Advaita

 Vedanta  –  A  Bird’s  Eye  View  

The  Hindu  Scripture  

[Author  Name]  

D.  KRISHNA  AYYAR  

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Lord, such as –

• Who am I? Am I the body? Am I the mind?

into existence? Will it have an end?

• Is there a creator? Is there some one like a Supreme Lord? Are there
more than one God?

• What is our relationship to others, the perceived world and the Lord or
the Gods?

• What is the purpose of life?

1. Like other philosophies, Advaita Vedanta deals with such questions. It is

a unique philosophy. The uniqueness consists in (a) the assertion that

the sole reality is a supreme principle of existence cum consciousness

cum infinity, called brahma (spelt as Brahman in this paper) which is

identical with the consciousness of individual living beings called aatma

and (b) the relegation of the universe perceived universe (jagat) to a

lower order of reality.

2. The original Hindu scripture called Veda (consisting of about 20,000,

mantras (hymns) is divided into four compilations, called (a) Rig Veda,

(b) Yajur Veda, (c) Sama Veda and (d) Atharva Veda. Respectively, the

earlier portions of these Vedas consist of (a) hymns (mantras) in

metrical or poetic form, (b) a manual of rituals including hymns in

prose form (c) hymns in musical form and (d) miscellaneous matters.

Together, these portions are called Karma Kanda. The latter portions of

the Vedas, called Vedanta or Upanishads or Jnana Kanda are the

   
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 philosophical portions. Karma Kanda deals with (a) rituals and

sacrifices (b) worship of deities and prayers (c) duties, values of life, and

conduct of life in harmony with the welfare of all living beings, with the

requirements of society and with the structure of the universe (called

karma) and (d) meditation (upaasana) on aspects of the cosmos in the

form of deities (devatas) and on the Supreme Lord, the creator and

ruler (Iswara). There is a lot of aphoristic literature called sutras

(aphorisms) and their commentaries (bhashyams) , and elaborating

these, there are smritis. Besides, presenting spiritual literature in a

popular form and in the form of epics and stories, there are smritis.

Whereas Brahma Sutra deals with the Upanishads, the others deal with

karma kanda. Related to karma kanda there are dharma sastra sutras

dealing with the duties and responsibilities of and the values to be

cultivated by individuals, grhya sutras dealing such matters in relation

to the family, srouta sutras focusing on the welfare of the society, with a

description of rituals and prayers for the well-being of the society,

universal harmony and peace. There is also literature consisting of

commentaries called bhashyams, and these, in turn, have a chain of

sub-commentaries. Such of these that are in verse form are called

vartikas. There are also interpretative works on various topics called

Prakarana granthas. All these together are called Saastra.

3. Pursuit of Karma Kaanda is the preparation for the pursuit of Jnana

Kanda. Karma Kanda prescribes various kinds of karma and upasana

and mentions the corresponding mundane benefits to be obtained, such

as wealth, health, progeny, acquisition of superhuman powers (called

siddhis), life in higher worlds, etc. When they are performed with the

purpose of obtaining the material benefits, they are called kaamya

karmas. In the initial stages one does kaamya karmas. But, in due

course – it may be after many births (called janmas) – one finds out that

   
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 whatever benefits kaamya karmas give are temporary. Even life in a

higher world is, according to Sastra, temporary. The foolish way of

seeking happiness is to develop desire for objects. No pleasure is

unmixed with pain. In fact most of the time, it is pain. Struggle and

strain and anxiety in acquiring things, the worry of protecting what one

has acquired and the sorrow when it is lost or ceases to be – all this is

nothing but pain. Happiness is only there in a fleeting moment when

one has got a thing one wanted and desire for another or a higher thing

has not arisen. There is no end to desire. One desire arises after another.

One is always hankering after something better. Satiation sets in. The

law of diminishing returns operates. If going to a picture once a month

is enough, to begin with, you reach a stage when you want to go daily

and even that is not enough later. Your sense faculties undergo wear

and tear by the enjoyment and one becomes mentally a slave of the

objects and physically a wreck. The wiser way of having happiness is to

develop dispassion for objects (vairaagya). Vide Isavasya 1 – “Protect

yourself by giving up desire.” Experiencing the problems of seeking

happiness through contact with objects, one begins wondering whether

it is possible to have permanent peace and happiness. Sastra comes and

says, “Yes; it is possible. Leave the kaamya karmas and come to Jnana

kanda.”

