Ask Swami with Swami Sarvapriyananda | April 21st, 2024

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on March 3rd, 2024. List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - What is the nature of sorrow?
23:00 - What is the difference between Samsara in Buddhism and Vedanta? How does progress in modern medical science relate to Brahman?
32:06 - If I am Brahman then why should I worship God or do karma yoga?
38:32 - Does Advaita claim that it is evolving, or does it claim to be complete?
42:50 - When do we know that we are experiencing pure consciousness and not the reflected consciousness?
53:30 - How there can be no such thing as absolute evil?
58:47 - Can medical science detect a state of enlightenment?
01:06:08 - What is true detachment and how is it achieved?
01:17:18 - How can we reconcile truth and ahimsa (non-injury)?
01:26:06 - Does God consider the devotee to be different from Himself?
01:29:57 - When Swami Vivekananda encouraged Karma Yoga for the upliftment of India, did he contradict his teaching on Bhakti Yoga?
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ABOUT VEDANTA
Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.
ABOUT US
Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

[@VedantaNY]

List of questions with timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - What is the nature of sorrow? 23:00 - What is the difference between Samsara in Buddhism and Vedanta? How does progress in modern medical science relate to Brahman? 32:06 - If I am Brahman then why should I worship God or do karma yoga? 38:32 - Does Advaita claim that it is evolving, or does it claim to be complete? 42:50 - When do we know that we are experiencing pure consciousness and not the reflected consciousness? 53:30 - How there can be no such thing as absolute evil? 58:47 - Can medical science detect a state of enlightenment? 01:06:08 - What is true detachment and how is it achieved? 01:17:18 - How can we reconcile truth and ahimsa (non-injury)? 01:26:06 - Does God consider the devotee to be different from Himself? 01:29:57 - When Swami Vivekananda encouraged Karma Yoga for the upliftment of India, did he contradict his teaching on Bhakti Yoga?

[@Owen-hr6yq]

In your dream it is futile searching for the dreamer. The mere fact that you know you are dreaming means there is a dreamer and YOU ARE THAT!

[@tm92211]

Finally, after a long, long wait!

[@davlmt]

For real idk why it takes soooooo long for them to list the videos after the live stream , there's barely any editing involved

[@DhruvMishra-ew9kw]

Same

[@namitakiran-thuene4422]

Pranam Swamiji, thank you for your enlightening talk.

[@meerabhide4888]

❤Hari Om,Pranam,P.P.Swamiji. ALWAYS U CLEAR CONCEPTS& DOUBTS...❤😊

[@SymbolsPatternsUnderstanding]

I love hearing you speak. it all makes perfect sense and explains everything.

[@ranikumar2979]

Namaskar swamiji Your talks are so lightening to the mind,making life easy to live, My day does n’t go without listening to you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@tanukagupta8416]

এই ক্লাস করতে পারিনি, গীতানন্দজী মহারাজের জন্মশতবর্ষের সমাপ্তি অনুষ্ঠান শেষে ফিরতে দেরি হওয়ায়😔 অপেক্ষা করছিলাম🌷🙏🌷 প্রণাম নেবেন মহারাজ 🌷🙏🙏🙏🌷

[@whatthis4366]

Why are you so great,Swami!

[@kavitajajoo1158]

Swami Your words always come as revelation of truth and It’s like a balm to our wounds .🙏

[@Owen-hr6yq]

When i look at my old cupboard and try to think i am experiencing nothing but God at first its a bit underwhelming and dissaponiting😢.... but ... if its truly true... then wow, its actually incredibly profound! Conciousness manifested as atoms from stars billions of years ago that somwhow reformed themselves countless times to now take the form of an old cupboard and it is now experiencing itself through another form ...me ... just wow 🎉 God is great

[@skyqt9468]

"manifested as atoms from stars billions of years ago ..." Aha! Stop right there 😊 Not billions of years ago. Right now. Consciousness is appearing as the cup board. 😊

[@JorisWeima]

