‘Mokṣa’ in ‘The Brahmasūtra-s’ as interpreted by Rāmānujācārya
Veena Pritish Amolik and Dr. Lalita Namjoshi
Brahmasūtra-sby BādarāyaṇaVyāsa forms part of the triple cannon (Prasthāna Trayī) of Vedanta.In Brahmasūtra-s BādarāyaṇaVyāsa strings together the leading concepts of Vedānta in an orderly manner. It has four chapters. The first chapter is Samanvayādhyāya wherein various Upaniṣadic statements are harmonised with the ultimate reality of Brahman. It is established that the Brahman is the nature of existence-consciousness-bliss and the cause of the universe. Avirodhādhyāya is the second one, in which the Upaniṣadic statements about Brahman are proved through logic or Yukti and through refutation of other schools of philosophy. The third one is Sādhanādhyāya reveals details of various Vidyā-s and Upāsanā-s leading to the attainment of the Ultimate Reality. Phalādhyāya is the fourth chapter whichelucidates the effect of realising the Ultimate Reality. Most schools of the Indian philosophy generally concede that Mokṣa is the supreme goal of life (Parama-Puruṣārtha). Yet there are varied views regarding the concept of Mokṣa, its nature and the means to attain it. This paper focuses on the concept of Mokṣa in Brahmasūtra-sand its natureas interpreted by Rāmānujācārya in his commentary titled Śrībhāṣya. It also brings out that ParamaBhakti and Prapatti are the ways to attain Mokṣa.