Vedanta Talks - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

This session was recorded on Oct 25, 2022.

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us

This video is part of the Avadhūta Gītā Spiritual Retreat presented by the Vedanta Study Circle of Boston (AVG).

This recording is Session 2 of the retreat and explores the timeless teachings of the Avadhūta Gītā under the guidance of Swami Sarvapriyananda.

Shared with the kind permission of the Vedanta Study Circle of Boston (AVG). Our sincere gratitude to the organizers, volunteers, and all who helped make this retreat possible.

Vedanta Study Circle of Boston YouTube Channel    / @vedanta_studycircle_boston  

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

This video is part of the Avadhūta Gītā Spiritual Retreat presented by the Vedanta Study Circle of Boston (AVG).

This recording is Session 1 of the retreat and explores the timeless teachings of the Avadhūta Gītā under the guidance of Swami Sarvapriyananda.

Shared with the kind permission of the Vedanta Study Circle of Boston (AVG). Our sincere gratitude to the organizers, volunteers, and all who helped make this retreat possible. Vedanta Study Circle of Boston YouTube Channel    / @vedanta_studycircle_boston  

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http...

Join Swami Sarvapriyananda and the late Padma Shri Prof. Robert Thurman as they engage in a dialogue exploring the nature of consciousness through the lenses of Vedanta, Buddhism, and Madhyamika philosophy. A thought-provoking conversation on reality, self, and the deeper questions of human existence.

This is a session from the International Conference on Vedanta at Stony Brook University in May 2026, organized by Vedanta Forum (https://www.vedantaforum.org). This dialog moderated by Mukunda Raghavan, is being posted here with their kind permission. Our sincere gratitude to the organizing team for making this event possible.<...

Swami Anubhavananda is a renowned Vedanta teacher known for his joyful and practical message of “Be Happy.” He served as an acharya (teacher) at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai, a postgraduate academy for Vedantic studies, and is the founder of the Sat Bhavana Trust.

He is widely respected for his engaging and insightful discourses on the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Srimad Bhagavatam, Panchadashi, Tripura Rahasya, and other spiritual texts. He has conducted numerous retreats and programs for adults and children under the theme “Mauj Mein Raho” (“Be Happy”).

Swami Anubha...

Pravrajika Shuddhatmaprana is an ordained nun of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, and is currently posted at the Vivekananda Retreat in Ridgely, New York (https://ridgely.org). For many years, Shuddhatmaprana has been active in the publication work of the Ramakrishna Order, editing numerous books and articles. She has also written many articles and is the author of two books – The Divine World of the Alvars and Indian Saints and Mystics.

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us

Dr. Aleksandar Uskokov is Senior Lector in Sanskrit in the South Asian Studies Council. He works in Indian philosophy and the history of ideas, primarily in the traditions of Vedānta, Mīmāṁsā, and Vaishnavism. He holds a PhD in South Asian Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago, and a BA and an MA in philosophy from the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. His most recent book publication is The Philosophy of The Brahma-sutra: An Introduction from Bloomsbury Academic. Aleksandar has also published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, the Journal of Hindu...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

This session was recorded on Oct 18, 2022.

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

This session was recorded on Oct 4, 2022.

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us

Swami Sarvapriyananda continues teaching verse 6 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 7

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूत: सनातन: |

मन:षष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति || 7||

mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ

manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati

The embodied souls in this material world are My eternal fragmental parts. But bound by material nature, they are struggling with the six senses including the mind.

____________

Chapter...

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

This session was recorded on May 31, 2022.

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Apr 12th, 2026.

List of questions with timestamps:

00:00 - Invocation and opening

01:40 — Is enlightenment just a brain event, or different from dissociation and neurological experiences?

19:17 — How does one move from witness-consciousness to Turiya in practice?

29:31 — What should one do when mantra japa brings up disturbing thoughts and impurities?

40:41 — If awareness and experience seem mutually dependent, how can awareness be the ultimate reality?

51:22 — How should a student deal with pressure, competition, and still find...

Swami Sarvapriyananda delivers a talk on the fundamental nature of consciousness at ‪@southparkcommons‬ : https://www.southparkcommons.com/

Using the simple framework of C + O = E (Consciousness + Object = Experience) he unpacks ancient insights from Advaita Vedanta. He explores how our true self is the unchanging witness to the ever-changing objects of the world—including our own bodies and minds. The core talk is followed by a Q&A session exploring the intersection of these spiritual truths with modern dilemmas, including AI, the "hard problem" of consciousness, and practical habits for finding focus and fearlessness in daily life.

0:00...

