Of the four chapters of Brahmasutra, the first tries to establish that the reality of Brahman is the teaching of all Upanishads and not rites and rituals. Hence this chapter is called samanvaya (harmony).
The second chapter shows that the Upanishadic teaching is
not contrary to facts and cannot be contradicted by the various philosophical
schools. Hence this chapter is known as avirodha (non-contradicted).
The third chapter discusses eschatology and the ways of
securing moksha (salvation), like meditation and the knowledge that
distinguishes krama-mukti (gradual release) from sadyo-mukti (instantaneous release).
Hence it is called a sadhana (instrument).
The fourth chapter deals with immediate release, here in
this life. The book ends with the declaration that those who meditate on a
personal God do not return to the mortal life but progressively march ahead to deliverance.
It is named phala (result).
Each chapter has four padas (parts) and the aphorisms are
grouped together into adhikaranas (sections). A section is constituted by five
factors –
- Vishya (Upanishadic text) taken up for analysis
- The Vishaya (doubts) that may possibly arise in the text and its import
- The Purva Paksha (tentative point of view of the contestant)
- Siddhanta (the final view settling the dispute)
- Sangati (mutual relation of the sections)
The bhashyakaras (commentators) differ in the number of
adhikaranas and the number of sutras. While Shankara holds that Brahmasutra
consists of 555 aphorisms in 196 sections, Ramanuja things that they contain
only 545 sutars and Madhva 525 sutras.