Discovering love, Successful living

by Swami Dayananda Saraswati

The second volume of 'Public Talks' series of Swami Dayananda, first discusses about 'Discovering love'. Love is one of the most sought after and yet elusive thing for every human being. Swamiji says that love is a profound word that needs to be understood. In the vision of the Vedanta, what one really loves is not an object or a person outside, but oneself. One loves oneself, the self that is pleased. One also loves others who invoke the pleased self in him or her. This talk is about the discovery of love for oneself that ultimately enables one to show love towards others in the form of compassion, sympathy, etc. 

The second topic, 'Successful Living', shows that both success and failure are relative terms. When desires become demands, we think that unless we fulfill them we are not successful. Swamiji says: "When you do what is right even though you do not like doing it, and avoid what is wrong, even though you want to do it, you slowly change. Later, you find yourself in a position where what is to be done is what you like to do, and what is not to be done is what you do not like to do. That is, indeed, a successful life.'

About the Author:

Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati likes to call himself a traditional teacher of Vedanta, a link in a long unbroken tradition, from Adi Shankara to the present day. Rooted in the richness of tradition, yet contemporary in his thinking and approach, he continuously edits his teaching style to ensure that the vision of Vedanta is communicated with clarity. Impeccable logic, brilliant analysis, erudition, precise use of language, together with a child like humour, make him the greatest living master of Advaita Vedanta. There is none to match his ability to make the audience see as clearly as he does.