The Supreme Purpose of Vedānta
By Swami Chidananda
Something or the other bothers us, all the time, as we are caught in the ego process of thought. The rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate, practically everyone, has one’s own sorrow. Self-knowledge puts an end to this sorrow for good.
The one with this wisdom crosses sorrow, is no more into sin; freed from desires, one becomes immortal.
tarati shokam, tarati pāpmānam
guhā-granthibhyo vimuktah, amrito bhavati
Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.9
(Mundaka 3, Khanda 2, Mantra 9)
The independent works, called ‘prakarana-granthas’ therefore define the purpose of Vedānta studies as “ending of sorrow for ever and coming upon everlasting happiness” (ātyantika-duhkha-nivritti and paramānanda-prāpti).