"OM   May my limbs, speech, energy, eyes, ears, and vitality as well as all the senses, become vigorous.  All are that Brahman of the Upanishads.  May I never deny Brahman, nor may Brahman deny me.  Let there be no denial at all; let there be no denial at least from me.  May all the virtues that dwell in the Upanishads reside in me, who am devoted to the Atman.   

​       OM   Peace,  Peace,  Peace"

Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest.  Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.  Vedanta is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism; but while Hinduism includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious backgrounds.

A closer look at the word “Vedanta” is revealing.  “Vedanta” is a combination of two words: “Veda” which means “knowledge” and “anta” which means “the end of” or “the goal of.” In this context knowledge isn’t intellectual.  Here “knowledge” means the experience of God as well as the experience of our own divine nature.  Vedanta, then, is the search for Self-knowledge as well as the search for God.

According to Vedanta, God is infinite existence, infinite consciousness, and infinite bliss.  The term for this impersonal transcendent reality is Brahman, the divine ground of being. Yet Vedanta also maintains that God can be personal as well, assuming human form in every age.

Most importantly, God dwells within our own hearts as the divine Self or Atman.  The Atman is never born nor will it ever die.  Neither stained by our failings nor affected by the fluctuations of the body or mind, the Atman is not subject to grief, despair, disease, or ignorance. Pure, perfect, free from limitations, Vedanta declares the Atman is one with Brahman.  The greatest temple of God lies within the human heart.

Vedanta further asserts that the goal of human life is to realize and manifest our divinity.  Not only is this possible, it is inevitable.  Our real nature is divine; God-realization is our birthright. Sooner or later, we will all manifest our divinity---either in this or a future life---for the greatest truth of our existence is our own divine nature.

Chant shown above:  Kena Upanishad, translation by Swami Sharvananda, published by The Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Madras 1920