What is Vedanta?

There are a few ways we can explain what Vedanta is. But first let us get a very brief look at history, and get a general idea of the backdrop against which we should understand Vedanta.

As in modern times, the ancients were also in pursuit of the ultimate Truth about reality, a theory that unified everything. The learned men or seers (rishis), many millennia ago in ancient India immersed themselves in deep meditation on this and other related topics. Knowledge is said to have been revealed to them during the course of these meditations and this knowledge is what is condensed into the Vedas. The Vedas are sacred texts which containing this divinely revealed wisdom. These were passed down generations, from father to son, teacher to student, through oral tradition.

Again, as in the present, there were many philosophies or points of view to understand reality. Not everyone accepted the Vedas as the ultimate source of knowledge. Some lines of thought defied the Vedas, and those philosophies are called Naasthik philosophies. Those that acknowledged the Vedas as the supreme source of knowledge are called Aasthik philosophies. And not everyone who accepted the Vedas had the same point of view. There were six different aasthik philosophies. Vedanta is one of those six.

So, one way to define Vedanta is, “It is one of the six aasthik philosophies of ancient India.”

Now let us look at another definition. Vedanta is made up of two words: Ved and anta. The former referring to the Vedas and the latter word “anta” means end. So, Vedanta literally means the end of the Vedas. There are 4 Vedas. They are Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. Each of these four Vedas can be divided into two main portions based on their intended purpose. The initial part is called karma kanda or guidance about right action. It deals with right actions that have to be performed as part of a person’s life. These also include rituals, ceremonies and so forth. The latter part is called jnana kanda or knowledge-based portion. This part deals with knowledge, knowledge about attaining spiritual liberation or moksha.

By this second definition, the end part, namely the knowledge-based part of the Vedas, can also be called Vedanta.

But a third comprehensive definition of Vedanta is to think of it as the “essence of the Vedas”; the final end extract of all the wisdom contained in the Vedas. After studying the Vedas and setting up one’s life according to those recommended guidelines, one contemplates on the deeper meaning of life itself. What arises out of this contemplation is the knowledge of one’s true self. That whole package, a philosophy rooted in the Vedas, which enlightens one about the true nature of one’s self thereby revealing the path to moksha is Vedanta. We shall explore more in other posts.