Darshana — End of the Vedas
Vedanta
वेदान्तः — The philosophical culmination of the Vedas. Six schools, one question: What is the relationship between Brahman (ultimate reality), Jiva (the self), and Jagat (the world)? Six answers — and six living traditions.
- Vedanta (वेदान्त) — 'end of the Vedas' — refers to the Upanishads (the concluding portions of the Vedas) and the philosophical tradition that emerged from them.
- It is based on the Prasthanatrayi: three foundational texts — the Upanishads (Shruti), the Bhagavad Gita (Smriti), and the Brahma Sutras (Nyaya-prasthana).
- The central question of Vedanta: What is the relationship between Brahman (ultimate reality), Jiva (individual soul), and Jagat (the world)? The six schools of Vedanta give six different answers.
- All Vedanta schools accept: Brahman is the ultimate reality; the Vedas are the supreme authority; liberation (moksha) is the highest goal; karma and rebirth are real.
- The six sub-schools are: Advaita (Shankara), Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja), Dvaita (Madhva), Dvaitadvaita (Nimbarka), Shuddhadvaita (Vallabha), and Akshar-Purushottam (Swaminarayan).
- Vedanta continues to be the dominant living philosophical tradition of Hinduism and has profoundly influenced modern global thought through Vivekananda, Aurobindo, and others.
Key Concepts
Brahman
Ultimate reality — pure existence-consciousness-bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). All Vedanta schools agree Brahman is real and supreme; they differ on its nature and relation to jivas and jagat.
Jiva
Individual soul. Is it identical with Brahman (Advaita), a part of Brahman (Vishishtadvaita), eternally distinct (Dvaita), or one of five eternally distinct realities (Akshar-Purushottam)?
Jagat (World)
Material existence. Is it unreal appearance (Advaita: vivartavada), real transformation of Brahman (Vishishtadvaita: parinamavada), or eternally real and distinct (Dvaita)?
Prasthanatrayi
The three foundation texts: Upanishads (Shruti — 108 texts), Bhagavad Gita (Smriti), Brahma Sutras (Nyaya). Every Vedanta founder wrote a commentary on all three.
Moksha
Liberation. Advaita: merger of jiva into Brahman. Vishishtadvaita: eternal blissful nearness to God. Dvaita: eternal service to Vishnu while remaining distinct. APD: service in Akshardham.
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