The Brahma Sūtras present Vedānta in a deliberately ordered architecture, arranged into four chapters (adhyāyas), each devoted to a distinct phase of inquiry into Brahman. The first, traditionally known as the Samanvaya Adhyāya, is concerned with “harmony” or “reconciliation”: it establishes Brahman as the ultimate reality and shows that the diverse Upaniṣadic statements converge upon this single, unifying truth. The second, the Avirodha Adhyāya, is the chapter of “non-contradiction,” where objections are addressed and opposing philosophical views are refuted so that the Vedāntic vision stands free of internal and external conflict. The third, the Sādhana Adhyāya, turns to the “means” of realization, treating knowledge, meditation, and related disciplines as the path by which the seeker approaches Brahman. The fourth, the Phala Adhyāya, is devoted to the “fruit” of this realization, describing liberation (mokṣa) and the state of the one who has attained Brahma‑jñāna.

Each of these four adhyāyas is further divided into four sections (pādas), yielding a total of sixteen pādas that systematically unfold the teaching. Within a given pāda, the sūtras are grouped around closely related themes or scriptural passages, so that the text moves from topic to topic with great economy yet underlying coherence. Traditional analysis also recognizes smaller topical units (adhikaraṇas), in which a passage or issue is introduced, a doubt raised, an opposing view presented, and finally the Vedāntic conclusion established. While different commentators may draw the boundaries of these units in slightly different ways, the four‑chapter, four‑section framework remains stable and serves as the backbone of the work. Through this layered structure—chapter, section, and topic—the Brahma Sūtras guide the seeker from the recognition of Brahman in scripture, through the clearing away of doubts, into the disciplines of practice, and finally toward the vision of the liberated state.