CHAPTER -I

TRADITION OF ADVAITA VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Indian philosophy is interwoven with religion which ultimately

leads to the search of truth. The search for truth is associated with the

thinking process connected with the spiritual and the material. So the

knowledge one gets can be divided into two-external knowledge and

internal knowledge. The subjects connected with spirituality and religion

come under internal knowledge and the knowledge of other subjects like

physics and science etc. come under external knowledge. The common

feature of Indian thought was to flame up thinking process. This was

encouraged by debates, talks etc. The Self and non-Self theories and the

logic and intuition theories helped to brighten up the subjects.

Indian philosophy is divided into two categories viz. orthodox

systems and heterodox systems. Among the six orthodox systems of Indian

philosophy, the last one is called ‘Uttaram¢m¡Æsa’ or Vedanta, which

means the concluding portion of the Veda (´ÉänùÉxÉÉÆ +xiÉ& ´ÉänùÉxiÉ&). The Vedas

are mainly divided into three, Karmak¡¸·a (the portion of action),

Up¡san¡k¡¸da (the portion of worship), and Jμ¡nak¡¸·a (the portion of

knowledge). Jμ¡nak¡¸·a, which is embodied in the UpaniÀads is called

Vedanta. The ‘Prasth¡natrayas’ i.e. the UpaniÀads the B.G., and the

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Brahmas£tra are the base of Vedanta philosophy. Vedanta is a

philosophical development which correlates man and the cosmic soul-

J¢v¡tma and Param¡tma. Vedanta aims to identify and understand the Self.

When the Self is realized, J¢v¡tma recognizes itself as the Param¡tma and

one attains Sat, Cit and Ënanda. In this state, ignorance is erased. Vedanta

philosophy cannot be easily apprehended because it requires immense

patience, high level concentration and selflessness.

The School of Vedanta has different sub-divisions like Advaita,

Vi¿iÀt¡dvaida, Dvaita, áudh¡dvaita and Dvait¡dvaita. India’s culture and

heritage are deeply influenced by the truths which all these different

systems represent. Even though the philosophical standpoints of these

traditions are different, they all claim their integrity and honesty towards

the UpaniÀadic wisdom, and so their basic ideal are not much alienated

from the legacy of Indian thought. This tendency acknowledges the

truthfulness of each tradition in bringing out the noblest contemplation

without denying the veracity of the Vedas.

Among these, Advaita Vedanta has a very prominent place.

áa´kar¡c¡rya was the embodiment who propounded the Advaita Vedanta

philosophy and gave it a rich lustre of nobility. According to him Advaita

is the essence of Vedanta. This understanding made him dedicate his

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whole life for the recovery of the hidden treasures of Veda and its

restoration. In the R¡m¡ya¸a, Mah¡bh¡rata, Brahmas£tra and Pur¡¸as,

Advaita Vedanta philosophy has been mentioned but it came to be known

as a separate, well systematized and fortified branch with all polemic

arguments to substantiate its concepts, only after áa´kar¡c¡rya.

Major Divisions of the Vedanta Tradition

The tradition of the Vedanta is divided into three according to their

chronological development. Vedanta system was enhanced in each and

every stage with an extraordinary veracity towards the radical scriptures.

This classification only pertains to how this philosophy passed through

different ages and how it served the needs of the changing social

conditions. The divisions are denominated as the Early tradition, Middle

tradition and Modern tradition.

Early Tradition of Vedanta

The early tradition of Vedanta is the period from the Îgveda to

Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya. Vedanta has one of its foundations as the UpaniÀads so

the origin of Vedanta philosophy can unmistakably attributed to the Vedas.

Moreover its polemic and religious needs are supplemented by the

Brahmas£tra and B.G., Brahma or Ëtma is the doctrine of the supreme

13

soul and essence of Vedanta teachings. So the doctrine of Brahman which

we find in the UpaniÀads became a full-fledged philosophical system with

the enhancement of the Brahmas£tra and the B.G. In the UpaniÀads

Pur¡¸as and Brahmas£tra, Mah¡bh¡rata, R¡m¡ya¸a etc. the names of

early tradition scholars and successors are mentioned. The lists of the

names are too lengthy. Early tradition is again divided into four viz.,

UpaniÀadic tradition, Pur¡¸ic traditions, Epic traditions and Brahmas£tra

traditions.

a. UpaniÀadic Tradition

UpaniÀads are the last portion of the Vedas and has three main

parts-‘Dharmak¡¸·a’ (portion of worship), ‘Karmak¡¸·a’ (portion of

action) and the ‘Jμ¡nak¡¸·a’ (portion of knowledge). Among the three

divisions last part Jμ¡nak¡¸·a is called Vedanta. The date and authorship

of the UpaniÀads have not been determined accurately. A lot of scholars

and preceptors have acquired the UpaniÀadic knowledge yet none of them

have recorded the time. Scholars and historians have different opinions

about the period of the UpaniÀads.1 Many researchers are of the view that

the period of the UpaniÀads could be between BC.4500 and BC 600.

