Category:Studying Vedanta Philosophy
Theme Analysis
This category presents the authoritative insights of Śrīla Prabhupāda regarding the true aim of Vedic knowledge. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the ultimate goal of studying Vedānta philosophy is to understand and surrender to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. While academic scholars often treat the study of Vedānta as a dry, mental exercise to establish impersonal prestige, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that true Vedāntic knowledge must culminate in devotional service (bhakti). He teaches that by chanting the holy names and studying the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—which he identifies as the natural and original commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra—one achieves the perfection of Vedānta without being bewildered by speculation. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions herein expose the futility of studying Vedic literature without realizing the Lord, demonstrating that even a busy warrior or an uneducated person can reach the ultimate perfection simply through practical devotion.
- Knowing the Supreme Lord: Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the ultimate purpose of all Vedic study, especially Vedānta, is to know Kṛṣṇa. He warns that without this realization, such intellectual labor is ultimately useless.
- Exposing the Māyāvādī Misconception: Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that impersonalists falsely claim a monopoly on Vedānta. He explains how they reduce the Absolute Truth to theoretical speculation while criticizing the joyous processes of chanting and dancing.
- Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the Authoritative Commentary: Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the Bhāgavatam specifically to explain the Vedānta-sūtra, making the profound truths of Vedānta accessible to the people of this age.
- Chanting as the Culmination of Study: Through the example of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīla Prabhupāda demonstrates that chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra delivers the full result of all Vedāntic study.
- The Priority of Practical Devotion: Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that pure devotees achieve perfection through practical service, proving that one does not need to be a professional academic Vedāntist to satisfy the Supreme Lord.
Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: True Purpose of Studying Vedānta Philosophy.
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Studying Vedanta Philosophy"
The following 50 pages are in this category, out of 50 total.
A
- A brahmana can serve the Lord by using his intelligence, and the ksatriya can serve the Supreme Lord by using his military arts, just as Arjuna served Krsna. Arjuna was a warrior; he had no time to study Vedanta or other highly intellectual books
- A devotee must know the importance of simultaneously understanding Vedanta philosophy and chanting the holy names. If by studying Vedanta one becomes an impersonalist, he has not been able to understand Vedanta
- A living entity is eternally related with Krsna in the relationship of master and servant. Once that service is wanting - or, in other words, when one is not situated in Krsna consciousness - it is to be understood that study of Vedanta is insufficient
- A real Vaisnava should, however, study Vedanta philosophy, but if after studying Vedanta one does not adopt the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, he is no better than a Mayavadi
- A Vaisnava should be completely conversant with Vedanta philosophy, yet he should not think that studying Vedanta is all in all and therefore be unattached to the chanting of the holy name
- According to the calculations of the spiritual master, Lord Caitanya appeared to be a fool; therefore he said that He should not indulge in the study of Vedanta but should continue chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Lord Caitanya strictly obeyed this order
- According to the principles of the Mayavadi sannyasis, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments are strictly prohibited, for they are considered to be sinful activities. The Mayavadi sannyasi is simply supposed to engage in the study of Vedanta
- All the Mayavadi sannyasis replied: undoubtedly You (Caitanya) are very fortunate to have attained this stage of love of Godhead. But what is the fault in Vedanta? It is the duty of a sannyasi to read and understand Vedanta. Why do You not study it
- All you are young Westerners. You never study Vedanta, but you can surprise many so-called Vedantists how to understand Krsna
- Arjuna, on the other hand, took Krsna as his most intimate friend. Arjuna was not a Vedantist but a fighter, a warrior. He had no time to study Vedanta because he had to deal with war and politics, but still he was the greatest devotee
- As personally enunciated by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita (BG 15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: through the study of Vedanta, one may become fully aware of his relationship with the Supreme Lord and act accordingly
I
- If one studies Vedanta, he has to tax his brain so much, he has to learn Sanskrit, he has to learn the intricacies of logic and philosophy and so many things
- If you are studying Vedas, if you are Vedantist, then ultimate knowledge will depend how you have understood Krsna. If you do not understand Krsna, what is the use of your studying Vedanta and Vedas? It is useless
- In Bhagavad-gita, for example, we see that Arjuna is listening to Krsna on the battlefield. He is not engaged in the study of Vedanta philosophy. We can hear from the Supreme Authority in any place, even in the battlefield
- In the Brahma-samhita also, it is said, vedesu durlabham, or simply by study of Vedanta one can hardly find out the existence of the Personality of Godhead, but the Lord is adurlabham atma-bhaktau, very easily available to His devotee
- In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that the Personality of Godhead cannot be understood simply by study of the Vedanta literature. Only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord can the Personality of the Supreme be known. BG 1972 purports
- In this age, no one is actually competent to study Vedanta, and therefore it is better that one chant the holy name of the Lord, which is the essence of all Vedic knowledge, as Krsna Himself confirms in the Bhagavad-gita
- In this way (through study of Vedanta) one may ultimately attain the platform of loving service to the Lord. It is in the living entity’s best interest to understand the Supreme Lord
- It is to be understood that a Vaisnava should be completely conversant with Vedanta philosophy, yet he should not think that studying Vedanta is all in all and therefore be unattached to the chanting of the holy name
M
- Mayavadi sannyasis neither chant nor dance. Their technical objection is that this method of chanting and dancing is called tauryatrika, which indicates that a sannyasi should completely avoid such activities and engage his time in the study of Vedanta
- Meditation and the study of Vedanta are the sole duties of a sannyasi. Why do You abandon these to dance with fanatics?
