The Vedānta-Sūtras with the Commentary by Śaṅkarācārya, Part II

Adhyāya II — Pāda III: Discusses the origin of ether, air, fire, water, and earth; the nature of the individual soul; the question of whether the soul is produced or eternal; the soul’s intelligence, agency, size, relation to the body, and dependence on Brahman. Adhyāya II — Pāda IV: Examines the vital airs and organs. Main topics include the origin, number, minuteness, function, and hierarchy of the prāṇas, especially the chief vital air and its relation to the individual soul. Adhyāya III — Pāda I: Treats the soul’s transmigration, post-mortem journey, descent and rebirth, karma, ritual results, and the relation between conduct, embodiment, and future existence. Adhyāya III — Pāda II: Discusses the states of waking, dream, deep sleep, and death; the nature of the self; meditation on Brahman; and the distinction between the empirical self and the highest Self. Adhyāya III — Pāda III: Examines the unity and difference of Upaniṣadic vidyās or meditations across Vedic texts. It considers whether similar meditations should be combined, separated, or interpreted according to context. Adhyāya III — Pāda IV: Discusses the relation between knowledge and works, eligibility for Brahman-knowledge, stages of life, renunciation, meditation, discipline, and the conditions under which saving knowledge arises. Adhyāya IV — Pāda I: Explains the repeated practice of hearing, reflection, and meditation; the need to view Brahman as the Self; and the role of knowledge in destroying ignorance and past karma. Adhyāya IV — Pāda II: Discusses the process of death, withdrawal of organs, departure of the soul, relation of the knower to the subtle body, and the distinction between ordinary death and the death of one who knows Brahman. Adhyāya IV — Pāda III: Describes the path of the gods, the soul’s ascent after death, the stages of the path, and the destiny of those who meditate on qualified Brahman. Adhyāya IV — Pāda IV: Presents the nature of liberation, the state of the released soul, non-return, attainment of Brahman, freedom from limitation, and the final fruit of knowledge.