Everything Is Embraced

Discussing divine love, the self and human nature, creation, responsibility, joy, failure, poverty, pleasure, and suffering, Anantanand Rambachan shares his perspectives on a Hindu vision of a Life Worth Living. With Matthew Croasmun, he shares from both his practical experience and his scholarly insights on Hinduism.

Topics

To Live Indebted: Responsibility

Sacred Seeing: The Privilege of Being Human

The Isha Upanishad, from the Opening Lines of the Bhagavad Gita

Dharma and the Common Good: Life Going Well in Hindu Thought

Gandhi on Asceticism, Poverty, and Pleasure

Deep and Abiding Peace: A Hindu Perspective on Life's Circumstances and Suffering

Ananda, or Joy: Profound Fullness of Self, Awakening to the Divine

Everything Is Embraced: Divine Love and Human Flourishing in Hinduism

Being Gentle with Oneself: A Hindu Perspective on Failure

Anantanand Rambachan is Professor Emeritus of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College. He is the author of numerous books, book chapters, and scholarly articles, including The Advaita Worldview: God, World and Humanity; The Hindu Vision; Gitamrtam: The Essential Teachings of the Bhagavadgita; and A Hindu Theology of Liberation. Prof. Rambachan has been involved in the field of interreligious relations and dialogue for over twenty-five years, as a Hindu participant and analyst.

He was a Hindu guest and participant in the last four General Assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Canada, held in Australia, Zimbabwe, and Brazil. He is also a regular participant in the consultations of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican and an educator on interfaith issues in Minnesota. Currently, Anant serves as an advisor to the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, a member of the International Advisory Council for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, and a member of the Theological Education Committee of the American Academy of Religion. Anant completed his undergraduate studies at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Leeds in the U.K.

This Life Worth Living practitioner conversation features the following sections, topics, and highlights.

Hinduism and the Interconnected Universe

• The Hindu tradition teaches that all existence is enfolded in the divine.
• Seeing the world through Darshan—sacred seeing—reveals the divine in all things.
• The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita emphasize the sacred nature of creation.
• "The universe is sacred. Every being, every tree, every river has a sanctity."
• Hinduism rejects materialistic reductionism, affirming a deeper reality of divine presence.

Dharma and the Moral Order of the Universe

• Dharma is the ethical foundation of life, guiding human responsibilities.
• The concept of Loka Sangraha—working for the common good—is central to dharma.
• "To be human is to be attentive to dharma—the moral obligations of life."
• Karma reflects the moral order: actions have consequences for individuals and society.
• Hinduism teaches that true responsibility to the divine includes responsibility to others.

Joy, Flourishing, and the Purpose of Life

• The Purusharthas outline four essential life goals:
  • Dharma (ethical responsibility)
  • Artha (material well-being)
  • Kama (pleasure and beauty)
  • Moksha (spiritual liberation)
• "Joy is not a goal to chase—it is a resource within us, an intrinsic fullness."
• Gandhi’s asceticism contrasted with Hinduism’s broader embrace of material well-being and joy.
• The Bhagavad Gita teaches detachment from the fruits of action, finding meaning in duty.
• Hindu philosophy values pleasure and success, but ultimate fulfillment is found in spiritual awareness.

The Ethics of Giving and Interdependence

• Humans are born into Rina—a state of debt to the universe and others.
• The Bhagavad Gita states that those who receive without giving back are thieves.
• "We are receivers, but we must choose to be givers."
• Love, generosity, and gratitude are the pathways to flourishing communities.
• Hindu ethics extend beyond humans to include all living beings and nature.

Hindu Perspectives on Suffering and Redemption

• Life involves suffering due to aging, change, and impermanence.
• Hinduism does not promise a life free from suffering but offers a path to peace despite suffering.
• "Life going well does not mean life without suffering, but rather a life lived with meaning and harmony."
• Self-awareness and divine consciousness lead to freedom from a sense of inadequacy.
• Compassion for oneself is as necessary as compassion for others.

Love as the Ultimate Reality

• Hinduism sees divine love as the foundation of the universe.
• "If the divine is not love, we are in deep trouble."
• The Upanishads describe creation as an act of divine self-expression, born from love.
• Love is not just an attribute of God—it is the very essence of the divine.
• "Our ability to flourish depends on our ability to love."