VEDANTASARA - I. PREMININARIES:

VEDANTASARA

Translated by Swami Nikhilananda
Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkatta



I. PREMININARIES:

1. I take refuge in the Self, the Indivisible, the Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, beyond the reach of words and thought, and the substratum of all, for the attainment of my cherished desire.

2. Having worshipped the Guru who on account of his being free from the illusion of duality justifies the meaning of his name Advayananda, I undertake the task of expounding the essence of the Vedanta according to my light.

3. Vedanta is the evidence of the Upanishads, as well as the Sariraka Sutras (Brahma Sutras) and other books that help in the correct expounding of its meaning.

4. On account of its being a Prakarana treatise of Vedanta, the Anubandhas, preliminary questions of the latter, serve its purpose as well. Therefore they need not be discussed separately.

5. The preliminary questions of Vedanta are the determination of the competency of the student, the subject-matter, its connection with the book and the necessity for its study.

6. The competent student is an aspirant who, by studying in accordance with the prescribed method the Vedas and the Vedangas (the books auxiliary to the Vedas), has ordained a general comprehension of the entire Vedas; who, being absolved from all sins in this or in a previous life by the avoidance of the actions known as kamya (rites performed with a view to attaining a desired object) and Nisiddha (those forbidden in the scriptures) and by the performance of actions called Nitya (daily obligatory rites) and Naimittika (obligatory on special occasions) as well as by penance and devotion, has become entirely pure in mind, and who has adopted the four Sadhanas or means to the attainment of spiritual knowledge.

7. The sacrifices such as Jyotistoma etc., which enable their performers to get the desired fruits such as living in heaven etc., are known as Kamya Karma.

8. Actions such as the slaying of a Brahmin etc., which bring about undesired results as going to hell etc., are Nisiddha Karma or forbidden acts.

9. Daily rites, such as Sandhyavandana etc., the non-performance of which causes harm, are called Nitya Karma.

10. Jatesti sacrifices (which are performed subsequent to the birth of a son) etc., are called the Naimittika Karma or rites to be observed on special occasions.

11. Rites such as Chandrayana etc., which are instrumental in the expiation of sin, are Prayaschittas or penances.

12. Mental activities relating to the Saguna Brahman – such as are described in the Sandilya Vidya are Upasanas or devotions.

13. Of these, Nitya and other works mainly serve the purpose of purifying the mind; but the Upasanas chiefly aim at the concentration of the mind, as in such Sruti passages, “Brahmanas seek to know this Self by the study of the Vedas, by sacrifice” (Brihadaranyaka-IV-4-22); as well as in such Smriti passages, “they destroy sins by practising austerities” (Manu 12.104)

14. The secondary results of the Nitya and the Naimittika Karma and of the Upasanas are the attainment of the Pitruloka and the Satyaloka respectively; as in the Sruti passages, “By sacrifice the world of the Fathers, by knowledge (Upasana) the world of the Devas (is gained)"”(Br. Up.I.5.16)

15. The means to the attainment of Knowledge are: discrimination between things permanent and transient; renunciation of the enjoyment of the fruits of actions in this world and hereafter; six treasures, such as control of the mind etc., and the desire for spiritual freedom.

16. Discrimination between things permanent and transient; this consists of the discrimination that “Brahman alone is the permanent Substance and that all things other than It are transient.”

17. The objects of enjoyment hereafter, such as immortality etc., being as transitory as the enjoyment of such earthly objects as a garland of flowers, sandal paste and sex-pleasures, which are transitory, being results of action – an utter disregard for all of them is renunciation of the enjoyment of fruits of action in this world and hereafter.

18. Sama etc., comprise Sama or the restraining of the outgoing mental propensities, Dama or the restraining of the external sense-organs, Uparati or the withdrawing of the Self, Titiksha or forbearance, Samadhana or self-settledness, and Sraddha or faith.

19. Sama is the curbing of the mind from all objects except hearing etc.,

20. Dama is the restraining of the external organs from all objects except that.

21. Uparati is the cessation of these external organs so restrained, from the pursuit of objects other than that; or it may mean the abandonment of the prescribed works according to scriptural injunctions.

22. Titiksha is the endurance of heat and cold and other pairs of opposites.

23. Samadhana is the constant concentration of the mind, thus restrained, on hearing etc., of the scriptural passages and other objects that are conducive to these.

24. Sraddha is the faith in the truths of Vedanta as taught by the Guru.

25. Mumukshutva is the yearning for spiritual freedom.

26. Such an aspirant is a qualified student; for it is said in the sruti passages, “quiet, subdued” (Br. Up. IV-4.23). It is further said, “This is always to be taught to one who is of tranquil mind, who has subjugated his senses, who is free from faults, obedient, endowed with virtues, always submissive, and who is constantly eager for liberation” (Sankara’s Upadesha-Sahasri 324.16.72)

27. The subject is the identity of the individual self and Brahman, which is of the nature of Pure intelligence and is to be realised. For such is the purport of the Vedanta texts.

28. The connection is the relation between that identity which is to be realised and the evidence of the Upanishads that establishes it, as between a thing to be known and that which tells of it.

29. The necessity is the dispelling of ignorance relating to that identity which is to be realised, as the attainment of bliss resulting from the realisation of one’s own Self. As in such Sruti passages, “The knower of Self overcomes grief” (Ch. Up. VII-1.3), “He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman” (Mund. Up. III-2-9).

30. Such a qualified pupil scorched with the fire of an endless round of birth, death, etc., should repair – just as one with one’s head on fire rushes to a lake – with presents in hand, to a Guru, learned in the Vedas and ever living in Brahman, and serve him – as the following and other Srutis say: “Let him in order to understand this repair with fuel in his hand to a spiritual guide who is learned in the Vedas and lives entirely in Brahman” (Mund. Up. I-2-12).