Dr. Janki Santoke explores the Vedantic understanding of happiness, explaining that lasting joy cannot be found in external objects, achievements, relationships, or even spiritual institutions, but must be discovered and cultivated within oneself. She defines happiness as the cessation of mental agitation, traces agitation to desire, and shows how Vedanta offers a practical path through karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga to purify the mind, sharpen the intellect, reduce desires, and move toward true peace, self-mastery, and ultimately Self-realization.

Dr. Janki Santoke (PhD, Philosophy) is a senior disciple of world-renowned guru, Swami A...

Swami Sarvapriyananda continues teaching verse 6 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 6

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावक: |

यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम || 6||

na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ

yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

Neither the sun nor the moon, nor fire can illumine that Supreme Abode of Mine. Having gone There, one does not return to this material world again.

...

Swami Sarvapriyananda continues teaching verse 5 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 5

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा

अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामा: |

द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ता: सुखदु:खसंज्ञै

र्गच्छन्त्यमूढा: पदमव्ययं तत् || 5||

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣhā

adhyātma-nityā vinivṛitta-kāmāḥ

dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-sanjñair

gachchhanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat

⧫ Free from pride and delusion, overcoming the evil of attachment, ever devoted to spiritual pursuits, rid of desires and the dual throng named pleasure and pain, the wise go to the immutable goal.

_________________

...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reflects on the Bhagavad Gita’s image of the “axe of non-attachment,” showing how renunciation is not a negative rejection of life but a turning from the lower to the higher. He explains that true detachment means loosening the hold of worldly desires, ego, and endless striving so that one can direct life toward God-realization, freedom, and immortality.

00:00 - Invocation

00:46 - Easter, immortality, and the promise of religion

02:46 - The axe of non-attachment in the Bhagavad Gita

06:34 - Christ as an ideal of renunciation

09:40 - Renu...

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

Swami Sarvapriyananda explores how modern science, especially neuroscience, consciousness studies, and AI, is beginning to circle back to questions Vedanta has examined for centuries. The lecture shows that while science has become increasingly sophisticated in studying the brain and mental processes, the fundamental mystery of consciousness remains unresolved, and Vedantic insights may offer a deeper framework for understanding it.

00:00 - Introduction

00:50 - Consciousness and Vedanta

03:19 - Science and spirituality must meet

09:04 - The hard problem of consciousness

21:31 - Why neuroscience still has not solved consciousness

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Mar 29th, 2026.

List of questions with timestamps:

00:00 - Invocation and opening

01:32 - Why Vedanta first says you are consciousness and not body-mind if everything is Brahman anyway.

22:05 - How to distinguish pure Self from awareness that seems to arise through body and mind.

50:48 - If I am only consciousness and a witness, what is the meaning of life and experience.

01:00:48 - Why Vivekananda’s emphasis on service can seem different from Sri Ra...

Divine Personalities | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda’s offers an inspiring overview of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s life, from his early brilliance in Navadvipa to his transformation into a world-teacher of ecstatic devotion. The talk highlights Chaitanya’s message of divine love, the chanting of God’s name, and his enduring influence on bhakti spirituality.

• 0:00 Opening prayer and introduction

• 2:00 Birth, early life, and scholarship in Navadvipa

• 11:00 Spiritual transformation at Gaya

• 13:00 Kirtan, devotion, and the power of God’s name

• 27:30 Jagai and Madhai; Chaitanya’s compassion

• 32:00 Renunciation and journey to Puri

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

Swami Sarvapriyananda continues teaching verses 1-4 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 1||

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

⧫ The Blessed Lord said, "They speak of the immutable Ashwatham tree, with its roots above and its branches below, whose leaves are the Vedas." He who knows it is the knower of the Ved...

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest and most foundational Principal Upanishads of Hinduism, is being taught in this lecture series by Swami Sarvapriyananda. Belonging to the Śukla Yajurveda and forming the concluding portion of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, its name means “the great forest.” The text comprises six chapters organized into the Madhu, Yājñavalkya (Muni), and Khila kāṇḍas, and is tenth in the traditional canon of 108 Upanishads. Renowned for its profound nondual philosophy, it includes the celebrated dialogue between Yājñavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, where all love is shown to be ultimately directed toward th...

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest and most foundational Principal Upanishads of Hinduism, is being taught in this lecture series by Swami Sarvapriyananda. Belonging to the Śukla Yajurveda and forming the concluding portion of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, its name means “the great forest.” The text comprises six chapters organized into the Madhu, Yājñavalkya (Muni), and Khila kāṇḍas, and is tenth in the traditional canon of 108 Upanishads. Renowned for its profound nondual philosophy, it includes the celebrated dialogue between Yājñavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, where all love is shown to be ultimately directed toward th...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches verses 1-4 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 1||

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

⧫ The Blessed Lord said, "They speak of the immutable Ashwatham tree, with its roots above and its branches below, whose leaves are the Vedas." He who knows it is the knower of the Vedas.

