Vedanta is generally identified with the exposition of the system by Sri Sankaracharya and the followers of his tradition. This book attempts to treat in a brief compass the life and teachings of five other Vedantic Acharyas who differed from Sankara and interpreted Vedanta as essentially a system having God with infinite auspicious attributes whose grace alone can give salvation to the souls caught in the cycle of births and deaths. These Acharyas are in no way less deserving in recognition than Sri Sankara as Acharyas of Vedanta, as they all base their teachings on the three foundational texts of the system—the Upanishads, the Vedanta Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. With Bhakti as the predominant feature, their systems are aptly categorised as the Bhakti schools of Vedanta. The author of this book, Swami Tapasyananda, was a Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Order and a great scholar-monk with vast erudition and deep thinking. He has also given a scholarly introduction to the book reconciling the differences and contradictions of different schools of Vedanta in the light of the experiences and expositions of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda.

THE SCHOOLS OF VEDANTA by P. NAGARAJA RAO M. A. WITH A FOREWORD BY SIR S. RADHAKRISHNAN BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN BOMBAY. CONTENTS: Foreword Preface Chapter I. Science and Philosophy II. Resume of Indian Philosophy III. The Philosophy of Sahkara IV. Advaita and the New Social Order V. The Philosophy of Ramanuja VI. The Philosophy of Madhva VII. TheUpanisads VIII, The Bhagavad Gita IX. The Vedanta Sutras Index Page vii viii 1 15 27 59 69 82 91 105 120 129 Some Publications of ihe Bhavan under Print 1 The Glory That Was Gurjaradesa fl The Mulraj Solanki Commemoration Volume. Edited by Shri K. M. Munshi. 2 rcrcr an Apabhramsa poem edited by Acharya Jinavijayaji. 3 sfrh Rh STOJI a grammatical work in Sanskrit edited by Acharya Jinavijayaji. 4 3 5 i 5RT T fa edited by Acharya Jinavijayaji. 5 fewrg T a Prakrit work on Omens edited by ProifT A. S. Gopani. 6 Devabodhas Commentary on Udyogaparva of the Mahabharata edited by Dr. S. K. De. 7 Epic and Puranic Studies by Dr. A. D. Pusalker. 8 The Indus Valley Civilization by Dr. A. D. Pusalker. - 9 TCfa Eft by Prof. S. D. Gyani. 10 V-M The Meeting of Religions transla tion of Sir S. Radhakrishnans Essays. ii 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Nos, 12-23 under the General Editorship of Acharya Jinavijayaji. FOREWORD In this little book Mr. P. NAGARAJA RAO puts up a spirited defence for the study of Philosophy. Science in itself cannot give us a scheme of values and each one of us has his own view of the ends of life though he may not be able to support it by a learned metaphysics. Among the Hindus the values are conveyed through systems o Philosophy which are associated with the three great acaryas, Sahkara, Ramanuja and Madhva. Mr. NAGA RAJA RAO gives us here in simple and clear language the central features of the three systems. As an introduction to their detailed study this book will serve a valuable purpose. S. RADHAKRISHNAN Benares, 25 July, 1943. PREFACE This book was prepared by me as the Say a ji Rao Fellow of the University. But for the liberal aid and other facilities extended to me by the Government of Baroda, it would not have been possible for me to have got the book ready for publication. I am deeply grateful to His Highness for graciously allowing me to dedicate the volume to his grand-father, the late Maharaja of Baroda. In the preparation of the book I have drawn freely from the writings and speeches of my esteemed professor Sir S. RADHAKRISHNAN. For the chapter on Advaita I am deeply indebted to my late Professor S. S. Suryanarayana SASTRI, Reader in Indian Philosophy, University of Madras. My thanks are due to Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit A. Chinnaswami SASTRIAR for having helped me to read the original texts and works on Vedanta. My thanks are also due to my friend Mr. N. R. BHUVARAHAN, Sub-Editor, Indian Express, Madras, and Dr. C. Narayana MENON of the English Department of the Benares Hindu University for having looked through the proofs and made valuable suggestions. I owe the index to Mr. C. G. VISVANATHAN of the Benares Hindu University Library. My special thanks are due to the authorities of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for having consented to publish this book in these hard and difficult times. The Director and the staff of the Bhavan have helped me considerably in getting the book through the press. My thanks are also due to the editors of the various periodicals for permitting me to use the material that first appeared as articles in their pages and especially to Srimati Sophia WADIA, Editor of the Aryan Path for her help and suggestions in the preparation of Chapter IV. Benares Hindu University, P, NAGARAJA RAO 10th August, 1943. J CHAPTER I Science and Philosophy We live in an age the intellectual environment of which is largely determined by science. Science in some manner or other has affected and influenced our world view...

This book is an attempt at presenting to the readers a critical analysis of the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta by comparing the views of the Bhamati and the Vivarana Schools, the two most important protagonists of Sankara`s philosophy, with a detailed study of the original text. It begins with a survery of the historical development of Advaitic thought, starting right from the Vedas to end up with the modern period. The author has taken up for discussion in this work the basic concepts of Advaita Vedanta as interpreted by Vacaspati Misra and Prakasatman, encompassing the concepts of Maya, Avidya, Adhyasa, Anirvacaniyata, Bimba-Pratibimba-vada, Vivartavada, the locus of Avidya, Brahmavagati, Jivanmukti, Videhamukiti etc.

This introduction to the Madhva school of Vedanta is accessible to a wide audience with interest in Hinduism, Indian thought and in the comparative philosophy of religion. Deepak Sarma explores the philosophical foundations of Madhva Vedanta and then presents translations of actual debates between the Madhva and Advaita schools of Vedanta, thus positioning readers at the centre of the 700 year-old controversy between these two schools of Vedanta. Original texts of Madhvacarya are included in an appendix, in translation and in Sanskrit.