[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Paper on Kenopanishad

[H S Chandramouli]

Dear Sri Subrahmanian Ji,



The book on Kenopanishad by Sri SSS can be accessed at the following link.  <<
http://www.adhyatmaprakasha.org/php/bookreader/templates/book.php?type=kannada&book_id=090&pagenum=0102#page/7/mode/1up
>>.



However the book is in kannada and not many members may be able to follow
it. Hence as desired by you I am furnishing the english translation of the
differences between the pada bhashya and vakya bhashya as compiled by Sri
SSS in his preface to the translation of the bhashyas.



1. Sri Bhagavatpada has not mentioned anywhere else that he has composed
two bhashyas for this Upanishad.



2. The argumentation method employed in vAkya bhashya is unique to the same
and does  not appear to have been employed by Sri Bhagavatpada anywhere
else.



3. The vyakhyana on these bhashyas by Sri Anandagiri mentions that the
vAkya bhashya was written after the Pada bhashya. However there is nothing
in the vakya bhashya to support such a view.



4. The vAkya bhashya also includes elaboration on the meaning of  words,
just as in the pada bhashya. Hence there does not appear to be any special
justification for terming it as vakya bhashya.



5. There are pAtha bhedas also between the two. For example, in the mantra
2-1 one bhashya reads नाहम् मन्ये (nAham manye) while the other reads   नाह
मन्ये (nAha manye).



6. There are differences in the meaning given to the same words in the two
bhashyas. For example  इषितम्, प्रेषितम्, वाचो ह वाचम्, यदस्य देवेषु,
प्रतिबोधविदितम्, इन्द्रः (iShitam, preShitam, vAcho ha vAcham, yadasya
deveShu, pratibodhaviditam, indraH).



7. In some instances the explanations given in the two bhashyas are
opposite to each other. For example refer to प्रतिबोधविदितम् मतम् ,
ब्राह्मीम् वाव उपनिषदमब्रूम (pratibodhaviditam matam , brAhmIm vAva
upaniShadamabrUma).  In vAkya bhashya the सङ्ग्राहक वाक्य (sa~NgrAhaka
vAkya) at the beginning of the mantras are in a unique style not seen or
rarely seen in any of the prasthanatraya bhashyas. For example ‘श्रोत्रस्य
श्रोत्रम्’ इत्यादिप्रतिवचनं निर्विशेषस्य निमित्तत्वार्थम् । (‘shrotrasya
shrotram’ ityAdiprativachanaM nirvisheShasya nimittatvArtham |),  यदि मन्यसे
सु वेदेति शिष्यबुद्धिविचालना गृहीतस्थिरतायै । (yadi manyase su vedeti
shiShyabuddhivichAlanA gRRihItasthiratAyai |).



8.While in other bhashyas the sa~NgrAhaka vAkya are no doubt seen to have
been elaborated upon subsequently, in this vakya bhashya the sa~NgrAhaka
vAkya in some cases are so crisp and brief  that it is extremely difficult
even to guess their intent without the help of the explanatory notes. Some
examples falling into this category are कर्मानारम्भ इति चेत्, न
(karmAnArambha iti chet, na ), अप्रतिषेधाच्च ।( apratiShedhAchcha |), न,
अनभ्युपगमात् । (na, anabhyupagamAt |).



9.Another difficulty in accepting that the same author has written the
vAkya bhashya after writing the pada bhashya is that in some instances what
has been rejected in the pada bhashya has been accepted in the vAkya
bhashya. For example the interpretation of the word प्रतिबोधविदितम्
(pratibodhaviditam), अब्रूम (abrUma).



10. In addition some of the prayogas in the vAkya bhashya do not appear to
be grammatically correct (no examples are given).



These are what have been compiled in the preface to the work by Sri SSS.
There could be more to be found in the body of the translation.



Regards