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