Worship of God in Advaita Vedanta | Swami Sarvapriyananda
Swami Sarvapriyananda clears the apparent contradiction of worship in Advaita Vedanta. This video is part of a Q&A from Feb 25, 2018.
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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.
Пікірлер: 735
ISKCON sadhus need to take classes from this great monk. I bow down to you Swamiji for clearing all doubts.
@rajeshsajja6022
Жыл бұрын
No dear, u need to know more
@unchangingreality
Жыл бұрын
They just have different interpretation of vedanta. Nothing wrong
@Aryankumar-hx3xb
Жыл бұрын
@@unchangingreality how do we know who's perception is correct??
@Aryankumar-hx3xb
Жыл бұрын
@@unchangingreality so will i trust him when i don't know him?how that complete faith and surrender will come?...
@gajesh1087
Жыл бұрын
ISKCON teaches that Advaita Vedanta is Mayavadi Impersonalism taught by deluded fools,rascals and cheaters who mislead people and are envious of Krsna/God. I recall reading and hearing such views in ISKCON literature and lectures. I find Swami Sarvapriyananda's teaching to be enlighting and encouraging. Om Shanti.
Most brilliant clarification.
@ambikadevi2533
Жыл бұрын
Brilliant explanation.. Pranams Swamij 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This was a doubt in my mind for a long time, about duality, non-duality and God Worship. Swamiji has clarified it so beautifully. I have great regards for Swami Sarvapriyananda for his profound knowledge, and ability to explain difficult questions so clearly, and in a simple manner.
@ujwalmokashi6702
4 жыл бұрын
I too was scratching my head about this since so long.
@visweshwaranr
3 жыл бұрын
He is too good sir
@jshdhdyjfjdjfhfyyene731
3 жыл бұрын
To use dual within non-dual to be blissfully liberated from both. Hari Aum
@kishorkalita6944
Жыл бұрын
Yes, a great relief for me too.
@fourtwentythree
11 ай бұрын
What was the doubt people have I am curious? How they personally believe in a god separate from themselves it was clashing 8n your mind or you were concerned of others ?
''You are sugar but you imagine yourself seperate from sugar, to taste sugar and know your own sweetness'' Well said Swamiji. Pranam
@regardsk3815
5 жыл бұрын
Sugar can never imagine to be separate from sugar. If you say so Imagination will have more power than sugar to influence sugar to think as apart. Dont be carried away by illogical
@SurashKan
4 жыл бұрын
Parag Bhattacharya how did god forget that he is sugar, as each individual is god himself 🤔🤔🤔
@rockingrishi1407
4 жыл бұрын
@@SurashKan From the bramhan point of view there is nothing to forget or remember. It is existence itself awarenes itself. Advaita tells you you are nirguna not saguna. In reality there is only nirguna but that nirguna appears as saguna and jeeva and universe. Advaita doesn't deny existence of a god of religion as it is an appearance like jeeva and the world. As jeeva we are consciousness+body+mind we appear to be limited due to maya. Upanishads tells you to live and perform karma for 100 years as u can't give up life and seek realisation. It's like throwing gold bangle and searching for cold. You can pray to your god. Knowing fully well that the saguna is not you and jeeva is not you but you are the reality of both of them.
@SurashKan
4 жыл бұрын
@@rockingrishi1407 Jiva is a part and parcel of the Absolute Paramatma and Jiva never becomes the whole...Jiva eternally is a part of the Absolute...
@rockingrishi1407
4 жыл бұрын
@@SurashKan jiva is nor part or parcel but bramhan itself appearing as jiva.
