Vedanta-sutra was compiled by Vyasadeva. He is incarnation of Krishna, Dvaipayana Vyasa. So therefore, it is compiled by His incarnation, so it is compiled by Him. Because His incarnation, He is the same. So vedanta-krit means Veda…, compiler of the Vedanta, and the compiler of the compiler of the Vedanta is vedanta-vit, one who knows Vedanta. Because I have written some book, so I know what is the purpose of writing my book. You cannot know. My purpose you cannot know.
There is a small instructive story in this – not story, fact – in this connection. In Calcutta there was a great dramatist. He was very well known, government officer. He wrote one book, Shah Jahan. That is very famous book for theatrical play. So in that Shah Jahan, means the king, Emperor Shah Jahan. Practically, the name which is given on the book, the hero title, he’s the hero. So one of the friends of Mr. D. L. Raya, he inquired from Mr. Raya that, “In your book Shah Jahan, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have given the title Shah Jahan?” He could not understand it. So I’m just trying to explain that the purpose of the book must be known to the author, not others.
So the author replied, “My dear friend, the actual hero is Shah Jahan, not Aurangzeb.” Although the Shah Jahan book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb, the fact is that Shah Jahan was the emperor. He had many, four or five sons, and his wife died, Mumtaz, at an early age. You have seen, those who have gone to India, you have seen the Taj Mahal building. That building was constructed in the memory of that Mumtaz by Shah Jahan. He spent all his money for constructing that building. So it is one of the seven wonders of the world. So that Shah Jahan lost his wife at an early age. He was very fond of his wife.
And because, affectionate father, he did not very much chastise his sons, and he spent all his money in constructing the memory of his wife, so when the sons grew up, the third son, Aurangzeb, came out very crooked. And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that, “Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan.” Then he explained why. “Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb’s activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero.”
So this is an example. The author of a book knows very well what is the purpose of that book. That is my statement. Similarly, this Vedanta-sutra was compiled by Vyasadeva, or Krishna’s incarnation, or Krishna Himself. So He knows what is Vedanta-sutra. So if you want to understand Vedanta-sutra, then you must understand Krishna.
Reference: Sunday Feast Lecture – Los Angeles, May 21, 1972
