Sunday Wisdom Sessions by Vedantin

In this session, Sudhakar reminds us that life is a continuous process of relating — not only with people, but with challenges, change, success, failure, and even ourselves. True relating is not about compatibility, but about learning to deal gracefully with differences.  Through the poem “The Mountain and the Squirrel,” he highlights that every individual has unique talents and a meaningful role...

Sudhakar explores the themes of Love & Devotion, emphasising that emotions are powerful forces which can uplift or destroy depending on whether they are guided by the intellect.  The poem “Abou Ben Adhem,” highlights that true devotion is love expressed through service and care for all beings, not just a select few. Love without expectation becomes universal, while attachment, rooted in selfis...

In this talk, using the poems “The Pond” and “The Olive Tree,” Sudhakar explains how the mind’s desires can cloud judgment, causing us to justify what we already want instead of reasoning clearly. When the mind dominates, decisions become emotional and risky—like the young chick who ignored guidance and met disaster—highlighting the need to strengthen the intellect to think objectively and act wis...

In this talk, via a study of the poem “The Turkey and the Ant”, Sudhakar highlights two powerful tendencies of the mind: its insatiable nature and its tendency to look outward and criticise others instead of examining oneself. He explains that no external achievement or possession can give lasting happiness, because the mind will always ask,  “What next?”  The second lesson reminds us to pause bef...

In this talk, Sudhakar encourages us to “Go for Gold” by striving to live our highest, most fulfilled life. Shift from surviving to thriving and cultivating purpose, peace, and presence. Purpose means using the intellect rather than emotions to guide decisions and choosing a direction aligned with one’s true nature (Swadharma) so life becomes meaningful and energized. Peace comes from reducing sel...

Dispossessiveness 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #32 – “Aniketah” or “Homeless” 50:10 Q&A Q1 – We get attached in our relationships. Is this something we need to work on to evolve? 51:50 Q&A Q2 – Sometimes, due to work obligations, we need to stay away from family for extended periods. Does this mean that we are forsaking our duties to our family? 58:00 Q&A Q3 – We have routines to stay foc...

Being Content with Anything 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #31 – “Santuṣṭaḥ Yenakenacit” or “Content with Anything” 52:20 Q&A Q1 – If one is able to understand that we get what we deserve, this can help us stay content. However, occasionally, extremely unfortunate events such as a sudden car accident occur. In such situations, how do you convince yourself that this is what I deserve? 55:45 Q&A...

Being Silent 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #30 – “Mauni” or “Being Silent” 47:35 Q&A Q1 – If one is in a public space and sees someone reacting in a negative way, how do we prevent ourselves from reacting to the other person’s negative reaction? 50:05 Q&A Q2 – Is it possible to suppress one’s reaction? Is it better to instead transform an automatic reaction into action? 53:53 Q&A Q3 – When...

Equal to Praise & Criticism00:00 Quality of a Seeker #29 – “Tulyanindāstutiḥ” or “To whom censure and praise are equal”47:30 Open Q&A Q1 – How does one manage a situation where people spoil your reputation by speaking untruths?49:25 Open Q&A Q2 – It seems that people gossip about you when you rise or fall. Please explain how to handle both situations. 50:45 Open Q&A Q3 – How do you...

Free from Attachment | Desire for Liberation00:00 Quality of a Seeker #28 – “Sangavivarjitah” or “Free from Attachment”41:13 Question of the week: How does one develop mumukshatva (desire for liberation)?51:10 Open Q&A Q1 – Given we have existing commitments such as family and work, how do we direct more effort towards the pursuit of liberation or Self-realisation? 53:19 Open Q&A Q2 – Spir...

Equanimity | Power of Thought 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #27 – “Samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpmānayoḥ śītoṣna-sukhaduḥkheṣu” or “Alike to friend and foe, honour and dishonour, heat and cold, joy and sorrow” 49:14 Question of the week: Do thoughts have consequences even if not acted upon? 54:39 Open Q&A Q1 – Is it enough for one to act based on one’s values and goals even if nobody else re...

Renouncer of Good & Evil | Charity 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #26 – “Subhasubhaparityagi” or “Renouncer of Good and Evil” 43:20 Question of the week: How does one find a balance between giving and being charitable versus setting and pursuing one’s own personal goals? 51:43 Open Q&A Q1 – Given that we are advised to renounce both good and evil, how should we choose our values? 54:25 Open Q&a...

One Who Does Not Desire | Reducing Frustration 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #25 – “Na Kanksati” Or “One Who Does Not Desire” 46:40 Question of the week: What is frustration? How does it arise? How does one reduce or eliminate it? 55:50 Open Q&A Q1 – Can we motivate ourselves with something apart from desire? 58:25 Open Q&A Q2 – What is happiness and how is it linked to desire? 1:01:45 Open Q&...

