The term 'mahavakya' in the Aitareya Bhashya

[V Subrahmanian]

Namaste

In another discussion thread there was an aside discussion of whether the Acharya had used the term mahavakya in the popular Vedantic sense or not. 

Long ago, a search was made and it was found that the Aitareya Upanishad Bhashya 1.3.13  where the highlighted word  आचार्येणात्मज्ञानप्रबोधकृच्छब्दिकायां वेदान्तमहाभेर्यां तत्कर्णमूले ताड्यमानायाम् ,    is being read by some editors as 'वेदान्तमहावाक्यभेर्यां

In the Mahesh research Institute Upanishad Bhashyam Vol.3 (containing 8 Upanishads), edited by Sri Mani Dravid Sastrigal, the reading is with the term mahavakya...while in the Advaita sharada edition the 'vakya' word is not there. Mahabheri is a huge kettle drum. Here the simile is to convey the idea that the mahabheri is 'mahavakya bheri.'  While the Ashtekar edition does not have the 'vakya' term, the Swami Gambhirananda translation says: ...of the great sayings of the Upanishads... (great sayings = mahavakya) While just the vedanta maha bheri is read in some versions, some have the extra 'vakya' just after the word maha. 

Sri SSS in his translation too has not taken the vakya addition. Normally he gives a footnote for variations in editions but here he does not say anything.

Just thought of sharing this as this might be interesting to many.  I was prompted by the search upon reading a Madhva pontiff's preface to some book several years ago that 'while Shankara has not used the term mahavakya anywhere...' Such a search resulted in this find. 

warm regards

subbu  

[Vinodh]

Namaskaram Sri Subbu ji,

Thank you for sharing this. While a quote from Vivekachudamani was given in the other thread where the word “mahavakya” was used in the popular Vedantic sense, some (like Sri Satchidanandendra Saraswathi) question whether the author of the work was actually Shankara Bhagavadpada. It is therefore worth noting that there is another (possible) occurrence in Aitareya Upanishad bhashya. 

Would you be able to give a brief explanation of the context in which this occurs in Aitareya Upanishad bhashya and how the popular Vedantic meaning might fit in this context?

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[sreenivasa murthy]

Dear Friends,

There are many many short sentences appearing

in the mantras of upanishads.

They can also be called as mahavakyas.

For example ahamEvEdagM sarvam || Chandogya 7-25-1

                  AtmaivEdagM sarvam || Chandogya  7-25-2

                  Atmata Eva idagM sarvam || Chandogya 7-26-1

There are many more passages of this kind.

In fact the above three vakyas , the three mantras viz. 2-1-3 & 2-1-4

of Kathopanishad and mantra 2-4 of Kena Upanishad and

Sri Shankara's commentary are more than enough for a genuine

and sincere mumukshu to be an Atmavit provided it is taught

by a Guru who has cognized/realized what he is teaching.

A sincere mumukshu can conveniently say good bye to all the prakaranagranthas and the other tarkapradhanagranthas

as he does not need them.

With respectful namaskars,

Sreenivasa Murthy.

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[Vinodh]

Namaskaram Sri Sreenivasa Murthy ji,

Thank you for your message. The question that was posed in the other thread was about the usage of the word “mahavakya” itself. 

Has Shankara Bhagavadpada used this term in his works in its popular Vedantic meaning (of a vakya that expresses jiva-brahma-aikyam) and if yes where? For example, has Shankara Bhagavadpada referred to the sentences like the ones you quote as “mahavakyas”? 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/838015021.808982.1635168602403%40mail.yahoo.com.

[V Subrahmanian]

On Mon, Oct 25, 2021 at 6:42 PM Vinodh <vinod...@gmail.com> wrote:

Namaskaram Sri Subbu ji,

Thank you for sharing this. While a quote from Vivekachudamani was given in the other thread where the word “mahavakya” was used in the popular Vedantic sense, some (like Sri Satchidanandendra Saraswathi) question whether the author of the work was actually Shankara Bhagavadpada. It is therefore worth noting that there is another (possible) occurrence in Aitareya Upanishad bhashya. 

Would you be able to give a brief explanation of the context in which this occurs in Aitareya Upanishad bhashya and how the popular Vedantic meaning might fit in this context?

Namaste

The context is the very teaching of the nature of identity between the Atman and the Paramatman. So, the Mahavakyartha is intended in the teaching.  

regards

subbu 

[Vinodh]

Thank you for clarifying! 🙏

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