According to Max Muller, the UpaniÀads are from BC 400. Since the

UpaniÀads were passed on and inherited from generations to generations

14

through áruti (hearing), the period of the UpaniÀads cannot be assessed.2 It

is mentioned in the MuktikopaniÀad (Muk.Up.) that there are 1180

UpaniÀads as a part of the four Vedas. Îgveda 21,Yajurveda 109,

S¡maveda 1000 and the Atharvaveda 50. Thus the total comes to 1180

UpaniÀads. 3 Most of them have not yet been recovered. Around two

hundred UpaniÀads are available. Of these Muk.Up., gives the names of

108 UpaniÀads as the most important.4 However the Vedanta philosophy

has accepted the eleven UpaniÀads which are of great philosophical

eminence. These are:-Ì¿¡v¡syopaniÀad, KenopaniÀad (Ken.Up)

Ka¶hopaniÀad (Ka.Up.) Pra¿nopaniÀad, Mu¸·akopaniÀad (Mu¸.Up.),

M¡¸·£kyopaniÀad (M¡.Up.), Taittir¢yopaniÀad (Tai.Up.),

AitareyopaniÀad, Ch¡ndogyopaniÀad (Ch.Up.) B¤had¡ra¸yakopaniÀad

(B¤h.Up.) and ávet¡¿vataropaniÀad (ávet.Up.).

While analyzing the UpaniÀads we come across ideological debates

and philosophical discussions. Thus the UpaniÀads opens the door to the

inner arena of philosophical thoughts, and most of the discussions progress

in the form of dialogues and questionnaires between Guru and áiÀya. The

aims of scholars in those days were to find an ideal solution to free human

beings from sorrow and they never cared for money or fame. One of the

remarkable features of the debates was that the defeated scholar became

15

the follower and disciple of the winner. This shows that there was no

personal conflict or greed for money and position, but an unquenchable

thirst for finding the truth, so the defeated never found ignominy in

becoming the disciple of the conqueror of a debate.

From the oldest UpaniÀad, B¤h.Up., we can assume the nature of

the primitive contemplation which is followed in the rest of the UpaniÀads.

B¤h.Up., which has the clear tradition of the Vedanta philosophy belongs

to the áatapatha Br¡Åma¸a of the áukla Yajurveda. One among the great

four Mah¡v¡kyas ‘+½þ¨É ¥ÉÀÉκ¨É,’5 is the Vedic prayer ‘+ºÉiÉÉä¨ÉÉ ºÉiMɨɪÉÉ,

iɨɺÉÉä ¨ÉÉ VªÉÉäÊiÉMÉǨɪÉÉ, ¨ÉÞiªÉÉä¨ÉÉÇ +¨ÉÞiÉÆ MɨɪÉÉ,6 The aphorism of advice +Éi¨ÉÉ ´ÉÉ

+®äú pù¹]õ´ªÉ&, ¸ÉÉäiÉ´ªÉÉä ¨ÉxiÉ´ªÉÉä ÊxÉÊnùvªÉÉʺÉiÉ´ªÉ&,7 and other main aphorisms like

+¦ÉªÉ¨É ´Éè ¥ÉÀÉ 8, ‘xÉäÊiÉ’ ‘xÉäÊiÉ’,9 +Éi¨ÉxɺiÉÖ EòɨÉÉªÉ ºÉ´ÉÈ Ê|ɪÉÆ ¦É´ÉÊiÉ10,‘ Ê´ÉYÉÉiÉÉ®Æú

+®äú EäòxÉ Ê´ÉVÉÉÊxɪÉÉiÉÂ’11 etc. are also found in this UpaniÀad. This shows the

highest ideal of the Vedanta can be traced back to the oldest UpaniÀad and

what we see in the later UpaniÀads is not a new concept but an elaboration

with newly added findings which have been experienced by the seers. This

makes the statement true that “the Vedantic ideals are as old as the

mountain Him¡laya”.

