Vedanta represents the philosophical portion of the ancient scriptures of India, the Vedas. Specifically, it refers to the final portion of the Vedic literature, the Upanishads, but it also includes the Bhagavad Gita. The basic teaching concerns the ultimate identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.

The goal of Vedanta is for the seeker to have a direct experience of his or her true nature. It is held that each and every one of us is qualified to have that highest illumination if we are willing to put forth sincere and intense effort.

Vedanta has preached the harmony of religions. According to the Vedantic teachers, there are various means and methods that can be used to realize God or Self, based on our own particular nature, inclination, and personality.

Vedanta Center of Greater Washington, DC, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Order of India. Though founded in 1997, its roots draw from Swami Vivekananda’s visits to the USA in the 1890s.