vedanta made simple

New to Vedanta and its terminology? Then this article—a crash course in attaining liberation—penned by Vanitha Vaidialingam is just for you

- Vanitha Vaidialingam

The four Vedas—Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva—lay down elaborate steps by which one can attain knowledge of the Self (Tat Tvam Asi—You are That). Clarifications about these steps are sought by aspirants and explained by the teachers in the Upanishads (also known as Vedanta). The Upanishads are further explained by Sankaracharya, Vidyaranya, and scholars of their ilk in a body of texts known as Prakarana Granthas (introductory texts).

To cut a long story short, all these texts and explanations to the texts are guides to practical Hinduism—to Vedantic Sadhana (henceforth referred to as Sadhana).

Sadhana is a spiritual practice outlined in the Vedanta and Prakarana texts (henceforth referred to as the texts). It is a process by which the postulate ‘Pragyanam Brahman (Consciousness is all there is)’ is experientially proven beyond doubt for those willing to put in the effort.

The Hypothesis of the Vedas

The Vedas postulate the hypothesis ‘Consciousness is all there is.’ The Rig Veda is declaratory. It states with certainty ‘Pragyanam Brahman (Consciousness is Brahman).’ The Sama Veda is advisory. It urges the student to explore the truth of the statement ‘Tat Tvam Asi (You are Brahman).’ The Yajur Veda counsels. It commends the student to acquire an experiential understanding of ‘Ayam Atma Brahman (I am Brahman).’ Finally, the Atharva Veda celebrates the realisation of the truth ‘Aham Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman).’

The Postulate