Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Vedantin of Mumbai, India

Vedantin shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Vedantin, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of our day optimise the composure, serenity and objectivity which nature bestows in the early hours of the morning. Rising from sleep at 4:15am we dedicate the first hour of the morning to study, reflection and contemplation on spiritual and practical philosophy. In this quiet time, accompanied by a quiet mind, the intellect comes face to face with the truths of life. Asking and investigating life’s deeper questions – what is our purpose? What is our duty? Can changing myself really improve my surroundings? Why do you passive suffer at the hands of the aggressive? This type of daily intellectual training improves our objectivity and maturity overall and gives us a clear foundation for the rest of the day. Once the study session is complete, we move on to taking care of the physical body with yoga and sport or other exercises.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Vedantin is the initiative of a few students to share the knowledge of Vedanta, the philosophy of life and living, with the world in a practical and modern presentation. We conduct public talks, youth workshops and corporate seminars wherein relevant topics are discussed through interactive class-room style discussions. The Vedantin team have all studied under world-renowned philosophy A. Parthasarathy and have dedicated their lives to imbibing and sharing this knowledge with the world.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Growing up, work is always treated as a burden, a source of stress and agitation. Complaining about work is all too common. The ancient wisdom of Vedanta shines a new light on work: work is worship. Action is inevitable, as humans we are born with desires which seek expression. Consequently, we are forced into action. By learning the technique of action we may achieve both success, fulfilment of our goals and maintain perfect peace of mind. Working for a higher cause, beyond selfish interest, generates enormous energy. Managing the mind to ensure concentration, consistency and co-operation adds efficiency and productivity. Learning to perform our duties as a means of serving the world, we find both external success and internal harmony.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering reminds us that we are mortal. We live in the world as limited beings and we victimised by the fluctuations thereof. The pairs of opposites at the environmental, physical, mental and intellectual level have the power to influence our happiness. For a seeker, this suffering strengthens his desire for liberation. It motivates him to elevate his personality, rise above this constant victimisation through knowledge, reflection and understanding the nature of life. It reminds us all to seek out the Changeless in the changing, the Permanent in the impermanent.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
A Vedantin is defined as one who lives the knowledge of Vedanta. Our motto ‘live in the knowledge’ is a shared value in our team. More important than educating others, is to educate ourselves. When you’ve truly learnt something, you live it. And the way you live, becomes the education to others. Einstein says ‘setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means’.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Born to do. Our work, roles and goals are aligned with our collective purpose and personalities. Each member contributes in his/her own unique way to achieving the shared vision: making the knowledge available to the world.

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