Vivekachudamani Of Sri Sankaracharya

Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya

Vivekananda: His Call to the Nation

In today’s India, the scene that presents itself before any impartial observer is a welter of conflicting ideologies amidst drift and restlessness. In such a situation, the youth of the country are restive. They seek an answer. Swami Vivekananda’s words, touching upon every facet of our national life, provide answers to questions that agitate both the individual and society. Vivekananda's words are as pertinent today as when they were uttered more than a hundred years ago and his words carry an appeal not just to the people of India, but to the nation of humankind. The book published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication house of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, is a compilation of short excerpts taken from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda arranged under the following headings: Faith and Strength Powers of the mind Man: The Maker of his Destiny Education and Society Serve Man as God Religion and Ethics India: Our Motherland Other Exhortations The first third of the book presents a brief life of Swami Vivekananda.

Vivekacudamani, the Crest Jewel of Discernment

What is Advaita Vedanta? What means or instruments does it utilize in its attempt to comprehend Reality? What is the nature of its aim? If we begin by answering these questions, we will be ready to follow with the right intelligence the message given by the great SANKARA in Vivekacudamani. The path which is outlined here is not for the majority, quite the contrary. It is for those who, having attained "maturity," tend towards full Awakening. It is for those who want to bring about a profound revolution within themselves; and this requires an act of courage, of steadfastness and, at the same time, of great humility. Advaita Vedanta is for those who, tired of a long pilgrimage, have finally stopped and in the silence of their own hearts have decided to launch a powerful attack on that terrible and treacherous enemy who lives not outside of us but right within us, and thus realize full liberation from all psycho-physical conflict and bondage. As darkness and its effects vanish when the sun rises, so, when realization of non-dual beatitude dawns, do bondage and suffering vanish without a trace (Vivekacudamani, sutra 319) SANKARA has been one of the greatest philosophers of India. He dedicated his brief and intense life (788-820) to re-establish the authority of the ruti, to codify the Advaita Vedanta, the doctrine of Non-duality, and to anchor the Metaphysical Tradition of the Veda through the foundation of monasteries (ma]ha) and monastic orders. With his bhasya (commentary) to the Upanisad, the Brahmasutra, and the Bhagavadgita, and with his own writings, Sankara has profoundly influenced not only India's philosophical development, but that of the entire world. RAPHAEL is author and Master in the Western Metaphysical Tradition as well as the Vedanta. For over 35 years, he has written a series of books on the pathway of Non-duality (Advaita). He has translated directly from the original Sanskrit and Edited a number of key Vedanta texts. His entire work is a conscious reunification of both Western and Eastern Traditions into Unity of Tradition.