On Advaita Vedanta

On Advaita Vedanta

I was about 11 or 12 (1988 ?) when I first saw the movie - Adi Shankaracharya on a VCR/VHS tape. Those were the pre-satellite/cable days and everyone had a lot less choices but more time to invest in those choices. My dad brought home this tape , possibly his way of getting back at the more commercial/filmy tastes of the rest of the family.

I couldnt make out a single dialogue of the movie , but the subtitles were great.This is not an easy movie to sit back and watch - Its like a prolonged musical where Shankara and his learned disciples burst into verse and shlokas at the drop of their enlightened hats. And that too for an impatient pre-teen , whose only fear when watching the movie was that neighbourhood kid wouldnt start laughing at him for watching something so "uncool".

What kept me interested was the constant background refrain that started up whenever 2 principle characters showed up alongside Shankara. GV Iyer masterfully depicted Wisdom as a handsome young brahmin "Pragyan Sharma" and the other character as "Mrityu" or Death.

Possibly a year later I happened to get hold of an Amar Chitra Katha titled "Tales from the Upanishads". There were some wonderful pictures and stories , and I was enthralled by the story of King Janashruti and Raikva from the Chandogya Upanishad , and the story of Nachiketa and Yama.

It was not the case that I understood the deep wisdom and knowledge enshrined in these stories.But the movie and the comic books triggered a life long interest in understand the concepts of Advaita or Non-Dualism.


Adi Shankara was a game changer in many ways. An iconoclast , an anachronism. He ushered in the renaissance of Hindu Culture as epitomized by Vedic Dharma , rescuing it from the then blind religious practices and rituals espoused by the priesthood. In many ways he revived Hinduism in a similiar manner in which the writings of Dante and Petrarca triggered the European Renaissance in the early 15th century.

In those days , the common thought was that the only way to divinity or salvation(moksha) was through rituals , sacrifices and the belief that the Self (Atman) was different from the All pervading Life force (Brahman or God). This gave rise to the concept of a "Personal God" , who had to be propitiated through various means.Sometimes even through human sacrifices !!

Shankara gave new life to ancient texts known as the brahmasutras which themselves were commentaries by ancient sages on the Upanishads. These ancient scrolls were rotting away in ashrams and temples , uncared and forgetten.

Shankara discovered these texts , recognized their historical value and in doing so played the role of part-scholar , part-compiler , part-archivist and part-librarian. By rewriting , adding new dimensions and quoting from real world examples , he brought back these forgotten texts to the forefront of hindu religius learning.

He was also a great educationist and reformer , and successfully setup centers of excellence in all four corners of India. These centers still flourish as "Mathas" - in Dwaraka , Puri , Shringeri and in Joshimath tasked with the preservation and propogation of the Advaita system of thought.

There is something appealing about the principle of Non-Dualism. The axiom on which the entire edifice of advaita vedanta exists is that "Tat Tvam Asi". Thou are That. Thou , the Self and That , The Force/Brahman/God are one. When one realizes the importance of this unification , then you rise about petty thought processes , of singing praises of one god and ridiculing someone else religious leanings - towards another god.

This simplification of thought has its implications. Learning complicated rituals and God-Personalization is no longer the prerogative of the Upper cast hindus. Everyone has access to an omnipotent force or God and each person's individiual experience of God is his own. The caste system and the concept of idol worship becomes irrelevant. God is Anywhere and Everywhere !! Its the self that needs training to understand it.

Shankara's debates with scholars from other religious sects and thought schools and their subsequent acceptance of the relevance of non-dualism in daily life still hold meaning in today's world.

Too many wars or endless debates are centered around the fact that my religion is greater than yours. Its my way or the highway for religious extremists and is the major force obstructing human progress in this day.

Advaita Vedanta had answers to what plagued humanity in Mediaval India , and gave the entire hindu way of life a new foundation. Non-dualism is religion agnostic. Its a simple thought , and the concepts are still relevant in today's world of religious extremism.