I am blown away by the clarity and power of this explanation. It cleared up so much confusion I was having. Thank you, Swamiji. 🙏
“You are sugar. But imagine yourself as separate from sugar to taste sugar. Then, you know your own sweetness.” Now that’s really Sweet, Swamiji - for Real! 🙏🏾❤️💥‼️
@mailarrives
2 жыл бұрын
@@vishveshboswal huh? how will you remove sugar from its taste? that is not possible and also your sentence does not make any sense. Sugars don't have taste buds to know it is sweet :D you can taste the sugar, but you cannot remove its sweetness. you can eat a lot of it and then it will be bitter, but still, it is sweet. hahahaha ... water has three forms, maybe you didn't listen in your science class. water vapor and ice are still water. the chemical composition has not changed. it is still H2O. "Advaita Vedantist are expert in word jugglery only , no substance , no truth , no practicality . Only CONFUSION" - something that you don't understand does not make it false. it only makes it hard for you to understand... hahahaha
@mailarrives
2 жыл бұрын
@@vishveshboswal it is good that you have doubts and questions. that is the beauty of this philosophy that it encourages conversation and discourages blind faith. your examples are all fine and valid. however, one key thing question that you have yet to understand is that this illusion does not quite appear the same to everyone. yes, you are right. A dog will appear a dog. However, the dog will not appear a dog to the owner of the dog. For him or her or they, that particular dog will appear as a family member. Now, did the dog change? No! dog is the dog. what changed was the relation to the dog. Another example, since your Alias name is Krsna's Servant, I will give from the battle of Kurukshetra. When Lord Krishna revealed his Birat Swaroop to His beloved Arjuna, how many people in the battlefield actually saw this? There were many learned, educated beings like Visma, Drona and even other Pandavas in the battlefield, but only Arjuna and Vidhur (who was not even in Kurukshetra) saw this. So, in conclusion: Maya does not appear the same to us. Objects in this illusion do appear same because they still follow the same physical law bound by the characteristics of illusion, but the perception of these objects by the perceiver is different based on the level of consciousness. That is why the enlightened ones see God in every one of us whereas we see their body only. For example, Duryodhana did not or could not see Swayam Bhagawan in front of Him. Compared to Duryodhana, we are nothing!
@bilbo8338
2 жыл бұрын
I am confused. Because Ramana Maharshi himself said "Is God insentient like sugar? How can one surrender oneself and yet retain one’s individuality for supreme enjoyment?" So if you have realized yourself as the Absolute.. why do you need to imagine yourself as separate to taste your own sweetness ?
@ravitej4020
2 жыл бұрын
Basically 'you' and me don't exist according to Advaita, but they have a confusing name called Vyavaharika Satya. Why there's so much of disparity among people when basically everyone is the same entity ? But if you start looking at the world carefully no two leaves are equal and there's diffrence everywhere even at an electron level. No two things in the world can occupy the same place simultaneously.. Think for yourself.
@ds86496
Жыл бұрын
@@bilbo8338 when you realize yourself in samadhi.. there is no i awareness.. there is no mind.. without mind how can you experience sweetness.. can you enjoy yourself if you dont imagine yourself to be a separate entity..nothing can be enjoyed until it is objectified.. brahman is pure subject.... when you realize brahman or anandam or bliss, you become the bliss as a subject.. you dont objectify that bliss.. for objectifying that bliss you need to retain some I.. when you return from samadhi to I awareness, you get to objectify that bliss.. then you taste the sweetness.. this is what lord sri ramakrishna told.. this is vignana avastha.. which is greater than samadhi..
Once again, I am convinced of what deep wisdom Vedanta has. Also wisdom just pours out of this man
Awesome explanation Swamiji. 🙏🏻🙏🏻 I am a worshiper but I always believed in non duality.. I saw few videos of ISKON swamijis, I liked everything they shared but their belief in duality and calling non dualist as Mayavadi created discomfort in me. Your explanation cleared my mind and I am at peace now😊
@rishabhsinha3479
2 жыл бұрын
Iskconian is baised and discriminatory organization.
@ravitej4020
2 жыл бұрын
Advaita doesn't deny it being called Mayavada, because the whole philosophy circles around Mithya and Maya of things other than bramhan. A/c to Advaita at Paramarthika level what you are saying right now is still Maya.. Listen to multiple Indian philosophies and let your inner conscience tell you what is right by experience..
I haven't heard any parallel explanation of non dualism by any other teacher. My salutations to Swami sarvapriyananda.
I love Swami Sarvapriyananda. He has helped me learn so much as a Christian who follows Advaita.
I am amazed at the clarity of his explanation
@sharanagato
5 жыл бұрын
ajeng maharani really, by humorous example, he described a philosophy so lucid.
@spkarra
5 жыл бұрын
Me too, I started listening to all his lectures and they are easy to grasp.
@hinduhistory1407
4 жыл бұрын
@@sharanagato He is Brainwashing.. Religion is scapegoating at its best..
