Swami Tattwamayananda expounds Maitreyi-Brahmana of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in a series of three lectures given online at the Vedanta Society of Northern California from 9/4/2021 - 9/6/2021.

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Vedanta Society of Northern California
www.sfvedanta.org

Swami Tattwamayananda expounds Maitreyi-Brahmana of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in a series of three lectures given online at the Vedanta Society of Northern California from 9/4/2021 - 9/6/2021.

All Rights Reserved.
Vedanta Society of Northern California
www.sfvedanta.org

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on March 7th, 2021.

-The idea of religious universality, that all religions can lead to the same transcendental experience of unity, has entered into the modern world thanks to the influence of Sri Ramakrishna.
-Sri Ramakrishna was able to reach the highest Advaitic experience in only three days under the instruction of Tota Puri.
-This immediate realization comes when the disciple is fully concentrated on realizing the truth.
-Ordinary seekers may need to practice concentration on the meaning of the highest Vedantic statements for some time before these ideas go from being only a doctrine or a concept to becoming an experience.
-The waters of the various rivers mingle into one body of water. In the same way, the material of all religions is the same spiritual reality. An Advaitin can no longer be in conflict with any religion because he is not separate from anybody.
-Sri Ramakrishna’s experience was the very embodiment of the ancient Vedantic revelations.
-In modern times, according to Arnold Toynbee, this universal trend is shaping the trajectory of civilization. Directly or indirectly, Sri Ramakrishna’s nondual practice is the source.
This lecture was delivered at the Vedanta Society of Northern California on March 10, 2013.

Verses: 82-96
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on July 14, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
-An elaborate analysis of the non-self (anatman). Descriptions of sthula-sharira (gross body) and sukshma-sharira (subtle body) are provided.
-Comparisons to Buddhist interpretation of anatman. Concept of Sunyata in Buddhism is not nothingness – rather it refers to the indescribability of the Absolute Reality.
-Anatma is made of three parts: (1) Sthula-sharira (2) Sukshma-sharira and (3) Karana-sharira
82nd verse: if one wants liberation, one should reject all kinds of desires for material enjoyment, and stay away from them, as one would stay away from poison. Take to contentment, kindness, forgiveness, truth and peace.
A householder who does not strive for dharma, artha, kama through proper means is considered “adharmi”. Sri Ramakrishna and Hazra’s story is discussed. Hazra ignored his duty towards his mother, wife and children to pursue a spiritual life – he was scolded by Sri Ramakrishna for ignoring his duty as a householder.
Begin by desisting from doing what you are not supposed to do. Eventually, you will be able to do what you are supposed to do.
85th verse: Obsessive attachment to sensory pleasures without a spiritual ideal is “moha”. Moha conceals the reality and projects the wrong idea. Moha can lead to spiritual death. Only those who give up moha deserve mukti.
-87th verse: Gross body is detestable as it is composed of skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow and bones. If we touched those things, we would wash our hands. However, the same gross body is a great asset, as it is what we use to achieve liberation. The journey beyond the body needs the body itself.
Kalidasa-Kumara-Sambhava story of Shiva and Uma is discussed. Shiva advises Uma to not ignore the gross body as she pursues austerities.
96th verse: Sukshma-Sharira has eight units: (1) Five organs of perception (2) Five organs of action (3) Five pranas (4) Five subtle elements (5) Antahkarna – mana, buddhi, chitta, ahamkara (6) Avidya (7) Kama and (8) Karma.
Sukshma-sharira defines one’s personality. Gandhi’s example is discussed as stark contrast between sthula and sukshma sharira.
 Vritti is residual effect in mental system from any thought, deed or speech. Vritti => Samskara => Vasana => Karma form a continuous cycle.
 Story of Vyadha Gita is discussed to illustrate path to liberation as a householder.
-Mahendra nath Gupta’s story is discussed – Sri Ramakrishna advises him to stay as a householder and pursue his spiritual journey. He had great respect for monks.
A householder needs to follow the path of dharma in his pursuit of artha and kama. This helps him understand the limitations of artha/kama and have a higher ideal.

Verses: 77 – 80
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on July 7, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

-There are five methods of verbalization or description. Atman is beyond all such verbalization.
-Since Atman is beyond description, Vivekachudamani takes the approach of “neti, neti” or “via negativa” in Christian Theology. It describes everything that it is not, so that what is left out is Atman.
-Atman transcends all descriptions but it is not devoid of all characteristics.
-Sense-objects are more poisonous than the poison of a snake because just seeing such an object can create mental slavery to that object.
-We are often unable to get out of a negative infatuation despite our intellectual knowledge that it is harmful to us (Dostoyevsky's creative fiction is given as an example).
-Even a person who has mastered the six schools of orthodox Indian philosophy may not be able to get out of negative infatuation. We live not at the intellectual level but at the mental level.
-Shankaracharya tells us to develop our inner faculties and become aware of the way out of our problems.
-Superficial renunciation is denounced. At the first stage, we become aware of the need to get away from an undesirable thing. At the second stage, we move towards something positive. We develop a spiritual common sense: the ability to have all success yet realize its inherent limitations.
-A householder develops this inner renunciation through associating with these holy ideas and spiritually minded people. Spirituality has value for people in all walks of life.

