:: Biography of Pandit Vamadeva Shastri - ( David Frawley ) ::

Introduction ::

Over ten years ago I started exploring the world of yoga and Ayurveda. Since it was part of my life while growing up in India, it was natural for me to pursue it later in life. After I completed my yoga teacher training, I continued my education in yoga therapy, which gave me an exposure to Ayurveda.

The first ever book that was recommended to me on the sister sciences was ‘Yoga and Ayurveda’ by Dr. David Frawley. As I was reading the book, it started opening a new world of healing to me and I decided that I must study Ayurveda formally with Dr. Frawley. In 2007, I was very fortunate to find out that Dr.Frawley was giving a Yoga and Ayurveda Teacher Training Part I at the Yogaville ashram in Virginia. That was the first time I had the opportunity to meet and study with him. The intensity, the breadth and depth of his knowledge just blew me away and I could see why he was awarded the title PanditVamadevaShastri.

The way he introduced the relationship between yoga and Ayurveda was an eye opener for me. According to him yoga was introduced to the West before Ayurveda was even known here, and yoga therapy followed the model of the western medicine. His view is that traditionally, yoga was not exclusively a physical therapy but it was meant to be a sadhana or spiritual practice for realizing greater consciousness. Yoga therapy originated more in the field of Ayurveda as treatment for the body and mind.This made me realize that in order to understand Ayurvedic approaches to yoga, I must deepen my knowledge of Ayurveda.

Later in the same year I had the opportunity to complete Part II of the Yoga and Ayurveda Teacher Training with PanditVamadeva. I was amazed at how the information flowed from him and how freely he shared his knowledge with us. The primal sound of the mantras he taught us is still ringing in my head and heart. Any time I need any clarification on the subject of yoga or Ayurveda, I refer back to the invaluable lessons and materials provided to us during the Teacher Training classes.

The seed of Ayurveda was well planted in me and I continued with the Ayurvedic Healing Course offered by the American Institute of Vedic Studies founded by PanditVamadeva. The clarity and the organization of the materials made it much easier and simpler to assimilate the knowledge. In addition, the more than 40 books that PanditVamadeva has written or co-authored speak for his authenticity and depth of knowledge.

PanditVamadeva has been a tremendous influence in my life and I am sure in the lives of others who have come in contact with him or his writings. His knowledge and expertise go beyond yoga and Ayurveda to Vedanta, Vedic astrology, History of India, Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma. From reading his books and articlesand from the quotes and commentaries from the most notable Vedic scholars, it is quite evident that he is not just an expert and prolific writer but a profound teacher who lives and breathes his knowledge. It is my great honor to present this biography of PanditVamadeva for Kerala Ayurveda Academy.

Background

Pandit Vamadeva Shastri (David Frawley), born in 1950, is one of the most well known teachers of Ayurveda, Yoga and the Vedic sciences in the world today.He has written more than forty books on topics such as the Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology, published in twenty languages world wide, over the last thirty years.

There is probably no other figure in the western world in recent decades that has covered such a variety of Vedic topics in such detail. What is noticeable about PanditVamadeva’s books is both the diversity of subjects and the depth in which they have been examined.

In India, Pandit Vamadeva is one of the few westerners to be recognized as a Vedacharya (Vedic teacher) where his work is known and honored throughout the country. His scope of studies includes Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedanta and Vedic astrology, as well as the ancient Vedic texts, working internationally to promote Vedic knowledge. He is noted for his ability to integrate Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedic astrology into a single system for raising consciousness that can be easily understood and applied today. He is one of the first to bring combined Ayurvedic Medicine and Vedic astrology to the West and his work has been honored in India and in the West.

In India, Pandit Vamadeva’s translations and interpretations of the ancient Vedic teachings have been acclaimed in both spiritual and scholarly circles. He has worked extensively in teaching, writing, lecturing, conducting research and helping establish schools and associations in related Vedic fields for more than three decades.

Pandit Vamadeva is the founder and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which offers educational information on Yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, and Vedic astrology. He has presented seminars at the Ayurvedic Institute for many years.

In addition to publishing over forty books, he has authored several hundred articles that have been widely published throughout the world. Publications that have printed his articles include (USA – Yoga Journal, Yoga International, Prevention Magazine, Tathaastu, INDIA – Times of India, India Today, the Hindu, the Mountain Path, World Union, the Advent, Tattva Loka, Prabuddha Bharata, Vijay Karnatak, among many others)

He has also authored several sets of Vedic course materials that have been used by over ten thousand students worldwide over the past twenty-five years.In addition, he has written forwards to more than forty books by other authors.

A student of the Sanskrit language, he has translated ancient Vedic texts including the Rig Veda and Upanishads. His recent book, Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound, is regarded as one of the best available texts on mantra, and includes the practice of mantra meditation. He also teaches Vedantic meditation based upon the teachings of Ramana Maharshi.

Pandit Vamadeva sees his role as a “Vedic educator” helping to revive Vedic knowledge in an interdisciplinary approach for the planetary age. He regards himself as a translator to help empower people to use Vedic systems to enhance their lives and aid in their greater Self-realization.

He has worked in several different healing and scholarly fields, with some degree of specialization over certain periods of time. Yet he has endeavored to approach each with a degree of specificity, providing both the background philosophy and practical teachings. Pandit Vamadeva is an advisor for several Ayurvedic and Yoga groups and institutions. He has worked with many spiritual and healing organizations worldwide.

Pandit Vamadeva is a US citizen by birth and a Hindu by conviction. He sees his life work as forming a bridge between these two widely opposing cultures, and he does so with a rare dedication and thoroughness. An acknowledged Vedantin, Pandit Vamadeva is an expert in Ayurveda, Vedic astrology, Yoga, and Tantra, all of which, he says, have their basis in Vedanta. Indeed it is the interdisciplinary approach to Vedanta that he sees as his particular contribution in de-mystifying eastern spirituality.

