Pravrajika-Shuddhatmaprana Pravrajika Shuddhatmaprana is an ordained nun of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, and is currently posted at the Vivekananda Retreat in Ridgely, New York. For many years Shuddhatmaprana has been active in the publication work of the Ramakrishna Order, editing numerous books and articles. She has also written many articles and is the author of two books – The Divine World of the Alvars and Indian Saints and Mystics.
Author Archives: AF
Swami Nishpapananda
Swami Nishpapananda (Nish-pap-ananda) is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India, and an assistant minister at the Vedanta Society of St Louis, where he has resided since 1974. He became interested in Vedanta through college course work, joined the Order in 1981 and received final monastic vows in India in 1995. A graduate of Washington University, Swami Nishpapananda manages the book and multi-media publications of the Vedanta Society and is active in inter-faith work in the St Louis area.
Pravrajika Krishnaprana
Met Swami Prabhavananda in Santa Barbara in 1968, where she was vacationing. Had just finished a teaching job in Hawaii and was looking for a sunnier climate than Seattle, where she was raised. Shen then returned to the Northwest and met Swami Vividishananda and Swami Ranganathananda.
Moved to Santa Barbara in 1969, lived there and volunteered at the center, learning the philosophy from Swami Prabhavananda and the nuns in residence.
Moved into the convent in 1972, was privileged to be able to serve Swami Prabhavananda until his passing.
Had Brahmacharya and Sannyas from Swami Ashesananda and have lived in the Santa Barbara Convent my entire monastic life.
Swami Brahmarupananda
Minister, Vedanta Center of Greater Washington, DC
Swami Brahmarupananda joined the Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat in Ganges, Mi., in 1984 and studied under the guidance of Swami Bhashyananda ji.
He took his monastic vows (Sanyasa deeksha), in 1987.
He has lectured on Vedanta, Upanishads and Bhagavad Geeta, and conducted spiritual retreats in the United States, Canada and Trinidad.
Swamiji is with Vedanta Center of Greater Washington, DC where he speaks on various spiritual topics.
Also, he leads study groups on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, the Bhagawad Geeta and the teachings of Vivekananda.
Brother Shankara
Pravrajika Brahmaprana
Pravrajika Brahmaprana has been a nun of the Vedanta Society of Southern California since January 1973. In 2008 she was posted as the resident minister at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Texas.
During Brahmaprana’s 40 years of monastic life, she has enjoyed speaking before students—from middle school to post-graduate levels—on Hinduism and its Vedanta philosophy. Baptized and raised in the Episcopal Church, she first learned about Vedanta in the late 1960s, through a Comparative Religions course at Occidental College in Los Angeles. After visiting the Vedanta Temple in Hollywood, she later joined the Vedanta Convent in Santa Barbara, where she spent most of her monastic life.
EDITED WORKS:
- Vivekananda, Swami. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. 9. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1997. 609 p.
- Sankaracarya, Sri. Vivekacudamani of Sri Sankaracarya. Translated by Swami Turiyananda. Edited by Pravrajika Brahmaprana. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1991. 271 p.
- Atulananda, Swami. With the Swamis in America and India. Edited by Pravrajika Brahmaprana. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1988. 347 p.
- Monasteries in South India. Compiled and edited by Swami Swahananda. Hollywood: Vedanta Society of Southern California, 1989.
- Prabhavananda, Swami. Bhagavad-Gita commentary (edited work in process).