This lecture was given on June 28, 2019 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

- Swamiji admired the merits of modern western secular educational system, like its emphasis on humanism, innovation, human rights, egalitarian and democratic values, utilization of science and technology, etc.
- Swami Vivekananda's positive approach and constructive criticism of the Western and Eastern models of education; a harmony of the positive elements of both.
- Education for evolving healthy social and political institutions.
- Civilizations, like individuals, go through the successive stages of birth, adolescence, decay and destruction
- Two approaches to social transformation:
(a) Evolution, which is a natural constructive growth from within and,
(b) Revolution, which is unnatural, often destructive and is a change imposed from outside
- He recommended a harmonious blending of the very best of the secular modern, Greco-Roman, Western, scientific and technological values and the best of Eastern, traditional and spiritual values.
- Vivekananda's most well-known definition of education was this: "Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man."
-Education should be for character building, nation building, and man making, training of the whole personality.
-Swami Vivekananda says, “You cannot teach a child any more you can grow a plant, all you can do is on the negative side. You can only help. You can take away obstacles but knowledge comes out of its own nature. Education should involve training in spiritual and cultural values. Swamiji’s definition: “We must have life-building, man-making, character-building assimilation of ideas.”
-Education in practice implies removing the obstacles that stand in the way of unfoldment of perfection already in all of us.
-Such an education should make us sensitive to the needs of the society in which we live and we become sensitive to our own obligations to our fellow beings living around us.
- Swamiji's reference to the transformative impact on the conditions of the Irish migrants who came to America in the 19th-century
-The best of Realism and the best of Idealism.
-This would be the foundation of an ideal educational system.
- Swamiji’s criticism of placing too much emphasis on secular values to the exclusion of the spiritual ideals.
- Swamiji says, "All knowledge is inherent in man." (He refers to Newton's discovery of gravitation)
-According to religion, interpreted and understood as spirituality should be the 'core subject' of education. (in contrast to some of the views advocated by Western educational thinkers like J.F. Herbart, Froebel, John Dewey. etc.)
- But Swamiji was in full agreement with some of these Western thinkers in totally rejecting John Locke's theory of 'tabula rasa', though this view goes back some of the ancient Greek philosophers.
- Integrating some of the values of ancient Indian education with modern educational system: the 'GURUKULA' system:
- An ancient convocation address from the Vedic period: " मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ।" (तैत्तिरीयोपनिषत्)
- Nature, the great educator
- Stress on family values: the sacredness and sanctity of the institution of the family, like respect to the parents, teachers, guests, etc.
- Evolution of education: from information to knowledge to wisdom to 'Prajna'
- आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्य स्वमेधया |
पादं सब्रह्मचारिभ्य: पादं काल क्रमेण च ||
- Managing the fruits of education
- "I learn as long as I live"
- The importance of श्रद्धा in education
- Sanctity and sacredness of the spoken word; need for moderation in speech and choice of the vocabulary.
-It should not promote national fanaticism. It should inculcate constructive and creative patriotism based on humanistic values: वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्
- Education should emphasize humanities, (study of language, literature, history philosophy, art, religion etc.) along with science and technology.
- Poet Kalidasa on moderation in the use of spoken words: मितं च सारं च वचो हि वाग्मिता । (attributed to the ancient Sanskrit poet Kalidasa)
(True eloquence is the correct, concise and meaningful use of words)
- An illustration from Valmiki's Sanskrit classic Ramayana: Hanuman's eloquence:
- The glorious examples of the American transcendentalists
- An illustration of the invocation the Goddess of learning in the ancient Gurukula system of education

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on June 30, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
Verses: 66-76
-The first stage of spiritual life is discrimination between the real and unreal (nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka). Nitya means Atman or unchanging Absolute Reality. Anitya means “the changing” or non-eternal.
-Avidya is the absence of knowledge of the absolute truth. When we are in the spell of Avidya, we have desires and we direct our efforts towards the fulfillment of those desires.
-An elaborate analysis of the Non-Self (anatman). Descriptions of sthula-sharira (gross body) & sukshma-sharira (subtle body) are provided. Strive to go beyond the cycle of birth and death and put your own effort towards experiencing the absolute truth. We have to think of ourselves as beyond the body and mind. Atman is our true identity.
-Life of Tulsidas is briefly discussed.
-A spiritual seeker should develop dispassion to anitya and not assign permanence to what is impermanent. The Buddhist concept of Trishna – desire for impermanent things – is discussed.
-Raga-Dvesha is discussed. Raga is an obsessive desire for something that we know is harmful to us, but we are not able to get out of it. Dvesha is obsessive hatred towards someone or something, that one is not able to get out of. Both are types of enslavements.
-Conflicts are natural to the mind; the mind is full of momentary thoughts and one cannot determine what thought will emerge next. To make the mind steady, one should not fight the conflicting thoughts – rather one should direct the mind toward a higher goal.
-When sense objects guide our senses, which guide our mind, which guides our life – our life loses its direction. Our mind then is our tormenter, our worst enemy.
-Example of dangers of guided from sense objects is provided from the animal kingdom. Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-When one observes their thoughts, they become a witness and are no longer attached to the thought and not affected by it. To become mindful, one has to go beyond the mind.
-A spiritual seeker should practice the six disciplines discussed earlier in Vivekachudamani. These six disciplines take to “Prasada” – inner contentment. Good, noble, unselfish deeds also take one to “Prasada”. Example of helping a blind man crossing the street is provided. Inner contentment is a sign that mind is our friend.