In his books on all these disciplines, including Yoga and Vedanta, and Ayurveda and the Mind, he speaks out ardently in favor of India finding its own dharmic solutions rather than borrowing western concepts. He has written many books on the subject including Hinduism and the Clash of Civilisation, and The Myth of the Aryan Invasion. He sees modern civilization as doomed and envisages the dawn of a planetary culture linked by consciousness. Eastern values have a key role to play in fashioning this new culture, he says.

Vamadeva received a Pandit award as part of a special Brahmacharya Vishvanathji yearly award in Mumbai in 1994. His role as a Pandit and Vedic teacher (Vedacharya) has been honored by many groups in India by inviting him frequently to lecture and teach. These include Swaminarayan (BAPS), Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (Swami Dayananda), and the Chinmaya Mission (Swami Mitrananda).  Such a traditional title as a Pandit and Vedacharya implies having written and taught on the four Vedas and Upanishads which Pandit Vamadeva has done over the last thirty-five years in his many Vedic books that include many original translations from the Sanskrit texts, particularly from the most ancient Rig Veda itself.

Acharya Frawley’s work in India was honored in the book The Mind of the Guru, Conversations with Spiritual Masters (Viking, India, 2003) by Rajiv Mehrotra of the Dalai Lama Foundation, Delhi, India, which featured twenty modern teachers, mainly from India, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama. In India in Sept. 0f 2012, as ‘Vedacharya Vamadeva Shastri’, he was made one of the patrons of the Dharma-Dhamma conference hosted by the government of Madhya Pradesh in India for the starting of a new Buddhist university at Sanchi. He was one of the two speakers for the closing plenary session.

Many of his books are available in Indian edition through Motilal Banarsidass (MLBD), the largest and oldest publisher of Indological books in India, for which he writes a regular column for their newsletter.

Establishment of Vedic Institute

Pandit Vamadeva is the director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies that represents his work, teachings and programs. In 1980, he founded the Vedic Research Center as a vehicle for his work on the Vedas that he had been pursuing since 1970. This early work focused on research into the RigVeda, the oldest Vedic text, along with a translation of Vedic hymns. In 1988, Vamadeva expanded the center into the ‘American Institute of Vedic Studies‘ to promote additional resources and courses on Yoga philosophy, Vedic astrology (Jyotisha), Ayurveda, and Vedic studies. The Vedic research has continued and formed the background of this work, affording it a special Vedic angle. The Vedic Yoga remains the prime concern for future projects.

The American Institute of Vedic Studies is a web-based educational center providing a broad range of resources and publications for an international audience. It focuses on Ayurveda, Yoga-Vedanta, Vedic astrology, and their interconnections. It provides examinations of Veda and Tantra along with the background system of Hinduism or ‘Sanatana Dharma’. It emphasizes bringing together the greater Yoga tradition in an integral manner with regard to its Vedic origins. It holds a special regard for the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, and Sri Aurobindo.

The Vedic Institute encourages a deeper study of the Vedic teachings in all forms and branches and it is interdisciplinary in approach. In light of the information age, and the publication basis of the ongoing work, the institute is aiming to develop a greater on-line access to everyone involved in this work. A new website design began in the summer of 2012, and regular updates will continue, including bringing all the courses on-line. The website addresses the institute’s international audience, its views and its concerns, and tries to maintain a global perspective.

Work with Ayurvedic Organizations

Pandit Vamadeva is associated with a number of Vedic organizations in several countries.He works with multiple Ayurvedic institutions including:

• Pandit Vamadeva works with Deepak Chopra and has been a faculty member of the Chopra Wellness Center in San Diego since its inception nearly twenty years ago, doing regular programs with them. Note picture of Vamadeva, Deepak Chopra and Yogini Shambhavi to the left. He has helped with their Ayurvedic programs and their mantra and meditation programs. Vamadeva is now one of the main master educators and advisors for the Chopra Center University.
• Recently (2013) Vamadeva has become an Academy Advisor for Kerala Ayurveda, one of the largest Ayurvedic and most innovative companies and educational centers, and will help with their work in India and in the West. He visits their AyurvedaGram center in Bangalore on a regular basis and contributes to their publications.
• Pandit Vamadeva has also worked closely with the California College of Ayurveda (CCA), founded by his former student Marc Halpern, with whom he helped establish the school about twenty years ago.
• Pandit Vamadeva has been a teacher for the Kripalu school of Yoga and Ayurveda, since it’s beginning.
• He is one of the four members of the advisory board for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), as well as being an advisor for the Ayurvedic Practitioner’s Association of North America (AAPNA), and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM).
• His work aims at improving the range of Ayurvedic education. He received a lifetime achievement award from the National Ayurvedic Medical Association in Nov. 2002.
• He works closely with the magazine Hinduism Today, where he is a frequent contributor.

Ayurveda and Herbal Medicine

Pandit Vamadeva studied Ayurveda with Dr. Vasant Lad, a noted Ayurvedic teacher and author. He taught regularly along with Dr. Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute from 1983-1986 and has remained on the visiting faculty since. Along with Dr. Lad, he wrote the Yoga of Herbs in 1986, which is probably the first book integrating western herbs into Ayurveda. They share a similar orientation to Ayurveda and the Vedic sciences.

