✦Lens 02 • Pravāha • Sūtra-Bhāṣya Paramparā

Brahma Sūtras (Vedānta Sūtras)

The monumental aphoristic foundation of all Vedānta. 555 sūtras that generated 1,500 years of the most celebrated philosophical commentaries in human history.

Foundational Root Text (Mūla-Grantha):

Prasthānatrayī Root Axis • ~500 BCE Brahma Sūtras (Vedānta Sūtras)

Brahma Sūtras (Vedānta Sūtras)

The monumental aphoristic foundation of all Vedānta. 555 sūtras that generated 1,500 years of the most celebrated philosophical commentaries in human history.

Inspect Root Text in 18 Vidyāsthānas Canon ➔ Contemplate Canonical Verses in Living Reader ➔

Advaita Vedānta (Non-Duality)

01 8th c. CE

Ādi Śaṅkara (8th c.)

📜 Śārīraka Bhāṣya

Establishes Nirguṇa Brahman as the sole reality and individuality as an error of superimposition (Adhyāsa).

02 8th c. CE

Padmapādācārya (8th c.)

📜 Pañcapādikā

Founds the Vivaraṇa school analyzing the ontological mechanism of cosmic ignorance (Avidyā).

03 10th c. CE

Vācaspati Miśra (9th–10th c.)

📜 Bhāmatī

Founds the Bhāmatī school positing that ignorance resides in the individual soul (Jīvāśrita).

04 16th c. CE

Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (16th c.)

📜 Advaita Siddhi

The ultimate dialectical fortification defending Śaṅkara's commentary against all realistic objections.

Viśiṣṭādvaita (Qualified Non-Duality)

01 Pre-classical

Bodhāyana Ṛṣi (Ancient)

📜 Bodhāyana Vṛtti

Ancient extensive commentary preserved in Śrīraṅgam tradition that guided Rāmānuja.

02 11th c. CE

Śrī Rāmānujācārya (11th–12th c.)

📜 Śrī Bhāṣya

Formulates the living organism model (Śarīra-Śarīrī): nature and souls are the real, dependent body of God.

03 13th c. CE

Sudarśana Sūri (13th c.)

📜 Śrutaprakāśikā

Monumental sub-commentary that preserved the Śrī Bhāṣya through the sack of Śrīraṅgam.

Dvaita Vedānta (Dualism / Tattvavāda)

01 13th c. CE

Śrī Madhvācārya (13th c.)

📜 Anuvyākhyāna & Brahma Sūtra Bhāṣya

Rigorous epistemological realism defending the eternal fivefold distinction (Pañca-Bheda).

02 14th c. CE

Jayatīrtha (Ṭīkācārya, 14th c.)

📜 Nyāyasudhā

Hyper-systematic dialectical commentary on Madhva's Anuvyākhyāna.

03 16th c. CE

Vyāsatīrtha (15th–16th c.)

📜 Tātparyacandrikā & Nyāyāmṛta

Premier logician of Vijayanagara who debated Navya-Nyāya and Advaita scholars.

Dvaitādvaita (Bhedābheda)

01 12th c. CE

Nimbārkācārya (12th c.)

📜 Vedānta Pārijāta Saurabha

Natural difference and non-difference: souls are distinct like sparks, yet non-different from fire.

Śuddhādvaita (Pure Non-Duality)

01 15th c. CE

Vallabhācārya (15th–16th c.)

📜 Aṇubhāṣya

Pure non-duality without Māyā: the universe is a real, non-different manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.

Acintya-Bhedābheda (Inconceivable Oneness & Difference)

01 18th c. CE

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa (18th c.)

📜 Govinda Bhāṣya

Composed at Galta (Jaipur), establishing Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism as an authentic Vedāntic school.