Brahmasūtra Aṇu-Bhāṣya
- by Sri Madhvāchārya
अभ्रमं भङ्गरहितं अजदं विमलं सदा। आनन्दतीर्थं अतुलं भजे तापत्रयापाहं॥
abhramaṁ bhaṅgarahitaṁ ajadaṁ vimalaṁ sadā। ānandatīrthaṁ atulaṁ bhajē tāpatrayāpāhaṁ॥
Worship of Anandatheertha, who is always flawless, unobstructed, ardent, and pure, removes all afflictions.
(Translated by Madhukrishna Sudhindra)
  • Preface
    • B.Ab 1.01
      nārāyaṇaṁ guṇaiḥ sarvairudīrṇaṁ dōṣavarjitam। jñēyaṁ gamyaṁ gurūṁścāpi natvā sūtrārtha ucyatē ॥
      The all-pervading one is complete with all auspicious attributes and is devoid of defects. I worship such a one who is knowable and my guru and explain the meaning of aphorisms.
    • B.Ab 1.02
      viṣṇurēva vijijñāsyaḥ sarvakartā'gamōditaḥ। samanvayādīkṣatēśca pūrṇānandō'ntaraḥ khavat‌॥2॥
      The aphorisms explain the all-powerful one who is known by study of scriptures and through firm knowledge established after resolving contradictions. He is the all doer, cause of all, of the form of bliss, is within every being and outside.
    • B.Ab 1.03
      praṇētā jyōtirityādyaiḥ prasiddhairanyavastuṣu। ucyatē viṣṇurēvaikaḥ sarvaiḥ sarvaguṇatvataḥ ॥3॥
      He is specially known as life breath, and the effulgence. Every other word depicts the all-powerful only, as he is always complete with all auspicious attributes.
    • B.Ab 1.04
      sarvagō'ttā niyantā ca dr̥śyatvādyujjhitaḥ sadā। viśvajīvāntaratvādyairliṅgaiḥ sarvairyutaḥ sa hi ॥4॥
      He is within everyone, controls everybody, and sees everything as a witness. He is only there in all the beings of the universe, irrespective of their gender.
    • B.Ab 1.05
      sarvāśrayaḥ pūrṇaguṇaḥ sō'kṣaraḥ san‌ hr̥dabjagaḥ। sūryādibhāsakaḥ prāṇaprērakō daivatairapi ॥5॥
      He is the supporter of all. He is complete with attributes. He is one without destruction. He is within everyone's heart. He makes the sun to shine. He is the sustainer of life, even for Gods.
    • B.Ab 1.06
      jñēyō na vēdaiḥ śūdrādaiḥ kampakō'nyaśca jīvataḥ। patitvādiguṇairyuktaḥ tadanyatra ca vācakaiḥ ॥6॥
      He is the root of all vibrations. He is different from other beings. He is deciphered through words that bring out ownership. He is not knowable to the demoniac natured.
    • B.Ab 1.07
      mukhyataḥ sarvaśabdaiśca vācya ēkō janārdanaḥ। avyaktaḥ karmavācyaiśca vācya ēkō'mitātmakaḥ ॥7॥
      Primarily, all words convey Him who is the sustainer of beings. He is known as the unmanifest, the cause of activity, the one and only supreme soul.
    • B.Ab 1.08
      avāntaraṁ kāraṇaṁ ca prakr̥tiḥ śūnyamēva ca। ityādyanyatra niyatairapi mukhyatayōditaḥ। śabdairatō'nantaguṇō yacchabdā yōgavr̥ttayaḥ ॥8॥
      The words, the interspace, the cause, the nature, and the void are being used to explain other things, but in its root, they depict the Lord with infinite qualities who is engaged in Yoga.
      iti prathamō'dhyāyaḥ॥
      End of 1st Chapter

