The term Vedanta literally means, the end portion of Vedas. That means, these texts generally come at the end of the Samhita or Brahmana portion of the Veda sakhas. Vedantic texts are also called Upanishads. Upanishad literally means the knowledge (and hence the book also) which takes oneself (upa) near to the Truth with (ni) all definiteness (Sad) to loosen and destroy the shackles of one’s bondage. This, “treating a portion differently” is necessitated, because the first portion which is infact the major portion (which we call vedapurva) talks about deeds and rites, sacrifices and ceremonies for whom the qualified person adhikari, the result, etc are totally different.Those who have gone through the first portion that is to say, those who have led a life as detailed in that portion are eligible for the second portion, which talks about the absolute. It means that the truth revealed would be meaningful only to them. Thus within a single text, we are able to see the first portion as a means and the last portion as the end. It is very natural that the end portion need not be elaborate and the means portion cannot be brief.The Upanishads generally use negative words such as advaitam, anantam, avyavaharyam, alakshanam, acintyam etc. to mean the absolute. But the word “advaitam” has become a bitter pill for the acharyas of other schools of thought. And also, it is improper to consider advaitam as yet another school of thought. Advaitam is the nature of the absolute being as the Vedas reveal.
- Swami Omkarananda
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