The lecture was given on December 5, 2015, at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Bird's eye view of the four Mahavakyas in the Upanishad is provided, with deep dive on first Mahavakya: "Tat Tvam Asi"
-Four Mahavakyas are: (1)Tat Tvam Asi, from Chandogya Upanishad in Sama Veda (2)Prajnanam Brahma, from Aitareya Upanishad in Rig Veda (3)Ayam Atma Brahma, from Mandukya Upanishad in Atharva Veda (4)Aham Brahma Asmi, from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in Yajur Veda
-The statements tell us who we are and what the universal truth is. The four represent the four stages of evolution in the spiritual evolution of the seeker, starting with Tat Tvam Asi and culminating in Aham Brahma Asmi, which represent complete union with the whole spiritual universe.
-Tat Tvam Asi is updesa-vakya and Aham Brahma Asi is anubhuti-vakya.
-Story of Uddalaka and Shvetaketu is discussed. True learning makes one wise and humble. Information + knowledge = wisdom. In the process of teaching Shvetaketu, Uddalaka utters: "Tat Tvam Asi" and repeats it eight more times during his instructions
-Meaning of Tat Tvam Asi: "The essence of the whole creation, the one supreme reality, the Atman - resides in all of us. It is omnipresent, all-pervading and is our own inner Self. It is not far away". God is not a person who creates the world and sits outside – the whole of humanity is one spiritual family.
-Discussion on why Swami Vivekananda only taught from the Upanishads. In those days, there were fanatic beliefs and people were looking for a universal spiritual paradigm. Swamiji realized that every religion had some level of universal truth. By teaching them Vedanta, he could help people realize the essence of their religion.
-True religion has two elements: (1) it teaches universal, spiritual humanism and (2) it presents a scientific analysis of who we are
-Belief is not the foundation of true religion. Experience is.
-Discussion on how to interpret Mahavakyas. We cannot take the meaning literally. Rather the implied meaning has to be understood. "That thou art" - thou refers to the Atman within.
-What a student should do after listening to "Tat Tvam Asi" - contemplate on the meaning, meditate, begin to lead a pure life, do unselfish deeds. The student should go through a spiritual preparation, which makes him fit for the knowledge. Theoretical knowledge should culminate in experience, and this evolution is represented by the four Mahavakyas.
-Four stages of a spiritual seeker's evolution: (1) Rituals and prayers (2) Conviction in the truth (3) Glimpse of the higher truth (4) Experience of the truth

Verse: 59, 60, 61, 62, 66, 69
Topics:
-Study of scriptures is the means, not the goal. The goal is spiritual liberation.
-Shravanam, Mananam, and Swanubhuti are discussed. Intellectual study of scriptures, by itself, is of no use. Spiritual journey starts with ideas from the scriptures. Deeper contemplation of these ideas is needed, which then provides one their own inner experience.
-Scriptures are of no use once the highest experience is realized. After achieving that state, one may still read scriptures because of their natural inclination to do so.
-Just like medicine removes the poison from a snake bite, spiritual knowledge is the only medicine for spiritual ignorance.
-Just belief does not give experience. Belief should become a deep conviction, which then turns into an experience.
-When one feels a great attraction for scriptures, it comes from some degree of their own experience.
-The spiritual bank balance is discussed. Fruits of spiritual practice are never lost. It even carries over across lives, where one is born with their past good samskaras. Even a little experience now, will become a real experience later.
-To treat spiritual ignorance, one has to practice seven disciplines, discussed previously in the Vivekachudamani.
-The first discipline is a sense of dispassion for things that are impermanent, Cause of unhappiness is assigning permanence to something that is inherently impermanent.