The Preceptors and scholars of the early history of the Vedanta

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tradition can be seen in the B¤h.Up. The references in the B¤h.Up are the

only source to prepare a proper list of ancient preceptors of the Vedanta

tradition. Besides B¤h.Up there are numerical descriptions of the Vedanta

preceptors in Ch.Up., KauÀ¢taki UpaniÀad, Ka.Up., Pra¿nopaniÀad,

Tai.Up., etc. Some of the eminent preceptors are Y¡jμavalkya, Janaka,

Maitreyi, Satyak¡ma, Raiquan, UÀasthi, Aswapati, Maugallya Muni,

G¡rgi, Uddh¡laka, ávetaketu, A´giras, Naciketa, Pippal¡da, áaunaka,

Radh¢dhara, B¤gu etc.12

b. Pur¡¸ic Tradition

The eighteen Pur¡¸as and eighteen Upa Pur¡¸as are written in a

simple and attractive style so that the laymen can easily apprehend the

eternal knowledge and also the Vedic truths. The Pur¡¸as contain

essentially the Vedanta philosophy explained in the UpaniÀads. Vedavy¡sa

is considered to be the author of the Pur¡¸as but many other sages are also

mentioned in the Pur¡¸as. The eminent scholars of the Pur¡¸a period who

followed the Vedanta tradition are:-13Brahmadeva, Vy¡sa, áuka,

Vaisamb¡ya, VasiÀ¶a, Agastya, Datt¡treya, Vidura, N¡rada , etc.

The characters of the Pur¡¸as are mainly Gods or Goddesses. This

is so because even a common man can understand the supreme powers of

the Gods and Goddesses mentioned in the Pur¡¸as and also indirectly

17

acquire the philosophy of Vedanta. The stories in the Pur¡¸as are

allegorical and symbolic and pertain to the higher truth in the Vedic

scriptures. As the UpaniÀadic wisdom is abstruse and inflexible for a

common mind, the truths are fashioned in the form of stories so that even a

child can understand them comfortably without much effort. So there is no

mistake in saying that the Pur¡¸as itself represents a stage of Vedantic

philosophy.

1. Epic Tradition

The two great Epics of India are the R¡m¡ya¸a and the

Mah¡bh¡rata and they occupy the prime position in epic literature. These

epics are an open book of social, cultural, spiritual, political and ethical

history of ancient India. The historical conclusion is that, the period of

R¡m¡ya¸a and Mah¡bh¡rata could be B.C. 3000.14 V¡lm¢ki and

Vedavy¡sa, the authors of these epics, are the crowned geniuses of the

world. To a common man these epics are the Vedas. The Vedanta

philosophy has been elaborately explained and has been given a royal

position in Vedic literature in these epics.

Sage V¡lm¢ki, Ëdikavi, the author of the R¡m¡ya¸a has lighted up

the Vedanta philosophy through Yogav¡siÀ¶ha. The hero of the

R¡m¡ya¸a, the incarnation of ViÀ¸u has been pictured as an ideal person

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having good qualities and righteousness. The R¡m¡ya¸a and the

Yogav¡siÀ¶h¡ are completely filled with philosophical vision and thoughts

which indirectly helps a common man to understand Vedanta.

It is believed by many that Vedanta philosophy originated from the

sage Vy¡sa. The Mah¡bh¡rata of the sage Vy¡sa brings out a

philosophical vision and methodology combined with scientific, logical

and practical aspects. The victory of righteousness over injustice, the

erasing of ego etc., based on Vedanta is the core of the Mah¡bh¡rata. One

of the notable things is that, Vy¡sa himself becomes one of the central

characters explaining the different levels of Vedanta philosophy in the

Mah¡bh¡rata. The three distinct parts of Vedas - Karmak¡¸·a,

Up¡san¡k¡¸·a, and Jμ¡nak¡¸·a-are interwoven in the epic Mah¡bh¡rata.

2. Bhagavat G¢ta Tradition

Vy¡sa wrote the B.G. in 18 chapters which adorns the position of

the epic of epics. The B.G., gives a clear picture of the principles of the

Vedas and UpaniÀads. It also shows the path of Self Realization and the

realization of the supreme power. Many well known sages and well read

persons have written commentaries on this epic. Some of them are

áa´kar¡c¡rya, Ram¡nuj¡c¡rya, Madv¡c¡rya, Bh¡skar¡c¡rya

Rajagop¡l¡c¡rya, Chinmayananda, etc.

