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The system of ''Prasthantrayi'' (samskrit:प्रस्थानत्रयी) is a hermeneutic for understanding the import of vedanta and of vedas established by Sripad Adi Shankaracharya .

There are six systems of philosophy known as [[Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)|Shad Darshanas]] of which [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] is one. They accept the Vedas as authority but they have different interpretations of what the Vedas mean. Shankaracharya established that Vedanta is the concluding portion of the Vedas (gives actual conclusive import of the Vedas).

There are six systems of philosophy known as sad-dharsanas. They accept the vedas as authority but they have different interpretations of what the vedas mean. Shankaracharya established that vedanta is the conclusion of the vedas (gives actual conclusive import of the vedas). But then what is the import of vedanta ? There can be different opinions about this also.  

''Prasthana'' means a textual composition which establishes principles or by which one is led and ''trayi'' is indicative of the quantity three.

Now which books to quote to prove a point. That is primary canon. To resolve this, Sripad Adi Shankaracharya came up with this system.

 

# [[Upanishads]] - they form the Shruti Prasthana (related to Shrutis or Vedic texts or revealed texts)

# The Bhagavad Gita - forms the Smrti Prasthana (related to Smritis or remembered texts )

 

Upanishads are the first authoritative texts dealing with the doctrines of Vedanta, namely Atman and Brahman.  

 

Second authoritative work is “Brahmasutra”, which is said to have been authored by Badarayana Vyasa. It contains aphorisms, and all the three leading philosophical schools of Hinduism, Advaita (non-dualism), Visishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), and Dvaita (dualism) have learned treatises written by the leading proponents and teachers of these schools, commenting on the aphorisms found in this text. The commentaries of these three Acharyas (teachers) on Brahmasutra are the foundation of philosophy of these schools.

S Radhakrishnan writes the following<ref>Radhakrishnan, S. (1926). ''Hindu view of life''. George Allen And Unwin Ltd, London.</ref>:  

S Radhakrishnan writes the following<ref>Radhakrishnan, S. (1926). ''Hindu view of life''. George Allen And Unwin Ltd, London.</ref>:  

"The three Prasthanas or divisions of Vedanata are: The [[Upanishads (उपनिषदः)|Upanishads]], Brahma Sutra and the [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]]. The three Prasthanas answer roughly to three stages of faith, knowledge and discipline. The Upanishads embody the experience of the sages. Logic and discipline are present in them though these are not the chief characteristics of those texts. The Brahma Sutra attempts to interpret in logical terms, the chief conclusions of the Upanishads. The [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]] is primarily a Yoga Sastra giving us the chief means by which we can attain the truly religious life. These three form together the absolute standard of the Hindu tradition".   

"The three Prasthanas or divisions of Vedanta are: The [[Upanishads (उपनिषदः)|Upanishads]], Brahma Sutra and the [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]]. The three Prasthanas answer roughly to three stages of faith, knowledge and discipline. The Upanishads embody the experience of the sages. Logic and discipline are present in them though these are not the chief characteristics of those texts. The Brahma Sutra attempts to interpret in logical terms, the chief conclusions of the Upanishads. The [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]] is primarily a Yoga Sastra giving us the chief means by which we can attain the truly religious life. These three form together the absolute standard of the Hindu tradition".   

Pandey & Navare (2018) mention<ref>Pandey, A., & Navare, A. V. (2018). Paths of Yoga: Perspective for Workplace Spirituality. In ''The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Fulfilment''. Palgrave Macmillan Cham.</ref>: Hindu tradition acknowledges the Prasthānatrayī as its three primary sources. The texts comprising the ''Prasthānatrayī'' are the ''Upaniṣada'' , the ''Bhagavad-Gītā'', and the ''Brahmasūtra''.   

Pandey & Navare (2018) mention<ref>Pandey, A., & Navare, A. V. (2018). Paths of Yoga: Perspective for Workplace Spirituality. In ''The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Fulfilment''. Palgrave Macmillan Cham.</ref>: Hindu tradition acknowledges the Prasthānatrayī as its three primary sources. The texts comprising the ''Prasthānatrayī'' are the ''Upaniṣada'' , the ''Bhagavad-Gītā'', and the ''Brahmasūtra''.   

== Unanimous acceptance ==

== Unanimous acceptance ==

The system (that particular structure) of Prasthan trayi was accepted by subsequent acharyas also.  Sripad Madhvacharya, Sripad Ramanujacharya, Sripad Baladev Vidyabhushan and others have all commented on this Prasthan trayi and thats how they established the authenticity of their sampradayas.

The system (that particular structure) of Prasthan trayi was accepted by subsequent acharyas also.  Sripad Madhvacharya, Sripad Ramanujacharya, Sripad Baladev Vidyabhushan and others have all commented on this Prasthan trayi and through that way they established the authenticity of their sampradayas.

==References==

==References==