About this episode
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati - Karma, Free Will & Moksha 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. Website YouTube Channel Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group 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