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Swami Mukundananda | |
|---|---|
| Personal life | |
| Born | 19 December 1960 [1] (age 64) India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (B Tech) Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (MBA) |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Founder of | JKYog, JKYog India, Radha Krishna Temple, Dallas |
| Philosophy | Bhakti yoga |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Kripalu Maharaj |
| Website | swamimukundananda |
Swami Mukundananda is a spiritual leader, Vedic scholar, author, [2] and a teacher of spirituality, yoga and meditation from India. He is a senior disciple of Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj and the founder of the yogic system called Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog, widely known as JKYog. [3] A proponent of the path of bhakti, Swami Mukundananda is a sannyasi (monk), who has a technical and management background which complements his spiritual knowledge.
He lectures worldwide on various topics such as the Art of Mind Management, Good Health Through Yoga, Meditation, and Spirituality, Bhagavad Gita for Everyday Living, Patanjali Yoga Sutras , World Peace, [4] and more. In addition, he writes books and commentaries, conducts programs at corporate houses and educational institutions, and guides a worldwide congregation of devotees. [5]
Swami Mukundananda finished his B.Tech. from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. He then completed his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata. After that, he worked for some time with one of India’s topmost industrial houses. However, the call of God was so strong that after a short while on a successful corporate executive career path, he renounced his professional career to take sannyasa in quest for God-realization. [6]
During his travels, Swami Mukundananda associated closely with many elevated saints of India, read the writings of the great Acharyas of the past, and lived in many famous holy places. Ultimately, his search took him to the lotus feet of his Spiritual Master, Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Under his guidance, he practiced intense sadhana while residing in the ashram. He also extensively studied the Vedic scriptures and the Indian and Western systems of philosophy. [7] Upon completion of his studies, his Guru entrusted him with the key task of propagating divine knowledge worldwide. [8] Ever since, Swami Mukundananda has been traveling far and wide over the years, inspiring people all over the world, on the path of spirituality, holistic health, yoga, meditation, service to society, and God-realization. [9]
JKYog (Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog) is a non-profit charitable organization founded by Swami Mukundananda. JKYog in USA is headquartered at the Radha Krishna Temple in Dallas, Texas. JKYog in India, also known as Jagadguru Kripalu Yog Trust, is headquartered at the Jagadguru Kripalu University Campus, in Banara, Odisha.
JKYog is involved in the comprehensive development of society by teaching knowledge of the Vedic scriptures, including the Upanishads, Puranas, Ramayan, Bhagavad Gita, and more.
Swami Mukundananda is the founder of the unique Yogic system, JKYog, “Jagadguru Kripalu Yog” also known as Yoga for the Body, Mind and Soul that incorporates physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual well-being. [10]
Swami Mukundananda, in his discourses as well as books, presents deep esoteric concepts of the Vedic scriptures in an easy-to-understand and logical manner relevant to modern-day living. [11] Being a Bhakti Saint, his core philosophy is based on developing selfless devotion and service to God. [12] He propagates wisdom on purification of the mind to elevate the quality of our thoughts to lead a fulfilling life.
Swami Mukundananda has established multiple satsang centers in India and US. He has founded the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, USA; [13] Radha Krishna Temple, Bay Area, USA; and Radha Krishna Mandir, Cuttack, Odisha, India. He has also instituted the JKYog Ashram, Banara, Odisha, India; Purushottam Vatika, Puri, Odisha, India; and Shree Radha Nikunj Bihari Ashram, Sambalpur, Odisha, India.
Swami Mukundananda conducts Life Transformation Programs (LTPs) in multiple cities in the US and India. These week-long programs include intellectual discourses and meditation sessions. [14] [15]
In addition, Swami Mukundananda conducts spiritual retreats [16] in the USA and India for the holistic upliftment of the body, mind, and soul. These retreats consist of yoga and meditation, knowledge sessions, chanting, festival celebrations, kids/youth classes, and question and answer sessions.
Jagadguru Kripalu University, founded by Swami Mukundananda, is a multidisciplinary university being established in the developing state of Odisha, India. The University aims to provide quality and accessible education delivering programs in Health Sciences, Information Technology, Engineering, Business Studies, and Humanities, along with emphasis on Spiritual Sciences, Yogic Sciences, and Naturopathy. [17]
Swami Mukundananda conducts Life Transformation Programs (LTPs) [18] [11] and Spiritual Retreats (Sadhana Shivirs) [19] as a part of his India and USA tour.
Swami Mukundananda Ji, was one of the speakers in the Bhagavad Gita Summit (from 10–14 December 2021) during Gita Jayanti at Dallas, Texas, US along with other notable personalities such as Dr. Menas Kafatos, Mr. Shiv Khera, Kiran Bedi, Brahmacharini Gloria Arieira, Dantu Muralikrishna and others. [20] [21]
In 2020, Swami Mukundananda authored his second book on mind management, called The Science of Mind Management. [22] [23] [24] [25]
He charts the four different aspects of the human mind and lays down a clear path towards mastering it. Through witty anecdotes, real-life accounts and stories from the Vedic scriptures, he gently guides readers on the road to winning their inner battle. [22] [24]
The book was ranked second in the Hindustan Times Nielsen's bestseller list. [26]
Bhakti yoga, also called Bhakti marga, is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity. It is one of the three classical paths in Hinduism which lead to moksha, the other paths being jnana yoga and karma yoga.