Lecture given on June 9, 2019 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-An overview of Dhammapada is provided. Few verses are discussed in depth from Yamaka-vaggo and Brahmana-vaggo.
-Dhammapada: most popular and condensed summary of Buddha's teachings. Profound for any spiritual seeker & not tied to a religion. Captures Buddha's responses to questions from disciples. Each verse is accompanied by a story.
-Buddhism is popular because it is simple, straightforward, psychological and not tied to any dogmas. Dhammapada provides a taste of spiritual freedom (Vimukti). How to achieve liberation of the mind from all bondage and suffering.
-Four noble truths: Suffering, cause of suffering, the way out is Nirvana, achieved by eight-fold disciplines.
-Eight fold disciplines are: Right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right view and right resolve.
-Buddha's concept of Dukkha is explained: discontent in the midst of luxuries qualifies one for the quest for freedom. It is a desire for something higher.
-Buddha's own story and quest for freedom is discussed.
-1st verse of Yamaka-Vaggo is discussed in depth. "Mind is what matters. Mind precedes all actions". Story of Buddhist monk is discussed who loses his vision, walks over termites, and yet is non-attached to the killing of termites due to purity of his mind.
-Adjoining verse of the 1st verse is discussed: "If mind is pure, happiness follows". Story of a miserly person is discussed, whose son reaches celestial abode upon seeing Buddha and feels tranquility while dying.
-422nd verse of Brahmana-Vaggo is discussed: "Who has realized the supreme truth, who has conquered death, who has realized his real nature, and who is devoid of any wrong thoughts - Him I call Brahmana". Similarities with the 18 verses of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita on the Sthitaprajna are discussed. Reinforced with the story of Angulimala, who achieves Nirvana upon meeting Buddha.
-Last verse (423) of Brahmana-vaggo is briefly discussed: "Has the capacity to transcend his past impressions and samskaras and attain Nirvana - Him I call Brahmana". The concept of being a Brahmin has nothing to with the social institution of caste in this context.

Verses: 49-59
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on June 9, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
Topics covered:
-Seven questions from the disciple on bondage, its causes and how to free oneself from bondage?
-Spiritual liberation is an individual journey. Through community effort, we cannot have community of Jivan-muktas. Analogies are provided to explain this.
-Absolute reality can be known through the eye of spiritual clarity (बोधचाक्षुष). Spiritual clarity is achieved through purification of the mind (चित्त शुद्धि) and by pursuing disciplines such as: discrimination between what is real and what is not real, renunciation of empirical things, self control, strong longing for liberation, listening to scriptures, understanding the meaning of scriptures and contemplating on the essence of scriptures.
-A scholar only helps provide intellectual conviction. Aparoksha-anubhuti is only possible through individual efforts.
-Avidya is the central cause of ignorance. Avidya leads to Kama (desire) which leads to Karma to fulfill that desire. If desires are left, one is born again to fulfill that desire. Jata-Bharata story is discussed. A king is born as a deer in his next life, due to his strong affection for a baby deer.
-Yoga, Sankhya and Karma-Yoga only take one to Chitta-Shuddhi, not to liberation. Liberation is achieved when Chitta-Shuddhi leads to Jnana-prapti, which leads to Moksha (identity with Brahman).
-Sakama-karma (karma for material prosperity) does not lead to Chitta-Shuddhi. Chitta-Shuddhi can be achieved by Karma-Nishtha (Karma-Yoga), where the fruits of action are renounced.
-The study of Vedanta is unique. Even to understand an elementary verse, the entire knowledge of Vedanta is needed. This is why Vedanta should be studied from a teacher who is fit.
-Four stages of shabda- Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti, and Para - are discussed. Vaikhari is explicitly uttering of mantras with a loud voice. Madhyama involves only lip movement. Pashyanti is mental and involves identification with the meaning of the mantra. Para is the highest form of prayer.
-Deva and Rishi rin (debt) are discussed. Swadhyaya is more meaningful once these debts are paid pack. Rishi debt can be paid back by passing the knowledge to others and the next generation.
-Scriptural study leads to chitta-shuddhi but does not grant liberation. After liberation, scriptures are not needed.
-Association with holy people helps in the individual spiritual journey. Individual contemplation and meditation is needed in addition to holy company.

This is the first lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda from a three-part lecture series on the essence of Vedic philosophy. It was delivered on January 21, 2018 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California.
Swami Tattwamayananda discusses the following topics:
-The Vedas are scriptures for the whole of humanity, not for a particular religion. Vedic truths can be revealed to anyone who undertakes an inner spiritual journey. Truths that are revealed represent different levels of our evolution, which everyone should and can reach.
-Swami Tattwamayananda cites the examples of several Western thinkers and philosophers, who belonged to different religions, but whose lives were transformed when they came in contact with the Vedas.
-The Vedic concept of God is first discussed in negation: God does not have to be kept happy, does not have to be defended, does not sit in heaven, does not impose dos and don'ts, does not divide mankind into believers and non-believers.
-Max Müller’s five stages of the evolution of Godhead are discussed:
-Pantheism: God is equated with external world.
-Panentheism: God is the spirit within the external world.
-Polytheism: Behind every natural phenomenon, there is a divine power that regulates it.
-Henotheism: A particular deity is elevated to the status of almighty God. Example: Indra or Agni.
-Monotheism: God is the creator of the universe, supervises it and answers prayers.
-The Vedic concept of God transcends all these five stages. God is the divine reality that is present in all of us and the same God is present everywhere, and is the essence of all creation.
-The 3rd line of first mandala of Rigveda Samhita is discussed: “The Reality is one; the Truth is one; God is one; Sages approach Him, call Him and define Him in different ways using different languages and expressions”.
-The first few lines of Purusha-sukta are discussed: All-pervading reality is symbolically explained as having 1000 heads, 1000 feet and 1000 eyes. It means that all-pervading reality is present everywhere, is infinite and limitless. It is all-pervading through immanence. It has cosmic awareness. Purusha means “The Immanent Reality”
-As we evolve, our idea of God evolves: without to within, many to one, gross to subtle, monotheist to one that is present in all of us and everywhere.
-The Medha-suktam is discussed: Purified intellect is depicted as a Goddess who helps us evolve in our spiritual journey through a pure intellect and mind. A pure mind helps resolve the inherent conflict between the mind and the intellect.