@sharanagato
4 жыл бұрын
@@hinduhistory1407 explain. You just can't put a remarks without explanation.
@hinduhistory1407
4 жыл бұрын
@@sharanagato He talks about Bhakti being rational..but its not coz only seeking knowledge brings enligtenment or realization..Try understanding this way.. If you want to become a great mathematician..then you learn seeking knowledge not worshipping god..second of all..gyaan yoga is superior to bhakti ..and karma yoga is above all..for example..people can talk about god yet commit mistakes or hurt others and themselves..all that is cured by seeking knowledge..we have been practising religion and spirituality yet all we saw was suffering..Aggressive Faiths invaded india and destroyed it..where was god..what did worshipping of god gave us..If we could have just trusted Krishna and his teachings that Karma yoga is the best way then we would have fought the invaders..unfortunately we were more bhakts ..
Simply speechless.. such a blessing to have swamiji amongst us.
Finally begins to makes real sense! Thank you so much.
Imagine duality after enlightenment ,devotion and love to God.🙏🙏🙏
Such clarity, a beautiful explanation. Resolves so many issues, conflicts and perhaps even guilt.
This was really the last question I had about Advaita and you have answered it completely and with absolute clarity. With gratitude!
Duality and non duality explained so beautifully,and swami you are the ultimate.my pranamam to you
It brings me so much joy to see your subsribers increasing Swami Ji...it shows how much love and truth is in your wisdom🙏🏻
If someone who is a Non Dualist, and skips the worship altogether, then look at their qualities and how they act as a human being. If they're truly humble and loving, and see all living beings as themselves, then they're on the right track. However, if they skip the worship of God because they feel they ARE God, and feel superior to other people who do worship God, then this person isn't living in Oneness, and their Non Dualism is nothing but an ego trip. That's why all the great Non Dualists have been bhaktas, as he explains in this video. This was honestly something I've struggled to reconcile for many years, but it's slowly making more and more sense, and I'm glad I found this video. Namaste!
@prithwirajmaiti3865
3 жыл бұрын
I appreciate your comment. You are fully correct. --- Asit Kr Maiti
@asamvav
3 жыл бұрын
Finally one comment that comes from true realisation.
@abhlyy1738
Жыл бұрын
Cleared my doubts as well
@loremipsum980
Ай бұрын
Gotta screenshot and save this comment. Thanks for the insights!❤
I feel like imagining a dual God, helps in surrendering the ego to it. And once the ego is fully surrendered then the external dual God and the soul become one because the ego has stepped aside. Devotion keeps the mind and body a servant to God not to itself and after enlightenment devotion does not stop because the devotee is situated in Brahman and therefore the mind and body work for the whole of the universe not for itself because it is the universe
@hinssakwen917
5 жыл бұрын
indeed. worshiping an imagined god is a very helpful tool. I've noticed that bhaktas feel the sweetness of surrender and can let go easily with total trust. without bhakti there is a feeling of dryness. but the challenge is (if you come to advaita vedanta from a non-religious background) to believe in a god that you know is not more real than the ego.
@robcheerful
5 жыл бұрын
@Hins Sakwen yes, bhakti does sometimes appear idyllic when you can't relate to it.
@Dharmicaction
5 жыл бұрын
ilikestarsun Advaita (Brahman) is incomplete without Dvaita (dual forms of nature or the universe mediated by Brahman eg man/woman, summer/winter, birth/death etc). Sankhya darshana combines both advaita and dvaita and beautifully explains that without the observer (brahman/athman) within everyone and everything, the observed (universe) cannot be perceived. Double slit quantum experiment validates sankhya darshana Another problem with advaitian is saying world is unreal. The core energy or prakrithi of the universe can neither be destroyed nor created. First law of thermodynamics came from Sankhya darshan. Energy can be neither destroyed nor created but can change form from one to another. Sankhya darshan (mentioned in Baghavad Gita) says that Shiva or brahman does not produce anything and nothing can produce shiva. Shakthi or the universal energy cannot be produced either but it can produce universal forms when Brahman comes in contact with it. Without shiva there is no shakthi and vice versa. Both shiva and shakthi are both sides of the same coin. Temple worship is based on Dvaita darshana of vedanta.