Kriya Yoga is a yoga system which consists of a number of levels of pranayama, mantra, and mudra, intended to rapidly accelerate spiritual development and engender a profound state of tranquility and God-communion. It is described by its practitioners as an ancient yoga system revived in modern times by Lahiri Mahasaya, who claimed to be initiated by a guru, Mahavatar Babaji, circa 1861 in the Himalayas. Kriya Yoga was brought to international awareness by Paramahansa Yogananda's book Autobiography of a Yogi and through Yogananda's introductions of the practice to the West from 1920.
Jagadguru, literally meaning "guru of the universe", is a title used in Sanātana Dharma. Traditionally, it has been bestowed upon or used for ācāryas belonging to the Vedānta school who have written Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthānatrayī – the Brahma sūtras, the Bhagavad-gītā and the principal Upaniṣads. Historically, jagadgurus have established a lineage and an institution to spread dharma which has been based in Varanasi, the centre of Sanskrit study.
Amrit Desai is a pioneer of yoga in the West, and one of the few remaining living yoga gurus who originally brought over the authentic teachings of yoga in the early 1960s. He is the creator of two brands of yoga, Kripalu Yoga and I AM Yoga, and is the founder of five yoga and health centers in the US. His yoga training programs have reached more than 40 countries worldwide and over 8,000 teachers have been certified.
The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures’ traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Hinduism all in one place.
According to Hindu scriptures, Aśvattha, or Sacred fig, is a sacred tree for the Hindus and has been extensively mentioned in texts pertaining to Hinduism, for example as peepul in Rig Veda mantra I.164.20. In Buddhism, the Bodhi Tree under which Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment is also of the same species.
Dhyāna in Hinduism means meditation and contemplation. Dhyana is taken up in Yoga practices, and is a means to samadhi and self-knowledge.
Svādhyāya is a Sanskrit term which means self-study and especially the recitation of the Vedas and other sacred texts. It is also a broader concept with several meanings. In various schools of Hinduism, Svadhyaya is a Niyama connoting introspection and "study of self".
Pranava yoga is meditation on the sacred mantra Om, as outlined in the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It is also called Aum yoga and Aum yoga meditation. It is, simply put, fixing the mind on the sound of the mantra "Aum" – the sacred syllable that both symbolizes and embodies Brahman, the Absolute Reality – as the mantra is constantly repeated in unison with the breath. The purpose of pranava yoga is to become free from suffering and limitation.
Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Haebangchon, Seoul, South Korea. The temple opens each morning and evening at specific darshan times. Special programs are also held on Sundays, such as free children's Bal Vikas classes, yoga classes, and a special Sunday feast program with Bhagavad Gita lectures.
The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the epic Mahabharata. It is a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought, including the Vedic concept of dharma ; samkhya-based yoga and jnana (knowledge); and bhakti (devotion). It holds a unique pan-Hindu influence as the most prominent sacred text and is a central text in Vedanta and the Vaishnava Hindu tradition.
Swami Nikhilanand is a Canadian-born Hindu spiritual leader. He is the spiritual teacher at Radha Madhav Dham) one of the largest Hindu Temple complexes in the Western Hemisphere, and the largest in North America.
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was an Indian spiritual guru and the fifth Jagadguru. He was the founder of Prem Mandir in Vrindavan, one of the ten largest Hindu temples in the world. He was also the founder of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP), a worldwide Hindu non-profit organization with five main ashrams, four in India and one in the United States.
Prem Mandir is a Hindu temple in Vrindavan, Mathura district, Western Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple was established by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. It is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non-profit, educational, spiritual, charitable trust. The complex is on a 22-hectare (55-acre) site on the outskirts of Vrindavan. It is dedicated to Radha Krishna and Sita Ram. Radha Krishna are on the first level and Sita Ram are on the second level. Different Leelas of Shri Krishna and Rasik saints are depicted all over the wall of the main temple.
Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat(JKP), previously known as Sadhna Bhawan Trust, is a charitable religious organisation in India. It was established in 1970 by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj and continues to run today under the three Presidents he appointed. The philanthropic activities are designed to fulfil the vision of Jagadguru Kripalu, who was entitled with Jagadguru on 14 January 1957. To fulfil his vision, Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji established three major temples, Bhakti Mandir (Bhakti Dham, Mangarh), Prem Mandir (Vrindavan) and Kirti Mandir (Barsana).
Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog (JKYog) is a spiritual and charitable non-profit organization in United States. It was founded by Swami Mukundananda, a senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. JKYog works for physical, mental, spiritual wellness through a holistic system of Yog that includes Bhakti yoga, meditation, and spirituality. The organization also supports health care for the underprivileged and education for rural youth.
A samadhistha purusha refers to a Sanskrit term for a person who stays in a state of calm equipoise. Such a person is regarded to remain unaffected in all situations and receives all emotions with a sense of detachment. A samadhistha purusha is also considered a self-realised person, remaining in a meditative state voluntarily, and at all times.
Vrishabhanu, also spelled as Brushabhanu, is a Yadava chieftain featured in Hindu scriptures. He is described as the father of the goddess Radha, who is the chief consort of god Krishna and also regarded as the incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi in Dvapara Yuga.
Mohā, a Sanskrit word often rendered as “delusion," refers to the Hindu and Buddhist concept of ignorance that prevents the understanding of Truth. Bhagavad Gita, Verse 2.52, explains this delusion (moha) as infatuation or attachment to maya.