Hehe indeed what Sky said. Thinking in terms of objective reality with atoms etc only distracts u, can even block u. Its better to observe your SUBJECTIVE reality so to speak, in which your mental IDEAS of an objective reality appear. Aka observe your consciousness. Because objective reality stuff literally is only mental, ideas! Its because we are perceptive beings. Observe those 'mindstuffs' and u will see it makes tooootal sense :)

[@scottwyckoff5483]

Very cool,makes sense

[@Pallasathena-hv4kp]

Always wonderful to hear these truths and wisdom 🙏 Jai Sri Ramakrishna Jai Maa Jai Swamiji 🌺🌺🌺

[@i.jmalhotra851]

Swami Jee discourse wonderful touching soul and God while questions answers more mental complicating confusing leading to no where but simple mental satisfaction.🙏🙏

[@marimuthu14]

You are appearing to yourself as your own sorrow... thats deep.

[@kalam_or_kalpana2489]

Thank you Swami ji for saving my life..❤

[@muckaxe]

🙏As always thank you for the wisdom Swamiji🙏🌷

[@glenemma1]

We are so fortunate to be able to listen to this spiritual giant.

[@anagha.aniruddha16]

हरी: ऊॅं तत्सत्| श्रीरामकृष्णार्पणमस्तु 🙏🏻 Namaskar Swami Sarvapriyanandaji Maharaj 🙏🏻 Thank you Vedanta society New York for sharing this 🌹

[@nancyswanson1362]

Very clear and concise explanations. Beautiful, thank you Swamiji🙏♥

[@swamivedantanandapuri1322]

Sastanga pranaam🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏. Swami Vedantananda Puri

[@cowzah8551]

Thank you Swami ji, for reminding me to listen to what is being said. The cycle of sorrow and pain that keeps repeating makes me forget that I don't have to identify with it at the level of body -mind.

[@URM8831]

Swamiji 🙏

[@Luckychap1]

Thank you swamiji for wonderful session. I always enjoy your Q&A sessions . I really appreciate your enthusiasm in answering all these deep questions with lot of anecdotes, your personal experiences so far in life , spiritual texts and examples you quote and above all the way you are keeping open mind towards consciousness studies which are currently happening. Once again thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences. Its pure gold ! 😊

[@hariomverma9606]

Revered Swamiji, when I witness a helpless person it leaves an imprint on my consciousness. It may go with time. Yes everybody has to endure quietly. If Swami Brahmanandji cried like a child when Swami Vivekanandji died. We accept sorrow and suffering as a part of living in Sansadr.

[@riokobeforever3398]

May This Universe Internal External be Filled With infinite Love coming From my Heart Filled With God's Love May Sri Ramakrishna Bless me that Mad unconditional Love.. May Saradha maa Shakthi Incarnate Give me Energy to Manifest That.. Om Shaanti Shaanti Shaantihi..

[@widipermono854]

🙏🙏🙏

[@suchetabanerji3427]

Pranam Maharaj Ji 🙏

[@meerabhide4888]

Very smoothly;nicely,in simple way..

[@chanramphal2817]

🙏🏽🕉️HREEM SHREE GURUBHYO NAMAH.SWAMIJI prànaam👏🏽🌷

[@adv.madhusudananmp9045]

Pranams Swamiji ❤

[@crossofamber]

Such marvelous insights by the Swami

[@mdg767]

Thnk u for the time stamps ❤❤❤ n also for the new video❤❤❤

[@user-fr4cq9jm1f]

Pronam Maharaj !! 🙏🏽

[@sonujain1086]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@CakeChef7]

Thank you Swami🙏❤🙏

[@jyotsnapathania9590]

Pranam swami ji

[@rajukunjukrishnan472]

Pranam Guruji 🙏

[@drsdm23]

Namaskaram Sri Swamiji

[@amol_bodhankar]

Superb 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@NaveenKumar-hx4zc]

Pranaam Swamiji🙏🙏🙏

[@SulavPokhrel-wq6ti]

❤❤❤

[@jyotsnapathania9590]

Om shanti

[@nilayanmajumdar9174]

Always say shanti three times after Om. Om shanti, shanti, shanti. The single shanti is used only when someone dies, because then we wish for the peace of the departed subtle body, because a subtle body only has one source of suffering, the ego reacting to its own contents Whereas when alive, the body suffers, the mind suffers as a reaction to the world, and you suffer as a reaction to the mind. So because while alive we have three sources of suffering, we say shanti three times.