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The word G¢ta in Sanskrit means a song. Many G¢tas are available

to us, all explaining the central theme of the UpaniÀads and the B.G.

tradition itself can be pointed out in relation with the philosophical

tradition of Vedanta and these are seen in almost all Pur¡¸as for example

Dev¢ G¢ta, Anu G¢ta, Ripu G¢ta, Avadh£ta G¢ta, AÀ¶¡vakra G¢ta, Guru

G¢ta, áiva G¢ta etc.

3. Brahmas£tra Tradition

The Brahmas£tra, a Vedantic text with the highest potentiality and

philosophy, is of scientific nature also. The depth of Vedanta philosophy is

found in the Brahmas£tra which has 555 practical formulas, each

containing an ocean of knowledge and this feature of the aphorisms has

made many commentators to elaborate the concepts hidden in them to a

thesis of their ideology. The Brahmas£tra consists of the pith of the

Vedanta philosophy, not only in establishing its own philosophy but in

creating a formidable fort against the other philosophical tradition with

powerful polemics and penetrating arguments.

Some researcher’s opine that Vedavy¡sa was the author of the

Brahmas£tra but some are against it. Some of the notable ancient

preceptors of this period other than Vy¡sa are Ëtreya, A¿marathya,

Au·ulomi, Ka¿ak¤tsna, K¡rÀ¸¡μjini, Jaimini, B¡dari etc.

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Middle Tradition of Vedanta

The Middle period of the Advaita Vedanta tradition approximately

starts a little before Pre-áa´kara Vedanta. But we get only a very brief

knowledge about this period except for the names of some scholars-

UpavarÀa, Brahm¡nandi, Dravid¡c¡rya, etc. The Middle period denotes

the long stretch of period from Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya to the 18th Century. Even

though great preceptors like Y¡jμavalkya, V¡lm¢ki, Vy¡sa etc. had

realized that the efficacy of Veda is Advaita Vedanta, it was

Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya who became the modern spokesman of Advaita. Hence,

from the period of Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya, the Advaita Vedanta philosophy

attained greater intensity and variety.15

The propagation of the heterodox traditions had almost become

inexorable at this period and the advent of foreign religions had also

contributed to the waning of the orthodox traditions. As a result of the

rigid and stringent rules of the caste system, rituals and customs, people

began to take Jainism and Buddhism. In order to bring back the glory of

Hinduism, as a spokesman of Advaita, Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya entered the arena.

a. Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya

Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya, was the guru of Govind¡c¡rya who guided

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áa´kar¡c¡rya. Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya adopted a philosophy which was a rough

picture of Advaita Vedanta. He was an authority on the UpaniÀads and the

B.G. The theory of illusion had been explained by Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya which

áa´kar¡c¡rya opened to the world with many examples. He propounded

that Ëtma is the supreme soul which dwells inside everything and the

influence of illusion causes ignorance. Ëtma is known by different names.

The true path to realize the identity of Ëtma is by dedicated practice and

meditation. The divine Mantra ‘Om’ helps one to attain this. Gau·ap¡da

in the theory of Aj¡t¡ proclaims that the J¢va never exists as a separate

entity from the Brahman. Ëtma and J¢va are not two different entities and

this thought made revolutionary impact on Indian philosophy and paved

the way for the systematization of the purest Advaita. He proved that J¢va

is the reflection of Ëtma because the mind wanders and deviates from

Ëtma to experience worldly pleasures. When Ëtma is realized J¢va will

experience Ënanda. Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya’s direct disciple Govind¡c¡rya was

also a propagator of Advaita, but his disciple áa´kar¡c¡rya was the one

who propagated the Advaita Vedanta philosophy by defeating all the

opponents by giving the system a perfect shape and order.

b. áa´kar¡c¡rya (AD 788-820)

áa´kar¡c¡rya, who represents the zenith of the Advaita Vedanta is

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a phenomenal personality for accomplishing a great task of mastering all

the wisdom of the times and establishing a revolutionary ideology within a

short span of time. At a very young age he was able to attain the

prestigious position of Sarvajμap¢¶haÆ, spread the Advaita Vedanta

philosophy and wrote many philosophical works and commentaries on

á¡stras and Mantras etc.

áa´kara brought back Hinduism from the clutches of Jainism and

Buddhism through the propagation of San¡tanadharma. He questioned the

superstitious beliefs of sacrificial culture and orthodox priesthood by

giving importance to monism. Advaita Vedanta became popular through

the efforts of áa´kara. The philosophy which áa´kara put forward had an

ascetic order based on practical visions according to which the customs

and practices of Hindu religion were modified. áa´kara’s philosophy was

a step forward to future generation’s welfare.