    • B.Ab 2.01
      śrautasmr̥tiviruddhatvāt‌ smr̥tayō na guṇān harēḥ। niṣēddhuṁ śaknuyurvēdā nityatvānmānamuttamam‌ ॥1॥
      When there is a conflict between sruti (vedas) and smriti (other man-made scriptures), smritis that doesn't praise the attributes of the Lord has to be discarded. Because Vedas are eternal, supreme, and not of human origin.
    • B.Ab 2.02
      dēvatāvacanādāpō vadantītyādikaṁ vacaḥ । nāyuktavādyasannaiva kāraṇaṁ dr̥śyatē kvacit ॥2॥
      The Vedic sentences that appear to conflict describe higher attributes of God only. They should never be discarded as false. Untruth can never be the cause.
    • B.Ab 2.03
      asajjīvapradhānādiśabdā brahmaiva nāparam‌। vadanti kāraṇatvēna kvāpi pūrṇaguṇō hariḥ ॥3॥
      Even the words that prominently describe 'asat' (that which is subjected to destruction) and Jīva describe Brahman only. He is full of auspicious attributes and the cause of both ('asat' and 'Jīva').
    • B.Ab 2.04
      svātantryāt sarvakartr̥tvānnāyuktaṁ tadvadēcchrutiḥ। bhrāntimūlatayā sarvasamayānāmayuktitaḥ ॥4॥
      Vedas describe God as independent and all doer. Knowledge that is opposed to this basic tenet are based on imagination and is incorrect.
    • B.Ab 2.05
      na tadvirōdhādvacanaṁ vaidikaṁ śaṅkyatāṁ vrajēt‌। ākāśādisamastaṁ ca tajjaṁ tēnaiva līyatē ॥5॥
      Thus, one should not get into doubt by such conflicting statements. Space and all else dissolves only into the Lord, who is the destroyer of sins.
    • B.Ab 2.06
      sō'nutpattilayaḥ kartā jīvaḥ tadvaśagaḥ sadā। tadābhāsō hariḥ sarvarūpēṣvapi samaḥ sadā ॥6॥
      He is without beginning or end. He is the real doer. Being the reflected images of Lord Hari, all beings depend on Him. In all his forms, he is always equally flawless.
    • B.Ab 2.07
      mukhyaprāṇaścēndriyāṇi dēhaścaiva tadudbhavaḥ। mukhyaprāṇavaśē sarvaṁ sa viṣṇōrvaśagaḥ sadā ॥7॥
      From the primary breath (prāna) senses came into being. From the senses body came into being. Everything is under the control of primary prāna (breath). Prāna is under the control of Lord Vishnu.
    • B.Ab 2.08
      sarvadōṣōjjhitaḥ tasmād‌ bhagavān‌ puruṣōttamaḥ। uktā guṇāścāviruddhāstasya vēdēṣu sarvaśaḥ ॥8॥
      The Lord is the supreme being free from defects. All the attributes depict him always, without being opposed to Vēdas.
      ॥ iti dvitīyō'dhyāyaḥ॥
      End of 2nd chapter.

    • B.Ab 3.01
      śubhēna karmaṇā svargaṁ nirayaṁ ca vikarmaṇā। mithyājñānēna ca tamō jñānēnaiva paraṁ padam‌ ॥1॥
      The being obtains happiness by performing auspicious acts. By performing inauspicious acts, one obtains misery. By wrong knowledge, one obtains regions of ignorance. It is possible to obtain the highest state only by true knowledge.
    • B.Ab 3.02
      yāti tasmādviraktaḥ san‌ jñānamēva samāśrayēt‌। sarvāvasthāprērakaśca sarvarūpēṣvabhēdavān‌ ॥2॥
      Seeker, having understood the above, disinterested in everything else, should take refuge in knowledge alone. With such knowledge, he realizes God as the cause for all states of being. He also sees his glory as equally flawless in all forms.
    • B.Ab 3.03
      sarvadēśēṣu kālēṣu sa ēkaḥ paramēśvaraḥ। tadbhaktitāratamyēna tāratamyaṁ vimuktigam‌ ॥3॥
      In all places and at all times, he realizes God as the supreme master. Variance in devotion towards Him results in a variance of happiness obtained.
    • B.Ab 3.04
      saccidānanda ātmēti mānuṣaistu surēśvaraiḥ। yathākramaṁ bahuguṇairbrahmaṇā tvakhilairguṇaiḥ ॥4॥
      Human beings all the way up to lord Brahma worships God, who is of the form of truth, knowledge, bliss, and mastery. Each worship God according to their capacity with multiple attributes. Such is the capacity of Lord Brahma (the creator of universe), he worships God with all his attributes.
    • B.Ab 3.05
      upāsyaḥ sarvadēvaiśca sarvairapi yathā balam‌। jñēyō viṣṇurviśēṣastu jñānē syāduttarōttaram ॥5॥
      He is to be worshipped by all through the study of Vēdas, according to one's capacity. He should be known specially through knowledge.
    • B.Ab 3.06
      sarvē'pi puruṣārthāsyuḥ jñānādēva na saṁśayaḥ। na lipyatē jñānāvāṁśca sarvadōṣairapi kvacit‌ ॥6॥
      Without doubt, all objectives will be met through knowledge. Any of the defects will not touch those who are knowledgeable.
    • B.Ab 3.07
      guṇadōṣaiḥ sukhasyāpi vr̥ddhihrāsau vimuktigau। nr̥ṇāṁ surāṇāṁ muktau tu sukhaṁ klr̥ptaṁ yathākramam‌ ॥7॥
      Among those on the path of liberation, based on one’s auspicious attributes and defects, one experiences variance in their happiness and misery. Among the liberated, based on one’s auspicious attributes and the corresponding knowledge, one experiences happiness (that is complete for individual capacity, but limited compared to superior liberated beings).
      ॥ iti tr̥tīyō'dhyāyaḥ॥
      End of 3rd chapter.

