Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya

Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya is a non-profit organization[1] in India, founded for the purpose of stimulating the study and practice of the Vedanta philosophy "revealed in the Upanishads".[2][3]

History

The Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya (APK) organization was founded in 1920 by Sacchidanandendra Saraswati "for the interpretation of Indian culture by stimulating the study and practice of Adhyatma Vidya",[3] which means the Hindu doctrine of Advaita described in the Vedanta, as taught (historically) by Shankara.[4] D.B. Gangolli, a student of Saraswati's, wrote a notable book on Shankara.[5]

Activities

Under Saraswati, APK used three traditional means to achieve its objectives:[3]

These traditional media have been supplemented since 2007 by a website.[7]

According to the Himalayan ashram Somashram.in, APK organized a "Conference of Scholars" (Vedanta vidwat-goshthi) at Holenarsipur, Karnataka, in March 2011.[10]

According to The Times of India, "Several experts spoke on the 'Gita'", including "K.G. Subraya Sharma, president, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Bangalore" at "The Global Gita Conference" in Bangalore in 2003.[11]

Reception

The Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya appears to be respected for its religious work within India:

The Hindu newspaper, reporting the release of six books to commemorate the founder of the Sahitya Bhandara publishing house, states that
"As part of the programme, the organisers would be honouring the ‘Adhyatma Prakash Karyalaya' of Holenarasipur, which has brought out 211 works on religion and spirituality."[12]
The Advaita Vedanta website describes Saraswati and the APK as follows:
"Another important author is Sri Saccidanandendra Sarasvati of the Adhyatma Prakasa Karyalaya, Holenarsipur, who brought the critical thinking of modern academic scholarship to the Advaita tradition. He wrote the Brahmavidya-Rahasya-Vivrti on the Chandogya Upanishad, Gitasastrartha-Viveka, Vedantaprakriya-Pratyabhijna and Klesapaharini On Suresvara's Naishkarmyasiddhi, in addition to many other texts in English And Kannada on the Advaita Tradition."[13]
A review of Lakshminrsimha Murti's biography of the founder of APK explains that Saraswati's
"critical approach.. led him to conclude that the two major lines of interpretation of [Shankara's] thought, the bhamati and vivarana schools[,] unnecessarily complicated and even obscured the teachings of Advaita Vedanta."[14]
The reviewer evidently enjoyed the biography, and comments frankly that
"the book explains the nature of the controversy and tells of some of the participants but I would have liked more information."[14]

References

  1. ↑ Bizparrot Cultural Organisations. Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya Public Charitable. Address: No.68, Apk Road, 2ND Block, Thyagarajanagar - Bangalore - Karnataka - 560028. Retrieved 5 November 2011
  2. ↑ Adhyatmaprakasha Karyalaya Introduction Retrieved 4 November 2011
  3. 1 2 3 Activities of Adhyatmaprakasha Karyalaya Retrieved 4 November 2011
  4. ↑ 4Mystics.com Retrieved 5 November 2011
  5. ↑ D. B. Gangolli, The Essential Adi Shankara, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Bangalore, 1992. LC Call No.: B133.S5 G33 1992
  6. ↑ Seminars appear to be held regularly. For example, The Hindu, 31 October 2011, The Hindu, 9 June 2011 Retrieved 4 November 2011
  7. 1 2 Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya: Publications page. The books appear to be available for free download from the website. Retrieved 4 November 2011
  8. ↑ For example, Swami Satchidanandendra Sarasvati (sic), The Vision of Atman, Yajnavalkya's Initiation of Matreyi into the Intuition of Reality, Holenarsipur, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, 1970., cited in Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Constance Jones and James D Ryan, page 507. Facts on File, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8160-7336-8 Retrieved 4 November 2011
  9. ↑ An online archive of back issues of the magazine is at Monthly Magazine Archive 1923-2006 Retrieved 4 November 2011
  10. ↑ Somashram.in News Retrieved 5 November 2011
  11. ↑ The Times of India: Experts discuss relevance of Gita, 29 November 2003. Retrieved 5 November 2011
  12. ↑ (Staff Correspondent) (15 September 2011). "The Hindu". Six books to be released on September 17. The Hindu.com. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Advaita Vedanta". POST-SANKARAN ADVAITINS - AN OVERVIEW. Advaita-vedanta.org. May 5, 1999. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  14. 1 2 Gmane: Book Review Retrieved 5 November 2011

Publications

External links

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