Vedanta Sutra and Bhasyas
Vyasadeva is an incarnation of Krishna. He compiled Vedanta-sutra to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument.
Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end. In other words, proper understanding of the ultimate purpose of the Vedas is called Vedanta knowledge.
A sutra is a code that expresses the essence of all knowledge in a minimum of words. It must be universally applicable and faultless in its linguistic presentation; this is the definition of sutra according to Vayu and Skanda Puranas.
Knowledge which is given in the Vedanta-sutra is supported by the Upanisads. Vedanta-sutras are known as nyaya-prasthana, legitimate logic and argument concerning cause and effect giving the conclusive understanding of the sruti-prasthana, the Upanishads .
Vedanta-sutra, which consists of codes revealing the method of understanding Vedic knowledge, is the concise form of all Vedic knowledge. It begins with the words athato brahma-jijnasa: "Now is the time to inquire about the Absolute Truth". The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, and therefore the Vedanta-sutra very concisely explains the human mission. According to the great dictionary compiler (Kosakara), Hemacandra, Vedanta refers to the purport of the Upanishads and the Brahmana portion of the Vedas.
The Vedanta-sutras are also known by the following different names:
(1) Brahma-sutra
(2) Saririka-sutra
(3) Vyasa-sutra (4) Badarayana-sutra
(5) Uttara-mimamsa
(6) Vedanta-darsana
The Vedanta-sutra consists of four chapters. The first two chapters discuss the relationship of the living entity with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is known as sambandha-jnana, or the knowledge of relationship.
The third chapter describes how one can act in his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called abhideya-jnana.
The fourth chapter describes the result of such action. This is known as prayojana-jnana.
Because the Vedanta-sutra is in codes which contain a lot of knowledge, it required commentaries (bhashyas).
Sripada Sankaracharya wrote his commentary on Vedanta-sutra based on monism (advaita - not two). He established that God and the living entity are one. Not accepting the transformation of the energy of Absolute Truth, which is the actual explanation of th e Vedanta-sutra, he introduced the theory of illusion. He claimed that everything is one with Supreme.
There are other (theistic) commentaries by vaishnava acharyas:
Nimbarka - dvaitadvaita (oneness and dualism) Vishnuswami - suddhadvaita (purified oneness) Ramanujacharya - visistadvaita (specific oneness) Madhvacharya - dvaita (dualism) Baladeva Vidyabhusana - acintya bhedabheda (inconceivable oneness and difference)
In each of these commentaries, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is established as the cause of all causes, the cosmic manifestation is established as transformation of His inconceivable energies, and devotional service is described very explicitly.
JagadanandaPanditaDas