Vamadeva’s main teacher of Ayurveda was Dr. B. L. Vashta of Bombay. For ten years he remained under the guidance of Dr. Vashta, visiting him regularly in India. Dr. Vashta, a graduate of one of the first Ayurveda programs in India in 1941, wrote many books on Ayurveda and helped formulate Ayurvedic products for Ayurvedic companies. He was also a leading journalist in the state of Maharashtra and became an important guide for Vamadeva. Vashta taught him the value of traditional Ayurveda.

Pandit Vamadeva has worked with herbal medicine in several traditions, going back many years to a study of western herbalism when he was around the age of twenty. He has a good knowledge of local herbs throughout the western United States. He studied Chinese herbal medicine for a number of years, including in China itself (1987).

                                  

In 1988, for his herbal studies he received what was then called an OMD degree from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine, where he taught from 1984-1990. Vamadeva has encouraged dialogue between Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and as a dialogue that can include Tibetan medicine that contains aspects of both systems. 

Pandit Vamadeva was a board member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG) in 1993-1994, the largest herbalist association in the United States. He continues to research the herbal aspect of healing, and has studied the herbs and plants of India as well, particularly in the Himalayas. He brings an herbal perspective into his work, including aromatherapy, encouraging herbs as the medicine of nature.

Pandit Vamadeva’s main areas of specialization in Ayurveda are herbal medicine, Ayurveda and the mind, and Ayurveda and Yoga. He is a proponent of ‘traditional Ayurveda’, the older Vedic or Vaidya approach incorporating Yoga, Vedic astrology, and Vedanta into its teachings. He is working to revive traditional Ayurveda both in the contexts of modern Ayurveda in India and popular Ayurveda in the western world. He is more than an ordinary Ayurvedic doctor or practitioner but a master educator in the field of Ayurveda and Vedic studies.

Vamadeva has helped start a number of Ayurvedic schools and organizations, and his innovative teachings on Ayurveda have been used extensively by Ayurvedic groups throughout the world including in Ayurvedic schools in India. He is recognized as one of the most important Ayurvedic teachers and acharyas today. According to him, the goal of Ayurveda is the realization of your inner Self and to create harmony between the body, mind and spirit.

Vamadeva’s Ayurvedic teachings are represented by a number of associated groups throughout the world, who use it as part of their own trainings. Aldo Lubrano has developed a Spanish version of his teachings, used as part of classroom training in Mexico as well as distance learning throughout the Spanish speaking world. The Vedic Center, Ruegen, Germany (Maxim and SergejKuschpel) has developed German and Russian course versions, which are now developing classroom instruction as well.

Dr. Jose Rugue and his Sudha Dharma Mandala, who offers extensive training in Yoga and Ayurveda, including classroom and clinical instruction, represent Pandit Vamadeva’s work in Brazil. The European Institute of Vedic Studies under Atreya Smith previously represented his work in Europe. Pandit Vamadeva’s Soma in Yoga and Ayurveda (2012) is his longest and most detailed book on Ayurveda in some years and opens up a wide field of new applications, as well as deeper Yoga practices, including new secrets of Ayurvedic herbs.

BOOKS on Ayurvedic Medicine by David Frawley

1). Yoga and Ayurveda: Self-healing and Self-realization (1999)

Georg Feuerstein: “This book highlights the close connection between Yoga and Ayurveda, both of which are fundamental holistic disciplines. It offers a most valuable overview of the connection points between Yoga and Ayurveda and shows how both disciplines are relevant to contemporary spiritual practice.”

2). Ayurveda and the Mind: The Healing of Consciousness (1996)

David Simon, M.D.: “This book illuminates the practical applications of Ayurveda and Yoga as applied to the mind. Through Dr. Frawley’s clear exposition of the Vedic principles of consciousness and its expressions, a simple, yet profound approach to psychological and emotional healing is elucidated.”

This book explores how to heal our minds on all levels to create wholeness. It goes into the Ayurvedic view of the mind and its relationship with both body and spirit, which is profound and intricate. It outlines a comprehensive Ayurvedic treatment for the mind, both for promoting health and for dealing with disease, using diverse methods from diet to meditation.

3). Ayurvedic Healing: A Comprehensive Guide (with a foreword by B.L. Vashta, 1989)

Scott Gerson, M.D.: “This book offers both the physician and layperson practical guidance through the vast subject of Ayurveda. It gives a comprehensive description of the principles of Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatments in clear and concise language."

This book presents the Ayurvedic treatment of common diseases, covering over eighty different ailments from the common cold to cancer.

4). Ayurveda and Marma Therapy: Energy Point in Yogic Healing (with Ranade and Lele, 2003)

This is the first book on marma therapy published in the West. It clearly describes the 107 main marma points in location, properties and usage. It explains in detail how to treat them with many methods including massage with special oils, aromas, herbs and yoga practices. Ayurveda and Marma Therapy is an essential reference guide for all students of Yoga, Ayurveda, massage or natural healing.

5). Ayurveda, Nature’s Medicine (with Subhash Ranade, 2001)

This book is designed as an introduction to Ayurvedic medicine. It provides a detailed presentation of all the different branches of Ayurveda and their practical application in daily life, on all levels from diet and herbs to yoga and meditation, explaining both Ayurvedic diagnostic and treatment methods.

6). Neti: Healing Secrets of Yoga and Ayurveda (2005)

This book gives a most thorough and practical presentation of how to use the Neti pot yet available. The Neti pot is one of the most popular methods of personal hygiene and health improvement. Notably, the book shows the place of such ‘nasal therapies’ (nasya) in India’s great healing traditions and their broader relevance for treating common diseases and promoting overall health and vitality. The book shows the role of Neti and nasya therapies in Ayurveda, including how to enhance them with herbs, aromas, marma therapy and Yoga practices like pranayama.

7). Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine (with Dr. Vasant Lad, 1986)

In this book, Ayurvedic herbal science is applied to western herbs, as well as to a few major oriental herbs, both Indian and Chinese. The purpose of the book is to present Ayurveda as a practically applied system of herbalism. It attempts to show living Ayurveda, its creative and practical application to changing conditions. It is meant as a bridge between east and west preserving the integrality of the Ayurvedic healing system.

8). Soma in Yoga and Ayurveda: The Power of Rejuvenation and Immortality (2012)

This book cracks the secret code of “Soma” and de-mystifies the myth and logic about its practical application.Dr. Frawley has clearly outlined that the real fountain of Soma is well within you and tapping into that nourishment will make your life enlightened and blissful. It is Pandit Vamadeva’s longest and most detailed book on Ayurveda in recent years, and opens up a wide field of new applications, as well as deeper Yoga practices, including secrets of Ayurvedic herbs.

9). Salud Ayurveda

With masterful simplicity, Dr. Frawley presents a wide variety of treatments including diet, plants and herbs, oils, gems, mantras, and meditation, making available the wisdom of the ancient Indian system of holistic medicine of Ayurveda, in this Spanish edition.

Yoga, Vedanta, Mantra and Meditation

Pandit Vamadeva has done extensive work over the past three decades with the profound spiritual and healing traditions of India. He sees Yoga, if not misinterpreted, at least only superficially presented in the West, in which its deeper transformative principles easily get lost in purely physical or personal concerns.

Pandit Vamadeva has been connected to the work of Paramahamsa Yogananda of the Kriya Yoga movement, since he first took the SRF lessons in 1970, and has closely studied the teachings of Yogananda’s guru, Sri Yukteswar. SRF has published his articles and referred to his books in a number of their publications. His quote on Yogananda has recently appeared in the new edition of Autobiography of a Yogi. He also corresponded with Anandamayi Ma for several years and remains a devotee of hers as well.

Pandit Vamadeva has been a devotee of Ramana Maharshi, the great sage of South India, since 1970. He carries on the work of Ganapati Muni, one of Maharshi’s chief disciples, whose teachings he received through K. Natesan of the Ramanashram in 1991. He was in regular contact with Natesan up to his passing in 2009 at the age of 96, photo below. Natesan carried both the legacy of Ramana Maharshi and Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, a great modern Sanskrit writer and a great Raja Yogi as well.

Ganapati Muni’s work that he has taken up includes both the Vedas and Tantra, as well as Ayurveda and Jyotish. Natesan has brought out the Muni’s Sanskrit work in eleven volumes. Vamadeva continues to study and translate the Muni’s great stotras and sutras and add the Muni’s insights into his writings. His study of Vedantic meditation methods, particularly the practice of Self-inquiry as taught by Ramana Maharshi, is the subject of his book, Vedantic Meditation: Lighting the Flame of Awareness (2000).

Vamadeva’s study of Ganapati Muni’s work was the basis of his book Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (1994), which relates to the deeper aspects of Tantric spiritual and mantric practices. The Muni’s work is also part of his book, Inner Tantric Yoga: Working with the Universal Shakti (2008).

Vamadeva has spoken before the main Ramana Maharshi centers (Ramana Kendras) in India and has written for the Mountain Path, the ashram’s main publication and an important resource on the direct path of Self-Inquiry.

Since 1994 he has been in contact with the noted South Indian guru, Sivananda Murthy of Andhra Pradesh (Vishakhpatnam), who is also of Ramana’s line and a great yogi as well, with connections to Trailinga Swami. He has worked with Sivananda Murty on the study of the Upanishads.

Vamadeva wrote the foreword to Sadguru Sivananda Murty’sKatha Yoga, a deep yogic study of the Katha Upanishad. Sivananda Murty provided an introduction Vamadeva’s book Universal Hinduism. Vamadeva considers Sadguru Sivananda Murty to be one of the most important living spiritual masters in India today. Sadguru is the head of a Sivadvaita-Shaktivasishta order.

On the Vedantic side, Vamadeva has been associated with SwamiDayananda of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (picture lower left) and has spoken at his centers and worked with him in various conferences and programs.

He considers Swamiji to be the most important teacher of Vedanta in the world today and recommends all his students to study with him. Vamadeva regards Vedanta as the mind and soul of Yoga and Ayurveda and aims at promoting Vedanta once more along with Yoga.

Pandit Vamadeva wants to see "a new yogic culture for the new planetary age." Yoga in the West "has only scratched the surface of the greater yoga tradition," he says. "The yoga community in the West is currently at a crossroads. Its recent commercial success can be used to build the foundation for a more profound teaching, aimed at changing the consciousness of humanity. Or it can reduce yoga to a mere business that has lost connection with its spiritual heart. The choice that yoga teachers make today will determine this future."

Acharya Frawley’s book Yoga, the Greater Tradition (2008) shows a broad view of Yoga and the need to develop its many traditional connections with all aspects of Vedic knowledge. His book on mantra, Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound (2010) has been regarded as a prime resource on mantra and meditation practice.

BOOKS on Yoga, Tantra & Vedanta By David Frawley

1).  Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound: Secret of Seed (Bija) Mantras (2010)

Deepak Chopra, M.D.: “Modern science and ancient wisdom traditions agree that the universe is a symphony of vibrational frequencies. In this beautiful, comprehensive, and unique work, Vamadeva elaborates the essential truths about cosmic sound, and how we can employ important mantras for healing, transformation and inner awakening.”

The book focuses on single syllable mantras that reflect the primal sounds of the universe. It contains an examination of the profound philosophy behind mantra and the important rules of attitude and application necessary to follow in order to allow mantras to work in the best possible manner.

