Vedanta Talks - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Prof. Jeffery Long is the Carl W. Ziegler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies at Elizabeth Town College, Pennsylvania, where he has taught since receiving his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago's School of Divinity in 2000. He has written many books and articles, including Hinuism in America, A Convergence of Worlds, which won the Rajendra & Jyoti Award for Theology, Philosophy, and Critical Engagement in 2022. His latest book is Discovering Indian Philosophy: An Introduction to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Thought. This year, he published a volume of Hindu Primary Sources with his colleague, Dr. Ravi Gupta, with Oxford University Press. He has spoken at a wide variety of venues, both national and international, including three presentations at the United Nations. He has also been interviewed for a PBS documentary on the life and teachings of swami Vivekananda and for the History Channel series 'Holy Marvels.' Dr. Long took initiation into the Vedantic tradition in 2005 and is a frequent speaker at Vedanta Societies across the US

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📙 Books by Swami Sarvapriyananda
https://www.vedantany.org/swamis-books

Lecture Series by Swami Sarvapriyananda
📓 Introductory Lectures: https://www.vedantany.org/introductor...
📚 Vedanta Scriptures: https://www.vedantany.org/by-scriptures
🧩 Lectures by Topics: https://www.vedantany.org/by-topic
💬 AskSwami Q&A: https://www.vedantany.org/ask-swami-qa

📖 Scriptures Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda
   • Aparokshanubhuti | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Bhagavad Gita | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriy...  
   • Dṛg Dṛśya Viveka | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarv...  
   • Isha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Katha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Kena Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mandukya Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mundaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Vedantasara of Sadananda | Swami Sarvapriy...  

🪔 About Vedanta
Vedanta is among the world’s oldest spiritual philosophies and one of its most inclusive. Rooted in the Vedas, India’s sacred scriptures, Vedanta upholds the unity of all existence, the divinity of the soul, and harmony among religions.

🏛️ About This Channel
This is the official channel of the Vedanta Society of New York, a spiritual institution affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India and holds the distinction of being its first established Center, founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1894. Swami Sarvapriyananda currently serves as the Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

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

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

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York
http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us
Website: https://vedantany.org
Apple & Spotify Podcasts: https://www.vedantany.org/media-channels
YouTube (Main Channel):    / @vedantany  
YouTube (Archives):    / @vedantanyarchives  
Facebook:   / vedantany  
X / Twitter:   / vedantany  

📙 Books by Swami Sarvapriyananda
https://www.vedantany.org/swamis-books

Lecture Series by Swami Sarvapriyananda
📓 Introductory Lectures: https://www.vedantany.org/introductor...
📚 Vedanta Scriptures: https://www.vedantany.org/by-scriptures
🧩 Lectures by Topics: https://www.vedantany.org/by-topic
💬 AskSwami Q&A: https://www.vedantany.org/ask-swami-qa

📖 Scriptures Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda
   • Aparokshanubhuti | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Bhagavad Gita | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriy...  
   • Dṛg Dṛśya Viveka | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarv...  
   • Isha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Katha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Kena Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mandukya Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mundaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Vedantasara of Sadananda | Swami Sarvapriy...  

🪔 About Vedanta
Vedanta is among the world’s oldest spiritual philosophies and one of its most inclusive. Rooted in the Vedas, India’s sacred scriptures, Vedanta upholds the unity of all existence, the divinity of the soul, and harmony among religions.

🏛️ About This Channel
This is the official channel of the Vedanta Society of New York, a spiritual institution affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India and holds the distinction of being its first established Center, founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1894. Swami Sarvapriyananda currently serves as the Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

📜 Content Use Policy
https://www.vedantany.org/content-policy

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

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

Chapter 15, Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच |
ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 1||
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

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

Chapter 15, Verse 2

अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवाला: |
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके || 2||
adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā
guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ
adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke

⧫ Its branches, nurtured by the gunas spread below and above, its shoots are the sense objects, and its rootlings are stretched below, producing actions in the world of men.

Verse 3 & 4

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा |
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल
मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा || 3||
तत: पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूय: |
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये
यत: प्रवृत्ति: प्रसृता पुराणी || 4||
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā
aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī

⧫ Its form as such is not experienced here, nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its continuity. Having severed this deep-rooted Ashwatha tree with the strong weapon of non-attachment, one should next seek that goal, reaching which they do not return, saying 'I seek refuge in that primordial Purusha from whom this eternal process has sprung.'

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

🙏 Please Support the Vedanta Society of New York
http://www.vedantany.org/donate

🌐 Please Visit Us
Website: https://vedantany.org
Apple & Spotify Podcasts: https://www.vedantany.org/media-channels
YouTube (Main Channel):    / @vedantany  
YouTube (Archives):    / @vedantanyarchives  
Facebook:   / vedantany  
X / Twitter:   / vedantany  

📙 Books by Swami Sarvapriyananda
https://www.vedantany.org/swamis-books

Lecture Series by Swami Sarvapriyananda
📓 Introductory Lectures: https://www.vedantany.org/introductor...
📚 Vedanta Scriptures: https://www.vedantany.org/by-scriptures
🧩 Lectures by Topics: https://www.vedantany.org/by-topic
💬 AskSwami Q&A: https://www.vedantany.org/ask-swami-qa

📖 Scriptures Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda
   • Aparokshanubhuti | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Bhagavad Gita | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriy...  
   • Dṛg Dṛśya Viveka | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarv...  
   • Isha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Katha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Kena Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mandukya Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Mundaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  
   • Vedantasara of Sadananda | Swami Sarvapriy...  

🪔 About Vedanta
Vedanta is among the world’s oldest spiritual philosophies and one of its most inclusive. Rooted in the Vedas, India’s sacred scriptures, Vedanta upholds the unity of all existence, the divinity of the soul, and harmony among religions.

🏛️ About This Channel
This is the official channel of the Vedanta Society of New York, a spiritual institution affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India and holds the distinction of being its first established Center, founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1894. Swami Sarvapriyananda currently serves as the Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

📜 Content Use Policy
https://www.vedantany.org/content-policy