One Who Does Not Grieve | The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Evolution 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #24 – “Na Socati” Or “One Who Does Not Grieve” 34:07 Question of the week: What is the role of gratitude in spiritual evolution? 46:30 Open Q&A Q1 – Is the higher feeling of gratitude the same as “true love”? 48:45 Open Q&A Q2 – When I am happy, is that egoistic? 49:55 Open Q&A Q3 – Is it t...

In this recording from the Pearls of Practical Philosophy series of Sunday Wisdom Sessions, Sudhakar analyses “The Village Preacher” - an extract from Oliver Goldsmith’s long poem The Deserted Village. Goldsmith portrays The Village Preacher as the very embodiment of an ideal human being. His life is rooted in service — uplifting the poor, comforting the troubled, and giving freely of his time and...

One Who Does Not Hate | The Way To Gain Anything Is To Lose It 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #23 – “Na Dvesti” Or “One Who Does Not Hate” 45:45 Question of the week: “The way to gain anything is to lose it.” Please explain 57:36 Open Q&A Q1 – When one has negative feelings towards someone it may be useful to temporarily distance oneself from them, is it similar to the quality of “Udasinah” or bein...

One Who Does Not Rejoice | The Law of Karma 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #22 – “Na Hrsyati” Or “One Who Does Not Rejoice” 39:45 Question of the week: Please explain “The Law of Karma” 51:18 Open Q&A Q1 – Does the ability to maintain balance even when experiencing joy require a measure of humility? 53:15 Open Q&A Q2 – Rejoicing for others can be uplifting, but are there any pitfalls to that? 5...

Renouncing Doership | Austerity and Frugality 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #21 – “Sarva Arambha Parityagi” Or “Renouncer of all Undertaking” 36:05 Question of the week: Define austerity and frugality. What are the benefits of practising them? 48:15 Open Q&A Q1 – In the book “Governing Business and Relationships”, the author says – “The more you give, the more you gain” is the inexorable law of li...

Untroubled | Managing Criticism 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #20 – “Gatavyathah” Or “Untroubled” 37:35 Question of the week: How does one avoid getting agitated when criticised? 50:26 Open Q&A Q1 – When someone close to us is facing problems, how do we calibrate our response to them? 52:51 Open Q&A Q2 – How do we manage troubles that come from within – for example, living in constant pain fro...

Unconcerned | Obligatory Duty 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #19 – “Udasinah” Or “Unconcerned” 34:10 Question of the week: What is an obligatory duty? What is a self‐imposed duty? Is there a hierarchy of obligations in one’s life? 49:50 Open Q&A Q1 – Is the organisation of a wedding for one’s child an obligatory or a self-imposed duty? 53:50 Open Q&A Q2 – Is it ok to set a goal that is beyond o...

Daksha | Dexterity | Skillfullness00:00 Quality of a Seeker #18 – “Daksha” 36:47 Question of the week: What is the significance of prayer, rituals, and idols?

Purity | Personalisation 00:00 Quality of a Seeker #17 – “Sucih” Or “Pure” 41:32 Question of the week: What is personalisation? How does one combat it? 56:32 Open Q&A Q1 – Does one really need to destroy the ego? 1:00:37 Open Q&A Q2 – Why do some people criticise/attack others? When others attack you, how does one handle the situation?  1:04:32 Open Q&A Q3 – How does one balance betwee...

00:00 Quality of a Seeker #16 – “Anapeksah” Or “Free from Want”40:35 Question of the week: Please explain the quote ‘Intense work is rest’ by Swami Rama Tirtha.53:45 Open Q&A Q1 – Can meditation help bring your thoughts to the present and to a single thought? 55:52 Open Q&A Q2 – Why don’t we believe that we are the Self? 57:33 Open Q&A Q3 – What does “Knowledge of the Self” mean?1:01:0...

00:00 Quality of a Seeker #15 – “Harsa Amarsa Bhaya Udvegaih Muktah” Or “Freed from Joy, Envy, Fear, Anger, Anxiety”27:55 Question of the week: Why is one scared of death? How do we reduce or eliminate this fear?52:00 Open Q&A Q1 – Death is explained as a transition into an environment that is more conducive to one’s evolution. If that is so, then why do some people appear to die despite being...

00:00 Quality of a Seeker #14 – “Lokat Na Udvijate Yah” Or “Who is not agitated by the world” 42:05 Question of the week: Explain the concept of forgiveness. It is said that we ought to forgive people. We are also told to act when righteousness is at stake. How does one assess in a conflict whether one should forgive or act? 50:40 Open Q&A Q1 – Please elaborate on the statement – “We should fo...