PRAMANA CHATUSHTAYI

Pramana Chatushtayi is comprised of:

Veda--->Bhagwat Geeta--->Brahma Sutras--->Bhagwat
(UPNISHAD)-(18 CHAPTERS)-(555 APHORISM)-(SAMADHI BHASYA OF VYAS)

This can be explained as follows:

1) Veda:

It is also known as Upanishads. The Upanishads are a collection of profound texts which are the source of Vedanta and have dominated Indian thought for thousands of years. They are philosophical chronicles of rishis expounding the nature of God, soul and cosmos, exquisite renderings of the deepest Vaidik thought.

Traditionally, the number of Upanishads is given as 108. Ten to 16 are classified as "major" or "principle" Upanishads, being those which philosophers have commented on through the centuries. The Upanishads are generally dated later than the Samhitas and Brahmanas, though some are actually portions of the Brahmanas. It is thought that most were written down in Sanskrit between 1500 and 600 BC.

In content, these popular and approachable texts revolve around the identity of the soul and God, and the doctrines of reincarnation, of karma and of liberation through renunciation and meditation. They are widely available in many languages. Along with the Bhagavata Geeta ("song of God") they were the primary scripture to awaken the Western world to the wealth of Vaidik wisdom.

(Note: Veda is discussed in detail under the topic VEDA)

2) Bhagwat Geeta:

The Bhagwat Geeta is a scientific text dealing with the knowledge of life and living. This knowledge consists of the eternal principles governing human existence. These principles remain as relevant today as when they were expressed thousands of years ago on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The most important part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagwat Geeta. The Bhagavata-Geeta consists of a dialogue in which Krishna and Arjuna have a discussion upon the highest spiritual philosophy. Krishna in this instance is the inner instructor or monitor, the higher self, advising the human self or Arjuna. It is a marvelous dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battle-field, before the commencement of the Great War. Lord Sri Krishna became the charioteer of Arjuna.

Sri Krishna explained the essentials of Sanatan Dharma to Arjuna. Just as the Upanishads contain the cream of the Vedas, so does the Geeta contain the cream of the Upanishads. Dated between the 5th and the 2nd centuries B.C., the Geeta, which comprises 18 chapters, is a part of the Mahabharata. In the form of a dialogue between Sri Krishna, the divine incarnation, and his friend and disciple Arjuna, it teaches how to achieve union with the supreme Reality through the paths of knowledge, devotion, selfless work, and meditation.

3) Brahma Sutras:

A treatise by Vyasa on Vedanta philosophy in the form of aphorisms. Also called the Vedanta Sutras or Vedanta Darshana. Composed by Badarayana (400 BC) as the first known systematic exposition of Upanishad thought. Its 555 aphorisms (sutra) are so brief as to be virtually unintelligible without commentary. Sutra means aphorism. They are short, crisp & pregnant sentences, which are like seeds in which the whole tree resides. They have to be slowly ‘opened & unfolded’ by the teacher. We have sutras of all the basic texts of grammar, Dharma, Bhakti, Yoga, Sankhya, Nyaya, or Vedanta. The sutras which reveal the fundamentals of Vedanta philosophy or Brahma Vidya are called ‘Brahma Sutras’ or the ‘Vedanta Sutras’. It was through interpretations of this text, as well as the Upanishads themselves and the Bhagavat Geeta, that later schools of Vedanta expressed and formulated their own views of the Upanishad tenets. A third name for this important work is Sutras, "aphorisms on the embodied soul."

Hence aphorism means “Having minimum words with maximum words”.

Structure of Brahma Sutra:

Total Number of Adhyaya (Chapters) : 4
(Samanvaya, Avirodha, Sadhana & Phala)

Number of Padas (Parts) in each Adhyaya : 4

Total Number of Adhikarans (Sections) : 192

Total Number of Sutras : 555

4) Bhagwat:

After writing all the books Veda-Vyasa was not more over satisfied with his work so he then wrote Bhagwat. Shrimad Bhagwat is one of the most sacred books of the Sanatan Dharma. It gives a tremendous insight, a profound vision, and an entirely new perspective to the person who hears the narrative. On hearing, a person is never the same. There is a complete metamorphosis, a complete transformation, literally a new birth. Atman (soul) by its own nature is sovereign – it cannot by nature be bound – whatever bondages felt are sheer illusions of the mind. Shrimad Bhagwat provides that light which enables Jeeva (human being) to experience the wonderful freedom of liberation. One feels, "Yes, I am free!" Shrimad Bhagwat expresses this philosophy through the narration of the life stories of 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Amongst these, the tenth volume of the Shrimad Bhagwat narrates in infinite detail, the story of Lord Krishna. Since all 24 incarnations are of Lord Vishnu, it is a vitally important scripture for the Vaishnavites.

This book relates the story of the Lord and His Incarnations since the earliest records of the Vedic history. It is verily the Krishna-Bible of the Hindu-universe. The Bhagavata Geeta compares to it like the sermon on the mountain by Lord Jesus to the full Bible. It has 18,000 verses and consists of 12 books also called cantos. These books tell the complete history of the Vedic culture with the essence of all its classical stories called Purana and includes the cream of the Vedic knowledge compiled from all the literatures as well as the story of the life of Lord Krishna in full (canto 10). It tells about His birth, His youth, and all His wonderful proofs of His divine nature and the superhuman feats of defeating all kind of demons up to the great Mahabharata war at Kurukshetra.

Hence Bhagwat make man to man of god.

For knowledge, first of all, we should turn to the Vedas, in case of any doubt in the teachings of the Vedas; we must seek guidance from the Geeta. The doubt with reference to Geeta should be resolved by the Brahma sutras. In case any doubt still remains, then, we must seek guidance from the Bhagavat, which is the last and the highest authority. Authority in addition to the Veda, the Geeta and the Brahma sutras is the characteristic feature of the Suddhadvaita system.