Following the steps of áa´kara’s philosophy, many scholars and

philosophers adopted Advaita Vedanta. Padmap¡da, Hast¡malaka, To¶aka,

and Sure¿vara were the direct disciples of áa´kara, who propagated

áa´kara’s philosophy all over India. A long list of post Vedantins can be

found and all the Vedantist, even when writing the highest polemic works,

never denied writing simple philosophical work from which laymen could

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understand the nectar of Vedanta.

The Post áa´kara period represents a period when all the opponents

and the Vedantist were engaged in controversies related to many subtle

and incomprehensible philosophical mysteries and these were very

complex and confounding for the ordinary people. In this period the

Vedantic preceptors showed a little change from each other and this also

paved the way for different kinds of schools viz., Bh¡mati, and Vivara¸a.

But it cannot be neglected that the philosophical treatise for laymen also

were written which proved to be the crux. The changing society also

demanded changes in the approach of philosophy and this was a challenge

the Post Sankara Vedantist’s confronted. Post áa´kara Advaitins with

their contributions held the veracity of the view that Ëtma is the eternal

consciousness and it cannot be clouded by anything, the intelligent cause

egoism in the individual and thereby makes him ignorant and pushes him

into the depth of delusion.

Modern Tradition of Advaita Vedanta

The middle period ended during 18th century and it laid the

foundation for modern tradition of Advaita Vedanta. It was a period of

change in India in almost all the fields-culture, politics, religion,

philosophy, spirituality etc. Advaita Vedanta occupied a crowning position

24

during this period by representing the true philosophical views and

spiritual ideology of India. This was achieved mainly through the

contributors of the commentaries, interpretations, literary works,

monasteries etc.

The British rule in India made a radical change in the economic and

social life of India and the social reformers of India also began to find out

the ideals like humanism and equality in the primitive scriptures and

philosophy. This eventually ended up in bringing about the Advaita

Vedanta philosophy for forming a new India. The condition of India

during this period was steeped with strict caste system, low position of

women, deprived of social dignity and education, and vexed with ‘Sati’.

So the Vedantists of this particular period had to take up social awakening

along with spiritual teachings. The scholars and Vedanta preceptors, who

made creative and practical interpretation of the traditional Vedanta

adapted to the modern period, are known as Neo-Vedantists and this

period is known as the Neo-Vedanta period.

The Advaitins were the backbone of the changes which took place

in the social and religious arenas. They changed the society, which was

deeply rooted in superstitions and other foolish ideas, into a modern world.

The field of religion, culture, etc. were deeply influenced by the modern

25

period. The society was opened to a new spiritual awakening. This period

moulded a civilization based on spirituality, religious tolerance universal

love etc. The great leaders like, Dayananda Saraswati, Vivekananda,

Chattampi Swamikal, Narayana Guru etc. and social reformers like, Raja

Ram Mohan Roy, Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore

helped the people to overcome their weaknesses and lead a righteous life.

Many socio-religious organizations and missionaries sprouted up to

make the people aware of their rights in the religious and cultural realm.

Besides spiritual awakening, national awakening was also, aimed at by

these missionaries. Some of the important among them are Brahmasam¡j,

Ëryasam¡j, and Ramakrishna Mission etc.

A brief description of some social reformers will help us to

understand the situation, in which they played a vital role.

a. Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833)

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, born in 1772 in Bengal, is considered as the

spiritual father of modern India. 16He had mastered Sanskrit, Persian,

Arabic, Greek, Latin and Hebrew. He believed that western education

would improve the existing condition of society. He founded the

Brahmasam¡j with a vision of eradicating the superstitions and social evils

26

like ‘Sati.’ It propagated inter-caste marriage and widow marriage,

opposed caste system, untouchability, child marriage and polygamy and

favoured monotheism. Brahmasam¡j believed in Advaita Vedanta.

b. Dayananda Saraswati (1825-1883)

Dayananda, a profound scholar of the Vedic lore and Sanskrit

language, was one of the great leaders of the modern Indian renaissance.