2). Inner Tantric Yoga: Working with the Universal Shakti: Secrets of Mantras, Deities, and Meditation (2008)

This book examines Shakti in a broader context as the power of universal awareness. It explores Shakti as the underlying source behind all the forces of nature from physical forces like electro magnetism to spiritual energies like the Kundalini. The book looks at Shakti from two primary perspectives, from a naturalistic point of view and from the point of view of deeper yogic practices of mantra and meditation. It uncovers the Shaktis at work both in the world of nature and in the higher potentials of consciousness within us.

This book can expand the horizons about masculine and feminine energies, Self and the world, universe and the Absolute into a living experience of the Infinite and Eternal both within and around us. It explores how to heal our minds on all levels to create wholeness.

3). Yoga: The Greater Tradition (2008)

As yoga continues to grow in popularity as a modern exercise and fitness movement, it is important to take notice of the greater spiritual tradition that forms its core. This book sheds light on the greater tradition and teachings of yoga, providing readers with an important approach to the practice that can harmonize their existence both individually and collectively. "Yoga" provides all students with a new appreciation of their discipline's universe.

4). Yoga and the Sacred Fire: Self Realization and Planetary Transformation (2006)

This book explores the evolution of life and consciousness according to the cosmology and psychology of Fire, viewing Fire not only as a material but also as a spiritual principle. It is about Yoga and Agni relative to spiritual practice and the evolution of the universe, which are interrelated. It is about our spiritual history as a soul and creative power in the cosmos. It examines our current evolutionary crisis as a species.

5). Yoga for Your Type: An Ayurvedic Approach to Your Asana Practice (with Sandra Summerfield Kozak, 2001)

This is the first book that details how to choose Yoga asanas most appropriate for your unique body type according to the five thousand year old system of Ayurvedic medicine. It helps to understand and determine individual’s constitution type and how to apply that knowledge to the personal selection of Yoga poses.

6). Vedantic Meditation: Lighting the Flame of Awareness (2000)

As yoga gains popularity across the U.S., many people are becoming interested in its traditional Vedic roots. While Buddhist meditation is well represented on bookshelves, there has been little Vedantic philosophy written in lay terms until now.

Author David Frawley guides readers through the challenges of cultivating awareness, calming the mind, and practicing meditation according to Vedanta and Hinduism. He examines how cultural knowledge systems in the West lead individuals to disillusionment, and speaks about how meditation can aid in understanding the true nature of one's thoughts, emotions, and perceptions.

Frawley explores meditation support practices such as yoga, mantras, kundalini, and pranayama, as well as the role of gurus, and concludes with a short, more technical essay on self-inquiry.

7). Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses: Spiritual Secrets of Ayurveda (1994)

Georg Feuerstein: “Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses is an excellent book introducing the essence of Hindu Tantrism. The book discusses all the major concepts and offers valuable corrections for many existing misconceptions. It also introduces the reader to the core Tantric practices of meditation and mantra recitation, focusing on the Ten Wisdom Goddesses (dasa-mahavidya).

This book presents the meditational and mantric side of Tantra, which is the more common side of Tantra practiced in India. It is written from the standpoint of a practitioner and also from one trained in Ayurveda (yogic medicine). It tries to present the living spirit and practice of Tantra, rather than just another academic view. This book is an excellent introduction to the essence of Hindu Tantris.”

8). Beyond the Mind (1984)

The book was first written in 1984 and then revised in 1993 and so represents one of Frawley’s earliest titles. It deals with the topics of the mind and meditation as related to the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and Samkhya, but in an experiential manner. Vedantic Meditation, a more recent book, covers similar topics.

9).  Katha-Yoga by Sivananda Murty (Introduction: David Frawley, 2009)

In this work, the author deals with secret Yoga of Kathopanishad, not merely its philosophy. By narrating the event of a Brahman boy going to the God of death seeking instruction what happens after death, it reflects certain yogic practices for facing death and moving beyond its grip.

Frawley considers Sivananda Murty to be one of the greatest living gurus in India today and regards him as one of his teachers and guides. Sivananda Murty holds great jnana and bhakti and a profound understanding of the philosophy, art and culture of India, with a special knowledge of Vedic astrology. His book on the Katha Upanishad provides a much deeper view than what is usually presented and presents many yogic secrets.

Sivananda Murty: “This book has come to light as an international publication just on the account of the interest taken by Frawley. Frawley has not only provided a brilliant analytical introduction but also has seen to it that the book is published in an appropriate way. I owe it to him that he alone is responsible for this book coming to light. I profusely thank Dr. Frawley for all that he has done.”

Spreading Vedic Astrology

Vamadeva began studying Vedic astrology (Jyotish) as part of his Vedic research in the early seventies and brought out a course in the subject in 1985. He continues to use Vedic astrology, particularly in the context of Yoga and Ayurveda, for a deeper understanding of Vedic wisdom.

Vamadeva wrote Astrology of the Seers (1990), one of the first books on Vedic astrology published in the West. This was followed by Ayurvedic Astrology (2005), which pioneers the field of ‘Ayurvedic Astrology’. In 1997, he brought out the book the Oracle of Rama (1997), an important Hindu oracle, which in 2005 has been made into a beautiful set of cards through Mandala Press.

In 1992 Vamadeva helped convene the first major American Conference on Vedic Astrology, which led to the founding of the American Council of Vedic Astrology (ACVA) the following year 1993. He became the first president of the organization for ten years (1993-2003), working with Dennis Harness as the executive vice-president. He later became a board member of the American College of Vedic Astrology from 2003-2011, and after 2011, of the Council of Vedic Astrology. He was a patron/founder of the British Association of Vedic Astrology (BAVA).