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on February 21st, 2021.

This lecture was given on June 2, 2019 by Swami Tattwamayananda at the Vedanta Society of Northern California.
-Transcendentalism’s universal spirit paved the road for the 1893 Parliament of World's Religions and other spiritual/reform movements of the 19th century.
-A contrast is drawn between obsessive love of the new and the rejection of all new things. The Sanskrit poet Kalidasa wrote that we should examine everything and accept what should be accepted, whether it is old or new.
-Political, social, and economic freedom was not enough. America’s quest for freedom turned to a higher spiritual freedom, which naturally was universal in spirit.
-Comparison is made between Emerson’s statement that “nature is the greatest manifestation of the transcendental divine,” Thoreau’s statements, and mantras and dialogues from the Yajur Veda.

-Tapas means looking for a higher meaning by withdrawing the senses from external objects and doing introspection.
-From Thoreau’s Walden: "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagvat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial and I doubt if that philosophy is not to be referred to a previous state of existence, so remote is its sublimity from our conceptions. I lay down the book and go to my well for water, and lo! there I meet the servant of the Bramin, priest of Brahma and Vishnu and Indra, who still sits in his temple on the Ganges reading the Vedas, or dwells at the root of a tree with his crust and water jug. I meet his servant come to draw water for his master, and our buckets as it were grate together in the same well. The pure Walden water is mingled with the sacred water of the Ganges."
-Thoreau is doing tapas here. He connects with “Ritam,” the harmony of the whole existence.
-America responded to Oriental wisdom at the emotional level. Europe responded at the intellectual level.
-When the mind becomes pure, it is able to catch the true meaning of spiritual texts.
-An example is given of Emerson’s understanding of the idea of renouncing the fruits of action, not the action itself found in the Bhagavad Gita. He was able to connect with the ideas of karma, and svadharma. These interpretations even influenced Gandhi later.
-Transcendentalists felt that the tools of science and technology are a distraction from our true nature.
-Vedanta is the universal natural instinct of a spiritual mind. Look in your own mind, look in nature. You will find Ritam, the harmonizing link.
-America’s quest for freedom naturally leads to a quest for higher spiritual freedom.
-The transcendentalists and Vedanta both show that by connecting with the divine and sublime in nature, we are able connect with the divine spark within all of us.

Verses: 31-35, 49-53
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on June 2, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
-The highest bhakti ( is a natural effortless flow of the mind towards God. The six factors of surrender (शरणागति or प्रपत्ति) to God as described by Ramanuja are explained. For an advaitin, this bhakti is a means to the purification of the mind where Self-realization becomes inevitable.
-As we evolve, the divine qualities that we meditate upon enter into our own character and we begin to see unity everywhere. We are no longer able to do harm to anybody.
-The spiritual teacher, Guru, is the one who destroys our ignorance. Our spiritual nature is self-revealed. The analogy is that when a canal is cut, the water flows of itself.
-Some of the qualities of a perfect spiritual teacher are enumerated: 1)well-versed in the scriptures 2)sinless 3)teacher with no desire 4)a knower of Brahman 5) peaceful 6)with all desires burnt out 7)in possession of completely motiveless compassion 8)a friend who naturally and effortlessly helps those who seek refuge
-Real humility (प्रह्व) when approaching a teacher is not a slavish attitude but rather a polite dignified ability to stay one step below in order for wisdom to flow to the student.
-An aspirant will feel an inner discontentment because they have realized the reality of their bondage and the possibility of realizing something much higher. It is actually a positive attitude (मुमुक्षुत्व), not a wretched attitude.
-A strong warning is given that trying to practice sadhanas without respecting the teacher-disciple tradition (परम्परा) can lead to possible deviations or difficulties in spiritual life. The royal highway of following the teacher-disciple lineages is recommended.
-The seven great questions about reality are asked. The guru congratulates the student for becoming a genuine Vedantic aspirant and achieved their life’s purpose (कृतकृत्य). Their whole lineage has become spiritually uplifted, blessed, and purified by the aspirant. This displays the sacred dimension of family ties.
-The aspirant must make self-effort to remove their own spiritual bondage.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 27, 2019 as part of the program “Universal Spiritual Humanism: Swami Vivekananda and America’s Spiritual Transformation,” celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Historic Chicago Addresses at the First World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893.
-Swami Vivekananda's presentation of Vedanta was original, but Vedanta is as old as the Vedas.
-Do not believe somebody who says they have invented the truth. Truth is passed down in a succession of great teachers and avatars.
-Swami Vivekananda’s 9-minute Chicago Address emphasized that all religions merge when we reach the highest spiritual experience.
-He translated the verse from the Bhagavad Gita, “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”
-The foundation of ethics is not the fear of God but the unity of existence. Gandhi was able to see God both inside and outside the temple of God. Spirituality goes beyond religion.
-The highest devotee of God sees everything in God and God in everything. This was the essence of Swami Vivekananda's Bhakti Yoga. Every tradition produces people who have reached that level of spiritual experience. However, we reach that highest phase through the practice of rituals and temple worship.
-The greatness of Swami Vivekananda was that he always gave credit to his teacher and the ancient tradition.