Dayananda toured all over the country and held scholarly talks and debates

with men of different faiths and leaders of different movements. He

propagated the language Hindi. His main writings include commentaries

on the Vedas, Saty¡rthaprak¡¿a, a book of prayers and a work on Sanskrit

grammar. He introduced a novel method called ‘áudhi’ for those who had

left Hinduism and wanted to return. Dayananda established the

Ëryasamaja, in the year 1875.17 His slogan, adopted by Ëryasam¡j was

‘Back to the Vedas’. He raised his voice and exhorted people to fight

against the social evils which prevailed during that period. Empowering

women and uplifting them was one of the main mottos of the Ëryasam¡j.

He worked hard to impart education to all, especially to women.

Moreover, many schools and colleges under the Ëryasam¡j, were started.

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c. Chattampi Swamikal (1853- 1924)

Chattampi Swamikal was born in Kerala, in an aristocratic family.

He was named Kunjan but people addressed him as Kunjan Pillai. He was

blessed by a wandering monk with B¡lasubraÅma¸yama´tra and was

known as Sanmukhadasan, and later when he was recognized as a man of

letters and spirituality he came to be known as Sri Vidyadhi Raja Parama

Bhattaraka Chattampi Swamikal. Though he was born in a Nair family, he

was an advocate of the low caste. Through Advaita Vedanta and logic he

awakened the society to fight against the social evils. He strongly

advocated that each and every human being had the right to study the

Vedas and perform temple rituals. He emphasized on the universal

oneness, AhiÆsa and universal love.

d. Narayanaguru (1854-1928)

Narayana Guru experienced the evils of the caste-system. He made

up his mind to fight against caste-system and bring about universal love.

He travelled all over Kerala and fought for social justice and equality. His

disciples founded an organization named S.N. D. P., after consulting him.

Through this organization the entire Ezhava communities of Kerala were

educated and encouraged to acquire freedom from social vices. He

believed that renaissance could be possible only through spiritual,

28

philosophical and ethical emancipation. This was the core of Advaita

Vedanta. The weapon of Advaita Vedanta propagation helped Narayana

Guru to fight against communal discrimination and spread the theory of

universal love.

e. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

Rabindranath Tagore was a native of Bengal. His father

Debendranath Tagore was an intellectual and a leading light in the

Brahmasam¡j. As a child Rabindranath Tagore grew up, in a family where

the Vedas and the UpaniÀads were discussed, under the supervision of his

father. This influenced him greatly. Rabindranath Tagore was an artist,

sage, reformer and spiritual leader. He belongs to no school of religion nor

has put forward any strict dogmas as religion. Spirituality, according to

him, is a dynamic principle touching every aspects of life or any form of

existence that touches human life. It is the best guiding principle of life

that leads a human being from darkness to light (Avidy¡ to Vidy¡). This is

the core of the Vedas. Self realization was the principle that Tagore

formulated. He associated the bliss of Sat, Cit, and Ënanda with nature.

He proclaimed that women, like men, could fight against social evils. He

represented the end of all struggles by inner peace and detachment from

the world. The school which his father started was expanded by him as

á¡ntiniketan which later became a university known as Vi¿vabh¡rati

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f. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 in a religious family. He is the

‘Father of Our Nation.’ He grew up as an extremely sensitive boy

committed to morality and theism. He had an exposure to the Vedas and

the Pur¡¸as. The B.G. was the base of his life. Gandhiji was a living proof

of a saint as well as a nationalist. Racism and caste discrimination made

him fight for justice. According to him equality and self dependence were

the basic aim of education. He toured all over India to understand the

system that prevailed in that era. The two weapons he used were AhiÆsa

and Saty¡graha. He tried to bring about universal love and humanity. He

never preached what he could not do. The B.G. and the UpaniÀads,

according to him, were the code of conduct for a human being. Gandiji’s

world’s view is a mixture of humanism and theism.

Gandhiji accepted and adopted all the virtues of all the religions and

discarded the bad. He adopted and followed the philosophy of truth and

the dignity of labour. He exhorted each and every one to lead a truthful

life, regardless of the consequences.

g. Aurobindo (1872-1950)

Aurobindo holds an outstanding position among the philosophers of

30

modern India. His philosophy was based on Vedanta integrated with

Karmayoga. He was a nationalist who worked hard for the independence

of India and a scholar who mastered many languages. The revolutionary

Aurobindo was attracted to the B.G. and restructured his life on the basis

of spirituality emphasized in the B.G. He realized that the constant practice

of Yoga and Karmayoga would lead one to Self Realization. He

established his philosophy on the basis of Advaita Vedanta, the non-dual

philosophy. He had his own spiritual experience and had the realization of

the Self. For his philosophy he used these experiences rather than the

traditional teachings. He introduced the system of integral Yoga. The

spiritual vision of Aurobindo are seen in his works, like ‘Synthesis of

Yoga’, ‘Letters on Yoga’, ‘Letters on G¢t¡’, ‘The Life Divine’ and

‘S¡vitri’.

