Vedanta Wisdom Journal july 2025

By Nimesh Mehta

If adversity can be a catalyst for personal growth, then this incident in the life of Nimesh Mehta is a stellar example. As a young man, he faced a traumatic accident. Rather than be cowed down by it, he used Vedantic principles to turn it into an opportunity for care and service....

By Rachna Ramya Agrawal

Very few studies have explored the impact of Vedantic sadhana or the conscious practice of achieving perfection in Indian classical dances. The three modes of Vedantic sadhana - shravana, manana, and nididhyasana - are also applied in the Indian classical arts. According to Natyashastra, an ancient treatise on performing arts, the criterion for being regarded as classical is the dance style’s adherence to the guiding principles referred to within it....

By Dhiraj Malik

Advaita Vedanta serves as a guide for those embarking on the journey of Self-inquiry. Its message is clear: by our very nature, we are free, whole, and content. This fundamental truth is not immediately apparent, but it can be realized with proper This article provides an overview of Advaita Vedanta’s approach to Self-Inquiry as described in the texts and commentaries of Adi Shankaracharya....

By Dr Janki Santoke

Welcome to a most exciting event, the first Journal of the Vedanta Wisdom Trust. Initiatives such as this will also serve our flagship project, the world’s first Vedanta The purpose of this journal is to give our readers a serious, cited, but not too academic, reading experience, combining theory with practice. The contributions have come from the learners of Vedanta....

By Janki Santoke, Ph.D

The Happiness Guarantee - The Philosophy of Happiness by Dr. Janki Santoke explores the universal pursuit of happiness that permeates every facet of human existence. In this excerpt from Chapter 1, the author delves into the intrinsic human desire for happiness, emphasizing that all actions, choices, and pursuits ultimately revolve around this central quest. The author critically examines societal norms, material possessions, and various life pursuits, questioning whether they genuinely The Happiness Guarantee seeks to unravel the mystery of happiness, proposing a departure from the traditional pursuit of joy through external factors....

By Moumeeta Mohanty

This article explores the transformative impact of attending a month-long Vedanta retreat at Rishihood University in July 2023. While online Vedanta classes offer their unique convenience, in-person retreats are an essential adjunct for accelerated spiritual growth. The Rishihood Retreat, led by Dr. Janki Santoke, provided a unique blend of traditional teachings and modern practices, fostering a conducive environment for spiritual growth and self-discovery....

By Deepraj Dutta

Philosophers over the ages have asked themselves the question, “Who am I?”. They came up with answers that they passed on to their students, which later resulted in the development of the various philosophical schools of thought. The language that these masters used depended largely on their geography, culture and their scholastic tradition....

By Dr Janki Santoke

And here is the second issue of the Vedanta Wisdom Journal. It is a matter of great pleasure to be able to offer to our readers this new edition, created with the hard work and dedication of the editorial team. In it, you will find the Art of Self-Discovery by Sreedharan an alumnus of the Vedanta Academy and the head of its Middle East Centre....

By Meera Nair

This article delves into the concept of sin, as explained in Vedantic scriptures. It draws upon the insights of eminent seers such as Adi Shankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha, and Swami A Parthasarathy to better understand the perception of sin....

By Sanjay Bhartiya

Karma Yoga emphasizes the path of right action, defined by selfless work performed with a sense of service and without attachment to the outcomes. This article explores two key aspects of Karma Yoga: the inevitability of action and the purification of the mind through right action. It highlights that living beings are in constant action, and attempting to escape it is futile....

By S. A. Sreedharan

In "Art of Self-Discovery," S. A. Sreedharan explores the paradox of individuals engaging in spiritual practices without attaining inner peace....

By Dhiraj Malik

In Vedanta, the concept of ishwara, often equated with God, is both nuanced and sophisticated. Most religious philosophies depict God as an all-powerful, all-knowing being who creates this universe and dispenses justice. Vedanta presents a more intricate view....

By Dhiraj Malik

Karma Yoga is a powerful spiritual practice that purifies the mind by relaxing the grip of desires. We are trapped in a cycle of desires. The more we act to fulfill our desires, the more new ones emerge. We never reach a state where all desires are satisfied....

