A Manual Of Hindu Pantheism: The Vedantasara

by G.A. Jacob (Translator, Notes), Sadananda Yogendra Saraswati

G. A. Jacob's translation of the Vedantasara was first published in 1881.

The Vedantasara is based on Gaudapada’s Karika, Upadesasahasri of Adi Shankara, Panchadasi of Vidyaranya who died in 1386 A.D., and the Naishkarmayasiddhi of Suresvara.

The Vedantasara presents Sutratman (text) as Viraj, the prime means to reach knowledge of Atman and Brahman. Only the liberated Self-knower realizes Brahman.

Just like the Dŗg-Dŗśya-Viveka the Vedantasara adds samadhi to the triad of sravana ('hearing'), manana ('reflection') and nididhyasana ('repeated meditation').


THE INTRODUCTORY STANZA.
To the Self, existent, intelligence, bliss, impartite, beyond the range of speech and thought, the substrate of all, I resort for the attainment of the desired thing.*

* Emancipation.

NOTES ON INTRODUCTORY STANZA.
"All philosophy strives after unity. It is its aim, its task, to reduce complexity to simplicity, the many to the one." The Upanishads tell us that this was the aim of Indian philosophers, and they not always Brahmans, in very early times. In the Mundaka, for example, it is related that the illustrious son of Sunaka approached the sage Angiras with due ceremony, and inquired of him what that was which, being known, all things would be known. He was told in reply that the wise regard "the invisible, intangible, unrelated, colourless one, who has neither eyes nor ears, neither hands nor feet, eternal, all-pervading, subtile and undecaying, as the source of all things." This is, of course, Brahma, the so-called Absolute of the Vedanta, the Self of the verse before us; and the system then evolved from the inner consciousness of those early thinkers, but modified it would seem by Sankaracharya, and so stereotyped by his successors, continues to the present day; and not only so, but whilst the other five schools have well-nigh ceased to exert any appreciable influence, this "has overspread the whole land, overgrown the whole Hindu mind and life."

In this opening verse Brahma is described as

I. Existent (sat).

The Vedanta postulates three kinds of existence, which it terms true (paramarthika), practical (vyavaharika), and apparent (pratibhasika). Brahma is the sole representative of the first. The second includes Iswara, individual souls, heaven, hell, and all phenomena. These are said to be imagined by ignorance, and to have no more true existence than things seen in a dream; but men have practical dealings with them as if they truly existed, so they are admitted to exist practically or conventionally. The third class comprises such things as a mirage, nacre mistaken for silver, or a snake imagined in a rope, which are the result of some defect, such as short-sight, &c, in addition to ignorance. Yet it is believed that "when a man on seeing nacre, takes it for silver, apparent silver is really produced!" All these then are, from certain standpoints, real existences; but, to him who has true knowledge, the first alone is real. This theory of existences is intended to explain away the finite and establish the infinite; but it cannot be admitted to have been successful. The existence of an invisible Being, who is entirely out of relation to the world, and devoid of apprehension, will, activity, and all other qualities, cannot possibly be established.

156 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1450

About the author

George Adolphus Jacob was born on 21st August 1846, the son of George Andrew Jacob DD. He was educated at the Sheffield Collegiate School where his father was headmaster at the time. At the age of 16 he went to India, by the Cape, to join the 22nd Bombay Infantry, arriving in March 1857. In 1858 he became a member of the Bombay Staff Corps and until 1861 was engaged in regimental staff duties. In the latter year he joined the Poona School of Instruction. He rose to become Superintendent of the Native Army School, in which post he continued until his retirement. He was also Director of Instruction for the Bombay Presidency.

Returning to England in 1890 he settled at Redhill and concentrated upon his Sanskrit studies, in which he had become engaged whilst still serving in India. He published a number of books and articles. A literal translation of the Meghaduta had been published in 1870, and two valuable articles contributed to the Royal Asiatic Society's journals in 1897 amd 1898. including the first edition of Udbhata's work. In Philosophy he studied the Yoga, Mimansa and Vedanta systems and the Upanisads. His edition of the Upanisads comprised two volumes in the Bombay Sanskrit Series. Amongst other publications his manual of Hindu Pantheism, an anotated translation of Salananda's Vedantasara passed through several editions from 1881 onwards. In 1914 he received the Hon Degree of Litt D from Cambridge University. Some of his works have been reprinted over the past few decades, as the copyright to the originals expired.