Vamadeva’s main Vedic astrology teacher was Dr. B.V. Raman (1916-1998), regarded by many as the greatest Vedic astrologer of modern India and founder of the Astrological Magazine. He has also been associated with Gayatri Vasudev, K.S. Charak, R. Santhanam, K.N. Rao and BepinBehari. He works closely with Chakrapani Ullal, and considers Chakrapani to be his main teacher after Dr. Raman.

Vamadeva was one of the first Americans to receive Jyotish Kovid title from the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS, 1993), the largest Vedic astrology association in the world, followed by the title Jyotish Vachaspati in 1996, and Jyotish Medha Prajna in 2012. He has researched medical astrology and psychology and astrology, as well as the historical origins of Vedic astrology, bringing out ancient Vedic material on the Nakshatras. In Oct. of 2010, he was one of the main guests for the World Council on Mundane Astrology convened by Sri Sadguru Sivananda Murty in Vishakhapatnam, India.

BOOKS on Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) by David Frawley

1). Ayurvedic Astrology: Self Healing Through the Stars (2010)

Chakrapani Ullal: “This book shows how the two sciences, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology, fit together and can be used in harmony to provide a greater understanding and deeper application of each. The book addresses both the predictive and treatment sides of both systems with clarity and precision.”

David Frawley unlocks ancient astrological understandings of the human body's inherent weaknesses based on positions of the planets and stars at birth.He examines disease factors from an astrological perspective and goes indepth into astrological remedial measures, particularly gem therapy. The text also contains many notable example charts.

2). The Astrology of Seers: A Comprehensive Guide to VedicAstrology (1994)

This book is a presentation of Vedic astrology, the traditional astrology of India. The seers, sages and yogis of greater India have used this system since ancient times. This book endeavors to explain this system in clear and modern terms. It attempts to give astrology a spiritual background in the classical eastern or yogic sense.

Of special interest, the book explains the cycle of the world-ages (yugas), showing the Vedic view of human history, and the connection of our solar system with galactic sources of energy.

3). Oracle of Rama: A Divination Deck – Mandala Press (2005), Book – Lotus Press (1996)

Deepak Chopra: “Discover your destiny with The Oracle of Rama, the great oracle of India, and one of the simplest to use. Like the I Ching, it consists of various verses that one can use to answer life's questions. The system is based upon Tulsidas; originally written as an oracle and still a great classic in India today. Inspired by the symbolism of Lord Rama, a divine incarnation, the system is designed as a quick and insightful divination tool. This deck--the first of it's kind--is divided into seven sections and offers the reader hundreds of different verses that you can select in response to queries. It can be used for matters of the heart and spirit, as well as for the practical matters of life;from health to relationships and career issues. Dr. Frawley adds new commentary and modern adaptation of this great classic.”

4). The Nakshatras:  by Dennis Harness (2004)

The Book by Dr. Dennis Harness provides an excellent practical presentation to this important astrological system.  It shows us how to access the wisdom of the Nakshatras in our personal life and for our society.  Through it, the modern reader can understand the energies of their stars and learn how to utilize these to bring their lives into harmony with the great forces of the universe.  The book is a must reading not only for any students of astrology but also for any students of astrology and for anyone interested in self-development or spiritual growth.

Vedas and Ancient India

Pandit Vamadeva began his study of the Vedas in 1971 through the works of Sri Aurobindo and started to study the Sanskrit language. In 1979, M.P. Pandit of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram gave his support to his work and personally was responsible for publishing dozens of Vamadeva’s Vedic articles and translations in various Sri Aurobindo publications in India, which occurred regularly from 1980-1984 in World Union, the Advent and Sri Aurobindo’s Action. M.P. Pandit first awakened Vamadeva to his “Vedic mission” and encouraged him up to his passing in 1994. Mr. Pandit helped publish Vamadeva’s first book in India, the Creative Vision of the Early Upanishads (1982) and serialized material from two of his other books, Self-realization and the Supermind in the Rig Veda (1979), and the Heart of the Yajur Veda (1982).

In 2000, in his book How I Became a Hindu: My Discovery of Vedic Dharma, Frawley details his move from a Catholic upbringing to embracing Hinduism and Vedic knowledge. He discovered the Vedas through the work of Sri Aurobindo around 1970 as part of his examination of Yoga and Vedanta. His article Vedic Mysticism brought me into Hinduism occurs in the book How to Become a Hindu from the Himalayan Academy.

In 1991, under the auspices of the Hindu teacher Avadhuta Shastri, he was named Vamadeva Shastri after the Vedic Rishi Vamadeva. In 1996 he was given the title of Pandit along with the BrahmachariVishwanathji award in Mumbai, India. He carries on the work of Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, the chief disciple of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi.

Pandit Vamadeva’s Vedic studies have included the early Upanishads, the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda, and several Brahmanas and Aranyakas, which he has gone over in the original Sanskrit. He has made special studies of the Rig Vedic hymn and followed a spiritual interpretation of Vedic texts, reflecting the work of Sri Aurobindo and Ganapati Muni, showing the yogic meaning of the Vedic mantras, which has remained the inspiration for all that he has attempted.

In 1986, he brought out a volume of his translations from the Rig Veda in India under the title, Hymns from the Golden Age (Motilal Banarsidass, 1986). A revised version of the book came out in the USA and later again in India under the title Wisdom of the Ancient Seers: Selected Mantras from the Rig Veda (1993).

BOOKS on Vedas and Ancient India by David Frawley

1). Hidden Horizons: Unearthing 10.000 Years of Indian Culture (with Dr. Navaratna S. Rajaram, 2006)

This book on ancient Indian history has been specifically written to accompany the “Ten Minute Down the Sarasvati River” display at the Swaminarayan Akshardam, a Cultural Complex in Delhi, India. It is like a 200-page ride down the Sarasvati River. The book has been distributed to over 30,000 people by the Swaminarayan order, which also gives it to visiting dignitaries.

