limits of scripture, The

By Anantanand Rambachan

Book Description

In the landscape of modern spiritual thought, few figures have shaped both Eastern and Western understanding of Hinduism as profoundly as Swami Vivekananda. Yet beneath his celebrated legacy lies a complex philosophical tension that has remained largely unexamined until now.

Anantanand Rambachan presents a rigorous exploration of one of the most fundamental questions in spiritual practice: What constitutes ultimate religious authority? Through careful analysis, this work reveals how Vivekananda navigated the delicate balance between ancient scriptural wisdom found in the Vedas and the transformative power of direct personal experience.

The investigation begins by situating Vivekananda within the broader context of nineteenth-century cultural exchange, examining how Western influences and Hindu responses shaped his revolutionary approach to sacred texts. Rambachan then delves into Vivekananda's distinctive interpretation of the Vedas, uncovering the hermeneutical principles that guided his understanding of their scope and authority.

Perhaps most significantly, this study illuminates crucial differences between Vivekananda's emphasis on personal experience as the source of liberating knowledge and the classical Advaita position of Sankara, who maintained the Vedas as the primary authoritative source. This distinction proves essential for understanding how religious and philosophical thought evolved in modern India.

The work also critically examines the coherence of Vivekananda's teachings, particularly his claims about the supremacy of personal experience, his "many paths" philosophy, and his attempts to harmonize ancient wisdom with modern scientific understanding.