Vedantasara

Vedantasara, or the “Essence of Vedanta,” is a 15th-century foundational text on Advaita Vedanta written by Sadananda Yogindra. It provides a systematic overview of the philosophy, covering concepts like the qualifications of a seeker, superimposition (adhyaropa), the nature of ignorance (avidya), and the path to liberation (jivanmukti).

Verses

• Verse 1: I take refuge in the Self, the Indivisible, the Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, beyond the r…
• Verse 2: Having worshipped the Guru who on account of his being free from the illusion of duality justifies t…
• Verse 3: Vedanta is the evidence of the Upanishads, as well as the Sariraka Sutras (Brahma Sutras) and other …
• Verse 4: On account of its being a Prakarana treatise of Vedanta, the Anubandhas, preliminary questions of th…
• Verse 5: The preliminary questions of Vedanta are the determination of the competency of the student, the sub…
• Verse 6: The competent student is an aspirant who, by studying in accordance with the prescribed method the V…
• Verse 7: The sacrifices such as Jyotistoma etc., which enable their performers to get the desired fruits such…
• Verse 8: Actions such as the slaying of a Brahmin etc., which bring about undesired results as going to hell …
• Verse 9: Daily rites, such as Sandhyavandana etc., the non-performance of which causes harm, are called Nitya…
• Verse 10: Jatesti sacrifices (which are performed subsequent to the birth of a son) etc., are called the Naimi…
• Verse 11: Rites such as Chandrayana etc., which are instrumental in the expiation of sin, are Prayaschittas or…
• Verse 12: Mental activities relating to the Saguna Brahman – such as are described in the Sandilya Vidya are U…
• Verse 13: Of these, Nitya and other works mainly serve the purpose of purifying the mind; but the Upasanas chi…
• Verse 14: The secondary results of the Nitya and the Naimittika Karma and of the Upasanas are the attainment o…
• Verse 15: The means to the attainment of Knowledge are: discrimination between things permanent and transient;…
• Verse 16: Discrimination between things permanent and transient; this consists of the discrimination that “Bra…
• Verse 17: The objects of enjoyment hereafter, such as immortality etc., being as transitory as the enjoyment o…
• Verse 18: Sama etc., comprise Sama or the restraining of the outgoing mental propensities, Dama or the restrai…
• Verse 19: Sama is the curbing of the mind from all objects except hearing etc.,
• Verse 20: Dama is the restraining of the external organs from all objects except that.
• Verse 21: Uparati is the cessation of these external organs so restrained, from the pursuit of objects other t…
• Verse 22: Titiksha is the endurance of heat and cold and other pairs of opposites.
• Verse 23: Samadhana is the constant concentration of the mind, thus restrained, on hearing etc., of the script…
• Verse 24: Shraddha is the faith in the truths of Vedanta as taught by the Guru.
• Verse 25: Mumukshutva is the yearning for spiritual freedom.