The authors have presented alternative views on ancient history of India based on more recent geological finds along the now dry Sarasvati River and the recognition that the Vedas contain important spiritual, scientific and historical knowledge that contradicts older European historical accounts of fifty years ago. It provides a few snapshots and summaries of a culture of ten thousand years, numerous sages, and the development of one of the world’s greatest civilizations.

H.H. Swami Tejomayanandaji: “Hidden Horizons captures the glory and beauty of our Vedic lore. The book, replete with precious nuggets, showcases the spiritual stamina of a land, whose past is relevant and benevolent to the present.”

2). Wisdom of the Ancient Seers: Mantras of the Rig Veda (2000)

Georg Feuerstein: "The Rig Veda is not only one of the oldest sacred scriptures of the world, but also one of the most misunderstood. Past scholarship has dismissed the hymns of the Rig Veda as being expressions of a primitive animistic mentality that only rarely rose to true spiritual and philosophical heights. David Frawley's book demonstrates that this judgmental view is ill-founded. His fine renderings of select Vedic hymns bear witness to the fact that their composers were sages and seers--powerful poets who knew the art of symbolic and metaphoric communication. The Vedic hymns give us a unique glimpse not into a primitive mentality but a mentality and culture that revolved around the highest spiritual values and visions. This is an important and riveting book, ushering in a new and sounder tradition of Vedic interpretation and scholarship."

3). The Rig Veda and the History of India: Rig Veda Bharata Ithihas (2001)

The book attempts to clarify the historical aspects of the Rig Veda through an examination of its kings, rishis and peoples. It makes many new points of literary interpretation not only of the Rig Veda but also of the other Vedas, Brahmanas, Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayana. It opens new ground, gives a greater antiquity, and affirms a greater presence of the Vedic culture in the east and south of India.

4). The Myth of the Aryan Invasion of India (2001)

This short book summarizes all the main information on why the proposed Aryan Invasion/Migration into India in ancient times is not correct and why the Vedic culture represents the original culture of the region.

5). In Search of the Cradle of Civilization (with Georg Feuerstein and Subhash Kak, 1995)

Deepak Chopra: For decades, schoolbooks have taught that Sumer was the cradle of civilization. Conventional scholarship has also held that Aryan civilization came to India by way of invasions from the north. But in this ground-breaking book, three renowned scholars show that there was no "Aryan invasion," and that India, not Sumer, was the cradle of civilized humanity.

Through exploring the rich symbols, metaphors, and myths of the Vedas, this book also examines the wealth of India's spirituality and its relevance for today's world.

This book features the work of three important scholars in the field and provides a wide range of issues and information on the Vedic civilization of ancient India and its importance. Covers topics like archaeology, archao-astronomy, Vedic science, Vedic Yoga and geological information like the Sarasvati River.

6). Gods, Sages and Kings: Vedic Secrets of Ancient Civilization (1991)

A breakthrough book on ancient India that has become a classic in its field, introducing new archaeological evidence on the Sarasvati River, a new interpretation of Vedic texts and an extensive examination of Vedic astronomy that many subsequent books have followed. It remains an important compendium not only of historical issues but of the spiritual and yogic implications of Vedic texts. Contains many Vedic references and keys to Vedic texts including the origins of Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology. Discusses global connections of the Vedic people and Vedic culture, particularly through Europe and the Middle East.

Vyas Houston: "Gods, Sages and Kings is a very important book. It fills a major void in our understanding of human history...It calls into question our entire view of human history...it is much more significantly a truly spiritual vision of where we come from and who we are."

7). Vedic Aryans and the Origins of Civilization (with Navaratna S. Rajaram, 1995)

This book examines the history of ancient India in light of much new evidence showing a Vedic origin of ancient India’s civilization going back to the Pre-Harappan era. Rajaram analyzes the Aryan question in great detail and Frawley brings in important information from Vedic literature.

8). Sarasvati River and the Vedic Civilization by N. S. Rajaram (Foreword: David Frawley, 2006)

This book gives an excellent summary and update of the current science and scholarship about ancient India. Starting with the importance of the Sarasvati River and the geological findings about the time frame of its drying up, the book builds up an impressive case on the antiquity of Vedic culture in India going back to the Pre-Harappan period. The book examines a wide variety of information and presents a remarkable and coherent synthesis of the data.

The conclusion is clear that the Aryan invasion/migration theory can be replaced by a new scenario of a largely indigenous development of civilization in India that probably influences the ciiviilzations to the West more than it borrowed from them.

Revising Ancient History: Sanatana Dharma

After seeing how the spiritual meaning of the Vedas had been misinterpreted by modern scholars, Vamadeva could easily see how the historical side of the Vedas had similarly been distorted. This led him to a revision of ancient history. His work revising the history of ancient India has brought him into contact with major archeologists and historians. He has published many books on the Vedas and Ancient India. Note his picture with Pramukh Swami of the Swaminarayan order. His Hidden Horizons: Unearthing Ten Thousand Years of Indian Culture (2007) is a special publication of the Swaminarayan Order (BAPS).

His book on ancient India, Gods, Sages and Kings (1991) was one of the first to propose a new model of history for ancient India. A shorter version of this material Myth of the Aryan Invasion (Voice of India 1994, 2001) has been a popular book on the subject.

Along with Georg Feuerstein and Subhash Kak, he wrote In Search of the Cradle of Civilization (1995) and along with N.S. Rajaram, Vedic Aryans and the Origins of Civilization (1994). His Rig Veda and the History of India (2001) takes this work further, setting forth a reconstruction of the history of ancient India in a Vedic light. Quotes from Vamadeva’s books on ancient India and an interview with him were featured in Grahman Hancock’s Underworld, Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age book and television series.