This lecture was given on March 11, 2018 by Swami Tattwamayananda at the Vedanta Society of Northern California.
-Evolution in samskrti (culture) and pariskrti (civilization) are not always linked. The culture of science and technology can be a cultural suicide.
-We may lose the power of mananam (deep thought) unless we learn to wield science and technology as a tool in our hands rather than as slaves.
-Since information technology quickly changes, it narrows the focus towards only short-term goals for success and happiness. Psychological problems cannot be solved at the mental level. We can get only temporary relief and we constantly have to remain active.
-The total negligence of the classics is a real problem for education because our attitudes and emotions don’t get refined.
-Four purusarthas (dharma, kama, artha, moksha) are given in Hinduism. The pursuit of kama and artha should be regulated by dharma.
-Mental health is a state of natural inner blissfulness: krta-krtyata (I have done what I ought to have done) and krtarthita (I have attained what I was trying to attain).
-Raja rishis have the efficiency and dynamism of a king but inner serenity of a sage.
-Dharma is the value that preserves tradition and culture. It supports, sustains, keeps in balance, and regulates. It teaches the need for protecting the environment.
-It is a serious problem when you have no worldly problem but you still feel a vacuum.
-When a person has practiced dharma while pursuing worldly success, they may begin to pursue a transcendental value with a strong sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-Intense spiritual seeker can meditate, read scriptures, and pursue the realization of God. Otherwise, they can found a trust to do something for others.
-Wisdom is the ability to make proper use of what we know, such as the tools of science and technology and avoid improper use of this power.
-Success is needed but we need to know the limitations of success.
-The three boons that Nachiketa asks for in the Katha Upanishad represent a person’s evolution from the desire for worldly and heavenly pleasures to what is beyond life and death.
-His third question of what exists beyond death is what takes us into the realm of culture.
-If life ends with death, then that leaves a terrible vacuum.
-If you know that you will be reborn with your mental tendencies, then material wealth will be less important than acquiring love, broadmindedness, compassion, unselfishness – a wealth that never fades.
-When you have material success but also live the values of dharma and moksha, then you obtain real success.

Verses: 23-31
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on May 19, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
-At stage one, Titiksha, is a strong determination to carry forward with your ideal with no response to negative obstacles. At a later stage, even the thought of response is gone. In the Bhagavad Gita, it is described as an iron will coupled with deep contentment, santosha. Buddha’s vow is a perfect example.
-Shraddha is critical for spiritual learning because Brahman is apparently invisible at the beginning of spiritual life and Jagat is apparently so real at the beginning. Without Shraddha, we cannot even listen to a Vedanta lecture.
-There is one kind of doubt, which consists of intellectual arrogance and hypocrisy – not wanting to believe. There is sincere disbelief which takes you to real belief because it is based on a sincere quest for truth.
-Shraddha leads to a firm belief in the words of the Guru and the words of the Shashtras. It is not accomplished through force but through an open process of listening, reasoning, and then obtaining experience.
-Samadhana is also explained with an example from the Bhagavad Gita.
-Mumukshutvam leads to all other qualities. The methods of intensifying Mumukshutvam and the dynamics of spiritual liberation over many lifetimes are explained.
-Only through Mumukshutvam, will all other qualities really bear fruit.
-An elaborate discussion is also given on the definition of Bhakti in the Vivekachudamani (nididhyasana) and its relation to the Bhakti discussed in the Bhagavad Gita. Advaita and Bhakti are clearly harmonized.

This lecture was delivered at the Vedanta Society of Northern California on May 19, 2019.