In this lecture, Rabbi Benjamin Spratt reflects on the human search for the Divine through the lens of Jewish theology, exploring how uncertainty, questioning, and evolving ideas of God are central to authentic spiritual life. Drawing on Jewish thought and interfaith dialogue, he suggests that faith is not about rigid certainty but about a continuing journey of inquiry, humility, and deeper connection with the sacred.

Rabbi Benjamin Spratt grew up in Salt Lake City and was ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in May 2008, with a concentration in Jewish Philosophy. In his years...

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest and most foundational Principal Upanishads of Hinduism, is being taught in this lecture series by Swami Sarvapriyananda. Belonging to the Śukla Yajurveda and forming the concluding portion of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, its name means “the great forest.” The text comprises six chapters organized into the Madhu, Yājñavalkya (Muni), and Khila kāṇḍas, and is tenth in the traditional canon of 108 Upanishads. Renowned for its profound nondual philosophy, it includes the celebrated dialogue between Yājñavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, where all love is shown to be ultimately directed toward th...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

This session was recorded on May 3, 2022.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest and most foundational Principal Upanishads of Hinduism, is being taught in this lecture series by Swami Sarvapriyananda. Belonging to the Śukla Yajurveda and forming the concluding portion of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, its name means “the great forest.” The text comprises six chapters organized into the Madhu, Yājñavalkya (Muni), and Khila kāṇḍas, and is tenth in the traditional canon of 108 Upanishads. Renowned for its profound nondual philosophy, it includes the celebrated dialogue between Yājñavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, where all love is shown to be ultimately directed toward th...

Prof. Jeffery Long is the Carl W. Ziegler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies at Elizabeth Town College, Pennsylvania, where he has taught since receiving his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago's School of Divinity in 2000. He has written many books and articles, including Hinuism in America, A Convergence of Worlds, which won the Rajendra & Jyoti Award for Theology, Philosophy, and Critical Engagement in 2022. His latest book is Discovering Indian Philosophy: An Introduction to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Thought. This year, he published a volume of Hindu Primary Sources with his colleague, Dr. Ravi Gupta, with Oxford...

Swami Sarvapriyananda explores the Vedantic ideal of the harmony of religions as taught by Sri Ramakrishna and interpreted by Swami Vivekananda, showing that religions are not identical but diverse paths suited to different human temperaments, all leading toward the same ultimate reality. Moving beyond mere tolerance, the lecture emphasizes acceptance grounded in spiritual experience, highlighting Sri Ramakrishna’s direct realization of God through multiple religious traditions as the foundation for genuine interfaith harmony.

Intro Music Credit :    • Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram Violin Cover | र...  

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York

http://www...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."

Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches verses 1-4 from the fifteenth chapter, entitled Purushottama Yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Being, of the Bhagavad Gita. This series of talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Bhagavad Gita, 'the Song of God,' unfolds the highest truths of Vedanta.

____________

Chapter 15, Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 1||

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

⧫ The Blessed Lord said, "They speak of the immutable Ashwatham tree, with its roots above and its branches below, whose leaves are the Vedas." He who knows it is the knower of the Vedas.

n this exploration of the Shanti Mantra Purnamadah Purnamidam, Swami Sarvapriyananda reflects on the meaning of “The Infinite Alone Remains,” explaining that the same infinite reality (Purnam) appears as God, the world, and our own true Self . Drawing from the Upanishads and the life of Sri Ramakrishna, he shows that the infinite is beyond all limitations of space, time, and object—yet is fully present here and now. The lecture reveals how Vedanta resolves the apparent difference between the individual and the divine, culminating in the insight that the one infinite reality alone exists, expressing itself in countless forms.

<...

Inside the Dream of Vasistha: The Fusion of Trika and Advaita Vedanta in the Yogavasistha by Prof. Sthaneshwar Timalsina

Dr. Sthaneshwar Timalsina received academic and philological training from Mahendra Sanskrit University in Kathmandu; Sampurnananda Sanskrit University in Varanasi; as well as Martin Luther University in Germany, where he acquired his Ph.D. in Classical Indian Philosophy. While working on his dissertation, Dr. Timalsina taught at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Washington University in St. Louis. Since 2005, he taught in both the Department for the Study of Religions and the Department of Philosophy at San Diego...

Swami Sarvapriyananda reads and discusses the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is an English translation of the Bengali spiritual text Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita by Swami Nikhilananda. The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."