Laghu Vasudeva Mananam

[Srikrishna Ghadiyaram]

On Mon, 31 Dec 2001 09:39:14 -0500, Jaldhar H. Vyas
<jaldhar at BRAINCELLS.COM> wrote:

>> I just completed Laghu Vasudeva Manana (translated into English
>> by Swami Tejomayananda of Divine Life Society).
>
>I don't believe we've discussed this work on the list before.  Why don't
>you write about it?
>
>--
>Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>

Hari Om !!

I took this much time to re-organize  my own thoughts that came up after
reading this book.

First off all I must say this is a very good Prakarana Grantha. Inspite of
my reading some Vedantic texts for some time, I found this book to be very
useful. The style of the book might be very appealing to many, as it is in
the form of Question-Answers. The topics are very systematically dealt
with. I would recommend this to any one who wants to make a good beginning
to understand Vedanta.

I read at first the book, "An Introduction to Advaita Vedanta Philosophy"
(translation of LVM) by Swami Tejomayananda of Divine Life Society. As
there was some confusion in my mind because of translated nomenclature, I
decided to read  another translation by Swami Tapasyananda of Ramakrishna
Math. It will be difficult for me to write my own summary. So, I resort to
reproduce a paragraph from the preface to Swami Tapasyananda's book. It is
as follows:

" Laghu Vasudevamananam is indeed a vade mecum of Advaitic metaphysics. The
analysis is thorough, neat, precise. The cause of all human misery is
traced, stage by stage, to Ajnana or ignorance. And it is underlined that
no word or  deed can exorcise Ajnana which vanishes in toto only when
supreme knowledge dawns. The desiderata for the seeker of knowledge are
then specified and the technique of investigation is described. The
distinction between the self and non-self, the nature of superimposition,
the nexus between Jivatman and Paramatman, the three states of
consciousness, the five sheeths, the three bodies, are all explained
clearly. How the Mahavakyas like Tat Tvam Asi are to be interpreted and how
Brahman is to be realized as Sat-chit-ananda are next elucidated. The lozic
is razor-sharp and no loose ends are left anywhere. So when the author
concludes with a challenging declaration, 'There is nothing more to be said
or heard',  we gladly nod assent."

The theme of the book can be brought forward clearly by this sentence in
the book.

"Unhappiness or misery is only accidental (Agantuka) for the Atman who is
paripurna. It is, on the other hand, not natural to the Atman. Misery has
arisen from the body, the body from Karma, Karma from attachment and hate,
attachment and hate from ego or the 'I-sense' and the 'I-sense' from lack
of discrimination and the lack of discrimination and the lack of
discrimination from ignorance. You have to destroy that ignorance by
knowledge. Knowledge will arise only through deep discriminative
cogitation. It  consists in constant contemplation that the Atman is Satya-
jnana-ananda-svarupa (truth, consciousness and bliss by nature), the world
consisting of the body and the rest is untrue and non-existent world is
superimposed on the Atman.  ......."

Well as I stand today, I still have several doubts, primarily dealing with
usage of words such as Jiva, Jivatman etc. I will post them separately.

Om Namo Narayanaya !!

Srikrishna