Vivekachudamani Verses: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University on May 12, 2019. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
-Viveka means discerning what is real (nitya) and rejecting what is unreal (anitya). Our understanding of the real (nitya) reveals how far we have evolved. Maya is the power that projects something unreal in front of us that we take for the real. As we evolve, our sense of priority changes.
-Vairagya often begins with a negative running away from something. Eventually, it evolves into a positive turning towards a higher spiritual ideal.
-The six disciplines of shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana.
-Mumukshutvam is the very foundation of all the disciplines. It can be expressed as an intense desire to learn more about the scriptures, attend classes, or realize the highest reality. This desire pushes away lower priorities so all of the necessary qualifications come to you automatically.
-Viveka means distinguishing between the real (Brahman) and the unreal (mithya). Mithya comes through a concealment of the real (avarana) and a projection of the false (vikshepa). This is the truth at the philosophical level. At the experience level, the unreal is seen to be nothing but the real, so the world is seen as real as Brahman.
-Traditionally, disciples practice shravana’ (श्रवण), `manana’ (मनन), `nididhyasana’ (निदिध्यासन) so that the reality of the statements made by the teacher become clear.
-Vairagya means giving up all the transitory things. Every sense object, which is perceived by the mind and the senses, is necessarily limited and transitory so it cannot be the Absolute.
-Shama means mind-control but that is not psychologically realistic. The real meaning is to turn the mind to a higher counterfocus. It is important to be reminded that enslavement by transitory sense objects is very dangerous.
-Aparoksha anubhuti is also explained. It is very important to study Vedanta with the aid of authentic teachers and commentaries.
-Dama and Uparati mean keeping the senses withdrawn in their respective locations. If the mind is not connected to a sense organ then, the sense objects are not experienced.
-Mumukshutvam, desire for the real, turns these disciplines into a positive pursuit. Viveka is enjoyed because it is understood to save us from problems.

The theme of this lecture (delivered May 12, 2019) is the concrete scheme of human relationships in Vedic culture. It begins with a brief introduction to the Vedas, the source books of universal spiritual laws.

There are four Vedas, each with four sections: rituals, prayers, contemplative prayers, and higher metaphysical/spiritual philosophy (Vedanta).

Max Muller was commissioned by the Church of England to translate the Vedas to show it was nonsense so that people would convert to Christianity. After learning about the Vedas, he became a devotee of the Vedas, not just a scholar of the Vedas.

The Rig Veda contains 1087 suktas (hymns), which together contain over 11000 verses. These hymns contain various concepts of God.

For example, Agni is called Purohit, because he takes your offerings to various deities. Max Muller gives a Western classification of the evolution of the idea of Godhead in the Vedas, which is not entirely acceptable to traditional scholars but useful for Western scholarship: Pantheism, Polytheism, Monotheism, henotheism, monism.

These Vedas were the product of the realizations of great saints and sages who had understood certain spiritual truths in their own heart and experience.

For example, the Nasadiya Sukta states that in the beginning, it was not anything that could be called either existence or non-existence.

Swami Vivekananda said that anybody can be a prophet because he can realize the presence of God in his own heart. A person leading a pure life can reach this highest spiritual evolution. These are the conclusions of the Vedas, the highest reach of the Vedas.

Vedic Scheme of Life – Universal Regulatory Principles of Life

Taittiriya Upanishad Convocation address: practice dharma; always continue learning; never deviate from the truth; respect your parents, your teachers, and your guests (even those who arrive uninvited).

Householders need to fight evil, generate wealth in order to uphold society. Many of these ideas encoded in the Smrtis were also incorporated in the Indian constitution.

Four ashramas or stages of life were regulated by 40 or 16 sacraments (samskaras).

A structure of values is needed so that all activities can be carried out in the proper way. Need for sleep and food are necessary for both humans and animals. What makes humans special is their sense of dharma. A spiritual orientation is given to all householder duties. This sense is universal, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi had a motherly love that all understood.
1)Marriage - is a joint spiritual pilgrimage. Never deviating from Dharma, they journey through artha and kama in order to reach moksha.
2)An ideal teacher sees his disciple as a father sees his own son. He dreams of being surpassed by his own son/disciple.
3)A father who sells his son for a dowry, parents who do not teach their children spiritual/cultural values beyond the utilitarian and practical cannot be called parents or teachers.
4)Moksha is the most important value of this life. In the Way of Pilgrim, you find the peasant had reached perfection in the Jesus prayer. Every moment was a joy because he felt the presence of God everywhere. He was a jivanmukta, liberated while living in the spirit.
5)The art of retiring: not micromanaging family affairs, retiring to contemplation and meditation instead.
6)Finally reaching the stage of sannyasa in the fourth stage.
7)Young people can take to monasticism at any time when the genuine desire for Moksha.

The Vedic scheme of life is universal, sublime, and applicable in all time and places. It embodies the highest spiritual ideals but in a concrete way in everyday life. It raises ordinary duties into selfless spiritual activities.

