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