[@padminibhavya4365]

I was pulled into the path based on the promise of Gods unconditional love. This was a decade back. These days I face some doubts, according to shastras, a soul has to undergo 840000 lives to become a human being itself. This is so much torture. I wonder how can such a God be a loving God . Pls answer. Sometimes my faith in God dwindles looking at the suffering around me..

[@artiebrewt3170]

Many of the old habits and tendencies tend to disappear, sometimes in rapid succession and you don't realize it until you look back at where you were. Eventually you get to the food question. Why am I eating? Eating is at the base of this Maya (or as Nisargadatta said "food juices"). You realize how absurd this Maya is but it serves the purpose of guiding you to your Self.

[@satchidaanandavigraha]

ॐ नमः शिवायॐ

[@pradippsm1983]

❤

[@veenahawaldar7607]

🙏🙏

[@sandunranasinghe5356]

👍

[@Deepa83794]

🙏🙏🙏🪷🪷🪷

[@allnone4277]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@sumitrabrahma4466]

🙏🏼

[@HughMann-here]

27:52 true for diseases as well, the immune system's reactions are sometimes worse than the disease

[@ravindermalhotra25]

How much (quantify) our body max capacity of consciouseness ,what is the unit of capacity of conciouseness.

[@vanamatrika..]

To that question of that lady asking about detachment...a very practical situation for sensitive,empathetic,morally upright person... The solution is...hold on something higher...an service for needy,distressed,nature,animal,and spend your energy,time, mind in it...and God will show you the way... Detachment from husband n children is very hard... because it is going against our ego...past pleasure memories..sense of .duty,.only God ,your personified divine...can help you.... ❤❤❤

[@manjushreedas8579]

🎉

[@dorothywarren1441]

Conciousness can be known. But not experienced.

[@jyothipandit2755]

Consciousness is the exoeriencer.

[@user-sc4vv4yx1p]

@@jyothipandit2755 Experiencer is also within Consciousness. You are beyond experiencer.

[@msdevi77]

Hariom swamy, how to say no?when a person want to hurt always being relative(we can’t depart from them ) nitpicking and told me to be bulled all this years. Never and ever stopped, because of their jealousy, show the power and the threatening and keep us always down under their feet. But, I want to keep distance from all these people but, there are insisting and forcing to keep relationships with them. I feel pity on them. Because I am working on that goal which am not that BMI with blessings of all MY gurus like u swamy. They are remaining me am still BOBY MIND AND INTELLECT.

[@bhargabchoudhury8201]

Swamiji pranam . The question was - why the Brahman worship the Brahman . In your answer to the question you gave an example of worshipping of Brahman ( Ma Kali ) by the great Ramkrishna who was one of the most enlightened person of India. So , am I wrong if I say that Ramkrishna worshipped God pretending to be not knowing that he is the Brahman while worshipping ? Or should we all do this ?

[@seemashinde7772]

All scientific research stem cell anti aging, allows us to dance in the body mind understanding only🙏

[@MM-dh3wr]

Give something based on experience rather than quote from BOOK

[@trioknights4869]

how can i ask questions to swamiji

[@mukeshdesai2862]

5:00 8:30 10:00 10:30. 11:28. 👌 12:00. RXXXXX 14:10. Summary of 3 causes 15:00. 👏 15:50. Vastu drashti 16:55 RXXXXX 18:00 Appearance 19:00. Brahman 19:44. Vignan 20:30. Sadhan drashti 22:00 ⁉️‼️ 24:00. Samsara 25:15 27:30. Arrows 28:50 33:00. 👌 34:00 34:57. 😃. Nirguna v Saguna Brahman 36:30. Hanuman Ram 43:00. Q 👌CS Pure v reflected during nididhyasan 45:30. RXXXXX 47:30 RXXXXX. Yogic v advaitic perspectives 50:45.

[@MM-dh3wr]

you cant see your eyes as an object. What about touch?