• Verse 26: Such an aspirant is a qualified student; for it is said in the sruti passages, “quiet, subdued” (Br…
• Verse 27: The subject is the identity of the individual self and Brahman, which is of the nature of Pure intel…
• Verse 28: The connection is the relation between that identity which is to be realised and the evidence of the…
• Verse 29: The necessity is the dispelling of ignorance relating to that identity which is to be realised, as t…
• Verse 30: Such a qualified pupil scorched with the fire of an endless round of birth, death, etc., should repa…
• Verse 31: Such a Guru through his infinite grace instructs the pupil by the method of de-superimposition (Apav…
• Verse 32: Adhyaropa is the superimposition of the unreal on the real, like the false perception of a snake in …
• Verse 33: Reality is Brahman which is without a second and is Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss. Unreality i…
• Verse 34: However, ignorance is described as something positive though intangible, which cannot be described e…
• Verse 35: This ignorance is said to be one or many according to the mode of observing it either collectively o…
• Verse 36: As, for instance, trees considered as an aggregate are denoted as one, viz., the forest, or water is…
• Verse 37: This aggregate (of ignorance) on account of its appearing associated with Perfection (Pure Intellige…
• Verse 38: Consciousness associated with this is endowed with such qualities as omniscience, universal lordship…
• Verse 39: This aggregate of ignorance associated with Isvara is known as the causal body on account of its bei…
• Verse 40: As a forest, from the standpoint of the units that compose it, may be designated as a number of tree…
• Verse 41: Ignorance has been designated as individual and collective on account of its pervading the units and…
• Verse 42: The individual ignorance, on account of its association with the inferior being, is characterized by…
• Verse 43: Consciousness associated with this has limited knowledge and is devoid of the power of lordship; it …
• Verse 44: It is called Prajna as it is deficient in illumination on account of its association with a dull lim…
• Verse 45: The individual ignorance, associated with it is also known as the causal body on account of its bein…
• Verse 46: In the state of dreamless sleep both Isvara and Prajna, through a very subtle function of ignorance …
• Verse 47: This aggregate and individual ignorance are identical like a forest and the trees, or a reservoir an…
• Verse 48: As the Akasa enclosed by the forest is identical with the Akasa enclosed by the trees, or as the Aka…
• Verse 49: Like the unlimited Akasa which is the substratum of the Akasa enclosed by the forest and the trees, …
• Verse 50: This Pure Consciousness which is known as the “Fourth”, when not discriminated, like a red-hot iron-…
• Verse 51: This ignorance has two powers, viz., the power of concealment and the power of projection.
• Verse 52: Just as a small patch of cloud, by obstructing the vision of the observer, conceals, as it were, the…
• Verse 53: The Self covered by this (concealing power of ignorance may become subject to samsara (relative exis…
• Verse 54: Just as ignorance regarding a rope, by its inherent power, gives rise to the illusion of a snake etc…
• Verse 55: Consciousness associated with ignorance, possessed of these two powers, when considered from its own…
• Verse 56: Just as the spider, when considered from the standpoint of its own self, is the efficient cause of t…
• Verse 57: From Consciousness associated with the projecting power of ignorance which has a preponderance of th…
• Verse 58: On account of the preponderance of inertia observed in them, their cause also must have an excess of…
• Verse 59: These are called subtle matter, rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) and uncompounded (Apanchikrita) ele…
• Verse 60: From these subtle elements are produced subtle bodies and gross elements.
• Verse 61: The subtle bodies are what are known as the Linga-Sariras having seventeen component parts.
• Verse 62: The component parts (of the Linga-Sarira) are the five organs of perception, the intellect, the mind…
• Verse 63: The five organs of perception are the ears, the skin, the eyes, the tongue, and the nose.
• Verse 64: These are produced separately in consecutive order from the Sattva particles of ether etc.,
• Verse 65: Intellect (Buddhi) is that modification of the internal instrument (Antahkarana) which determines.
• Verse 66: The mind (Manas) is that modification of the internal instrument which considers the pros and cons o…
• Verse 67: The mind-stuff (Chitta) and egoism (Ahamkara) are included in the intellect (Buddhi) and the mind (M…
• Verse 68: Memory (Chitta) is that modification of the inner organ which remembers.
• Verse 69: Egoism (Ahamkara) is that modification of the inner organ which is characterised by Self-consciousne…
• Verse 70: These, be it noted, are produced from the combination of the Sattva particles of ether etc.,
• Verse 71: On account of their being luminous they are said to be the products of the Sattva particles.
• Verse 72: This intellect (Buddhi) together with the organs of perception constitutes the intelligent sheath (V…
• Verse 73: This Vijnanamayakosa, on account of its being conscious that it is an agent and enjoyer and that it …
• Verse 74: The mind with the organs of perception constitutes the mental sheath (manomayakosa).
