Aspects of the Vedanta

About the Book Vedanta literally means 'the end of the Vedas'. The Upanisads may be regarded as the end of the Vedas also in the sense that they mark the culmination of the Vedic speculation. Besides, the Upanisads were regarded as the inner or secret meanings of the Vedas, hence their teachings were sometimes called Vedopanisad or the Mystery of the Vedas.

The work entitled 'Aspects of the Vedanta' is a collection of articles, written various eminent scholars of Sanskrit and Philosophy. The articles are now revised and further added with diacritical marks for proper reading / pronunciation of the Sanskrit terms. Besides, Glossary and Index are also appended in the book for the benefit of researchers and general readers of Philosophy and Religion.

About the Author Dr Narasingha Charan Panda (Dr N.C. Panda), Reader in Sanskrit, Vishveshvaranand Vishvabandhu Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Panjab University, Hoshiarpur, is well-known in the field of Indological Research, who combines in him a comprehensive understanding of scholarly issues, impartial judgment and an exemplary clarity of expression.

After graduation from Utkal University and Post-graduation and M.Phil. Degrees from Kurukshetra University, he obtained Ph.D. degree in Vedic Studies from Panjab University, Chandigarh. In addition to these Dr Panda also qualified in other Indological branches like Buddhism (Acharya), Kashmir Saivism (M.Phil.), Indian Philosophy (Acharya), Ayurveda Ratna and C.C. in German.

Dr Panda is the Joint Editor of Vishveshvaranand Indological Research Journal. As an ardent student and a successful researcher of Indology he has contributed numerous learned Research papers, and written and edited some valuable works, viz.:

1. Perspectives of Indian Thought, Upadesasahasri (Revised & Edited), Buddhism (Text with Eng. tr. in two Vols. Ed., Kalātattvakośa Lexicon, Vol. VI (Ed.), Samkhyakärikā (Ed.), Aspects of the Vedanta (Ed.)

Preface The word 'Vedanta' literally means 'the end of the Vedas'. The Vedas were devided into two great divisions, 'the work portion (karmakanda)' which teaches man how, by the performance of duty, the observance of morality and other acts, he might be go to heaven, a better of enjoyment, and the 'knowledge portion (jñänakända)' which teaches him that not even the enjoyments of heaven should be his aim inasmuch as they too are fleeting and transitory, but to go beyond all relativity and find in himself the Divine, the centre of all knowledge and power. Of course, it took ages for the Hindu mind to evolve this system of Philosophy.

The Upanisads may be ragarded as the end of the Vedas also in the sense that they mark the culmination of the Vedic speculation. In the Upanisads themselves we are told that even after the study of the Vedas with other branches of learning a man's education is not complete till he receives instructions in the Upanisads. Besides, the Upanisads were regarded as the inner or secret meanings of the Vedas, hence their teachings were sometimes called Vedopanisad or the mystery of the Vedas.

The sages of the Upanisads claimed that they had discovered the gist or purport of all Vedic teachings in the knowledge of the absolute, of whom the gods worshipped by the authors of the mantras, as well as all objects in creation, were, they taught, names, forms or relative manifestations. The final end of all Vedic discipline were, they thought, union with Brahman, the Absolute Being.

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