As per Vedantic doctrine, knowing Vedanta is just a start; to realize it, we have to meditate on it (tapas). We have to internalize it; we must become it.
It is not known exactly what kind of training existed during Shankara’s time. But those belonging to the Shankara tradition had developed different internal and external trainings for it during his time.
Vedanta connects with yoga practices in the area of making what is ‘known’ as the ‘knower’ himself. Various Vedanta schools believed that concentration, contemplation, becoming the essence of what is known, going beyond what is known, and reaching beyond it could be achieved through yoga. That is why many Vedanta schools teach yoga. Vivekananda presented the Raja Yoga exercises.
On the other hand, some in the Vedanta tradition present worship and devotion as internal exercises to realize what is known. Traditional Vedantic institutions, like Shankara mutts, primarily observe this practice. Narayana Guru wrote the songs of worship for all six religions and established a few temples. Shankara allegedly penned the songs of worship for all six religions.
The field of external action is the other side of these internal practices. This includes providing social services and engaging in charitable activities. Swami Vivekananda has strongly emphasized this and written about it in the name of Karma Yoga. Narayana Guru also presented it. Gandhi was also a Vedantist. He called these external activities “Anashakti yoga.”
Whatever actions we perform as part of yoga, they guide us toward true knowledge. Only through our activities does what we know become our personality. Through action, we discover ourselves and become more and more clear. There is a difference between knowing the way to a city on a map and going directly into it.
Sankara opposes rituals and religious practices.He calls the sacrifices and worships based on the three gunas (kama, krodha, and moha, that is, lust, anger, and passion) meaningless. Because they serve personal benefit and self-interest, they do not constitute karma yoga. Karma yoga is performing actions without any passion and for the benefit of the entire world. It is an action done for the sake of action. That difference is very subtle. However, it holds significant importance.
The state of true wisdom—non-duality—is the basis of Vedanta. But there are many ways to reach it. Everyone has their own path. One cannot climb that mountain without shedding one’s own weight.
There is a place in the biography of Nitya Chaitanya Yati. When Nitya was a student of Natarajaguru, one day he went to him with a plan to start a Vedanta magazine and talked to him. Natarajaguru got frustrated and tore up the plan. ‘I gave you a flute. You are planning to hold a sword,’ he said.
After two days, Natarajaguru said. ‘There is a lot of surf in your blood. Your ancestors are those who fought with swords and won the land. So go around India as a penniless sanyasi. Let your fury subside.’ He sent Nithya to roam the streets of India, begging on his own.
There are many such stages in the life of all Hindu ascetics. The first stage is the nomadic life known as Parivirajaka life. The second is the period of service, i.e., kaingarya. Combined with it is the study of scriptures.
My field of activity is literature, i.e., knowledge and art. The wisdom that I learn should become ‘me’ through my writing. I can refer to this as Karma-Gnana Yoga.
Jeyamohan