• Verse 75: The organs of action are the organs of speech, the hands, the feet, and the organs of evacuation and…
• Verse 76: These are produced separately in consecutive order from the active (Rajas) particles of ether etc.,
• Verse 77: The five vital forces are the Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana.
• Verse 78: Prana is that vital force which goes upward and has its seat at the tip of the nose.
• Verse 79: Apana is that vital force which goes downward and has its seat in the organs of excretion.
• Verse 80: Vyana is that vital force which moves in all directions and pervades the entire body.
• Verse 81: Udana is the ascending vital force which helps the passing out from the body and has its seat in the…
• Verse 82: Samana is that vital force which assimilates food and drink and has its seat in the middle of the bo…
• Verse 83: Assimilation means digestion of food and its conversion into chyle, blood, and other materials of th…
• Verse 84: Others say that there are five more vital forces known as Naga, Kurma, Krikala, Devadatta and Dhanan…
• Verse 85: Of these Naga is that which causes vomiting or erection, Kurma opens the eye-lids, Krikala creates h…
• Verse 86: Some say that on account of their being included in Prana etc., the vital forces are really five in …
• Verse 87: These five vital forces, viz., Prana etc., are produced from the combination of the active (Rajas) p…
• Verse 88: These five vital forces such as Prana etc., together with the organs of action, constitute the vital…
• Verse 89: Among these sheaths, the intelligent sheath (Vijnanamayakosa) which is endowed with the power of kno…
• Verse 90: Here also the sum total of all the subtle bodies, when looked upon as one, like a forest or a reserv…
• Verse 91: Consciousness associated with this totality is called Sutratma, Hiranyagarbha and Prana etc., becaus…
• Verse 92: This aggregate made up of three sheaths such as Vijnanamayakosa etc., (which forms the limiting adju…
• Verse 93: Consciousness associated with each individual subtle body is known as Taijasa (full of light) on acc…
• Verse 94: The individual limiting adjunct of taijasa too, made up of the three sheaths, such as Vijnanamayakos…
• Verse 95: The Sutratma and Taijasa, at that time, through (subtle) functionings of the mind, experience the su…
• Verse 96: Here also the aggregate and individual subtle bodies are identical, like a forest and its trees or l…
• Verse 97: Thus do the subtle bodies originate.
• Verse 98: But the gross elements are all compounded.
• Verse 99: The compounding takes place thus: Each of the five elements, viz., ether etc., is divided into two e…
• Verse 100: Thus it has been said: “By dividing each element into two equal parts, and sub-dividing the first ha…
• Verse 101: The authoritativeness of this method of compounding should not be questioned for the triple combinat…
• Verse 102: Though these five gross elements are alike in so far as each of them contains the five elements, yet…
• Verse 103: At that time ether manifests sound; air manifests sound and touch; fire sound, touch and form; water…
• Verse 104: From these compounded elements have evolved the seven planes, existing one above the other, viz., Bh…
• Verse 105: The four kinds of gross bodies are those that are born of the womb, the egg, moisture and the soil.
• Verse 106: Those that are born of the womb refer to men, beasts etc.,
• Verse 107: Those that come out of the egg are the birds, reptiles etc.,
• Verse 108: Those that are born of moisture are the lice, mosquitoes etc.,
• Verse 109: Those that spring from the soil are the trees, creepers etc.,
• Verse 110: Here also all the gross bodies, in their fourfold variety, may be spoken of collectively or individu…
• Verse 111: Consciousness associated with this aggregate of gross bodies is called Vaisvanara and Virat on accou…
• Verse 112: This aggregate gross body of his is called the alimentary sheath (Annamayakosa) on account of its be…
• Verse 113: Consciousness associated with the individual gross body is designated as Visva on account of its ent…
• Verse 114: This individual gross body of his (of the Jiva) is also called the alimentary sheath on account of i…
• Verse 115: Both Visva and Vaisvanara at that time, perceive the gross objects, viz., sound, touch, colour, tast…
• Verse 116: Here also the individual and collective gross bodies are identical as before, like the trees and the…
• Verse 117: Thus has the gross phenomenal universe evolved from the five compounded elements.
