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= Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati = Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati (Swamini B), Ph.D., (born 2nd August 1974) is a Hindu monk (sannyasi) and teacher of Advaita Vedanta, currently residing in Mumbai, India. As a direct disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya), she has completed an intensive three-year residential course in Vedanta, Sanskrit, and Vedic chanting at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.

Swamini ji offers regular online Vedanta courses, hosts the podcast "Vedanta – The River of Wisdom ," and leads workshops and retreats both in India and abroad. She is the author of "You Matter – Insights from Vedanta " and teaches three core courses at the Hindu University of America. Before embracing monkhood, she served as the Country Head of an international organization impacting the lives of 150,000 street children and worked as a clinical psychologist.

Early Life and Education
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She attended a convent school where her early fascination with questions about God and the purpose of life set her apart from her peers. Despite her Hindu Brahmin upbringing, she was drawn to the Bible and seriously considered converting to Christianity. Her grandfather played a pivotal role in her spiritual journey by encouraging her to first learn about Hinduism before making any decisions. This advice led her to read extensively, including works by Swami Vivekananda, Jiddu Krishnamurti and Osho.

Swamini pursued higher education in Psychology, completing her Master’s in Clinical psychology. She began practicing as a psychologist but soon felt disillusioned with modern Western psychology's approach, which she found to be pathologizing and inadequate in addressing deeper existential questions. This sense of incompletion steered her towards a deeper exploration of Hindu philosophy and Vedanta.

Spiritual Journey and Gurus
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda's transformation began under the guidance of her gurus, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya) and Swami Brahmavidananda Saraswati. Initially skeptical of the guru tradition, she soon realized that Vedanta offered a unique and rational solution to the human sense of inadequacy and self-judgment. The teachings of her gurus helped her recognize the limitations of seeking fulfillment through external achievements and guided her towards the realization of her true nature.

A chance attendance at a workshop by Swami Brahmavidananda Saraswati in 1998 led her to commit to attending his Vedanta classes in Mumbai. For more than twelve years, she studied part-time with Swami Brahmavidananda while continuing her professional work. She was blessed to meet Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya) in 1999, and through meetings, retreats, and camps, she resolved to commit to full-time study. This decision culminated in her attending a full-time intensive residential course in Vedanta and Sanskrit at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Coimbatore, under Swami Sakshatkrtananda Saraswati.

At the age of 40, Swamini received Diksha (initiation into monkhood) from her guru, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya), on the banks of the Ganga.

Career and Teachings
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati transitioned from a successful career in Psychology to a life dedicated to teaching Vedanta. Her ability to articulate complex Vedantic principles in an accessible manner has made her a beloved teacher among her students. Swamini emphasizes that the human sense of inadequacy stems from ignorance of one's true nature and that self-knowledge is the key to overcoming this fundamental human problem.

One of her central teachings is that freedom and completeness are intrinsic to one's nature. She teaches that Vedanta is not about becoming something new, but about discovering the fullness and adequacy that one already possesses.

Swamini currently conducts teaching programs in Vedanta, Sanskrit, and Vedic chanting in Mumbai and online for students worldwide. She also co-conducts Vedanta retreats in different parts of India and Brazil. Her podcast, "River of Wisdom," explores various topics related to harmony and oneness.

Publications
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati is the author of "You Matter – Insights from Vedanta ," published in July 2020. The book was inspired by the positive responses to her podcast "The River of Wisdom," where listeners shared how her insights brought significant shifts in their perspectives. In the book, she addresses various topics such as the pursuit of happiness, self-acceptance, and the transformative power of Vedanta.

In the book, she shares a personal anecdote from her childhood: "As a child, growing up in Mumbai, studying in a convent school, questions about God and the purpose of life bothered me a lot. When I sought answers from adults who were ‘supposed to know’ these things, my questions were met with shrugs, silences, and advice - ‘focus on your studies,’ ‘When you are older you will understand. ’”

Swamini also authored a paper titled "Indian Psychology is Incomplete without Dharma and Ishvara ," which was presented at the International Conference on "Indian Culture and Psychology: A Consciousness Perspective" in March 2018. The paper discusses the essential role of Dharma and Ishvara in Indian psychology, advocating for their inclusion to promote holistic well-being and human potential.

Major Works and Contributions
Swamini’s contributions extend beyond her writings. Her teachings encompass self-growth and self-discovery, emphasizing the importance of living a life of dharma (righteousness) and engaging in self-inquiry. She guides her students through the process of understanding and integrating Vedantic teachings into their daily lives, helping them move from self-judgment to self-realization.

She highlights the unique approach of Vedanta, which values reason over blind belief, understanding over dogma. She often recounts how Vedanta entered her life: “And then Vedanta walked into my life through the teachings of my dear gurus Swami Brahmavidananda and Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji and the entire teaching tradition. As you can imagine I was very skeptical of these so-called gurus and trusted my own reason and intellect. But sooner rather than later, I realized that I had finally come home!” She is the first Hindu monk to run an online course on ‘How to have harmonious relationships ’ on Udemy, the global, online learning platform. She teaches core courses at the Hindu University of America.

Swamini also conducts programs for children on the spiritual heritage of India (SHINE) and leadership programs for youth. In her interreligious dialogue practice, she upholds mutual respect and recognizes all religions as valid, neither superior nor inferior​.

Prior to her full-time spiritual commitment, Swamini worked professionally in various capacities for fifteen years. She served as the Country Head of Railway Children, an international organization for street children, impacting 15,000 children annually. In recognition of her work, the Maharashtra state government invited her to be a judge on the three-member Juvenile Justice Board of Mumbai for justice for child offenders. Additionally, she served as visiting faculty at SNDT University, Department of Psychology, for more than fourteen years.

In collaboration with her guru, Swami Brahmavidananda Saraswati, Swamini founded the annual Vedic Wisdom Festival organized by the Aarsha Vidya Foundation. This global virtual event focuses on imparting timeless Vedic wisdom, featuring a diverse array of traditional and contemporary masters, and aims to promote a complete and harmonious life.

Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati was recently featured on the acclaimed podcast Buddha at the Gas Pump (BATGAP), where she had an in-depth and engaging conversation with Rick Archer. The interview covers various aspects of her teachings and spiritual journey.

Philosophy
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati’s philosophy integrates the core tenets of Vedanta with practical wisdom for everyday life. She emphasizes that the human problem is one of a sense of inadequacy and constant self-judgment, and that the solution lies in self-knowledge and the realization of one's true nature as limitless consciousness. Her teachings encourage individuals to live in accordance with universal values and to recognize their inherent completeness.

Legacy and Influence
Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati continues to inspire countless individuals on their spiritual paths through her clear and compassionate teachings. Her work not only preserves the ancient wisdom of Vedanta but also makes it relevant to contemporary spiritual seekers. Her legacy is marked by her ability to bridge traditional teachings with modern understanding, making profound spiritual insights accessible to all.

In "You Matter – Insights from Vedanta," she describes the transformative power of Vedanta: “''Vedanta reveals that you are pure limitless being having a human experience and hence were never bound. The vision of oneness that is a priceless gift to all of humanity shows us our oneness with all forms as varied as they may seem''. ”