# वेदान्त (vedānta)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vedanta

वेदान्त (vedānta) is a Sanskrit word meaning end of the Veda, the Upanishads or works on the Vedanta philosophy, a school of Hindu philosophy based on those doctrines, an Upanishad and the philosophical system based on it, the conclusion or essence of the Veda, a philosophical system. Its 11 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them The Vedānta Philosophical System, Vedāntic Texts (e.g., Upaniṣads), End or Culmination of the Veda.

- **Etymology:** E. वेद the Vedas, and अन्त end, sum, scope or substance — E. veda the Vedas, and anta end, sum, scope or substance
- **SLP1:** `vedAnta`  **IAST:** vedānta  **Devanagari:** वेदान्त
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vedanta/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** वेदांत (vedāṃta)

## Meanings by context

### The Vedānta Philosophical System (7 definitions)
- the second and most important part of the Mimamsa or the third of the three great divisions of Hindu philosophy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of the second and most important part of the Mīmāṃsā or third of the three great divisions of Hindū philosophy (called Vedānta either as teaching the ultimate scope of the Veda or simply as explained in the Upaniṣads which come at the end of the Veda; this system, although belonging to the Mīmāṃsā [ q.v. ] and sometimes called Uttara-mīmāṃsā, ‘examination of the later portion or ज्ञान - काण्ड (jñāna-kāṇḍa) [ q.v. ] of the Veda’, is really the one sole orthodox exponent of the pantheistic creed of the Hindūs of the present day - a creed which underlies all the polytheism and multiform mythology of the people; its chief doctrine [as expounded by Śaṃkara] is that of Advaita i.e. that nothing really exists but the One Self or Soul of the Universe called Brahman [ neut. ] or Paramātman, and that the Jīvātman or individual human soul and indeed all the phenomena of nature are really identical with the Paramātman, and that their existence is only the result of Ajñāna [otherwise called Avidyā] or an assumed ignorance on the part of that one universal Soul which is described as both Creator and Creation; Actor and Act; Existence, Knowledge and Joy, and as devoid of the three qualities [see गुण (guṇa) ]; the liberation of the human soul, its deliverance from transmigrations, and re-union with the Paramātman, with which it is really identified, is only to be effected by a removal of that ignorance through a proper understanding of the Vedānta; this system is also called Brahma-mīmāṃsā and Śārīrakamīmāṃsā, ‘inquiring into Spirit or embodied Spirit’; the founder of the school is said to have been Vyāsa, also called Bādarāyaṇa, and its most eminent teacher was Śaṃkarācārya), Up.; MBh. &c. [ ID=205944 ]
- 1. An Upanishad and the philosophical system based on it. 2. The conclusion or essence of the Veda.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेदान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 298-3 ] वेदान्त (vedānta) vedá‿anta, m. end of the Veda ( rare ); end of Vedic study ( rare ); text forming the conclusion or the essence of the Veda, i. e. an Upaniṣad and the theologico-phiosophical doctrine based thereon (Uttara-mīmāṃsā or Vedānta system): -kṛt m. author of the Vedāntas; -sāra, m. essence of the Vedānta, T. of a compendium of the Vedānta system; -abhihita, pp. contained in the Vedānta; -upagata, pp. accruing from the Vedānta ( reward ). [ ID=17039 ]
- The theological and speculative part of the Vedas, consisting of the Upanishads.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेद (veda) ान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 807 ] वेद (veda) ान्त (vedānta) m. ( - न्तः (-ntaḥ) ) The theological part of the Vedas; considered collectively it is contained in the many numerous passages or chapters of the Vedas termed Upaniṣads, which inculcate an abstract and speculative monotheistical worship, and these have been further explained and illustrated by later writers: the founder of the school is VYĀSA, and subsequently ŚAṂKARĀCĀRYA is its most eminent teacher. E. वेद (veda) the Vedas, and अन्त (anta) end, sum, scope or substance. [ ID=36732 ]
- 1. The philosophical doctrines of the Vedas teaching the abstract worship of God. 2. A school of Hindu philosophy based on those doctrines.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेदान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 725-a ] वेदा _ न्त (vedā_nta) ( न्तः ) ((ntaḥ)) 1. m. The metaphysicotheological doctrines of the Vedas, teaching the abstract worship of God; name of a school of divinity or philosophy professing them. [ ID=36350 ]
- The theological part of the Vedas, consisting of the Upanishads and subsequent philosophical systems focusing on monotheistic worship.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेद (veda) ान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 688-b ] वेद (veda) ान्त (vedānta) m. ( - न्तः (-ntaḥ) ) The theological part of the Vedas; considered collectively it is contained in the many numerous passages or chapters of the Vedas termed Upanishads, which inculcate an abstract and speculative monotheistical worship, and these have been further explained and illustrated by later writers: the founder of the school is VYĀSA, and subsequently ŚANKARĀCHĀRYA is its most eminent teacher. E. वेद (veda) the Vedas, and अन्त (anta) end, sum, scope or substance. [ ID=38444 ]
- 1. The complete Veda. 2. A philosophical system based particularly on the Upanishads. 3. Works concerning this philosophy.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेदान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 0901-a ] वेदान्त (vedānta) vedānta, i. e. veda-anta, m. 1. The complete Veda, Man. 2, 160. 2. A philosophical system based par- ticularly on the Upaniṣads, Vedāntas. in Chr. 202, sqq.; 203, 24. 3. pl. Works concerning this philosophy, Vikr. d. 1. [ ID=13970 ]
- 1. The end of the Veda. 2. A philosophical system.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वेदान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 523 ] वेदान्त (vedānta) m. the end of the Veda or of the Veda-study; N. of a philos. system. [ ID=30978 ]

### Vedāntic Texts (e.g., Upaniṣads) (2 definitions)
- the Upanishads or works on the Vedanta philosophy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > वेदा (vedā) न्त (nta) m. pl. the Upaniṣads or works on the Vedānta philosophy, Kull. on Manu-smṛti (Title) vi, 83. [ ID=205945 ]
- 1. A class of literary works, likely the Upanishads. 2. Durga.  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > वेदान्त (vedānta) [Printed book page 725-1 ] Vedānta, mostly pl. ( °āh ), a kind of literary works, probably identical with the Upaniṣads: IV, 1593 (known by Droṇa); VI, 1397 ( °kṛt, sc. Kṛṣṇa); XII, 1943 ( °ādhigatah, sc. dharmāḥ ), 7157 (sg.), 8723, 8971 ( °eṣu ca gīyate ), 10573, 11167 ( °gamanadvīpaṃ ), 11750 ( °jñānakovidaḥ ); XIII, 1080 (sg.), 3449 ( °niṣṭhasya ); XIV, 345 ( devair (B. Vedair ) V°sādhanaiḥ ).—Do., sg. = Durgā: VI, 804. [ ID=11785 ]

### End or Culmination of the Veda (1 definition)
- end of the Veda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 1017,1] वेदा (vedā) न्त (nta) b m. end of the Veda (= ‘complete knowledge of the Veda’ cf. वेदा (vedā) न्त (nta)- ग (nta-ga) ), TĀr.; MBh. [ ID=205943 ]

### Referential Entries (1 definition)
- See page 1017.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 1016,2] वेदा (vedā) न्त (nta) a &c. See p. 1017. [ ID=205886 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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