New Issue of American Vedantist
#76 Spring 2020

We especially recommend New Findings about Ramakrishna’s First Disciples by Swami Yogeshananda

See also: Christopher Isherwood & the Monastery Part 2, but first read Part 1

NEW Books by Gopal Stavig

Swami Vivekananda and Others on Religious Philosophy

Sri Ramakrishna and Western Thought

Swami Vivekananda on Religious, Ethical, and Psychological Practices

Swami Vivekananda in a Social-Historical Perspective  

More by Gopal Stavig

NEW An excerpt from Enlightenment Town: Finding Spiritual Awakening in a Most Improbable Place by Jeffery Paine

The protagonist of Enlightenment Town is Crestone Colorado, a remote Rocky Mountain hamlet that hosts numerous religious centers, a disproportionately large number per capita, that co-exist harmoniously, even reinforcing one another. 

(Read excerpt)

Vedanta Media (vedantamedia.org)

From the Vedanta Media site: "Welcome to all who visit this webpage. It has been created to house the audio versions of books written and read by the the author of these works. They are filled with wisdom and discuss topics which many of us struggle to make sense of.  Spiritual things.  My sincere hope is that you will enjoy the experience and gain from hearing these recordings."

Included in these writings are Swami Yogeshananda's precious memoirs: "Six Lighted Windows is a moving and inspirational remembrance of six of the most dedicated teachers and spiritual guides of the Ramakrishna Order who were called to serve in the West...They are Swamis Yatiswarananda, Prabhavananda, Ashokananda, Nikhilananda, Madhavananda, and Ghanananda." and Four More Lighted Windows the stories of Swamis Lokeshwarananda, Aseshananda, Shantaswarupananda, and Shraddhananda, as well as the memoir Ports of Call, and the collection Waking Up.

LINK: Reminiscences of Swami Prabuddhananda 

Volume 1
Volume 2
List of Contributors

NEW MATERIAL 2019 Remembering Sri Sarada Devi's Disciple: Swami Aseshananda as We Knew Him

Now available to read online with newly added reminiscences.

"Esther Warkov has rendered a signal service to the Ramakrishna Vedanta community, not only in America but worldwide, by assembling more than 60 remembrances of one of the great swamis of the second generation of our movement – those who knew Sri Sarada Devi and the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. We in America are indeed fortunate that so many of these monks were sent here to give spiritual guidance. They have been a living link to the founders of the movement. "

John Schlenck, American Vedantist, Spring 2010
Read the Entire Review

To add a reminiscence contact Esther Warkov ( esther_warkov@comcast.net )

Ramakrishna-Vedanta in Southern California:
From Swami Vivekananda to the Present
by Gopal Stavig

My Master, Swami Brahmananda
Reminiscences by Swami Prabhavananda
Culled from Lectures Transcribed by Swami Krishnananda
Edited by Gopal Stavig

Swami Vivekananda and Liberation Theology 
by Gopal Stavig, Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (Nov-Dec. 2009), pp. 509-15, 556-59

3 Articles 

(Painting of Hollywood Temple by Swami Tadatmananda.) 

From American Vedantist

The History and Impact of the Swami Prabhavananda – Christopher Isherwood Bhagavad Gita Translation

Originally from American Vedantist Corrected Version Below:
Christopher Isherwood & the Monastery – Part 1

Christopher Isherwood & Vedanta
an article from American Vedantist 

J.D. Salinger & Vedanta 
an article from American Vedantist 

Kali's Child Revisited or 
Didn't Anyone Check the Documentation?

This 173 page article by Swami Tyagananda and Pravrajika Vrajaprana of the Ramakrishna Order is a precursor to a more extensive book, Interpreting Ramakrishna: Kâlî's Child Revisited, coming this fall, that examines the accuracy of J. Kripal's assertions laid out in his book Kali's Child.  Swami Tyagananda is the head of the Vedanta Society of Boston and the Hindu Chaplain at MIT. Pravrajika Vrajaprana is a member of the Santa Barbara Vedanta Convent. 

Review: Interpreting Ramakrishna: Kali’s Child Revisited  (by Swami Tyagananda & Pravrajika Vrajaprana)
A Review by William Page, an article from American Vedantist 

For the Historic Record  by Jon Monday
Research of Swami Vivekananda's visit to the West, published by American Vedantist Vol. 3, No. 3, Fall 1997

It is well-known that there are many similarities between the Babylonian and Hebrew creation and flood stories found in the Old Testament. What has been overlooked in over a century of Bible research is that the Indian creation and flood narratives are as close to those of the Babylonian as are the Hebrews (see “Historical Contacts Between Ancient India and Babylon”*); and the Indian creation and flood stories are as similar to the Hebrews as are the Babylonian (see “India and the Biblical Old Testament”**). Since the historical records are incomplete, it is difficult to prove which of these three ancient civilizations had these stories first. - Gopal Stavig, 2015

*Historical Contacts between Ancient India and Babylon 
by Gopal Stavig, Journal of Indian History (Platinum Jubilee Volume) (2001), pp. 1-16

**India and the Biblical Old Testament
by Gopal Stavig, Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 80 (1999), pp. 77-94

Historical Contacts Between India and Egypt Before 300 A.D. 
By Gopal Stavig, Journal of Indian History (1989-92), pp. 1-22

Additional Vedanta media can be found at Vedanta Press
Contact Us: jon@mondaymedia.org

Opinions expressed on this site are those of the authors.