A man of intelligence knows how to make a living while a man of intellect knows how to live
Aravindan R, fondly called Aravindanji by his students, is a thinker, researcher, and teacher of Vedanta. He has dedicated 30+ years of his life to teaching ancient Indian texts contextualised to 21st century problems.
Aravindanji’s journey began when he was 11 through independent study of Vedic texts. These efforts eventually led him to the revered Indian sage Kanchi Maha Periyavā (the great elder) who was the 68th pontiff of Kanchi Sankara Matt.
Kanchi Maha Periyavā guided Aravindanji’s spiritual journey through his teenage years and exposed him to advanced Vedic literature. Aravindanji’s quest for truth was further guided and influenced by Stalwarts like Swami Haridoss Giri and Swami Tapasyananda of Ramakrishna Mission. His association with Kamban Kazhagam deepened his knowledge of Ramayana and Dharma Shastra.
Aravindanji pursued training at Vedanta Academy under Swami A Parathasarathy for seven years. He also went on to acquire a triple major in Philosophy, Mathematics, and Psychology. Aravindanji’s daily existence is a blend of Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), and Gnana (knowledge).
Aravindanji started teaching in his 20's with classes in Pune. Since then for three decades Aravindanji has dedicated his life to practicing and educating people on Vedanta. He has been transcending religion, gender, age, profession, and geography to disseminate his learnings.
He frequently tours the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East to share his wisdom. When in India, his work continues in form of classes and lectures. . He collaborates with institutes of higher learning and corporate to democratize the wisdom enshrined in ancient texts. His relentless service (Karma) sees him on a gruelling schedule of an average 14-hour day.
Aravindanji's life demonstrates how Bhakti lends potency to action. He strongly propagates the practice of anushtanas and rituals prescribed in the vedas. He works retirelessly to relieve individuals from shackles of blind faith and superstitious beliefs. Aravindanji also collaborates with Vedapātashālās to champion the study of scriptures and preserve centers of worship.
In his pursuit of Gnānam, he researches and collaborates with partner institutions on decoding the essence of scriptures. He has also pushed the boundaries of his understanding of philosophy by engaging with Abrahamic religious texts and Buddhism. Aravindanji actively participates in Vedic conferences across the globe like Vakyartha Sadas, Vidvat Sadas .
Aravindanji’s unique style of preaching complex texts as simple solutions to modern problems has earned him respect as a guru and speaker across the globe.His teachings have profoundly impacted individuals from various walks of life, including businessmen, leaders, sportsmen, professionals, and the common man. Aravindanji spends considerable time in working with childern, youth and parents in negotiating modern-day challenges confronting the Gen-Z
A beacon of inspiration for his students and the wider community, Aravindanji's life is a testament to the transformative power of Vedanta.
