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Upanishad Course – Chapter 4 Week 7 The term Vedanta means “the knowledge of within”.  The knowledge of within is generally called vision.  Vedanta is therefore described as a vision or darshana.  On the other hand, outside knowledge is facilitated by perception (by seeing or hearing, tasting, etc).  Knowledge of reality comes only from knowledge […]

Upanishad Course – Chapter 3 (Contd) Week 6 In chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna tells Prince Arjuna that whatever He taught in Chapter 3 and Chapter 2, He taught to the Sun (Vivasvaan, one of the first forms of creation).  The implication is that every parampara (tradition) starts with God. Bhagavan expresses

Upanishad Course – Chapter 3 Week 5 At the end of Moha Mudgara/ Bhaja Govindam, Acharya Shankara shares “Vanchasi Achirat Yadi Vishnutvam” meaning that if one desires Infinity, it can happen in no time.  All our experiences are conditioned by time.  Realizing our true nature is not conditioned by time but only conditioned by sincerity. 

Upanishad Course – Chapter 2 (Contd) Week 4 Pre-Vedanta we were never taught not to have ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’.  Vedanta’s message is deeper than dealing with likes and dislikes.  When we think about who we are, we always think about ‘I am’.  Pre-Vedanta the focus is on the ‘am’ that keeps changing instead of focusing on the ‘I’.  In

Upanishad Course – Chapter 2 Week 3 Rishi Valmiki originally wished to name his writing Sitayanama but decided to name it Ramayana because term “Rama” means joy.  So the text became a ‘journey to joy’.   In Ramayana, when Devi Sita is in Ashoka vatika, it is her sorrow that expresses as the fire that burns

Upanishad Course – Chapter 1 Week 1 Seven and half years of Vedanta courses that we have been engaged in together is training in Vichara.  The word vichara comes from the root “Vich” which means “to decipher”/”to filter”.  If one has to filter, then the implication is that there are more than one entity, meaning

Upanishad Course RAWs Hari Om! Here is list of all The Reflection Adventures of the Week for the Upanishad Course.  Please share your reflections, experiences and thoughts via comments below. RAW for Week 28: May 10, 2022Use OM more in your daily communications RAW for Week 27: May 3, 2022 Get an OM tattoo in an implied

Upanishad Course – Chapter 1 (Contd) Week 2 All of us have been exposed to Vedanta, particularly Advaita Vedanta.  We have come across terms like ‘Mitya’, ‘Vrisha’ which means illusion or dream.  Advaita Vedanta teaches that all that we experience is an illusion or dream.  When we think about this theme logically, we will conclude