Vivekachudamani Verses: 1-7, 11, 15, 18, 19
This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda at Stanford University. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.
-Viveka means a discerning wisdom between the long lasting and real versus the short-lived and unreal. It is a reprioritization towards the beneficial and long lasting.
-Shankaracharya, the author of the text, may be one of the greatest geniuses the world has ever produced. Before Sri Shankaracharya, the idea of Advaita or nondualistic philosophy existed because it is as old as Rig Veda itself, but the formulation of a complete and compact philosophical structure, expounding its metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, logic, and epistemology, was entirely his contribution.
-Vivekachudamani is a great introductory text because it teaches the philosophy and the culture of spiritual life in 584 verses.
-Shankaracharya’s teacher was Govinda Bhagavatpada.
-Human birth, longing for freedom, and the company of great souls are three rare gifts from God. A great soul is one whose company stimulates your desire for higher life.
-It is spiritual suicide to reject our own spiritual nature if we have been given all the advantages for the realization of our spiritual nature.
-Action and rituals are not wrong but they cannot, on their own lead to spiritual realization. They serve to purify the mind.
-The proof of a pure mind is unshakeable inner contentment, which is unrelated to any external circumstances (santosha or citta-prasada or citta-shuddhi)
-Epoch makers in spiritual life always get linked to an ancient tradition through a guru. The guru is necessary to understand the reality of the spiritual reality which is apparently invisible at the beginning.
-Viveka, a reprioritization towards the Real or unchanging (nitya) and away from the Unreal or fleeting (anitya) is the first of the four disciplines of Vedanta. It is foolish to imagine eternal happiness in the obviously imperfect world. Saints internalize this fact, conserve energy and are able to work with complete concentration and do tremendous work.
-Mumukshutvam, the yearning for truth and freedom supports all of the qualities needed for a Vedantic aspirant. Without a higher non-worldly ideal, psychological depression is almost certain.
-Sri Ramakrishna’s parable of the four kinds of fish is used to illustrate mumukshutvam.

The Shanti Ashrama, the first Vedic Hermitage established in the West, was founded by Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. This is the Shanti Ashrama pilgrimage program on April 27, 2019. The speaker is Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Vyasa’s dilemma: The story from the Bhagavata
-Constitutional morality is not enough
-The need for a transcendental spiritual paradigm
-Creative utilization of energy resources

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on February 14th, 2021.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at Stanford University. The lecture was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association as part of Interfaith Harmony Week.
-Everybody wants to do noble actions and live up to a spiritual ideal but they also face mental conflicts when they actually try to start a new life. Yoga teaches the origin of those conflicts and how to overcome them.
-Every action or thought (‘karma’) leaves residuals effects (‘vrittis’) in our mental system.
-This accumulation of vrittis forms our character. It leads to strong tendencies (‘samskaras’) and further actions (‘karma’). This is an endless wheel (‘chakram’).
-Deep obsessive attraction (‘raga’), hatred (‘dvesa’) and fear (‘abhinivesa’) keep us chained and conflicted.
-Actions from previous lives have formed much of our character from this life.
-We have the freedom to start a new life by performing new positive actions and changing our karma.
-The result is a deep inner transcendental joy (‘citta prasada’)
The Yoga Tradition teaches a few invaluable techniques for succeeding.
1) Maitri, Karuna, Mudhita, Upeksha – friendliness toward fellow spiritual seekers, compassion for those who are seeking, sincere admiration for the virtuous, and indifference toward the negative.
2) Yamas and Niyamas – close all negative channels
3) Feed the mind with good spiritual food before meditation otherwise, it will eat bad food and revolt.
4) The mind never sits still, so the rascal must be given positive creative outlets.
5) A seeker turns his selfish worries into a great unselfish worry or desire (‘parinama duhkha’). Buddha overcame all his obstacles and became the Buddha.
A comprehensive exposition of this science in 111 lectures can be found at sfvedanta.org.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California.
-Evolution versus revolution
-Evolution is always creative, constructive and brings about growth and transformative improvement.
-India's 5500 years of spiritual/philosophical evolution from Sri Krishna through Buddha and Shankaracharya to Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda.
-They made creative contributions to world Spiritual heritage.
-Revolution is not always constructive and frequently leaves unpleasant consequences.
-Buddha's spiritual humanism and Shankara's philosophical Integration and harmony.

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California.

The cause of our inner conflicts - feeding our mind with good spiritual food - practice 'Yama' and 'Niyama' - the wheel (chakra) of karma-vritti-samskara-samkalpa-vasana- how to transform our character - "You are never late and whatever good actions you do will never be lost." - The danger of applying principles of business management in real life. - "SPIRITUAL COMMON SENSE IN REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS"

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on January 31st, 2021.

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on January 24th, 2021.

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on January 17th, 2021.

This lecture was given on December 13, 2020, at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

This lecture was given on December 6, 2020, at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

This lecture was given on November 22, 2020, at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

This lecture was given on November 8, 2020, at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

Swami Tattwamayananda expounds Maitreyi-Brahmana of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in a series of three lectures given online at the Vedanta Society of Northern California from 9/4/2021 - 9/6/2021.

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www.sfvedanta.org

This lecture was given on October 25, 2020 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

This lecture was given on October 18, 2020 at the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 15, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 8, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 1, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 18, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 24, 2020.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 11, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 4, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 27, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda given on June 27th, 2021.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 20, 2020. It was hosted by the Stanford Hindu Students Association.

This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 13, 2020.

This lecture was given as part of the online Labor Day Retreat by Swami Tattwamayananda from September 5 - 7, 2020.