My Vedanta Journey So Far
I’ve been studying Vedanta since 2020, when I began my master’s program, which is where I met my teacher. The first text we studied was Tattvabodha, then the Bhagawad Gita…and a couple of Upanishads later, we’re now almost done with the Kena Upanishad. My Vedanta study is in the guru-shishya style – Subhadra ma’am is a direct disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and she teaches us just like she learned from him. When she asked me to start teaching, her directive to me was the same – teach everything I’ve taught, just like I’ve taught you. Learning in this style is slow but steady. Brahman, Aatma, guru etc are some of the the cornerstones of Vedantic philosophy, and my understanding of these ideas continues to evolve as I deepen my studies.
Subhadra ma’am often says that the subject of Vedanta is the Self. Everything we study, every concept, every story is relevant to our experience as human beings. Once this is clear, then Vedanta becomes a lived subject. Here are a few concepts that are the cornerstones of the Vedantic path. These concepts form just a small part of what we explore in class, and I know my grasp of them will continue to mature as the study unfolds.
Three Key Lessons from My Vedanta Journey
- Humility before knowledge In Vedanta classes they often talk about the attitude of gratitude. According to Vedanta, knowledge is the greatest purifier. But here’s the thing – if you’re not receptive, you’ll never learn amything. If you’re not humble, you’ll never be able to accept anything that the other tells you. For me this is a lesson in personal growth too. Only when I look for and recognise the opportunity for improvement, will I be receptive to change. Even Indra, the king of gods, had to humbly introspect, before Uma Devi deemed him ready to learn.
- The guru is essential: I see a lot of people pick up popular books to understand the Gita or Mahabharata or any other scripture. However, self study is driven by ego, which is why it is counter productive. At best you won’t understand any of the lessons of Vedanta, at worst you will get utterly confused. Arjuna needed Krishna, Indra needed Uma, serious students need gurus to guide them systematically through these age-old ideas. The Guru is not something optional, but an important aspect of our spiritual journey.
- Saguna and Nirguna Brahman: For everyone who has wondered about and complained about the seemingly millions of gods in the Hindu pantheon, this is something to think about. According to Vedanta Brahman, or the Supreme Consciousness or ‘God’ has two aspects.
- Saguna Brahman: This is Brahman manifesting in a form, ex. figure of Shiva, Krishna etc. These are manifestations of our own creation, to make it easier for us to visualise and focus our attention on something. This is an important aspect of spirituality because as human beings its important for us to be able to focus our mind on something. Something has to come to mind when we say ‘God’. The number of Gods are so many because they are manifestations from the many people who exist, we have the freedom to choose what image we relate to, feel drawn to.
- Nirguna Brahman: or formless Brahman. This is the essence behind everthing in the universe, even the saguna brahman. Essentially we are trying to trasncend the Brahman with form to meet the formless Brahman. Once we get there we see how we are all connected, rather than divided. This enables us to have more compassion for others and for ourselves. It’s common to hear people say ‘I am not this body, I am not this mind.’ This phrase alludes to the idea that we are actually all nirguna brahman, therefore the body and the mind are irrelevant.
This is where the mahavakya aham brahmasmi (I am brahman) comes from.
Vedanta in Daily Life
The beauty of Vedanta lies in how it weaves philosophy into everyday life. The more I study, the more I see that Vedanta is not about intellectual gratification. It’s about living these ideas in daily life. True knowledge, like Uma’s quiet revelation, comes not through conquest but through surrender. If you’re interested in exploring Vedanta, check out my online course on Tattvabodha. This is a great way to begin your Vedanta studies.
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