Tamil Arts Volume 16
Śaṅkara on Śudrā's Mokṣa
Dr. R. Nagaswamy
The great Advaita exponent Acārya Śaṅkara in his Brahma Sūtra bhāshya gave an important message which has not been properly focused by scholars. The message occurs in the Sūtra called apa-śūdra-adhikāraṇa. This is a very important adhikāraṇa in which the question is raised whether the Śūdras are eligible for mokṣa which is the crucial point. The very fact that the question has been raised shows that subject has been keenly debated in the time of Sūtrakāra Bādarāyaṇa Vyāsa. Otherwise it would not have found a place in the Sūtra.
Among the available commentaries, Śaṅkara’s commentary is the earliest available now. Śaṅkara was interested only in expounding truth and had no interest in transitory positions. Prior to him there were many who have made crucial answers. Their position was that Vedic studies lead to realization and those eligible to study will attain mokṣa. The question thus centered around Vedic studies. Śaṅkara gives his answer in two parts.
The first part takes up the question of Vedas. He said yes. There are several earlier stipulations that state the Vedic studies are confined to dvijas, the twice borns meaning Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, and Vaiśyas and so mokṣa for them can be obtained only through Vedic stdies. As Śūdras are not entitled to Vedic studies the mokṣa for them is not open through Vedas. Śaṅkara has accepted the existing position in the first part of his answer.
Some modern scholars critcise Śaṅkara for this that he is preaching sectarian bias in his Bhāshya The critics have not portrayed Śaṅkara’s position truly as found in the Bhāṣya either due to inadvertence or purposely. They have not discussed what Śaṅkara has actually said in the second part of his answer in the same place.
It is known that Śaṅkara’s stand is ‘Jñāna removes avidyā and that is Brhamam.’ Śaṅkara has said that jñāna-phala-prāpti is mokṣa. The study of Itihāsa and Purāṇas are capable of giving that knowledge and so great men like Vidura though Śūdras attained mokṣa by the merit of their previous birth with which they obtained knowledge. He illustrated here two persons one is Vidura from Itihāsa and another Dharma Vyādha whose story appears in the Varāha Purāṇa. Śaṅkara says such people are capable of attaining jñāna and there fore capable of attaining mokṣa. One has to read the second part of the original bhāṣya in this adhikaraṇa to understand the force with which Śaṅkara argues the case. Śaṅkara argues that by knowledge attained through listening to Itihāsa,and Purāṇas, Śūdras (or for that matter any body) can attain mokṣa which is the fruit of knowledge. He says categorically that no one can prevent them from attaining the fruits of knowledge. He also cites Dharma Śāstras preaching that it is the duty to teach Itihasa Purāṇas to all the castes. And his conclusion is since mokṣa is jñāna-phala-prāpti no one can prevent the Śūdras from attaining mokṣa. This also means that mokṣa can be obtained outside the purview of the Vedas. Śaṅkara goes beyond Vedas and in this his statement is a revolutionary pronouncement going beyond the Vedic studies. It may also be viewed that Śaṅkara propounded the true message of the Vedas for Itihāsa Purāṇas are the essence of the Vedas. It is clear that study is different and mokṣa is different (Brahmaiva, na Brahmavid). The Vedas themselves declare that they can not reach the totality of truth. Vedas are aid to knowledge and not the ultimate. Otherwise no purpose would have been served by writing the commentary on Bhagavad Gita by Śaṅkara for Gita is not a Veda and is accessible to all. Also in the Gita, Kṛṣṇa says:
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्यु: पापयोनय: |
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् || 32||
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye api syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te api yānti parāṁ gatim. Gītā 9.32
māṁ hi iti — māṁ hi yasmāt-pārtha vyāpāśritya māmāśrayatvena gṛhītvā yeऽpi syurbhaveyuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ pāpā yonir-yeṣāṁ te pāpa-yonayaḥ pāpa-janmānaḥ — ke ta ity-āha striyo vaiśās-tathā śūdrāsteऽpi yānti gacchanti parāṁ prakṛṣṭāṁ gatim — Śaṅkara on Gītā 9.32
When Śaṅkara said Śūdras can also attain mokṣa it is this concept he declares openly as against some orthodox view that held Vedic studies identical with mokṣa.
We may also examine what is the view of the Visiṣṭādvaita exponent about the “Apa-Śūdrādhikāraṇam”. Śri Rāmānuja who wrote his Śri-bhāṣya and who is claimed as the greatest social reformer, writing on this sutra simply said that Śūdras are not eligible as they can not study Vedas. He did not say anything beyond that; nor did he elaborate or argue for the Śūdras. This is the Sutra where one who would like to argue his case in favour of Śudras, as did Śaṅkara. But there is not a single word about eligibility of the Śūdras. As Rāmānuja was aware of Śaṅkara’s commentary which he disputes at many places his total silence is surprising. While Rāmānuja is praised as the greatest reformer, Śaṅkara’s bold declaration has not been focused nor given proper evaluation. On the other hand Śaṅkara is found fault with his approach.