Vedanta, derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Veda’ (knowledge) and ‘Anta’ (end), signifies the culmination of knowledge, specifically the knowledge of one’s spiritual Self. This knowledge is currently obscured by the material layers – physical body, mind, and intellect. Your focus has drifted away from the Spirit within to the material and sensual world.
Vedanta aims to reveal your Divine core, leading to permanent peace and bliss. It teaches techniques for success, material prosperity, and mental peace, which are paradoxically rare in today’s world. Beyond that, it guides you to the Supreme Self, the eternal bliss within.
Vedanta is the life’s manual, providing fundamental instructions for life and living. Just as any gadget requires an instruction manual to operate, humans, the most sophisticated beings, also need guidance.
To become a doctor, you need medical knowledge. To become an engineer, you need engineering knowledge. But for everyday life, don’t you need the knowledge of life?
The primordial source of the scriptures are the four Vedas: Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharvana. These foundational texts of Sanatana Dharma are the basis of Vedanta. The sublime philosophy of Vedanta is derived from the Upanishads, the end portion of the Vedas, which declares the Truth, The Reality.
Sanatana means eternal, ancient, and Dharma means righteous principles. Sanatana Dharma refers to universal principles of life and living, the laws that are simple, practical, and time-tested. These principles are unchangeable and applicable to all human beings at all times, regardless of caste, creed, sect, race, religion, nationality, etc.
These universal laws are the basis of human lives. One of the scriptures says: ‘Dharmeva Hato Hanti Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah’ ‘Protect Dharma, righteous principles and Dharma will protect you. If you attempt to destroy Dharma, you will be destroyed!’ It is like shattering your own foundation! So, it simply means respecting and following righteous principles.
Why are the eternal principles unchanging? Because the lives of people, their minds, and activities have never changed over generations. They have always been extroverted and attracted to the external world. Never to their inner Self.
When was it written? The answer is inbuilt. Eternal and timeless. Understanding its values is essential for a meaningful life.
Who wrote it? How did it come to be?
The Divine revelations of the truth are passed down by sages and saints over generations. No single saint authored it; they are independent thinkers and scientists who explored life, unlike external scientists who dealt with objective knowledge. Therefore, Vedanta is a super science, where external science ends and Vedanta, the internal science, begins.
The Vedas are a comprehensive guide to all knowledge, encompassing both external and internal sciences. External knowledge deals with the objective world and is necessary for earning a living.
Vedanta is the subjective, internal science that addresses YOU, the INDIVIDUAL, the inner personality, and reveals the knowledge of the inner Self. It holds a mirror to find out who you really are. A knowledge mirror.
Why do we need this knowledge? What is its relevance in the modern world, especially in the cyber age?
Despite advancements in science and technology, regardless of these comforts and conveniences, humans are not necessarily happy. This contradicts the fundamental principle of human development, resulting in a lopsided and detrimental growth.
People everywhere are starved of this essential knowledge and are groping in darkness. The reason is lack of Self-knowledge, Atma Vidya.
Humans are not evolving as better individuals. What’s the ultimate test?
At the individual level, people are experiencing a decline in cheerfulness, sleep, enthusiasm, and appetite. Distress, depression, and disease have engulfed life.
The world is plagued by chaos, confusion, friction, disharmony, racism, vandalism, militancy, terrorism, gun violence, and war.
True Human development is about moving towards the harbinger of peace, happiness, love, and harmony. Vedanta focuses on human development.
Science and technology improve living standards, but Vedanta addresses the quality and standard of life by building an inner foundation. Just as a ship’s keel and mast, a foundation is crucial for life.
Why didn’t you learn about Vedanta earlier? You’re not taught this knowledge at homes, schools, colleges, universities, workplaces or even in moral, religious or spiritual places. The tradition of Guru-Shishya Parampara, preceptor-disciple, Father-son lineage, teacher-student, is broken. Until recently, this was the educational system in India, but everything has been destroyed, obliterated, rendered obsolete, and decimated by evil forces.
Gurukuls taught this knowledge from a young age, building a strong foundation for life. Without this knowledge, you live by chance rather than conscious choice.
The last verse of the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita reassures that the study of Vedanta bestows you with everlasting benefits:
‘Wherever spiritual knowledge and dynamic action are combined you will achieve prosperity, success, outstanding achievement, strong values, mental well-being, peace and happiness.’
Therefore, you need to study, live, and revive Vedanta.