@ilikestarsun
5 жыл бұрын
@@Dharmicaction thank you for the explanation, I believe Adveita and sankya is saying the same thing but with different perspective. Adveita says the world is an appearance because forms are just illusion, what's real is prakrati, the energy, amd prakrati and purusha are one, they are spoken about as two for the sake of understanding but ultimately they are one, it is all Brahman. :)
@ilikestarsun
5 жыл бұрын
@@hinssakwen917 yes! I read Ram Dass say something like "love is the lube that helps the transmission flow through easier" otherwise like you said it's very hard to renunciate your desires if it's done in a dry way, it's easier when there is love. A mother renounces her comfort for her child without hesitating or feeling as if it's a sacrifice because of her love. So too it is easier to give up what is in between us and liberation when our heart yerns for God.
Brilliant. Saguna Brahman for me represents attributes I need to strengthen in my life. I worship God with the mind and prayer to strengthen these same attributes in me.
The last sentence suddenly said: "Thank you for watching", when I was still in lecture-grasping mode in wonderment. I would say: "It is we who must thank the Swamiji for the wonderful exposition". For a long time, the very same question "Why should we worship at all" haunted me also and I now got an answer, unexpectedly. The best course seems to be that one though naturally starts off as dualist, in Class-1, one must become non-dualist, Class-2, and turn dualist again, Class-3, for the sake of its merits.
Thank you Vedanta Society New York for providing knowledge at no cost
This was SO helpful. Thank you! ❤🙏❤🙏
So beautiful and profound explanation by Swami ji. Respect. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
swami thank you for your compassion and patience. your speeches are all consuming and profound. you spread light by removing doubts. thank you so much, swami
This is one of the best exposition ❤️
OMG! Absolutely fascinating! Love the depth and eloquence
🙏hope you know how many lives you are touching 🙏🙏
@saraswati1386
3 жыл бұрын
True that!! 🕉🙏
Thank you swami. I have been struggling with this for a long time. Please bless me.
Thank you so much...🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 A beautiful way to start New year ..
grateful for the explanation and all the videos from Vedanta NY, thank you!
I am meditating on this clarity in the rest of my life... i was longing for this answer in the whole life...thank you so much !!!
This is the best when it comes to Vedanta and the perceived contradictions, I have found nothing better. It really helps assist my understanding.
Beautifully explained ...swamiji pranaam
কোটি কোটি প্রণাম🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🕉️📿🚩🇮🇳
The confusion in mind is now clear. Thanks Swami.
Swamiji, you are one of the very few people who could able to explain Dvaita and Advaita in so simple terms. Thank you
Finally You really reached at the exact point.Thank you Swamiji.
Beautiful! 🙏
What a crystal clear explaination !! It will benefit many many practitioners to come .
One of the best, thank you
Amazing explanation... this answer i was looking for a long time...thank you Swamiji
Very clearly and beautifully explained Swamini! 🙏🙏🌹
Another piece of the puzzle has been revealed and we can now see a little clearer. Thank you swami, you are an ocean of knowledge and wisdom.
Pronam Swamiji. Your words are helping in removing the mist. 🙏
Thank you Swamiji a complex question answered so concisely and beautifully. Pranam 🙏
Such a GREAT Teacher! Thank you so much ❤️
This makes so much sense..Pranams !
Thanks to you. I am getting interest in Vedanta.
Beautifully explained!
I bow down to you guruji 🙏🙏🙏 This is the same question that I always had in my mind and listening to your pravachana, I got clarity 🙏🙏
Clarity at it's peak.... Great explanation with wonderful examples....... Swamiji is doing an awesome job....... The toughest, highest theory being explained with simplycity and maximum clarity.......
17:50 goosebumps
Excellent clarification. Thank you so much Swamiji🙏
We are the soul of the supreme soul.
love you Swamiji♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
"God with qualities is exactly the same as the absolute without qualities. In reality, the absolute without qualities and that reality without qualities appears to us in our world of experience, in our dualistic dealings as God with qualities. They are not two separate things."
@samarthbarshi1916
3 жыл бұрын
@@typingsquirrel27 she is quoting someone bruh
@typingsquirrel27
3 жыл бұрын
How do you know?
