परिग्रहं कृत्वा विगृह्यवादेन विचारितम् ।शिष्याचार्यसंबन्धेनच षष्ठे प्रश्नप्रतिवचनन्यायेन सविस्तरं विचार्योपसंहृतम् ।अथेदानीं निगमनस्थानीयं मैत्रेयीब्राह्मणमारभ्यते; अयं चन्यायः वाक्यकोविदैः परिगृहीतः- 'हेत्वपदेशात्प्रतिज्ञायाःपुनर्वचनं निगमनम्' इति ।अथवा आगमप्रधानेन मधुका-ण्डेन यत् अमृतत्वसाधनं ससंन्यासमात्मज्ञानमभिहितम्,तदेव तर्केणापि अमृतत्वसाधनं ससंन्यासमात्मज्ञानमधि-गम्यते; तर्कप्रधानं हि याज्ञवल्कीयं काण्डम्; तस्मात् शा-स्त्रतर्काभ्यां निश्चितमेतत्- यदेतत् आत्मज्ञानं ससंन्यासंअमृतत्वसाधनमिति; तस्मात् शास्त्रश्रद्धावद्भिः अमृतत्वप्रति-पित्सुभिः एतत् प्रतिपत्तव्यमिति; आगमोपपत्तिभ्यां हि नि-श्चितोऽर्थः श्रद्धेयो भवति अव्यभिचारादिति ।अक्षराणां तुचतुर्थे यथा व्याख्यातोऽर्थः, तथा प्रतिपत्तव्योऽत्रापि; या-न्यक्षराणि अव्याख्यातानि तानि व्याख्यास्यामः ॥

In plain words

The section built on scripture, the Madhu-kāṇḍa, has already settled what Brahman is. Then that same truth was tested again — argued from every side, position against counter-position — in the section built on reasoning, the Yājñavalkīya. And through the give and take of teacher and student, across the sixth chapter, it was worked through in full and brought to a close. So now, fittingly, comes the Maitreyī section, standing here as the conclusion — and this is exactly how scholars of method describe a conclusion: restating the thesis once more, this time by naming the reason for it. Or, seen another way: the very path to immortality that scripture already named — knowing the Self, together with letting go of everything — is the same path reasoning arrives at on its own, because the Yājñavalkīya section is built on reasoning through and through. So now both scripture and reason agree: knowing the Self, joined to renunciation, is the way to what does not die. That is why anyone who trusts scripture and wants to reach immortality should take hold of this teaching — a truth confirmed by both scripture and reason earns real trust, precisely because nothing in it works against itself. As for the sacred syllables, they were already explained back in the fourth chapter, and that explanation holds here too; whatever syllables still remain unexplained, we will explain as we go.

Close to the Sanskrit

By the scripture-predominant Madhu-kāṇḍa, the truth of Brahman has been ascertained. Again, that very truth has been examined, through the reasoning-predominant Yājñavalkīya section, by adopting positions and counter-positions and arguing them out dialectically. And through the relationship of pupil and teacher, in the sixth chapter, it has been examined at length by the method of question and answer, and concluded. Now, therefore, the Maitreyī-brāhmaṇa, having the status of a conclusion, is begun; and this principle has been accepted by those versed in textual method: 'a conclusion is the repetition of the proposition, on the ground of citing the reason.' Or else: that very means of immortality — Self-knowledge together with renunciation — which was declared by the scripture-predominant Madhu-kāṇḍa, is arrived at also by reasoning, as the very same means of immortality — Self-knowledge together with renunciation; for the Yājñavalkīya section is reasoning-predominant. Therefore this has been ascertained by both scripture and reasoning together — namely, that this Self-knowledge together with renunciation is the means to immortality; therefore this is to be accepted by those who have faith in scripture and who desire to attain immortality; for a meaning ascertained by both scripture and demonstration becomes worthy of faith, because of freedom from error. As for the syllables, just as their meaning has been explained in the fourth chapter, so it is to be understood here also; whatever syllables have not yet been explained, those we shall explain.