Two Dialogues From Brihadāranyaka Upanishad

Two Dialogues From Brihadāranyaka Upanishad

Yājnavalkya-Maitreyi

Yājnavalkya-Janaka

The Upanishads are the acme of Spiritual Wisdom. In the first of the selected dialogues, Sage Yājnavalkya reveals the real source of all happiness to his beloved wife Maitreyi. It is no other than the pure ātmā, our own true nature! He also provides the high plateau teaching of neti-neti, where realization takes place upon negating all that the Reality is not. In the second, the sage reveals to King Janaka the luminous nature of the Self, which is the Light of all lights. Contemplation on these two scintillating portions has the capacity to lift our minds to rise above sorrow and experience bliss. Both the selections are from chapter 4 of Brihadāranyaka.

Key Takeaways for Participants:

• Awakening to the Source of True Happiness: Discover, like Maitreyi, that real and lasting joy is not in external pursuits but in recognizing the pure ātmā—our own true nature.
• Finding Inner Anchoring Amidst Life’s Changes: Just as Sage Yājnavalkya teaches through neti-neti, learn to shift your perspective beyond fleeting experiences to the stable, luminous Self that remains unshaken.
• Realizing the Light Within: As King Janaka discovers, the Self is the Light of all lights—illuminating life’s purpose and guiding us beyond the limits of worldly accomplishments.
• Unfolding the Hidden Potential of the Self: Explore the 15 facets of inner strength that lie dormant within, empowering you with greater self-awareness and clarity.
• Living with Moral Strength and Purpose: Integrate 7 transformative values that fortify the mind, uplift the spirit, and bring harmony between inner wisdom and outer action.
• Right Food as a Spiritual Catalyst: Understand how the right nourishment—both physical and mental—acts as a foundation for deeper contemplation and spiritual growth.

*Suitable age group 20 years and above.

The Details of the Workshop are as follows:

Date & timings: Starts on the morning of Friday, 28th March, at 10:00 am and concludes on Sunday, 30^th March, 2025, 4:30 pm

(Note: Participants are requested to arrive by 28^th March (Friday) Morning by 8:00 AM)

Retreat Contribution: Rs.10,200/- per Participant. The fees in inclusive of boarding, lodging and teaching.

Accommodation: Shared accommodation will be provided

Food: Simple sattvic food with fresh grown vegetables from the farm

Venue: Indica Gurukulam @ Ritambhara, No. 69, BMTC Layout, Adjacent to Kammasandra Village, Lakshmipura Hobli.

The Retreat, located just on the outskirts of Bangalore city, is a small beautiful space dedicated to Yoga & spiritual studies and practices in a simple and clean environment adjacent to a farm of its own.

Reaching the Retreat Venue: The venue is about 22 kms from Majestic Bus Stand and is accessible through Magadi Road and Tumkur Road preferably through own vehicles. The retreat center is very close to ‘Kamadhanu Kshetra’ – a highly popular Raghavendra Swamy temple in last few years. It would take about an hour to reach the retreat venue from the heart of the city. Participants have to make their own arrangements. If any assistance is required Indica Yoga Team will help.

Faculty

Swami Chidananda

Vedanta Teacher & Head of FOWAI FORUM

Swami Chidananda has been a Vedanta teacher and speaker on human values for more than three decades. After he served for 5 years as the resident Vedanta teacher in San Jose, California, in the mid-1990s, his work has been mostly in India and the USA. Since 2006, he heads FOWAI FORUM, a non-profit that disseminates philosophical and spiritual knowledge with special coverage of Indian ethos. Numerous talks by him are on YouTube at the FOWAI channel. The author of seven books, he is specially known for his presentations on Bhagavad Geeta and the Upanishads. Hailing from Udupi district in Karnataka, he has been living in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, since 2013.

He had begun with a career in electronics engineering, with a BE from Mysore University and an MTech from IIT Madras. Then he served Chinmaya Mission, the organization of Swami Chinmayanandaji, for 18 years and the Foundation of Jiddu Krishnamurti for 10 years.