Introduction

We all come to a point in our lives, when we are not happy with the state of things as they are, or feel that something is lacking. We start asking existential questions such as “who am I”, “what is my purpose in life”, “what is the nature of this world and my relationship to it”, “what makes me sad”, etc. Vedanta helps us answer these questions, and many more which arise in a spiritual seeker.

“Self-Unfoldment” is a fundamental text that expounds Vedantic concepts in simple, easy to understand language. As such, it is a great tool in the hands of spiritual seeker embarking on the journey of self discovery. The principles can be applied in our daily lives to improve and enrich all our interactions with the world outside of us, and to bring about peace and happiness in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Currently, most of our knowledge is confined to the realm of the objective, phenomenal world handed down to us by the material scientists. Vedanta is the Science of Reality (brahma vidyaa) focused on the subjective, inner world as revealed to us by ancient rishis. We need to effect some changes to our personality in order to move from our current state to a different state of consciousness. This book provides the rationale and the methods for this Self-unfoldment.

Seven questions of a spiritual aspirant from Adi Shankara’s Viveka Choodaamani:

को नाम बन्धः Ko naama bandhaha: What is bondage?

कथमेष आगथः Kathamesha aagathaha: How has it come?

कथं प्रतिष्ठास्य katham prathishtaasya:  How does it continue to exist?

कथं विमोक्षः katham vimokshaha: How can one be completely free of it?

को'सावनात्मा ko’ saavanaatmaa: What is the not-Self?

परमः क आत्मा paramah ka aatmaa: Who is the Supreme Self?

तयोर विविकः tayor vivekaha: What is the process of differentiating between the two?