    • B.Ab 4.01
      viṣṇurbrahma tathā'dātētyēvaṁ nityamupāsanam‌। kāryamāpadyapi brahma tēna yātyaparōkṣatām‌ ॥1॥
      We should always offer our worship to Lord Vishnu as the inner soul, as the Master. When the mind can't be stationed in him, we should worship him through activity. Thus, one can get permanent happiness.
    • B.Ab 4.02
      prārabdhakarmaṇō'nyasya jñānādēva parikṣayaḥ। aniṣṭasyōbhayasyāpi sarvasyānyasya bhōgataḥ ॥2॥
      Knowledge destroys the unwanted imprints of all kinds of acts except 'prarabda'. The results of 'prārābda' (acts performed knowing well its implications) are exhausted only by experiencing their results.
    • B.Ab 4.03
      uttarēṣūttarēṣvēvaṁ yāvadvāyuṁ vimuktigāḥ। praviśya bhuñjatē bhōgāṁstadantarbahirēva vā ॥3॥
      Among the liberated, the lower principles enter higher principles all the way up to the principle prāna. Having entered, they enjoy glee both inside and outside.
    • B.Ab 4.04
      vāyurviṣṇuṁ praviśyaiva bhōgāṁścaivōttarōttaram‌। utkramya mānuṣā muktiṁ yānti dēhakṣayāt surāḥ ॥4॥
      At last, the principle prāna enters Lord Vishnu and enjoys. As the gods (principles) leave the body, the being climbs to the liberated state.
    • B.Ab 4.05
      arcirādipathā vāyuṁ prāpya tēna janārdanam‌। yāntyuttamā narōccādyā brahmalōkāt sahā'munā ॥5॥
      Having taken the path of gods ('archi'), through principle prāna, the being reaches the supreme being. Then he enters the world of Brahman along with other gods.
    • B.Ab 4.06
      yathāsaṅkalpabhōgāśca cidānandaśarīriṇaḥ। jagatsr̥ṣṭyādiviṣayē mahāsāmarthyamapyr̥tē ॥6॥
      There, having obtained the body that is of the form of bliss and knowledge, he enjoys his wishes, that is in tune with supreme. Liberated have extraordinary capability in matters of creation of the universe.
    • B.Ab 4.07
      yathēṣṭaśaktimantaśca vinā svābhāvikōttamān‌। ananyavaśagāścaiva vr̥ddhihrāsavivarjitāḥ। duḥkhādirahitaṁ nityaṁ mōdantē'virataṁ sukham‌ ॥7॥
      Having strength in abundance, limited by only those who are superior to his own, having no dependence on others, having no variance in happiness, having no misery, they continuously dwell in infinite happiness.
    • B.Ab 4.08
      pūrṇaprajñēna muninā sarvaśāstrārthasaṅgrahaḥ। kr̥tō'yaṁ prīyatāṁ tēna paramātmā ramāpatiḥ ॥8॥
      This summary of scriptures was authored by saint Purna Prajna in devotion to the supreme soul, the master of Ramā.
    • B.Ab 4.09
      namō namō'śēṣadōṣadūra pūrṇaguṇātmanē। viriñciśarvapūrvēḍ‌yavandyāya śrīvarāya tē ॥9॥
      Obeisance to you! Obeisance to you! One who is far from defects and full of auspicious attributes. You are the husband of Shri, and you are worshipped by Brahma the creator and other gods!
      ॥ iti caturthō'dhyāyaḥ॥
      End of 4th chapter.



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    बहुचित्रजगद्बहुधाकरणात् परशक्तिरनन्तगुणः परमः ।
    सुखरूपममुष्य पदं परमं स्मरतस्तु भविष्यति तत्सततम् ॥
    "The one who has created this variegated vast universe with varied forms has infinite power and is of infinite auspicious qualities. He certainly bestows the highest state of bliss to those who meditate on his ever happy essence." -Dwādasha stōtra 4.3

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