By Surekha Ghogale

The study of Vedanta provides clear guidelines on how life should be lived. One such guideline is the importance that it places on the concept of performing one’s obligatory duty, a unique gift available only to human beings....

By Mitali Thakore

This article narrates the experience of Mitali Thakore, a former interior designer turned social worker, on her journey towards building Anvaya, an organization supporting rural communities in the villages of Maharashtra....

By Arun Sehgal

Working for a higher goal with a focus on action rather than the results is how Arun Sehgal dealt with around two hundred personnel who had received the pink slip due to a multinational company's acquisition. As the Head of Human Resources, he unfolds the events and describes how his team transformed a potentially traumatic experience into a smooth transition simply by working for a sublime cause, which helped unleash their full potential. He shares this inspiring story, which led to an award-winning HR Practice with Meera Nair....

By Dr Janki Santoke

Thanks to the work of our dedicated journal team, we have yet another reading treat with us. Some food for thought from Deepraj Dutta who compares Vedanta and Sufi thoughts, Meera Nair who gives an excellent example of Karma Yoga with Arun Sehgal's experience and Sanjay Bharatiya who helps with the theory of karma yoga. There is a self-paced course on the Secret of Effective Work on the Vedanta Wisdom Trust website, if you would like to delve some more into Karma Yoga....

By Janki Santoke, Ph.D

In Dr. Janki Santoke’s The Happiness Guarantee: 2. The Attitudes of Happiness, it is asserted that joy can transform into sorrow when indulgence is not tempered by regulation. The author emphasises that true enjoyment derives from a disciplined and mindful engagement with pleasures. Intellect must guide the desires of the mind, balancing both indulgence and abstinence....

By Dr. Janki Santoke

If you're tired of fleeting happiness and want to build a life that feels genuinely fulfilling, The Happiness Guarantee 3: The Habits of Happiness offers something deeper than quick fixes. Grounded in research and real-life examples, this book shows how lasting joy isn't found in extraordinary moments, but in the small, repeatable habits we build every day. Whether it's having a schedule, deepening your relationships, or stepping back from stress, each chapter gives you practical tools to rewire your emotional life from the inside out....

By Meera Nair

The mystery of human suffering is deeply influenced by our vasanas or inherent nature, which, when manifested, appear as thoughts, desires, and actions. Vasanas are also the cause of our heterogeneous experiences, as well as the reason why we are born into a particular environment. Understanding this can help us navigate life's complexities....

By Deepraj Dutta

Bhakti Yoga comprises two Sanskrit words, Bhakti meaning devotion and Yoga meaning union (with the Divine), thus Bhakti Yoga refers to the path of uniting with the Divine through devotion. We can see a lot of talk of Bhakti Yoga and its significance in the path towards the Divine on various platforms today (religious TV channels, podcasts etc.), each with their own version of Bhakti Yoga. In this article, we look at Bhakti Yoga through the lens of Vedanta and understand what is Bhakti and what is Bhakti Yoga.

By Dhiraj Malik

Have you ever wondered what the ultimate, fundamental substance is that underlies all of reality? Artists, scientists, philosophers—and perhaps each of us at some point— grapple with these timeless questions: What is the world made of? What am I made of? At first, science seems to offer answers: atoms, molecules, subatomic particles....

By Mahesh Ursekar

The summum bonum of life according to the Bhagavad Gita is Self-realization. In many places in the book, Sri Krishna says that to reach this exalted state, one needs to drop all desires. This is possible if one reduces the vast bulk of desires by performing the three yogas – karma, bhakti and jnana and then takes to meditation in order to drop the last desire for Self-realization itself....

By Dr. Janki Santoke

Thanks to the efforts of the team, we have our next edition of the Vedanta Wisdom Journal, on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima. Guru Purnima is the birthday of the great and prolific sage Veda Vyasa so called because he divided the Vedic corpus into the four books we are familiar with today. His original name was Krishna Dwaipayana, Krishna born on an island....