Dear Jey,
The objective of Vedanta is neither social reform nor political reform; it is not concerned with worldly affairs. Vedanta aims for genuine spiritual liberation, providing tools to comprehend the universe and human life in their entirety. As an abstract philosophy, it ignited a profound revolution within Indian spirituality and remains a preeminent philosophical vision globally to this day.
As you’ve noted in several of your discourses, the very construct known as “Hinduism” was forged by Vedanta. By uniting disparate religious sects and beliefs—often in conflict—under the singular concept of Brahman, Vedanta established a cohesive religious framework. This unity virtually eradicated religious warfare in India. History shows that even conflicts between Shaivites and Vaishnavites subsided with Vedanta’s resurgence, ushered in by Shankara. Thus, the India of the Bhakti era emerged; indeed, what we now recognize as “India” is precisely this construct. Vedanta stands as the foundational philosophy of India—what Swami Chidbhavananda aptly called the “cement of the Indian structure.”
In modern India, Vedanta paved the way for both social and political revolutions. Yet, because these were not its primary aims, Vedanta never claimed these outcomes as its own triumphs. No scholar of Vedanta has asserted that such developments are achievements of Vedantic thought. It is precisely because of this restraint that these contributions have often gone unrecorded in history. By forcefully bringing these achievements to the forefront of our collective memory, your efforts stand as a truly significant contribution.
Sincerely,
Sivaramakrishnan, Mayuram
