SUMMING UP
The reader is likely to assume, after going through the above
submission of the story of the Advaita Vedanta, that the popularity
and vigorous of Advaita Vedanta is almost defunct at the present time.
The assumption is not really valid.
As recently as three decades ago, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a
wizard of Vedanta and a philosopher-statesman, conveyed the
profundity of Advaita Vedanta to the Western world (let it be added
in modesty that he was an Andhra.) The international
transcendentalists, Jiddu Krishnamurthi, also known as J.K, and
U. Gopalakrishna, also known as U.G, hailed from Andhra soil. It may
come as a surprise to many that even today there are a number of
institutions and gurukulas where Advaita Vedanta is taught along with
other subjects. Even some universities, imparting modern education,
offer courses in Advaita Vedanta. Examples are: Andhra University
(Vishakapatnam) and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Tirupathi). It is
gratifying that a sizeable number of aspirants plump for this ancient
knowledge.
The charm and charisma of Advaita Vedanta does not end there.
Scholars from prestigious institutions are frequently invited by
reputed organizations gracing the entire country to share their rare
knowledge with them. The scholarly activities of Advaita Vedanta have
manifold outlets. Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams, under the Sastra
Rakshana scheme, offers liberal financial assistance for publication
of religious works including Advaita Vedanta. Further, Sura Bharathi
of Hyderabad and Sadhana Granthamala of Tenali, to name just a
couple of enthusiasts, publish works exclusively on religion.
Another area of encouragement is national and international
conferences at places like Andhra University, where a number of
sessions are allotted to discuss Advaita Vedanta.
Besides Universities, Mutts and other organizations, many scholars
in their individual capacity have been doing yeoman service for the
enrichment and
popularization of Advaita. Kolluri Somasekhara Sastry, Bulusu Appanna
Sastry, Mudigonda Venkata Rama Sastry, Mandalika Venkata Sastry,
Jayanthi Surya Narayana Sastry, Rani Narasimha Sastry, Chirravuri
Ananta Padmanabha Sastry, Maddulapalli Manikya Sastry,
Prof.P.Ramachandrudu and Prof.V.Anjaneya Sarma are a few scholars who
have dedicated themselves for the glorification of Advaita Vedanta.
I fondly hope and believe that even space technology in no way will
contribute to the atrophy of Sanskrit and the Sastras including
Advaita Vedanta which, as the realisation seems to be dawning on the
powers that be, are a veritable treasure-house of mature Eastern
wisdom.
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1 comment:
A highly informative article,in few books of Sringeri peetham,the Sarvagjna Peetham was in Kashmiram ! This article is highly commendable !
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