Aurobindo’s Philosophy of integration is unique. It not only

comprehends the whole of the reality, but also integrates the lower levels

of experience into the higher. If reality is integral, the knowledge required

for realizing it, must also be integral, since means must be appropriate to

the end. The integral Yoga brings about the ascent of consciousness,

leading to the realization of the cosmic Self as well as the descent of

consciousness leading to the divinization of nature. The work of perfected

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human beings, whom Aurobindo calls ‘Gnostic beings,’ in bringing about

this transformation of society, is decisive.

h. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886)

Ramakrishna was born on 18 February 1836 in the village of

Kamarpukur about sixty miles North West of Kolkata. He was a great

master who introduced an integral vision for humanity.

Ramakrishna was a realized saint. From his childhood it is seen that

his inner voice ruled him. He never accepted any philosophical theories

without knowing it through and through. The example of this is the

priesthood he was given at the K¡li temple of Dakshineswar. He asked

many questions to the stone idol and when he found no answer he was

about to end his life. Soon he got the glimpse of the Holy Mother as if an

answer to all his questions. He used to meditate deeply and was always

disturbed by the clicking sounds. He used to get many visions which could

never be explained. To him God existed in each and everything and so he

respected and honoured every living thing. Even marriage could not bring

any change in him and his wife Sarada Devi accepted him as a divine

teacher. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa believed in Advaita philosophy and

he also believed in the theory of illusion. The negation path of Vedic

discipline was accepted by him. It is said that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

32

has known the Avidy¡ M¡ya as well as the Vidy¡ M¡ya together. Avidy¡

M¡ya represents desires and passions which are responsible for birth and

death whereas Vidy¡m¡ya takes a man to the higher planes of

consciousness where the J¢v¡tma and Param¡tma become the one living

behind everything.18 He was always in the company of holy men and

devotees. He never preached that which could not be practised. He always

used to say that when the flower blooms, bees visit them and likewise

when a wise man’s presence is there, devotees flow to him.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was tolerant towards all religions and

found out that all religions led to the same path-realization of the Self that

is God. The three systems, Dvaita, Vi¿iÀ¶¡dvaita and Advaita which

represented the progress of man towards the ultimate reality, were stressed

by Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He also said that a man destined to realize

God as a Sany¡si should discard the luxuries of worldly life and a man

whose destiny is to become a householder should make perfect his duties

without any result oriented attachment by surrendering himself to God. He

wanted his followers to be sincere in their prayers to the lord.

Sarada Devi was married to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa at the age

of five. It was the period when Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to go into

spiritual trance. Sarada Devi accepted him as a master more than a

33

husband. She was given an all-round education by her master. Under his

guidance she practiced Jap¡ and meditation along with her duties of life.

She was very modest. Holy mother, as she was always addressed, had

exhorted the women folk to be spiritual and to spread the glow of

goodness all over. She also asked them to be self dependent and brave. All

the disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa were her children and she was

their mother.19

i. Vivekananda (1863-1902)

Vivekananda was the foremost disciple of Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa. To propagate his Guru’s message he along with other

disciples, started a Missionary known as Ramakrishna Mission and Sarada

Mission for women. He travelled all over the world and studied the world

thoroughly and then recommended a remedy.

Vivekananda was named Narendranath Datta by his parents. He

was a boy with strong physique, brilliant intellect and mystic

temperament. Even at a young age, he practised meditation and had a great

power of concentration. He had taken a vow of austere religious chastity

even though he had western education. Faith in God and religion was

unsteady in him. He wanted a concrete support, an external power, a Guru

who could satisfy his hunger for truth. He joined the BraÅmasam¡j but did

34

not find a Guru who could help him. But the meeting with Paramahamsa

changed the whole life of Vivekananda and it is Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa who made the Narendra into the Vivekananda.