4. (a) Before taking to Jnana kanda, one has to prepare oneself for it. The

subject is subtle and the study requires calmness and concentration of

mind. Calmness or purity of mind and concentration are acquired,

respectively, by the performance of karma and upasana without desire

for mundane benefits and solely with a view to going to Jnana kanda.

This is called nishkaama karma. This is a way of life where the attitude

is significant. Whatever action one does, religious or secular, is done as

an offering to Iswara (iiswara arpana buddhi) and acceptance of

   
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 results, favorable or unfavorable with equanimity as the sacred gift of

Iswara (iiswara prasaada buddhi) This is called karma yoga.

Karmayoga engenders purity of mind (citta suddhi) and upasana

calmness and concentration of mind (citta aikagryam and citta

naiscalyam) and desire for atma vicaara (enquiry into the nature of

self), which are required for the pursuit of jnana kanda.

(b) Sastra prescribes what is called varnaashrama dharma – four

successive ways of life and four vocations. The four successive ways of

start with brahmacarya ashrama in which boys and girls chant the Veda

mantras and, studying Sanskrit get a general idea of what the Veda says.

They also study auxiliary subjects, called vedaangas (siksha, kalpa,

vyaakarana, nirukta, and chandas, and jyotisha – pronunciation and

intonation, methodology of rituals, grammar, and etymologolical

explanation of difficult Vedic words, prosody and astronomy. Starting at

the age of five, the study is to be done under a preceptor (guru), staying

with him for a period of twelve years. (This is called gurukulavaasa).

This is followed by grahasthaasrama in which one, after marriage,

functions as a priest, teacher, warrior, trader, or agriculturist (in one of

the four varnas, called respectively, Braahmana, kshatriya, vaisya and

sudra.) Women who have not chosen to pursue jnana kanda get married

and look after the household. When one has had children, to the eldest

of whom one could hand over the responsibilities of the joint family one

adopts vaanaprastha aasrama in which one retires with one’s spouse to

the forest for doing upaasana. The last is sanyaasa aasrama during

which one devotes time exclusively to a deep study of Vedanta (Jnana

kanda). This is again done under a guru ; this time the guru has to be

one who is not only well versed in Vedanta but is himself also one

abiding in Brahman (srotriya brahmnanishtah). There are two type of

   
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 sanyasa - vividishaa sanyasa – which is taken for devoting undivided

attention to sravanam, mananam and nididhyasanam.

(c) Going through grahastha asrama and vanaprastha asrama is not

compulsory. Those who have obtained sufficient purity of mind (citta

suddhi) and dispassion (vairaagyam) and concentration (citta

aikaagryam) and have developed a keen desire for liberation

(mumukshutvam) after the brahmacarya asrama itself can, be it boys or

girls, straightway take to sanyasa asrama, or, without going through

grahastha asrama, continue study of Vedanta. (They are called naishtika

brahmacaris or naishtika brhmacaaarinis). (Vide Brhadaranyaka

IV.iv.20, where two types of sanyasa are mentioned, one after

grahasthasrama and vanaprastha and the other straightway from

brhamacarya). (In Jabala Upanishad also, it is said that one takes

grahasthasrama after brahmacarya, vanaprastha asrama after

grahasthasrama, sanyasrama after vanaprastha and as an alternative,

one can straightway take sanyasrama after brahmcarya. In today’s

economic and social milieu, it not possible to adhere to the ancient

system of varnasrama dharma involving a regular succession of ways of

life and a clear division of vocations. Gurukulavaasa has become

obsolete and there is no time for a householder to perform the elaborate

rituals prescribed in Sastra. However, even in modern society, even if

there is no ceremonial assumption of asramas, the sequence of the main

activity in life is not different – one engages in study first, then

discharge one’s duties in the chosen profession, not omitting prayer and

worship and if one is intelligent, devote the time after retirement to

spiritual pursuits. Even in modern circumstances, though formal rites

may not be possible, it is possible to devote some time to a limited

regimen of worship, prayers and meditation, to the extent the

   
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 preoccupation of earning a living will allow. One has also to perform

one’s duties to others, to society and to nature. Further, one should

pursue one’s profession in the spirit of follow the path of karma yoga

and lead a life based on values, such as truthfulness, non-violence,

austerity, charity etc. Above all, one reduces worldly pursuits to the

minimum required for life and devotes time to spiritual pursuits. If one

is talented, the talent should be put to use for the welfare the society,

nation and the world, after providing for the requirements of one’s own

family. Whatever surplus wealth accumulates should be spent in

charities.

