બૃહદારણ્યક–ઉપનિષદ અને શાંકરભાષ્ય

Summary

This Gujarati–Sanskrit article compares the Brihadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, one of the oldest Upanishads, with Śaṅkara’s commentary (bhāṣya) on it. The author summarises the key doctrines of the Upaniṣad: the identity of the individual self (ātman) with the absolute (Brahman), the nature of reality and the means of liberation through knowledge. Passages such as the instruction to Maitreyi on immortality and the dialogue between Yājñavalkya and Śākalya are analysed. The article then explores how Śaṅkara interprets these sections in accordance with his Advaita Vedānta, emphasising non‑duality and dismissing ritual actions as subordinate to knowledge. Differences between Śaṅkara’s reading and that of other commentators, such as Bhāskara, are noted. By juxtaposing text and commentary, the paper reveals how philosophical exegesis shapes the reception of sacred scriptures and how Śaṅkara’s perspective has profoundly influenced Indian religious thought.