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Sutra 4: Tat Tu Samanvayāt

"But that (Brahman) is to be known only from the Scriptures, because it is harmoniously taught in them."

📜 Translation in Plain Speak:

“Okay, yes — we’re trying to figure out what Brahman is. But don't go picking up any random philosophy book or science journal. You’ll find all kinds of contradictory stuff. If you want the real deal, stick to the Vedantic Scriptures — because they all consistently point to Brahman.”

Now let’s get into the meat of it.

💡 Context: Why This Sutra?

In the last Sutra, we said the Upanishads are our source for knowing Brahman — because Brahman is beyond sense perception and logic.

But someone might object:

“Wait! There are other books and philosophies too — Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka — they all talk about the soul, the universe, and liberation. Why single out the Vedantic Upanishads?”

Sutra 4 answers:

“Because only Vedanta consistently, thoroughly, and non-contradictorily talks about Brahman — the one ultimate reality.”

It’s like saying: “Everyone’s trying to write sci-fi, but only this one author actually understands the science.”

🧠 Shankara’s Argument: Clarity vs Chaos

Shankara breaks it down like a courtroom drama. Here’s how he dismantles the opposition:

⚖️ 1. Other Systems Are Inconsistent

Shankara says, look, these other schools? They're interesting, sometimes even insightful — but they all stumble hard when it comes to defining what the Self is or what reality is.

Let’s break this down:

Charvakas (materialists): Say the body is the self. Seriously? When the body dies, does consciousness die? If that’s true, how do dreams work? How do thoughts exist without body movement?
Buddhists: Some say there's no Self — just fleeting moments of awareness. Others say consciousness is momentary and dies every instant. But if there’s no continuous self, who’s doing the meditation? Who remembers anything?
Samkhya: Say Purusha (pure consciousness) is many — each person has a different eternal soul. But then, if all souls are the same in quality, why are their experiences different? No clear answer.

So yeah, it’s all a bit of a philosophical soup — spicy, maybe even tasty in parts, but totally incoherent if you’re actually trying to build a stable understanding of reality.

Vedanta, on the other hand, is like a well-plated, Michelin-star dish — every part harmonizes with the rest.

🎵 The Word “Samanvaya”: Harmony Is the Key

This word “Samanvaya” is super important here. It means:

Coherence
Harmony
Non-contradiction
Consistent alignment

It’s like saying:

“Every Upanishad is like a different musical instrument, but they’re all playing the same tune — Brahman.”

That’s why we trust the Vedantic scriptures — because despite being different texts from different times and sages, they all agree on one central truth:

There is one, infinite, formless, intelligent reality — Brahman — and that is your true Self.

No other system pulls off that level of deep unity, rationality, experience, and scriptural authority all at once.

🔍 Real World Analogy: What Makes a Source Reliable?

Imagine you're trying to learn quantum physics. You check one YouTube video that says particles are waves. Another says they’re jellybeans. A third says "nothing is real."

You’d be confused, right?

Then you find a university textbook from a legit physics department. It’s dense, sure, but every chapter builds on the last. Every theory is supported with experiments, logic, and peer consensus. It hangs together.

That’s what the Upanishads are like.
They’re not just spiritually poetic — they’re consistently pointing toward Brahman, with deep logic and inner alignment.

That’s Samanvaya.

🕉️ Harmony Across Texts: Some Greatest Hits from the Upanishads

Let’s check the setlist from the sacred albums:

“All this is Brahman.” — Chandogya Upanishad
“That which being known, everything else is known.” — Mundaka
“The Self is to be seen, heard, reflected upon, and meditated upon.” — Brihadaranyaka
“From which all beings are born…” — Taittiriya
“I am Brahman” (Aham Brahmasmi) — Brihadaranyaka
“You are That” (Tat Tvam Asi) — Chandogya

It’s not some lucky coincidence. It’s a pattern, and Shankara says that’s the mark of a valid system: All roads lead to Brahman.

🔄 The Feedback Loop: Brahman → Scripture → Brahman

Here’s the cool loop:

Brahman is the source of everything — including the Vedas.
The Vedas reveal Brahman as the one reality.
They also train your mind to recognize Brahman within you.
That realization is what liberates you — and that liberation confirms what the Scriptures said all along.

It’s a perfect feedback loop of truth. Self-validating not by blind belief, but by direct experience and internal consistency.

TL;DR, but Rich:

Other schools of thought might touch on truth, but they contradict each other — or themselves.
Vedantic scriptures (especially the Upanishads) talk about Brahman clearly, consistently, and harmoniously.
“Samanvaya” = all parts agree and point to the same core: You are Brahman.
Just like a symphony has many instruments but one tune, the Upanishads present many voices but one truth.
Hence, if you want to understand Brahman, you go to the source that gets its story straight — the Vedantic Scriptures.

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