• Verse 118: The sum total of the gross, subtle and causal worlds makes a Vast Universe as the sum total of small…
• Verse 119: Consciousness associated with this, from Vaisvanara to Isvara is also one and the same, as the space…
• Verse 120: Consciousness, unassociated with any adjuncts (Upadhis) whatsoever, when not discriminated – like th…
• Verse 121: Thus has been shown, in general, the process of superimposition, which is the attributing of unreali…
• Verse 122: Now will be considered, in particular, how people variously superimpose on the innermost Self such i…
• Verse 123: (Thus for example) an extremely deluded man speaks of his son as his own Self, on account of such Sr…
• Verse 124: One school of Charvakas, however, holds that this physical body is the Self, on account of such Srut…
• Verse 125: Another school of Charvakas speaks of the sense-organs as the Self, on account of such Sruti passage…
• Verse 126: Still another school of Charvakas holds that Prana or vital force is the Self, on account of such Sr…
• Verse 127: Yet another school of Charvakas holds that mind (Manas) is the Self, on account of such Sruti passag…
• Verse 128: As against this, the Buddhists say that the intellect is the Self, on account of such Sruti passages…
• Verse 129: The Prabhakaras and the Tarkikas on the other hand say that ignorance is the Self on account of such…
• Verse 130: The Bhattas on the contrary say that consciousness associated with ignorance is the self, on account…
• Verse 131: Another school of Buddhists says that the Self is identical with the void, on account of such Sruti …
• Verse 132: Now it will be shown that all these items from the son to the void are not the Self.
• Verse 133: Since in all these fallacious citations of scriptural passages, arguments and personal experiences, …
• Verse 134: Moreover none of the items from the son to the void is the Self, because all those fallacious citati…
• Verse 135: Therefore the innermost Consciousness which is by nature eternal, pure, intelligent, free and real, …
• Verse 136: The above is an account of superimposition of unreality on the Real.
• Verse 137: As a snake falsely perceived in a rope is ultimately found out to be nothing but the rope; similarly…
• Verse 138: Thus it has been said: Vikara is the actual modification of a thing altering into another substance;…
• Verse 139: To illustrate: The four kinds of physical bodies which are the seats of enjoyment; the different kin…
• Verse 140: These five gross elements, together with the five objects such as sound etc., and the subtle bodies …
• Verse 141: The five uncompounded elements, together with the tendencies of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, in the reve…
• Verse 142: This ignorance and the Consciousness associated with it, such as Isvara etc., are resolved into the …
• Verse 143: By this process of superimposition and de-superimposition the precise significance of “That” and “Th…
• Verse 144: To explain: Collective ignorance and the rest, Consciousness associated with it and endowed with omn…
• Verse 145: The unassociated Consciousness which is the substratum of the limiting adjuncts and of Isvara which …
• Verse 146: Individual ignorance and the rest, Consciousness associated with it and endowed with partial knowled…
• Verse 147: The unassociated transcendent Consciousness – the inward Bliss - which is the substratum of the limi…
• Verse 148: Now is being described the meaning of the great Vedic dictum (Mahavakyam): This dictum is a proposit…
• Verse 149: The three relations are: Samanadhakaranya or the relation between two words having the same substrat…
• Verse 150: Compare – (The relations are:) The relation between two words having the same substratum; that betwe…
• Verse 151: Samanadhikaranya is the relationship between two words having the same locus. For instance, in the s…
• Verse 152: The second relation, that of Visesana-visesya-bhava is this: In the same sentence (“This is that Dev…
• Verse 153: The third relation, that of Laksyalaksanabhava is this: In that very sentence (“This is that Devadat…
• Verse 154: This is also called Bhagalaksana.