- My spiritual master considered Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71), Lord Caitanya replied. Therefore he has more or less punished Me by saying that because I am such a fool I have no capacity to study Vedanta. So in turn he gave Me the chanting of Hare Krsna
O
- One has to take to this process of hari-kirtana. Anyone can take, without any prequalification. You haven't got to study philosophy or Vedanta
- One interested in studying Vedanta philosophy properly must study these commentaries (by four sampradaya-acrayas), especially if he is a Vaisnava. These commentaries are always adored by Vaisnavas
- One who is unfit to chant the holy name of Krsna but thinks that the holy name is different from Krsna and thus takes shelter of Vedanta study in order to understand Him must be considered a number one fool
P
- Prakasananda Sarasvati continued, These (chanting and dancing and playing music) are the activities of emotional and sentimental people but You (Caitanya) are a qualified sannyasi. Why not engage in the study of Vedanta?
- Prakasananda Sarasvati continued, You are a sannyasi and are supposed to engage simply in the study of Vedanta, but we see that instead You are always engaged in chanting and dancing and playing music. What is the reason?
S
- Sankaracarya's injunction was that a sannyasi should always be engaged in the study of Vedanta and that he should be satisfied by simply having one cloth and nothing more
- Srila Vyasadeva knew that in this Kali-yuga people would not be able to study Vedanta-sutra nicely on account of a lack of education, he personally wrote a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. That commentary is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedanta knowledge and that one who relishes the knowledge of Srimad-Bhagavatam has no taste for studying any other literature
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original comment on Vedanta. Srimad-Bhagavatam begins with the Vedanta-sutra: janmady asya yatah (SB 1.1.1). So Vedanta does not mean godlessness. Vedanta means to know God. That is real study of Vedanta
- Study of Vedanta is not a question of hobby. It is a question of realization
T
- The blasphemers said, "Although a sannyasi, He does not take interest in the study of Vedanta but instead always engages in chanting and dancing in sankirtana."
- The fools' indulgence in the study of Vedanta has caused so much havoc in society
- The ksatriya can serve the Supreme Lord by using his military arts, just as Arjuna served Krsna. Arjuna was a warrior; he had no time to study Vedanta or other highly intellectual books
- The Mayavadis' accusation that devotees do not study Vedanta is false. The Mayavadis do not know that chanting, dancing and preaching the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam, called bhagavata-dharma, are the same as studying Vedanta
- The path of Vedanta study shown by Lord Caitanya should be followed by all
- The purpose of studying Veda means to understand Krsna. And Vedanta-vit. Because people are very much proud, especially Mayavadi philosophers, they're very much proud of becoming vedanti
- The Vedanta philosophy, Mahabharata, each and every verse if you study, you can study for the whole life
- They (Mayavadi sannyasis) begged to be pardoned for the offenses they had committed by criticizing the Lord (Caitanya) for simply chanting and dancing and not taking part in the study of the Vedanta-sutra
- Those who are followers of the Sankara cult are generally known as Vedantists. This does not, however, mean that Vedanta is a monopoly study of the Sankara-sampradaya
- Those who are under the spell of material energy do not follow the instructions of the disciplic succession but try to manufacture something of their own and thereby step outside the sphere of Vedanta study
W
- When one does not understand Krsna or does not engage in His transcendental loving service, it is to be understood that he is adverse to the study of Vedanta and to the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- When the Mayavadi sannyasis asked Caitanya why He did not study the Vedanta-sutra, the Lord replied, Dear sirs, you have asked why I do not study Vedanta, and in answer to this I would speak something, but I am afraid that you would be sorry to hear it