Vedanta - The River of Wisdom

According to the Hindu calendar, the month of Shravan, which falls between July and August, is considered highly auspicious for the worship of Bhagavan Shiva. How did the great Shiva devotees relate to Bhagavan Shiva? What changed in their lives, as a result? We hear of two stories - Punitavati and Kannapa from a long time ago who are considered amongt the 63 Nayannars (devotees). The podcast tran...

Simple and straightforward answers to commonly raised objections to learning the Bhagavad Gita, a profound dialogue that will transform your life. Some of the objections answered are - Objection 1 : The Gita is too ancient and irrelevant to modern life. Objection 2 : I don't have time to study an entire scripture. Objection 3: If I learn the Gita, I will lose my competitive edge and become pas...

In the book 'Swami Dayananda Saraswati - Contributions and Writings' by Sheela Balaji, there are very deeply moving extracts of Pujya Swami Dayananda ji speaking of Swami Sivananda ji, Swami Chinmayananda ji, Swami Pranavananda ji and Swami Taranananda ji. We reflect on the words of the Guru of Gurus and bow our heads at the feet of the entire Guru parampara, as we approach Guru Purnima. J...

I am not the body-mind. If this statement is understood incorrectly, then it can lead to dissociation and wanting to abandon responsibilities. We understand the right way to do the enquiry into reality through the dialogue between the student and teacher. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/286-i-am-not-the-body-mind-the-right-way-to-do-the-enquiry/ Announcing our new course - Mano...

Like Arjuna (in the Gita), we too wonder - How do wise people, talk, walk and live? More than 200 years ago, Sri Mahipati wrote about the 'Stories of Great Saints of India' in his book, 'Bhakta vijaya' (the Victory of the devotee). Within each story of more than 21 saints are some details of their lives, rich poetic imagery that thrills the heart, some cultural practices, different...

Meditation or Dhyaanam is an integral part of sadhana of a Vedanta student-disciple. Since meditation has entered the mainstream, many wrong ideas abound and hence sincere seekers are denied its many benefits. Is the goal of meditation to empty the mind? Is it meditation if the mind wanders? Will meditation solve all my problems? We explore the answers to these questions/myths in the light of Veda...

Our journey of accepting people is incomplete if it leaves the most important person out – oneself. What do you long to hear? What can you say to yourself? An open letter. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/283-forgiving-oneself-an-open-letter/ Our monthly newsletter - Aarsha Vidya Bharati - Jun 2024| Dharmam Śaraṇam Gacchāmi| Tīrthayātrā to Srisailam| Celebration of Ādi Śaṅkarāc...

We wrongly think that the big ‘aha’ moments of epiphanies while meditating or during a retreat make us see that life is sacred. Actually, the simple prayers and practices that, we do every day help us appreciate that all of life is sacred. Spread throughout the day, all of these 10-12 shlokas and practices will take less than ten minutes and on top of it, one has sanctified one’s day. To see a sim...

First, we become aware of how we depend on everyday non-religious rituals to provide structure, comfort, and meaning to our lives. Second, we understand why we developed a distaste for religious rituals and Third, we appreciate some of the rituals in Hinduism that help us to discover the inherent sacredness of our lives. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/281-are-rituals-necessary...

In the endless striving to attain wealth, power and scale the height of pleasure, is there anything that, we tend to overlook? How does the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedic tradition look upon a truly accomplished being? We find out. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/why-you-are-greater-than-all-your-achievements/ Our latest newsletter - Aarsha Vidya Bharati - May 2024 - Jaya Jaya Sha...

Is there a stotram (devotional set of verses) composed by Adi Shankaracharya that laments one's helpless condition, seeks divine protection, surrenders to Bhagavan, lays out the stumbling blocks in one's spiritual journey and invokes the urgency of enquiry into samsaara - all at once! It is Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram! Just as Prahlada, Narayana's beloved devotee was prot...

When there seems no way out of suffering, Bhagavan always appears in the most mysterious of forms to bless his devotees. We see this in the events leading to Hiranyakashipu who determined to kill his son Prahlada, challenges the very existence of God and the 4th manifestation of Vishnu appears as Bhagavan Narasimha. And how! To read the podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/278-narasimha...