• Verse 155: The literal meaning in the manner of the sentence, “The blue Lotus” does not fit in with the sentenc…
• Verse 156: In the phrase (“The blue lotus”), the meaning of the word “blue” is the blue colour, and the meaning…
• Verse 157: But in this sentence (“Thou art That”), the meaning of the word “That” is Consciousness associated w…
• Verse 158: Therefore it has been said: “In this sentence (“Thou art That”), the correct meaning is neither the …
• Verse 159: Again in the sentence (“Thou art That”), Jahallakshana is not also admissible as in the sentence, “T…
• Verse 160: In that sentence, as it is altogether absurd to construe the words, “Ganga” and “cowherd-village”, l…
• Verse 161: But this sentence (“Thou art That”) meaning the identity of Consciousness characterized by immediacy…
• Verse 162: Nor can it be urged: Just as the word “Ganga” (in the sentence in question), gives up its direct mea…
• Verse 163: In that sentence the word “bank” is not mentioned, and therefore the meaning, which is not explicit,…
• Verse 164: Nor is Ajahallakshana applicable in this sentence as in the sentence, “The red colour is running.”
• Verse 165: The literal meaning of that sentence, namely, the running of red colour, is absurd. This absurdity c…
• Verse 166: But here (in the sentence, “Thou art That”) the literal meaning, conveying an identical Consciousnes…
• Verse 167: Nor can it be urged: Either of the words “That” or “Thou” may exclude that portion of its meaning wh…
• Verse 168: Because it is impossible to conceive the same word as indicating a part of its own meaning as well a…
• Verse 169: Therefore, as the sentence, “This is that Devadatta”, or its meaning, on account of the contradictio…
• Verse 170: Now is being described the meaning of the sentence, “I am Brahman” (Br. Up. I-4-10), expressive of i…
• Verse 171: When the teacher in this way clears the meaning of the words “That” and “Thou” by the removal of sup…
• Verse 172: That mental state, illumined by the reflection of Pure Consciousness, objectifies the Supreme Brahma…
• Verse 173: As the light of a lamp cannot illumine the lustre of the sun but is overpowered by it, so Consciousn…
• Verse 174: Such being the case, there is no contradiction between the following Sruti passages: “By the mind al…
• Verse 175: Thus it has been said: “The authors of the scriptures have refuted the idea that the individual Cons…
• Verse 176: And: “Brahman, being self-luminous, does not depend on the individual Consciousness for Its illumina…
• Verse 177: But there is a difference when the mental state assumes the form of material objects.
• Verse 178: Because, in the case of the experience, “This is a jar”, the mental state assumes the form of the ja…
• Verse 179: Thus it has been said: “Both the intellect and the Consciousness underlying it come into contact wit…
• Verse 180: Just as the light of a lamp coming into contact with a jar or cloth existing in darkness, dispels th…
• Verse 181: Till such realization of the Consciousness which is one’s own Self, it is necessary to practise hear…
• Verse 182: Hearing is the ascertainment through the six characteristic signs that the entire Vedanta philosophy…
• Verse 183: the characteristic signs are: the beginning and the conclusion, repetition, originality, result, eul…
• Verse 184: Thus it has been said: “In ascertaining the meaning, the characteristic signs are – the beginning an…
• Verse 185: The beginning and the conclusion mean the presentation of the subject-matter of a section at its beg…
• Verse 186: Repetition is the frequent presentation of the subject-matter in the section. As, for instance, in t…
• Verse 187: Originality means that the subject-matter of a section is not available through any other source of …
• Verse 188: The result is the utility of the subject-matter of a section – e.g., Self-knowledge – or its practic…
• Verse 189: Eulogy is the praising of the subject-matter of the section at different places. As, for instance, i…
• Verse 190: Demonstration is the reasoning in support of the subject-matter of a section adduced at different pl…
• Verse 191: Reflection is the constant thinking of Brahman, the One without a second, already heard about from t…