After his master’s death Vivekananda travelled all over India as a

monk. During these travels he understood the social evils and the

superstitions of religion which had clung to the illiterate people as a result

of the exploitation by the educated. The economic condition was also very

bad; the caste system ruled the society making life miserable for the low

caste. The education of mind and body became one of the main aims of

Ramakrishna Mission. There too he could leave a mark of India’s spiritual

culture, which made a great change in the attitude of the western scholars

towards the traditions and customs of India. Thus he made an inestimable

contribution to elevate the glory of India, before the world, which was

until then considered to be a superstitious country. Through many world

tours he propagated Vedanta philosophy. The teaching of his Guru-to

make people aware of religion and culture, unification of Hinduism and

the upliftment of the downtrodden- was carried out by him. Vivekananda,

as he himself called, was the mouth piece of Ramakrishna. Vivekananda

compared Vedanta with Science. He said that the science of psychology

helped to check the mind and its thoughts. It is an external study. The

35

same method of study is done by Vedanta but it is studied deep within, that

is the study of Ëtma. He also added that one can control one’s mind if one

knows one’s sub conscious mind clearly.20 Vivekananda also advocated

the removal of ignorance and M¡ya by the practice of Yoga. So every

human being has to practice Yoga in order to know the Self.

Vivekananda had many disciples. They all worked to uplift society

by training the people spiritually. Ranganathananda, on whom this thesis

is, was the disciple of Sivananda who was the direct disciple of

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Ranganathananda followed the outlook of

Vivekananda and Sivananda and propagated the teachings of Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa all over the world in this modern era. He is also known as

modern Vivekananda.

36

Resume

The base of Indian philosophy is the search for truth. This search is

divided into external and internal search for knowledge. The great sages of

India stressed the flaring up of the inner knowledge-thinking process. This

process was again based on the Vedanta. The base of the Vedanta

philosophy is considered as Prasth¡natrayas like the UpaniÀads the

Brahmas£tra and the B.G. Vedanta aims at realizing the Self thereby

realizing the supreme power.

The Vedanta tradition is divided into three-Early, Middle and

Modern. The early tradition of Vedanta is from Îgveda to

Gau·ap¡d¡c¡rya. The early tradition is divided into four: - UpaniÀadic

tradition, Pur¡¸ic tradition, Epic tradition and Brahmas£tra tradition.

The Middle tradition of Vedanta starts a little before áa´kara and

ends in 18th century. Many great saints were born during this period. The

strict frame work of Hinduism was unbearable for the common people and

they were attracted to other religions. But the establishment of Advaita

Vedanta on a redoubtable level prevented the inexorable growth of other

religions.

37

The modern tradition of the Vedantic period starts from 18th

century. Many great changes took place in the cultural, political and

religious fields. This was mainly due to the renaissance that was the result

of modern education and new perspectives in thought. The preceptors

never insisted on believing their ideals blindly but asked them to make it

practical and adopt it. It was the period of social awakening and this period

is also known as the Neo-Vedanta period. The great pioneers during this

period were spiritual leaders like Dayananda Saraswati, Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa Vivekananda, Chattampi Swamikal, Narayana Guru etc.,

and social reformers like, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Aurobindo, Mahatma

Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore etc. These leaders were the backbone for

erasing the social evils in society as well as in exhorting the people to lead

a righteous life.

38

Notes

1 A.B. Keith, The Religion and Philosophy of the Vedas and UpaniÀads (Vols),

Motilal Banarasidas, Delhi, I ed., 1925. Pandita Jagadeesa Sastri, UpaniÀad

Sangrahaha, Motilal Banarasidas, Delhi. 2 Dharmananda Swamikal, Living Traditions of Advaita Vedanta, The Heritage

Publication, Bangalore, 2012, p.8. 3 BEèòEòºªÉɺiÉÖ¶ÉÉJÉɪÉÉBEèòEòÉä{ÉÊxɹÉx¨ÉiÉÉ

Muk.Up.,1.14. 4 Ibid., 1.30-40. 5 B¤h.Up.,1.4.10. 6 Ibid.,1. 3 .28. 7 Ibid.,2.4.5. 8 Ibid., 4.4.25 . 9 Ibid.,4.2.4. 10 Ibid., 2.4.5. ,4.5 .6. 11 Ibid., 4.5.15. 12 Dharmananda, Op. Cit., p. 84. 13 Ibid.,p.90.

14 Ibid.,p.91..

15 Ibid.,p.86.

16 Ibid.,p.171.

17 Ibid.,p.172.

39

18 Gospel of Sree Ramakrishna, (tr.), Nikhilananda, ár¢ Ramakrishna Ma¶h,

Mylapore , Chennai, p .3-73. 19 The Gospel of the Holy Mother Sree Saradadevi, Sree Ramakrishna Math,

Mylapore, Chennai. 20 Swami Tapasyananda, The Philosophical and Religious lectures of Swami

Vivekananda, Advaita Ashram, Delhi, p. 44.