Clarify — Mananam: Removing Doubt Through Śāstric Enquiry
Śravaṇam reveals the vision of the śāstra. Yet, for most seekers, the mind does not immediately align with what is heard. Doubts (saṁśaya), habitual misconceptions (viparyaya), and incomplete understanding (asambhāvanā) naturally arise. Mananam is the disciplined process of resolving these through clear reasoning (yukti) supported by the śāstra and the sampradāya.
In this stage, the seeker examines the teaching with precision:
- What is the exact meaning of “I” in mahāvākyas such as tat tvam asi?
- How does the changeless ātman relate to the changing body–mind complex?
- If Brahman is one without a second, how does multiplicity appear?
- What is the locus of error (adhyāsa), and how is it corrected?
- How do we distinguish the real (satya) from the dependent (mithyā)?
Such enquiries are not intellectual diversions; they are essential for removing the obstacles that prevent knowledge from becoming firm. When doubts are resolved through proper reasoning aligned with śāstra, understanding becomes steady (niścaya‑jñāna), preparing the mind for nididhyāsana.
Śravaṇam reveals the vision of the śāstra, but the mind does not always assimilate it immediately. Doubts (saṁśaya), habitual misconceptions (viparyaya), and incomplete understanding (asambhāvanā) naturally arise. Mananam is the disciplined process of resolving these through reasoning (yukti) aligned with the śāstra and the sampradāya.
This section brings together the key areas where seekers commonly require deeper enquiry. Each subpage addresses a specific domain of doubt, using traditional methods to refine understanding and remove obstacles to clarity.
Clarify Subpages
• Common Doubts
• Logical Tools
• Paradoxes of the Upaniṣads
• Nature of the Self
• Nature of the World
• Benefits of a Guru
• Karma, Free Will and Prarabdha
• Notes-from-Teachers
The Purpose of Clarification
Mananam is not about accumulating more concepts. It is the process of removing obstacles to what has already been revealed. When doubts are resolved through śāstric reasoning, understanding becomes firm (niścaya‑jñāna), preparing the mind for nididhyāsana — the steady assimilation of the truth.
Move through these subpages with a questioning mind, allowing each enquiry to refine your understanding and strengthen your conviction in the vision of Advaita.
As we reorganize the material into clear subpages for easier study and navigation, the site will remain in transition for a short while. Thank you for your patience as these improvements take shape.