Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati Ph. D has dedicated her life to serving the Vedic tradition by teaching Advaita Vedanta. A Hindu monk who currently lives in Mumbai (India) she is a teacher, podcaster, writer, creator who points to the suffix -er in all the roles as the abiding Atma in all beings.
She offers regular Vedanta courses (online), Vedanta – the river of wisdom weekly podcast, insightful videos, workshops and retreats in India and abroad. Her teachings range from the depth and breadth of self-mastery to self-discovery.
She is the author of ‘You matter – Insights from Vedanta.’ Swamini ji teaches three core courses at Hindu University of America. She has a Ph. D in Philosophy and her thesis on the Role of Ishvara in Advaita Vedanta is due to be published soon as a book.
She is a direct disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, having studied Vedanta, Sanskrit and Vedic chanting at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in a residential, intensive three-year course in Coimbatore and Rishikesh, India. She studied with Swami Brahmavidananda for about twelve years while balancing her work commitments.
Her last leadership role was as the Country Head (India) of an international organization which positively impacted the lives of 150,000 street children. She was formerly a psychologist.
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Summary and transcript of this interview.
Interview recorded May 21, 2024
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:04:24 – Questioning Hinduism and Childhood Rebellion
- 00:08:21 – Becoming a Monk for Guru and Grace
- 00:12:20 – Neo-Advaita and Traditional Advaita
- 00:16:23 – The Importance of Traditional Teachings in Vedanta
- 00:20:16 – Contextualizing Vedic Literature and Manusmriti
- 00:24:03 – Vedanta: The Sixth Means of Knowledge
- 00:28:06 – Vedanta as a Means of Knowledge
- 00:31:58 – The Scientific Approach and Spiritual Development
- 00:35:52 – Science’s Damage and Universal Values
- 00:40:00 – The Nature of Maya Shakti
- 00:43:44 – The Nature of Brahman and Self-Discovery
- 00:47:38 – The Strange Pursuit of Seeking and Harmony with the World
- 00:51:26 – The Nature of Consciousness and Seeking
- 00:55:09 – The Stages of a Seeker
- 00:58:59 – Transformation from Seeker to Knower
- 01:02:50 – The Process of Chipping Away and Shedding Ignorance
- 01:06:34 – Direct vs Progressive Approaches in Vedanta
- 01:10:15 – Direct and Progressive Understanding of Vedanta
- 01:14:09 – The Five Sets of Relationships
- 01:17:54 – The Meaning and Process of Puja
- 01:21:51 – Understanding the Law of Karma
- 01:26:03 – Karma and Free Will
- 01:29:36 – Expanding and narrowing our range of free will
- 01:33:24 – The Legacy of the Tradition and the Role of a Spokesperson
- 01:37:16 – The Importance of Dharma in Spiritual Growth
- 01:41:12 – Aligning with Dharma
- 01:45:07 – The Mirror of Dharma
- 01:48:56 – Maintaining Discernment in Spiritual Teachings
- 01:52:24 – The Power Within Us
- 01:56:08 – Recognizing our Sacred connection to God
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