Did Shri Adi Sankaracharya derive the concept of Advaita Vedanta from Vedas?

Advaita means the Self or Soul (Atman) is identical to Brahman. Knowledge of this oneness of Atman and Brahman is full awareness. Advaita Vedanta also believes that this realization of Brahman is attainable while still living on Earth.

Now, coming to the question part - Did Advaita Vedanta come from Vedas? -, my answer would be Yes!

Advaita concept can be traced directly to Rig Veda. However, Advaita was not explicitly mentioned in the Rig Veda, but narrated in an esoteric manner.

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Consider the following Rik from Rig Veda.

Rig Veda 1.24.2

अग्नेर्वयं प्रथमस्यामृतानां मनामहे चारु देवस्य नाम । स नो मह्या अदितये पुनर्दात्पितरं च दृशेयं मातरं च ॥

We will have to keep on thinking (cling to) the dear name of the god Agni, of the first of the immortals. He will return us to great Aditi. (Then) we would see our father and mother.

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A plain reading of the meaning of the above Rik results in 3 steps, as provided by the rishi śunaśepa ājīgarti.

• We will have to keep on thinking (cling to) to the dear name of the god Agni
• He will return us to great Aditi
• I would see my father and mother

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The rishi was saying that we have keep on thinking मनामहे - manāmahe, the dear name of Agni, ie., mantra.

Shri Aurobindo explains the word मनामहे - manāmahe, as follows;

‘we seize with the mind’. It is the major characteristic of the mind ‘to seize upon’, ‘to measure’, ‘to hold onto’, ‘to keep it in front of or in a view of our consciousness’, ‘to fix it within our consciousness’.

When will we seize upon something? The answer would be when we are in desperate condition or with no other alternative, as in the case of clinging the only available wooden plank, in the midst of an ocean.

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Agni was described as the BRAHMAN in Rig Veda (2.1).

Agni occupies in the Earth, as Vāyu or Indra in the atmosphere and as Sūrya in the heaven (outer space). Hence, Agni is formless Masculine Energy of the BRAHMAN.

As all names are attributable to BRAHMAN, which name the rishi was referring to here?

In my opinion, the rishi was indicating in an esoteric sense, to remain in the state, which Agni relishes.

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Agni was described in Rig Veda 1.1.1 as ॠत्विज (ṛtvija).

agnim īḻe purohitaṃ yajñasya devam ṛtvijam | hotāraṃ ratnadhātamam ||

Shri Aurobindo gave a different perspective to the word ॠत्विजम् .

This word is taken in the ceremonial interpretation of the Veda in the later sense of Ritwik, a sacrificial priest, and it is explained by separating as ऋतु+ इज् (ṛtu+ ij), one who sacrifices seasonably.

In reality, ॠत्विज् (ṛtvij) is a very old word compounded in ancient Sanskrit before the creation of the modern rules of Sandhi, and is composed of ऋत् (ṛt), truth, and विज् (vij), ecstasy or ecstatic. It means one who has the ecstasy of the truth or सत्यम् (satyam).

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It indicates that Agni, the Masculine Energy of the BRAHMAN, relishes if the spiritual aspirant is adherent to ऋतम् ṛtaṃ).

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So the rishi was saying to cling to the name of Agni, if one wants to reach Aditi.

Now, what is Aditi?

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The name Aditi includes the root "da" (to bind or fetter) and suggests another attribute of her character. As A-diti, she is an unbound, free soul and it is evident in the hymns to her that she is often called to free the petitioner from different hindrances, especially sin and sickness. (Rig veda 2.27.14)

अदिति (aditi) literally means 'unbounded', 'the boundless Heaven', or according to others, 'the visible infinite, the endless expanse beyond the earth, beyond the clouds, beyond the sky'.

According to Yāska अदिति- रदीना देवमाता (aditi- radīnā devamātā), and the verse beginning with अदितिर्द्यौः (aditirdyauḥ) &c. Ṛgveda 1.89.10. he interprets by taking अदिति (aditi) to mean अदीन (adīna) i. e. अनुपक्षीण, न ह्येषां क्षयोऽस्ति इति (anupakṣīṇa, na hyeṣāṃ kṣayo'sti iti).

adīna a. Not low or depressed, high-spirited; mighty, not poor; rich, happy.

anupakṣita p. p. Not injured or destroyed (anupakṣīṇa).

Rig Veda 1.89.10

अदितिर्द्यौरदितिरन्तरिक्षमदितिर्माता स पिता स पुत्रः ।

विश्वे देवा अदितिः पञ्च जना अदितिर्जातमदितिर्जनित्वम् ॥

English translation:

“Aditi is heaven; Aditi is the firmament; Aditi is mother, father and son; Aditi is all the gods; Aditi is the five classes of people; Aditi is what has been born, Aditi what is to be born..”

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So aditi means “undivided”,'unbounded', 'the boundless Heaven', or according to others, 'the visible infinite’ - saguna and the female energy of nirguna brAhman.

What is the opposite of aditi?

It is diti (दिति) - division, splitting

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We have to remember that dvaita concept - individual soul and BRAHMAN are different, had emanated from the idea of diti.

And, advaita means individual soul and BRAHMAN are the SAME and this concept had emanated from the original form of aditi, indicating divisionless.

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When Agni takes the aspirant to aditi, ONE will see one’s father and mother.

It indicates that the spiritual aspirant will experience the COMBINED/MERGED FORM of Masculine Energy of BRAHMAN (Agni) and Feminine form of Energy of BRAHMAN(aditi).

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In puranic literature, this was called ardhanārīśvara (अर्धनारीश्वर) tatwa.

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The esoteric meaning of the Rik in question (Rig Veda 1.24.2), as per my understanding, is as follows:

Human being will be under illusions of dvaita, ie., thinking him/her to be different from the BRAHMAN. Agni, the Masculine Energy of the BRAHMAN, takes the spiritual aspirant, who is in the state of dvaita but adherent to ऋतम् ṛtaṃ), to aditi (advaita), the Feminine Energy of the BRAHMAN. And, the spiritual aspirant will experience the COMBINED/MERGED FORM of Masculine Energy of BRAHMAN (Agni) and Feminine form of Energy of BRAHMAN(aditi).

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Shri Sankara might have derived the concept of advaita from the unbounded feminine Energy form of BRAHMAN, ie., aditi.