A most valuable and lucid compendium of Advaita philosophy describing the transcendental knowledge of Brahman, and the way to achieve it through discrimination and meditation. Being an original production of Shankara's genius, the whole book is instinct with the prophetic vision of a seer, a man of realization, and the expression is so lucid and poetical that quite a new life has been breathed into the dry bones of philosophical discussion, and that too, on this most abstruse subject.
After every happiness comes misery; they may be far apart or near. The more advanced the soul, the more quickly does one follow the other. What we want is neither happiness nor misery. Both make us forget our true nature; both are chains--one iron, one gold; behind both is the Atman, who knows neither happiness nor misery. These are states, and states must ever change; but the nature of the Atman is bliss, peace, unchanging. We have not to get it, we have it; only wash away the dross and see it.
-Swami Vivekananda
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