Acme Of The Vedas

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Acme Of The Vedas
Later, when the Upanishadic doctrine of the Atman, which first arose in Kshatriya circles,
gained the respect of Brahmanas, and when in spite of its opposition to the Vedic cult of gods and
sacrifices, the Brahmanas eagerly sought and mastered it. The Upanishads became Vedanta. Soon
Brahmanas like Yajnavalkya became not only adepts of Vedanta, but developed Atmavidya to the
highest limit, and the Vedanta was made the acme of the Vedas. In Yajnavalkya’s question, “I ask
you of that person who is known through the Upanishads alone”, we find it mentioned for the first
time that the Upanishads are the source of the knowledge of the Brahman.
The Chhandogya says that while the Vedas are nectar, the Upanishads are the Guhya
Adesa—the most secret teaching. The Mundaka finally sums up this tendency by saying that those
who have rightly ascertained the nature of the Brahman from the wisdom of the Vedanta are
liberated after death. The Svetasvatara says that the most profound secret is disclosed in the
Vedanta only. This position later crystalized itself and, as stated by Badarayana, it then became 

Unanimously and emphatically Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhva assert that the
knowledge of the Brahman can be gained through the study, meditation and contemplation
(Sravana, Manana, Nididhyasana) of the Upanishadic Mahavakyas alone.