@varunsangwan4964
3 жыл бұрын
@@samarthbarshi1916 Dear every one is quoting someone or other because there are very few who till date have realized it through own experience.
Yes Ramana Maharishi wrote Aksharamana malai garland of hyms in praise of Lord Arunachala. We are fortunate to have such great souls walking in this earth
I have great regards for Swami Sarvapriyananda for his profound knowledge, and ability to explain difficult questions so clearly, and in a simple manner.
Thanks for clarifying !! 👍👍 I always doubted about the scenario but never got it clarified till this moment. Thank you very much.
Swamiji 🙏saadar naman. You seem to have keys to so many locks as well as master key 🙏 true adhikari to teach 🙏your Gita lectures are ‘adbhut ‘! Listening to it like having a personal tutor !!🙏🙏🙏
Swami ji ,you are awesome.The way you explain things to people like us is heartwarming.The best thing about you is you keep giving so many practical examples which helps us to understand much better n faster way.I love you an respect you so much
How blessed we are to have access to this man. The sky is "really" colorless but it "appears" to be blue. This is all I need to untangle my prior confusion. It is so very simple.
how beautifully explained. I had this query in my mind. pro-am Swamiji
Very very beautiful beautifully explained! Thank you so much Swamiji ! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
I almost went into an ecstatic faint when Swami mentioned Sri Ramana Maharshi 🙏 .🕉️
Beautiful!! Thank you Swamiji!!
Fantastic explanation Swamiji. Pranams to you.
great teacher. great clarity. great responsibility.
Swamiji this is the best I have heard on this topic. Thank you.
I tell you man, this is amazing.
Thank you so much Swami ji
It comes down to Love, loving Love; Truth loving Truth; Beauty loving Beauty.
Thank you Johnathan I was dwelling upon the same question & thank you Swami Sarvapriyananda for your explanation..
@sharanagato
5 жыл бұрын
samrat dutta even I had the same thought
Im addicted to your lectures
Sadar pranam to swami ji🙏 Very beautifully clarified.
What a brilliant explanation. Grateful to have found these talks 🙏🏻
I don't have any worlds to thank you for just a clarity explanation. I was not able to resolve the riddle by my self. I was making my self crazy. What a peace of my mind You had get me. Much oblique.
Excellent. Swamiji at his best. Thank you for your explanation.
Allways very refreshing... Hari Hari Sarvapriyananda
This is sooooooo good I’m crying
Simply beautiful 🙏
Swami ji you get what ever you want from me. Thank God for your teaching x.
Wah wah wah...All my doubts got cleared 🙏🙏🙏
Thank u Swamiji, beautiful explanation
Excellent!! Pranams to you Guruji. All my doubts got clarified
Beautyfully clearly explained. Hatsoff to the swamiji for putting it so simply and concisely. Thank you. 👏👍🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
@manishkumar-cg9ed
5 жыл бұрын
Really it is superb.
Beautiful. Thank you!
Thank you so much Guruji. All my doubts are clears. Namaskarams to you.
Thank you for the question. I've lived with this confusion for very long. Koti koti pranam Swamiji for so beautifully and logically (as always) clearing our doubts 🙏 feel like a weight is lifted off my path. Find it very hard to connect with hymns that focus on the physical attributes of God, whereas very deeply connect with a Nirvana Shatakam or the Purnamada mantra for example. But on reading the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and now your talk, little feel like a veil is lifted off my avidya towards how beautifully both Bhakti and Gyana can coexistence.
Really thanks you so much for such a clear explanation sir , really helpful , thankyou.
Thank you very much for this. I've been trying to answer this question for some time now. I'm glad my own findings match Swamiji's insights.
Fantastic explanation! I NOW get it! Thank you dear SwamiJi. OM
NAMASKAR SWAMIJI 🙏🏻
You are my Sankaracharya Swamiji whom I admire so much. Pranaams. Crystal clear clarification like clarified butter appears to be solid but when put in the mouth melts
Very Beautiful explanation. No one can explain it better. Jai Thakur Jee. Jai Maa
This unties the knot!!! Thank you!!!
(@9:25) The Reality of Non-duality is NOT contradicted by the appearance of Duality. Dhanyavaadah 🙏 Harih Om
Thank you Swamiji. That was very enlightening.