That moment when we saw all that is here is one, The harmony that we have built in our relationships with Karma Yoga, The care and connection we feel, because of Vedanta. All of the above is thanks to someone you have n't met in person but who has helped you know and enjoy yourself and the world - Jagadguru Adi Shankacaracharya. What are his 10 key contributions to Hinduism/Sanatana Dharma? Th...

Jeeva, a 45-year-old, believes that many key people are to be blamed for his life turning out the way it did. He goes to court, hurling accusations at his parents, friends, partner, CEO of his company, and social media. The judge listens to all the witnesses and contributors to Jeeva's life and pronounces the verdict while giving many life lessons. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyana...

Composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankararachya, Hanumat Pancharatnam is a stotram of five gems in praise of Hanuman, the greatest bhakta/devotee of Bhagavan Rama. Hanuman has become the beloved of all due to his unparalleled courage, power and devotion. When one prays to him, he is very quick to respond, especially as he still roams the earth as one of the 7 chiranjeevis. The phalashruti, (verse mention...

Composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya which makes it all the more special and powerful, Sri Rama Bhujanga Prayata Stotram is a set of 26 devotional verses dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Rama. The Stotram beautifully unfolds the unchanging nature of Sri Rama that is Brahman, the limitless being, Sri Rama as Bhagavan and Sri Rama as a relational, deeply loved and revered embodiment of Dharma. Our journey of...

Much before we discover Bhagavan through the many stories, prayers and stotrams embedded in the way of life, or even our gurus, we find and look up to our role models.  We are constantly influenced by those we admire, aspire to be like, or seek guidance from, w hether we are consciously aware of it or not. And so, when our role models are chosen consciously their thoughts, behaviour, teachings are...

Very often we tend to react mechanically and then lament - Why did I say or do the wrong thing? Why did I not do/say the right thing? Here are some points to consider based on the Bhagavad Gita so that we start responding thereby increasing our mastery in life. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/272-how-to-stop-reacting-and-start-responding/ Details of the upcoming Dhyaanam course...

Prahlada was the son of an asura Hiranyakashipu and due to a set of unique circumstances found himself to be devoted deeply to Bhagavan Narayana. His bhakti, devotion was so steadfast that all attempts to dissuade him including attempts to kill him did not work. What wisdom did he share with his own father and his friends? We look into it, through a section of the Bhagavatam. Podcast transcript -...

In part 1 we heard about some of the different sadhanas/religious disciplines mentioned in the Gita. Bhagavan helps us see what these can achieve and what they cannot and explains why jnana yajna is the best yajna or sadhana. This is part two of a two part series on sadhanas/yajnas. Podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/270-which-is-the-best-sadhana-yajna-in-the-gita-part-2-of-2/ Thank y...

Although many claims about the efficacy of different sadhanas/religious disciplines are made, the Bhagavad Gita surprises us by telling us the best yajna. In the fourth chapter, Bhagavan reveals other sadhanas/yajnas and helps us see what they can achieve and what they cannot. This is part one of a two part series on sadhanas. Podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/269-which-is-the-best-s...

In composing this stotram of five verses Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya relates the five syllables - na-ma-shi-va-ya , to Bhagavan Shiva’s glories and his unchanging nature. He initiates us into chanting the mantra and also evokes a sweet surrender in us. The podcast transcript - https://arshavidyananda.in/268-shiva-panchakshara-stotram-its-meaning-and-powerful-blessing/ Aarsha Vidya Bharati - Mar 2...

Composed by Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya, this set of five verses highlights the power of offering puja with just your mind. This is not a substitute for a regular puja rather an addition to make one's bhakti and absorption deeper. First, we hear the story of the origins of the Hridyaleeshwarar temple in Chennai and its connection with a sadhu's maanasam puja and then we dwell on the m...

We love and thrive on our experiences and crave for more. Vedanta helps us question if experience is indeed our reality. Through an enquiry into the three states of experience - waking, dream and deep sleep, we discover the unchanging I that is present in all experiences but untouched by all experiences. Sounds like a contradiction? It is the un-negatable truth about you. In the process we also me...

The vision of Vedanta is that you are Brahman, the limitless being. It is not possible to see this wisdom without the grace of Brahman himself or herself as Bhagavati. It is not possible to see this wisdom without seeing the world as a manifestation of Brahman. And so we worship the wisdom and intelligence permeating the world as Devi Sharada or Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom to bless us, especi...