Christian Vision In The Vedanta

It is quite natural to find similarity in the religious insights (darsan) of Hebrews and Aryans on fundamental concepts. Scriptures are many; but God is One. In Scriptures we find the essence of the search for God. Man's search for God need not be without mistakes. Because man is a being with limitations. The fulfilment of man's search for God is divine revelation. "e;What can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them"e; (Rom. 1:19). This divine revelation is beyond religions. And without such revelation, religions are incomplete. But religious insight and divine revelation are two separate things; not the same. Both need to be unified. When man's thoughts and perceptions are surrendered to divine revelation, this unification is complete. Dr. Koshy Abraham, through his book 'Christ in Ancient Indian Thought' that showed the essence of the Vedas, has given a fresh lease of life to the comparative studies of different religious scriptures to find their similarity. His studies have literally produced a healthy excitement among the enlightened readers. Generally, the Vedic scholars also agree with Dr. Koshy's ideas. In any case, it is an undeniable fact that Dr. Koshy has brought about a movement in the sphere of religious studies. His works have to be read with concentration. And only those who have fairly good knowledge of the Veda, can comprehend the truth evident in his books.

This pioneering work harmonizes Hindu Vedanta philosophy with the Christian vision of the Word made flesh through the Spirit of God's love. An introduction to the Vedic scriptures which shows that God has also lavished his riches on non-Christian people and how we must relate ourselves to these other sources of truth. “Without Christianity I don't think the oriental religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, can answer the needs of the modern world. But without the enrichment of the mystical tradition of Asia I doubt whether the Western Churches can really discover the fullness of Christ which we are seeking.” (Bede Griffiths)

This book published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication house of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, India, comprises of lectures and talks of Swami Prabhavananda on Vedanta and spiritual life. The Swami had an extraordinary ability to make even the most subtle of enigmatic ideas exciting and comprehensible. He contributed a great deal to the understanding of Vedanta in the West and also facilitated a better understanding of all the religions of the world.

This book, first published in 1968, is a collection of twenty-five lectures by Swami Prabhavananda, the outstanding scholar and translator of Hindu scriptures. They present a direct and pragmatic approach to spiritual life, and a clear guide to Hinduism.

This book is a collection of lectures delivered in Bangalore and Philadelphia by Swami Yatiswarananda, a disciple of Swami Brahmananda and the Vice-president of the Ramakrishna Order. The lectures were published in the magazines The Vedanta Kesari, Prabuddha Bharata, Vedanta and the West, and Vedanta for East and West. The lectures extensively deal with pursuing religious life, overcoming obstacles in religious life, achieving inner peace and harmony, and attaining religious experience. Spiritual seekers can derive the much-needed inspiration and succour from these invaluable lectures.