• Verse 192: Meditation is a stream of ideas of the same kind as those of Brahman, the One without a second, to t…
• Verse 193: Absorption (Samadhi) is of two kinds, viz., that attended with self-consciousness and that without i…
• Verse 194: Absorption attended with self-consciousness (Savikalpa Samadhi) is that in which the mental state ta…
• Verse 195: In that state the knowledge of the Absolute manifests itself in spite of the consciousness of the re…
• Verse 196: Thus it has been said: “I am that Brahman, the Intelligence absolute, formless like ether, Supreme, …
• Verse 197: Absorption without self-consciousness (Nirvikalpa Samadhi) is the total mergence in Brahman, the One…
• Verse 198: Then just as when salt has been dissolved in water it is no longer perceived separately, and the wat…
• Verse 199: Therefore there is no apprehension of its being identical with the state of deep sleep. For, though …
• Verse 200: The steps to the attainment of this are general discipline, particular discipline, posture, control …
• Verse 201: General discipline (Yama) consists of non-injury, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-acc…
• Verse 202: Particular discipline (Niyama) consists of cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study of the scriptu…
• Verse 203: Posture (Asana) means the placing of the hands, feet, etc., in particular positions, such as Padmasa…
• Verse 204: Control of the vital force (Pranayama) refers to exhalation, inhalation and retention of breath, whi…
• Verse 205: Self-withdrawal (Pratyahara) is the withdrawing of the sense-organs from their respective objects.
• Verse 206: Concentration (Dharana) means the fixing of the mind on Brahman, the One without a second.
• Verse 207: Meditation (Dhyana) is the intermittent resting of the mental state on Brahman, the One without a se…
• Verse 208: Absorption (Samadhi) is what has already been described as attended with self-consciousness (Savikal…
• Verse 209: The Nirvikalpa Samadhi, of which these are the steps, has four obstacles, viz., torpidity, distracti…
• Verse 210: Torpidity (Laya) is the lapse of the mental state into sleep because of the failure to rest on the A…
• Verse 211: Distraction (Vikshepa) is the resting of the mental state on things other than the Absolute, because…
• Verse 212: Attachment (Kasaya) is the failure of the mental state to rest on the Absolute, owing to the numbnes…
• Verse 213: Enjoyment (Rasasvada) is the tasting by the mental state of the bliss of Savikalpa Samadhi owing to …
• Verse 214: When the mind, free from these four obstacles, rests unmoved, like the flame of a lamp sheltered fro…
• Verse 215: Thus it has been said: “When the mind is torpid, rouse it; when it is distracted, bring it back to c…
• Verse 216: Now are being described the characteristics of a man who is liberated in this very life.
• Verse 217: A man liberated-in-life (Jivanmukta) is one who by the knowledge of the Absolute Brahman, his own Se…
• Verse 218: Witness such Sruti passages as: “The knot of his heart is broken asunder, all his doubts are solved …
• Verse 219: Such a liberated man, while he is not in Samadhi, sees actions not opposed to knowledge taking place…
• Verse 220: Witness such Sruti passages as: “Though he has eyes he is as one without eyes; though possessed of e…
• Verse 221: It has further been said: “He who does not see anything in the waking state as in sound sleep; who t…
• Verse 222: In the case of such a liberated soul, only good desires persist, as do his habits of eating, moving,…
• Verse 223: Thus it has been said: “If a man who has known the truth of Oneness acts according to his whims, the…
• Verse 224: After realization, humility and other attributes which are steps to the attainment of knowledge, as …
• Verse 225: Thus it has been said: “Such qualities as non-violence etc., come spontaneously to a man who has got…
• Verse 226: In short, such a man’s soul remains as the illuminer of the mental states and the Consciousness refl…
• Verse 227: Compare such Sruti passage as: “His sense-organs do not depart elsewhere (for transmigration)” (Br. …

References: Vedanta