perspectives of modern vedanta.docx

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PERSPECTIVES OF MODERN VEDANTA

Modern Vedanta reflects all the complex characters of contemporary society as it tries to bridge the

huge gaps in the social strata that the time had built. In a sense modern Vedanta is a struggle from

‘inside a tradition’ for some kind of adjustment without losing the total spirit of the tradition. This

structural adjustment is ‘reformation’

Vedanta is considered as the philosophy of modern Hinduism. In olden days it was not so popular.

This wide popularity and acceptance is a contemporary phenomenon and is due to the ‘adjustment’

that it had brought in the approach towards tradition. The history of this adjustments and popularity

begins with non-Sanskrit philosophic tradition as well as bhakti tradition. The thrust become strong

with the opening of India to western world and culture. These two phases have its own peculiarities

and importance. They share some common ideas and differ in some other aspects and

interpretation.

The tradition being followed in a society that spread in a wide geographical area. Different

languages, an aspect that closely connected with the sense of identity, being dynamic generated

new tongs in this society. Identity is a product of tradition, language and race. In India tradition is

preserved by attaching it with a language – Sanskrit. A contradiction involved here is that that all

members of the society could not claim the the legacy of Sanskrit as their tradition.

The religious movements of medieval ages were attempts to redefine this identity and tradition in a

new perspective – a movement that developed along with the development of regional languages.

These attempts challenged the supremacy of sanskrit language as the medium of transmission of

sacred knowledge. The siddhantalesa samgraha of apaya dikshita reflects this tension. This suggest

that regional languages had tried to transmit the idea of Vedanta and other teachings related to

vedic tradition. The independent adaptions of adhyatmaramayana in regional languages all over

india is the best example.

The works of guru nischal das – vrtti prabhakar and vichar sagar were great attempts in this line.

Vrttiprabhakar is an independent adaption of Vedanta paribhasha and vicharsagar is an independent

rendering of panchadasi in vernacular old Hindi. This attempt was a challenge towards tradition at

that time.

From this we can infer that the reformation two factors, especially in Indian condition, which are

contradictory in all respect: challenging the tradition and affirming the tradition.

Similar to guru Nischaldas, in Kerala we have Ezhuthachan, the author of chintaratna. This text itself

is a challenge on tradition that he was a sudra who had no right to learn Vedanta or teach the same.

Still he wrote a comprehensive book on advaitavedanta- one among the two conservative systems of

Indian philosophical tradition. This book is written in the form of a dialogue between teacher and

disciple where disciple is a women. In Indian tradition women have no right on vedas and allied

streams of knowledge. Here Ezhuthachan had challenged the tradition. At the same time he seem to

have upheld the values of his tradition.

This is the kind of adjustment which strongly forces the tradition to accept changes. This process is

of rather slow pace. We can see the attempts of this kind from Buddha onwards. Compared with the

results of the reform movements of colonial and post-colonial age the effects of precolonial

reformist movements are little. At the same time the language factor played a great role in the

formation of a new sense of identity.



The opening of India to west produced different results. The pace of reformist movement fast and

the reach was wider. The immediate response to western values and culture was to find similar

values in Indian tradition and presenting them to the western as well as Indian public.

In this attempt advaitavedanta emerged as the system that is more close to the values of western

culture and it served as the ideology of reform movements all over India. In these movements, fromRaja Ram Mohan Roy to present day gurus we have vedantins. They transformed Vedanta especially

advaita Vedanta to suit need of time as these reformists were looking for an ideology that would

help them to face the challenge from west. They saw in Vedanta an ideology that reflect similar

values and outlook equality, democracy, charity and service. At the same time being a traditional

system of thought it shared a religious sympathy also.

In order to defend the argument that Indian religion and social thought neglect human values like

equality and service Swami Vivekananda highlighted the ethical values of Buddhism and the

universality embedded in advaitavedanta. To him Buddhism was the first missionary religion and

Vedanta the ideology that accepts the equality of all beings in universe. A blending of both these

string is perfectly done in the Practical Vedanta of Vivekananda.

This was just a beginning. In the period that followed saw many teachers and systems and advaita

formed an integral part of almost all these systems.

Perspectives on Society

Traditional Vedanta addressed social and ethical issues in its context. It was a necessity and

obligation of philosopher. Yet, it was subjected to scrutiny. The contradiction in the ethical and

metaphysical views were discussed thoroughly in traditional Vedanta itself. Since philosophy cannot

exist independently of society, it had to compromise to the demand of dominant tradition. At the

same time it had to defend its metaphysics and the social condition or outlook advocated by it.

The development of regional languages extended the crisis to new realms and traditionalists had to

meet the challenge too. The encounter, both material and intellectual, with foreign culture

deepened the crisis and forced the society to review its traditional value system. This situation lead

to reforms movements. That is the ideology in a new society particularly in a multicultural society

had to reconsider the traditional values and approach.

The first concern of reformists was the well-being of society material as well as spiritual. At the same

time they considered the transformation of the mindset of individuals as way to release them from

the old notions of life and development. The Ramakrishna mission initiated by Vivekananda

considered education and service are essential for the development of nation and had started

schools, colleges and hospitals. He realized that the cast system and untouchability that existed

among Hindus were preventing them from being a united society. The same was also the hurdle

before development. He was concerned about society and he declared that the sudras will be the

next ruling class. By sudras he meant the working class.

How to transform the mindset of individuals? Acts and decrees will not be useful as it is connected

with one’s mentality behavior. Hence he considered spirituality as the only remedy to correct the

society. The reason was that Indian public was greatly spiritual.

Dr Palpu, one of the prominent figures in the formation of S.N.D.P Yogam, also had a similar thought.

Before his association with sree narayana guru the state of Travancore was facing many agitations

for human rights like equality, right for education, right for using public roads, jobs in public



institutions, right to enter temple etc. Dr.Palpu himself organized Ezhava memorial but could not

attract mass support.

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