5. The major part of the original Vedic literature has been lost by disuse

and destruction during invasions. According to tradition, Vedanta

literature originally consisted of 1180 Upanishads. What are extant are

220, of which 108 are with commentaries. Of these what are considered

most important are twelve Upanishads. Of these, widely taught are ten,

viz., Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitreya, Taittiriya,

Chandogya and Brhadaranyaka, for which the great preceptor,

Sankaracarya has written invaluable commentaries. Two others that are

popular are Kaivalya and Svetasvatara. (Some say that the extant

commentary of Swesvatara is also Sankaracarya’s.) Mandukya is the

shortest Upanishad and Brhadaranyaka is the biggest. Mandukya is

studied along with an explanatory treatise called “karika” written by

Sankaracarya’s teacher’s teacher (paramaguru), Gaudapadacarya. Apart

from the Upanishads, all students of Vedanta study the Bhagavadgita

and Vyasacarya’s “Brahma Sutra”. As foundational texts, they are called,

“Prasthaanatraya”.

6. According to tradition, the literature of the Vedas including Vedanta is

not works of human authorship. It is revelation from Iswara; vide

Kaivalya Upanishad 22 – “I (Brahman) alone am the theme taught in

   
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 the different Vedas. I am the revealer of the Vedanta and I alone am the

real knower of the Vedas.” Swetasvatara IV.9 – “Mayii (Brahman,

through his power, called Maya, creates Veda ….” (The word, ‘Mayii’

should be interpreted, preferably as Iswara, since creation is

mentioned). Revealed by Iswara, Veda exists in a subtle form, as a part

of the creation. It has been grasped by sages (rishis), whose special

mental equipment acquired by upasana has enabled them to find out

what is there is subtle form. (The word, ‘rishi’ is derived from a root

which means ‘to see’; so rishi means one who sees). The Veda has been

transmitted to successive generations in a teacher student tradition.

This is called “guru sishya parampara”. Vide Swetasvatara Upanishad

V.6 – “The brahmatvam, the principle called Brahman) is hidden in the

Upanishads which constitute the gist of the vedas. (- ‘Hidden’ means

that it can be known only by those who do sravana manana in depth).

Hiranyagarbha knows them (the Upanishads). Knowing them, Devas

and rishis have become immortal”. Since the teaching was oral, not

written, the Veda is called sruti. Since it is not of human authorship it is

called “apaurusheya pramaana”. The rest of the sastra is of human

authorship, the work of sages and saints, and it is called “pourusheya

pramaana”.

7. In its fundamental teaching, Vedanta deals with matters beyond

creation. Human intellect itself is a part of creation. It cannot therefore

prove or disprove what is said in Vedanta. Cf. Kathopanishad I.ii.8 and

I.ii.9 – “It (Brahman) is beyond argumentation.” “This wisdom…..is not

to be attained through argumentation.” Kenopanishad I.3, I.4 and I.6 –

“The eyes do not go there, nor speech nor mind. We do not know

Brahman to be such and such.” “ That (Brahnan) is surely different

from the known and again It is above the unknown.” “That which man

does not comprehend with the mind”. Taittiriya Upanishad II.ix.1 –

   
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 “That…Brahman, failing to reach which words turn back along with the

mind”. Faith – I. e., the wholehearted belief that Upanishads teach us is

incontrovertible – is essential. So a student of Vedanta goes primarily by

what is said in the Upanishads as interpreted by preceptors (acaryas)

whom he has chosen to follow. Logic is used to analyze topics based on

data gathered from Sastra to arrive at a harmonious construction of the

texts (called “samanvaya”) and to be convinced of the credibility of what

is arrived at (sambhaavana yukti). The  other  type  is  vidwat-­sanyaasa,  

taken  after  sravanam  and  mananam,  for  pursuing  nididhyasana.

   
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