Vedanta Through Shri Shankar's Prakarans

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It is a matter of delight for the Mahesh Research Institute of Vedantic studies to present this booklet (which is, in fact a preface to the Institute's PRAKARAN ADVADAST) penned by no less an authority on Vedinta than Svami Mahriinanda Giriji, Mahamandaleivara, the pontiff of the Daksına murti Matha (Varanasi) and the founder President of the Institute. Although the author presupposes that the reader will go on to read the presented texts, yet the fact that innumerable directives are found in this preface for a research scholar, lured the Institute into publishing it as a separate booklet.

Svamiji is the head of the Daksinamurti tradition, being the direct and prime disciple of Svami Nisimha Giri Maharaja, a revered Paramahamsa saint of the century. Moreover, Svimi Mahesinanda Giriji is not only an adept in Vedanta and other Indian Philosophies, but has also a keen know- ledge of the various Western ones. Be it Plato, Kant or Gurdjief, he has fathomed with all deliberateness the depths of their ideologies. Fortunately for us, the lack of linguistic communication between the present, which actually is now centred in the Euro-American culture and the past, which is one of the prime reasons for the backwardness of present Indian thought is conspicuous by its absence in the writings of Svamiji. Not only is the gap between the two bridged, but by studying the past in the light of the present, the framing of the future is advised in a commendable manner. The tradition set forth by Sankara and Suresvara is truthfully followed by Svamiji in his views regarding the acceptance of facts as found out by modern science. Truth is not to be kept in a glass-case, sheltered from the onslaught of fact and reason. It is, rather, to be seasoned by alternate exposure to both of them. Vedanta does not claim its belief as Truth; it believes in Truth.

Vedanta is pure philosophy in the sense that it does not accept the authority of the scriptures unless it can be rationally harmonized with the totality of experience, says Svamiji (p., 19). In this creation of Maya, no recognition of a fact and its explanation is final. Experience alone is the finale of rationale.

Thus, if modern physics proves the identity of all matter and energy by reducing it to terms of electro-magnetic waves, Vedanta is happy to accept the fact because its work becomes considerably reduced; all manifest differences have been removed and only the unity of the knower, knowledge and the known remains to be proved. It is the firm conviction of Svamlji that "Truth will not change, interpretations will later follow the great aciryas in their methods' (p. 26). This is not mere logic, needing a fertile brain, it is dexterously manipulating to explain the Truth from any possible angle, needing complete realization. An important factor to be borne in mind is that Svamlji does not propose to bring back the old order: The flow of time is only in one direction The ages can never come back. Back to (the) past is a meaningless dream of the lazy ones. Onwards to (the) future is the Vedantic message (p., 26). Neither does he want an imitation or an amalgamation. This view is different from all reformists of the present times. He wants us to understand the fundamental co-ordinates of (absolute) culture and then deduce the various cultures from them. Therefore, Vedinta needs to be comprehended in its purest form, berelt of all the dust it has gathered in its religious moorings of the last several hundred years' (p., 2). Thus here, spirituality does not encompass rituals of any form-traditional or modern (i. e. religious or secular). This brings us to the reason why he has taken such great pains to publish authentic editions of Sankara's works with the best of commentaries. He is sure, that the revitalization of Hinduism 'can come only through the drinking of ambrosia of knowledge, churned out of the ocean of Vedanta by its greatest exponent, Sei Sankara' (p., 3). As tradition, belief and custom do not find a place of any importance in the minds of people today, to revive any culture, religion or philosophy, it must be put forward in reasonable terms, for reason alone is the yardstick of truth in the present times. This is exactly what Vedanta does. Vedanta is not the name of any text, but as Physics is to be read in the book of nature so is it to be read in each experience. Studying the Truth, understanding or realizing it, practising and then preaching it is the true worship of God, according to Svamiji. The fruits of our actions have to be offered to the Lord, not more apples and apricots. We insist that Krsna must be studied and followed if we claim to be Vaisuavas (p., 20). On the contrary, not studying Him is a sin. Svamiji strikes at those who remain contended in merely offering flowers in no uncertain terms: To hide the hideous sin of गुरुते killing the spirit of the Great Master, they have taken to establish His images and temples .