[Advaita-l] Question on Bodhayana and Upavarsha Vruttis of Brahma Sutras

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste

Visistadvaita scholar Vedanta Desika has guessed Upavarsha and
Bodhayana are the same person. But this is not correct.

Adi Sankara has given a lot of respect for Upavarsha in the Sutra
Bhashya 3-3-53. He is calling him as Bhagavan Upavarsha.  He is
saying-
Ata Eva Bhagavata Upavarshena Prathame Tantre
Atmastitvabhidhanaprasaktau Sarirake Vakshyamaha ityuddharaha Krutaha
|

He is saying Bhagavan Upavarsha has written Vrutti on Purva Mimamsa.
In that Vrutti he is giving reference to his another Vrutti on
Sariraka Mimamsa the Brahma Sutra.

Question - Where is the Upavarsha Vrutti for Brahma Sutras? Adi
Sankara had probably seen it.

Visistadvaitis are mistaking Upavarsha and saying he is same as
Bodhayana. They are saying his Vrutti is Bodhayana Vrutti. In Ramanuja
biography they are saying Ramanuja went to Kashmir searching for
Bodhayana Vrutti. But the library authorities in Kashmir allowed him
to go through it only. They did not allow him to borrow it and take it
home. But one disciple of Ramanuja had a Photographic Memory. He
remembered it.

There is a problem in this story. In Sri Bhashya Ramanuja has said he
is following the Abridged Bodhayana Vrutti in his Bhashya.
Bhagavadbodhayana Krutam Vistirnam Brahma Sutra Vruttim Purvacharyaha
Sancikshipuhu Tanmatanusarena Sutraksharani Vyakhyasyante. The
important word is Sancikshipuhu.  He is saying Purva Acharyas have
abridged the big Bodhayana Vrutti. He is following the Sankshipta
Vrutti and writing his Bhashya.

In the story of going to Kashmir they are saying he looked at the
Bodhayana Vrutti. It cannot be Bodhayana Vrutti but Abridged Bodhayana
Vrutti.

Nobody outside Visistadvaita has said Upavarsha and Bodhayana are the
same person. Even some Visistadvaitis agree they are not the same.

-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh