Bhakti Yoga: Is Bhagavan Real or Unreal? | Prof. Edwin Bryant

Dr. Edwin Bryant received his Ph.D in Indic languages and Cultures from Columbia University. He taught Hinduism at Harvard University for three years, and is presently the professor of Hinduism at Rutgers University where he teaches courses on Hindu philosophy and religion. He has received numerous awards and fellowships, published six books and authored a number of articles on Vedic history, yoga, and the Krishna tradition. In addition to his academic work for the scholarly community, Edwin's Penguin World Classics translation of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, the traditional source for the story of Krishna's incarnation, is both for Indology specialists as well as students and those interested in Hinduism from the general reading public and the yoga community.

Links to Prof. Bryant's Website and Books:

ABOUT VEDANTA
Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.

ABOUT US
Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

[ananttripathi]

Proff Bryant just changed how I looked at bhakti. This was a gift

[arthurolimpio]

I love Bryant and the way he speaks, unapologetic, being himself as well as expressing sympathy and sheer knowledge coming from all directions, academic and experiently. He is an inspiration for me, as I also speak like him, fidgeting and going all sorts of places. But where he goes he gives you gold regardless. Much respect!

[robinchristian]

"The best path to union with God is to follow the way of divine love as taught by Narada." - Sri Ramakrishna
(opening page of 'Narada's Way of Divine Love' by Swami Prabhavananda).

Thank you Prof. Bryant....brilliant and inspiring!

[saraswati]

My teacher recently mentioned that actually Bhakti Yoga in true sense is a very difficult practice for it really is a blessing from the Divine for one to have this authentic feeling of love so yes its a grace most of us develop a sense of practice through intellect

[forestmonk]

When he talks about Bhakti, he seems so much excited. As far as I can remember, it is mentioned as a prime symptom of a Bhakti Yogi in the scripture.

[ayw]

The best talk on Bhakti yoga ever watched. Thank you Prof, always in your debt.

[zotharr]

Im soo happy, seeing two great teachers in the same video :)
Thank you

[chandraramesh]

Awestruck and Jawdropping! Love Prof. Bryant's clarity, expression, and articulation! Salute sir

[rattangujadhur]

A true bhakta ! Brilliant talk by Professor Bryant. So much anugraha flowed to the audience and listeners. He totally debunked the intellectual vagaries of vedanta sutras and debunked scientific methodologies. In brief we cannot in true reality grasp the ultimate. Let’s be honest and truthful about it !

[utubetruthteller]

Intellect is the son, instinct is the father

[amiraarora]

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Ram Hare Ram
Ram Ram Hare Hare
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[amiraarora]

Edwin Bryant ji is just ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏

[sudfromindia]

Where the Gita ends( Sarva Dharman Paritajya- Leave all Dharma and surrender to me only)

there Shrimad Bhagavatam starts(Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ) ie:- Completely rejecting all religious activities(Dharma) which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth

[lmletalheadcrab]

I love this man. He's a joy to watch and great at teaching and explaining.

[beauforda.stenberg]

I appreciate Bryant's point, that in his experience, bhakti was first given by a bhakta, within a sangha. That he also points to scripture, that states that bhakti is ahetu or acausal. Tradition holds that bhakti does not arise, but that it is given. Grace. Mercy. My personal lived experience as pramana, problematises all such assertions, at first blush. My earliest memory, was regarding remembering, and it was contextualised within naturally arising spontaneous spirituality or a nascent religious sentiment. I was born within a non-religious family and grew up within a non-religious household. Yet, that given, from my earliest memory, I was religious, and profoundly interested and attracted to religion. Therefore, my story shares in that of Pralad. Both my story, and that of Pralad, problematises, Bryant's assertion. Well, at least on the face of it. The first clearly Dharmic accoutrement or artefact I was aware of, was the Ankush, in a telling of Kipling's 'Jungle Book', and it has defined my life: action, knowledge and devotion.

[amiraarora]

Koti Koti Pranam to a devotee of Bhagwan Krishna 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Vision_Of_Realities]

What we see outside that is just like illusions…but when you go inside of your oneself you will energies by your ownself to see the real world of infinite truth….go deep & deep… you will see… you infront of God …and …and…then see you r God by yourself 🌺🌺🌺
Jai Sri Ramakrishna 🌺🙏🐚

[sayan_tan]

That lady asking about fanaticism is probably woke. Only fanaticism I notice is some Isckon monks attacking Sadhguru or Mayabad on youtube and in the comments the Isckonists saying that monk is not directly linked to isckon. Unlike abrahamics, Indian philosophical debates never went to violence. We rejected some of Buddha's views but consider him as Avatara. Advaitins heavily respects Ramanuja and Madhava and Sri Chaitanya. I just saw recently that Isckon monk Amogh leela prabhu went to one of the modern Shankaracharya and calling for unity among different sects of Sanatana Dharma.I think this Abrahamic sensitivity against religious wars must be stopped against eastern traditions. Hindus even worship and respects Shikh Gurus, Jain saints.

[forestmonk]

the Bhakti Yoga is the supreme as it connects us with the Supreme. It's a selfless and unbiased way of seeing things. Prof. Edwin Bryant is a learned scholar. He makes complex things real easy to understand.

[travisortwein]

he is one of those few teachers i would of loved to had in school.