[@subhashzadoo]

Not only children are growing up,we all are! The need is to find out whether children are growing up like us, reading false history/narrative, created by pseudo seculars? The basic essence of Sanatan Sanskriti is that despite diversity in the world,we exist as one! JAI VAASUDEV KUTAMBUKAM! Hence each child of Bharat has to grow up into an independent tree like Swami ji, not a branch! No one can stop Bharat from becoming a world leader! Please remember to vote for BJP. Mahadev Bless Us All!

[@HughMann-here]

26:05 Whose karma, if there is a brahman that is one and all, then how does ones karma manifest as many?

[@Srithasandon]

PL

[@sardesaisantosh]

Swamiji do you take pain killer during the dental treatment? If yes , then you it's not just mind but clear attachment . It's not just witness . You gave example of devine saints but those were happy because they were truly beyond mind and body senses. They were experiencing truth. But your analysis , examples helps to understand texts but it's more of intellectual exercise. It makes someone pandit but does not show path that helps to progress to experience as witness consciousness to be out of suffering.. Swamiji, You did not answer how non transactional nature of nirguna bramhan gets into active saguna bramhan , chidabhasa and the world ...

[@Lebensbalsam]

Dear SWAMI, could you please share your thoughts on the war in Gaza? I think we should take a stance in this war between Israel and Gaza. As Vedantins we should not look away. We should not remain silent. We should not close our eyes when so many atrocities are being committed by the Israeli military against the Palestinians. We should raise our voices and clearly position ourselves so that such a genocide cannot continue. I also believe that the practice of vedanta should be carried out daily under all circumstances. However, when 15,000 children are killed, we as practitioners cannot simply act as if it does not concern us. As a Vedantins, I consider it one of my main duties to lend an ear to the suffering of the world and open my heart to this suffering. We should do this both on the meditation cushion and in the streets.

[@skyqt9468]

As a "Vedantin" whats your reaction to what Hamas did on October 7th in Israel? Do you condemn it? How will you ensure it does not happen in future? As "Vedantin" how will you ensure that the largest genocide ever seen by human history, that of Islamic genocide of the Hindus will not occur in the future. As a Vedantin will you help the Hindus get a homeland of their own so that they don't have to suffer any Islamic or other genocide in the future? As a Vedantin what are you doing to change the Islamic attitudes towards Kuffar ? Will work towards banishing such attitudes in Islam ? Will you promise that Islam will respect other religions and civilizations ?

[@Lebensbalsam]

I agree with everything. I am a simple man who is against any form of extremism. I condemn October 7th, and I equally condemn any form of Islamist terrorism everywhere. I would like to change the attitudes of many people, but that is not possible for me. I can't even change the people who are closest to me and whom I love. But I will do my best. Does that answer your question?❤

[@halcyon2864]

Ramana Maharshi said: Ego is the source of all evils. Here it is you have the answer. Until we realise our true nature, wars will carry on non stop.

[@Lebensbalsam]

Thank you for these wise words, which I completely agree with. This is a universal truth that points to the root of all problems and suffering. Nevertheless, I personally want to embrace the path of Karma Yoga and help everyone, regardless of their origin and religious affiliation, who needs assistance.

[@halcyon2864]

@@Lebensbalsam Yes, the only thing we can do is change ourself, be good do good, be the light that is shining in the harbour, showing the way and hopefully everyone will see and follow this beacon to a safe and happy place. With loving kindness to all sentient beings. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti 🙏

[@konstantinNeo]

Impersonal suffering (a tree fall down on you), personal suffering (a person did something to you), self infilicted suffering by misuse of your cognitive principle. You make God limited when you PROJECT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CREATING LIMITS ON TO HIM. (not yelling) but you nondualist are so effin thick in you head you literally CANNOT SEE how you make a limited god yourself. The state of limitation you witness is the state on division of YOU, the big You that is whole. Brahman does not appear as limits, stop repeating this nonesense. It is You who is divided. And no, the nondualism , at least of this particular school, is not evolving or progressing anywhere. In fact it is stagnant and disfuncional. Not even the basics can they grasp.

[@mtuli9679]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Rumblefish214]

❤