[Advaita-l] Did Vyaasa mean Athaato Vishnu Jijnaasaa or Shiva Jijnaasaa?

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste

Guru or Vyaasa Poornima is today. We can ask - what is in the mind of
Brahma Sutra Kaara Vyaasa? Advaita or Vaishnavism or Saivism?

In the Prastaavanaa for the book Madhva Tantra Mukha Mardana it is written -

सूत्राणां शिवविष्ण्वादिप्रतिपादकत्वे ’अथातो विष्णुजिञ्जासा’
’शिवजिञ्जासा’  इत्येवमेव सूत्रारम्भो भवेत् । न तथा दृश्यते ।

If the Brahma Sutras are describing Vishnu or Siva they should begin
with Athaato Vishnu Jijnaasaa or Athaato Siva Jijnaasaa. But we are
not seeing that. We are seeing Athaato Brahma Jijnaasaa. This Brahma
is the Brahman of the Upanishads.

अतो वक्तव्यमेक एव परमसुखसाधकोऽर्थः सूत्राणामिति । ततः
परिशेषाच्छ्रीशंकरभगवत्कृतभाष्यानुसार्येव सूत्रकृत्तात्पर्यविषय इति
निश्चिनुमः । किंच कपिलकणादादिभिर्दर्शनकृद्भिः परपक्षदूषणप्रस्तावे
अद्वैतमेव वेदान्तमतत्वेनानूद्य दूषितं, तत्समये भगवान् बादरायण एव
वेदान्ती नान्यः कश्चन । न हि तदन्येन केनापि वेदान्तार्थनिर्णयाय
सूत्राणि कृतानि सन्ति । अतोऽपि व्यासस्याद्वैत एव तात्पर्यं
कपिलादिमहर्षिसाक्षिकं निर्भयमुद्घोषयामः ।
Therefore the meaning of Sutras is the Supreme Happiness and it is by
following Sankara Bhagavat Pada and it is the essence of the
Sutrakaara. The Kapila and Kanada philosophers are keeping Advaita
only as Vedanta Mata when they are describing Purva Paksha. That time
Bhagavan Badarayana is the Vedanti but not others. Therefore the
essence of Vyaasa is Advaita only. We can claim this without fear.

व्यासभगवतः अद्वैत एव तात्पर्यमित्येतद्दीक्षितवंशजैरेव कृते
व्यासतात्पर्यनिर्णये विस्तरशो द्रष्टव्यम् ।

Appayya Deekshita's family member has shown in Vyasa Tatparya Nirnaya
how Vyasa Bhagavan's Brahma Sutra's essence is Advaita only.

-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh