Veda Vyasa who compiled the vedas, upanishads,and puranas states at the very beginning of Mahabharata (ch 1-267 itihasa puranabhyam…) “Veda Mata is scared by the gross misinterpretation of vedas, which should have been interpreted only in accordance with itihasas and puranas”. The misinterpretation continued in respect of Brahmasutras also, which were sought to be remedied by Sribhashya.
2. Ramanuja made the study and teaching of Sribhashya a sacred duty of each srivaishnava. For those who found it difficult, he offered some alternatives, one of which was taking up a humble residence in Tirunarayanapuram, also known as Yadusailam, Yadavadri, Melukote. The place is associated with sacred events/personalities in each of the successive yugas. It sheltered Ramanuja in a period of sectarian persecution by the Chola king. It’s remote rural ambience continues to be protective and conducive to cultivation of jnana.
3. Three centuries after Ramanuja, Vedanta Desika, escaping murderous Islamic raiders took refuge there with the Sribhashyam and Srutaprakasika texts and the two sons of Sudarsana Suri who wrote Srutaprakasika.
4. Tirunarayanapuram is the place where Ramanuja spent several years of the prime of his youth. It is the perhaps the most important in a series of Vishnu temples he rediscovered or restored. It is worth remembering that Tirumala Tirupati, Srikoormam, and Simhachalm are some other instances of this mission of identification and installation of deities and practices of worship.
5. The region around Tirunarayanapuram was under pressure from non vedic faiths which were spreading fast, replacing the Vedic religion. Ramanuja met them all in debate and halted the decline of vedic dharma. After that it was his turn to tackle the kudhrishti group, Vedic scholars who misinterpreted sastras under the deep influence of non-vedic principles.
6. It may be observed that the first sutra, jignyasadikaranam occupies fully 25% of Sribhashyam, the balance of 500+ sutras covered by the remaining 75%. This adhikaranam contains a logical evaluation of conflicting perceptions of Brahman. What we have to keep in mind is that Sribhashyam is the fruit of Ramanujja’s wide scholarship , discussions and reflection. It is one of those rare works, where the author lived for 80 to 90 years to clarify the positions taken therein. Guruparampara records that Ramanuja spent 12 years in Tirunarayanapuram in the kainkaryam of Perumal and Sribhashya kalakshepam. Thus Tirunarayanapuram occupies a place of honour in the field of Sribhashyam study.
7. From the point of view of the Sribhashya students, Tirunarayanapuram area holds the highest promise of notes jotted during Ramanuja’s time, or karnaparampara traditions. Unfortunately, due to the holocaust unleashed by Tippu Sultan and his murderous hordes, the hope has shrunk.
We may turn our attention next to the origins and development of Brahmavichara briefly.
About Sribhashyam 