Essentials of Hinduism

Essentials of Hinduism

Vedanta

Vedanta is the end of Vedas. Veda + Anta is Vedanta. It is a part of Sastra. Vedanta is also known as Uttara Mimamsa, one of the two kinds of Mimamsa. The other one is the Purva Mimamsa discussed in the earlier Chapter. Vedanta is the Jnyana Kanda or the Philosophical Part of the Vedas. It is composed by Veda Vyasa and is considered as one of the important aspects of the Hindu Sastras. Vedanta also has a Super Title “Peak of the Veda”. Vedanta is summarized in Brahma Sutras. Great Saints like Sri Sankaracharya and Sri Ramanujacharya wrote commentaries on the Vedanta. Certain portions of the Vedas are also called Vedanta, either because they occur towards the end of the Vedas, or because they contain the Cream or Essence of the Vedas. Vedanta is not an easy Subject to comprehend. It is easily comprehensible for a Sanyasi who has renounced all his Desires. In Simple Term, what needs to be comprehended is - Whatever is, is in Reality One (Ekam Sat). There truly exists only one Universal Being, called Brahman or Paramatma, the Highest Self. Our Sringeri Acharya Sri Sri Bharati Thirta Maha Swamigall has stated that to listen and understand Vedanta, we should have achieved certain level of Spiritual Practice. We should have an undaunted Faith in our Sastras, Controlled Mind in accordance with our Sastra’s Requirements, firm belief in Guru’s Words, Total Detachment in the Worldly Affairs, Deep Bhakti and Total Devotion to the Almighty Paramatma.

We have traveled over 84 Lakhs of different species of this Animal World and got this Human Body. The days are passing away fast. So, even if you see your Own Body, you must try to think, it does not exist at all. It is all illusion. Shruti supports this statement.

Take the illustration of a Mirror. We see our face in the Mirror. We are perfectly aware that it is Unreal. Time is also a false Thing. When you Concentrate, three Hours appears as Half-an- Hour. A Vedantic Student takes this World and Body as a mere appearance. He is fully aware that the only Reality is the Brahman. He denies the appearance and constantly identifies himself with the Brahman. (The Goal of Life should be Self-Realization. Why? Because, The Self is free from evil, decay, sorrow, hunger, thirst and death.) One who has sought after this Self, understands It – Chandogya Upanishad, The Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. Let us take a different step by step approach to understand the Vedanta: Because we committed sins or merits in our previous births, this Body is given as a mode to suffer or enjoy the consequence. The prime reason for committing sins is Desires. Vedanta is the peak of the Vedas and it tells us the method to get rid of the Desires. We do not get Desire or hatred for our own Body. However, if we see another beautiful Object, we want to have it. If we cannot have it, people even go to the extent of extreme efforts and commit sins. If we make this object as yourself, then there is no Desire. What Vedanta states is, everything we see around us is really False and due to Maya they appear as True (Jagat Mithtya). So, having Learned so much about the Vedanta, how should we Live our Everyday Life? Answer is, consider everything we see around us as Paramatma as stated by Adi Sankaracharya, Sringeri Swamigall, Rishis and Jnanis. If every object is Paramatma, then each one of us is not different – we are all Paramatma too. We need to Practice to look at all Objects as one Paramatma - Aham Brahma Asmi – I am Brahman – Yajur Veda – Brahadaranyaka Upanishad; Tat Tvam Asi –Paramatma and Jivatma are One and the Same – Sama Veda – Chandogya Upanishad.

VEDANTIC SADHANA –

We have to try to be Spiritually Advanced to Practice the Vedanta Philosophy of “Aham Brahma Asmi”. In order to achieve the Spiritual Uplift in our Life, we have to do Vedantic Sadhana. Get up daily during the Brahmamuhurtha between 4AM and 6AM, perform some Asanas (Physical Exercises), do some Japas, eat Sattvic Food, Study Holy Scriptures, chant some Slokas from memory, avoid bad Company, do Fasting or eat Limited Food on Ekadasi Days, observe Mauna (Silence) for some time Daily, Speak the Truth at all costs, correct the mistakes committed by us on an on-going basis, Simplify Life, Think of Paramatma At All Times, and the Most Important Sadhana - Surrender completely to God (Saranagati) Everyday.

Chapter Re-cap:

1) Vedanta is the Philosophical Part of the Vedas.

2) There Truly exists only One Universal Being, called Brahman or Paramatma, the Highest Self.

3) Vedanta is not an easy Subject to comprehend.

4) In order to understand Vedanta, we should have an undaunted Faith in Our Sastras, control Mind in accordance with our Sastras’ Requirements, firm belief in Guru’s words, Total Detachment in the Worldly Affairs, Deep Bhakti and Total Devotion to the Almighty Paramatma.

5) To qualify to understand Vedanta, one must Live Life as described above in the Vedantic Sadhana.

This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.