Vākya Vritti

Of the four Mahāvākyas, the statement containing the entire instruction of the teacher is ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ or ‘That Thou Art’. Exposition of this pithy but pregnant sentence (vākya), is accomplished by Adi Sankara in a collection of 53 verses called Vakya Vrtti. Here we have an exhaustive exposition (vịtti) of the great statement (vākya), ‘That Thou Art’. Sankara in his Vākya Vritti, dissects the statement ‘Tat Tvam Asi’, and reveals its depth and significance to the student. The Mahāvākya clearly indicates that the Self in him is the Self everywhere, the Brahman.

We have, in this short booklet, many hints given to indicate the qualities that the disciple should cultivate, which can help him to gain the right knowledge. The student enquires very minutely the significance of the words used and the teacher patiently, elaborately, almost exhaustively explains each word so that the statement contained in the sentence may become very clear to the contemplative seeker. – Swami Chinmayananda