Vamadeva has written several books on contemporary issues in India, particularly the challenges to dharmic and yogic culture posed by modern civilization. He views Hinduism in the light of its origins as ‘Sanatana Dharma’, the Universal or Eternal Tradition that is relevant to all human beings.

His books on Sanatana Dharma began with From the River of Heaven: Hindu and Vedic Knowledge for the Modern Age (1991). Additional titles addressing more contemporary issues published through Voice of India in Delhi include Arise Arjuna (1995), Awaken Bharata (1998), and How I Became a Hindu: My Discovery of Vedic Dharma (2000), countering common stereotypes. His book Hinduism: the Eternal Tradition (1995) has been used by ashrams and temples. His Universal Hinduism: Towards a New Vision of Sanatana Dharma (2010) shows its global relevance.

Acharya Frawley’s main teacher of Hindu Dharma was Ram Swarup of Delhi (1921-1998), photo above, whom Hinduism Today called the most important modern writer on Hinduism, with whom he was associated with from 1992. Ram Swarup wrote the foreword to Vamadeva’s Awaken Bharata. Vamadeva wrote the forewords for Ram Swarup’s collected works, including, On Hinduism; Meditations, Gods, Yogas; and the Word as Revelation: Names of Gods, and other volumes of his collected works.

In publications on ancient India such as In Search of the Cradle of Civilization (1995), Frawley along with Georg Feuerstein and Subhash Kak has defended theories of historical revisionism advocating the "Indigenous Aryans" ideology popular in Hindu nationalism and in traditional Yoga.

BOOKS on Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma by David Frawley

1). Awaken Bharata: A call for India’s Rebirth (1998)

This is one of the key texts for the modern Hindu movement. The book is most well known for its chapter on a “Call for an Intellectual Kshatriya”. It is a sequel to Arise Arjuna and has inspired many Hindu activists from throughout the world. It examines the crucial role of Hindu Dharma in the awakening of the soul of India following the inspiration of great seers like Ram Swarup and Sri Aurobindo. The book examines current distortions of Hinduism, exposing both their inaccuracy and their misinformation and showing how to correct them.

2).Hinduisim (Sanatana Dharma) and the Clash of Civilizations (2001)

This dynamic book addresses the relevance of Hindu Dharma and its Vedic arts and sciences in the context of the current global clash of civilizations and crisis born of the twin evils of religious fundamentalism and consumerism. It promotes the need for a new Indic School of Thought and for developing new Vedic Schools, not only in Ayurveda, Vedic astrology and Yoga but also in the Vedic mantras and in Hindu Dharma itself.

The book provides not just a critique of current problems but charts a way forward towards a Vedic civilization for the entire world.

3). How I Became a Hindu: My Discovery of Vedic Dharma (2001)

Vamadeva’s personal journey through Veda, Vedanta and Hindu Dharma, including his work and study in India and his interaction with various Hindu groups and Vedic teachers over more than twenty years. The book emphasizes how David Frawley came to understand and join Hindu Dharma and become a Hindu teacher or Hindu Dharma Pracharaka, which remains central to all his work. Discusses important issues of the relevance of Hindu Dharma to the West and its encounter with Christianity, includes Vamadeva’s 1997 debate with the Archbishop of Hyderabad on the issue of conversions in India.

This is an important book for those who want to see the relevance of Hinduism to modern seekers and Yoga practitioners. It reveals Hinduism as Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Tradition that is relevant to everyone. It also helps Hindus understand and appreciate their own teachings and practices.

4). From the River of Heaven: Hindu and Vedic Knowledge for the Modern Age (1990)

Vedic knowledge is the ancient and universal root, not only of Hinduism, but also of many of the world's religions and mystical traditions. Hindu and Vedic knowledge presents a complete system of spiritual science, including all the practices of yoga as part of a rich field of spiritual culture.

From the River of Heaven may be the most accessible and relevant overview of the spiritual tradition of India and its clearest presentation to the modern mind. It provides an excellent overview of the different branches of Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedic astrology, Varnashrama Dharma, Sanskrit and much more. Places the Yoga tradition in its greater Vedic context. It presents all this information simply, clearly, concisely and in an easy to understand manner.

5). Arise Arjuna: Hinduisim and the modern world (1995)

This book is considered to be a classic text on the role and portrayal of Hindu Dharma in India and in the West today. It makes a strong case why Hindus should take a more active role in presenting their great tradition to the world and insisting on a more accurate portrayal of their dharma in the global media. It provides a call for Hindus to awaken to their ancient dharma and promote it once more as a civilizational force for bringing a higher consciousness into humanity.

6). Hinduisim: The Eternal Tradition (Sanatana Dharma, 2008)

The book consists of a series of reflections, questions and answers on Sanatana Dharma, the universal tradition behind Hinduism, covering all the most important issues of spirituality, religion, philosophy, culture, and spiritual practice. Several Hindu Temples in US and UK have ordered the book in bulk for their members. It is regarded as a classic in its field.The book covers almost every topic, concern and query about Hinduism both from Hindus and non-Hindu in a concise and contemporary manner.

Topics include the nature of Dharma, Hinduism and other religions, different branches of Hinduism, key beliefs and practices of Hinduism, global relevance of Hinduism, Hinduism and the planetary age, Hinduism and Vedic sciences, and issues of Hindu youth. It is one of the best studies of Hinduism and its many facets. Corrects many distortions and provides a clear way of explaining Hindu Dharma to people today.

7). Universal Hinduism: Towards a New Vision of Sanatana Dharma

Universal Hinduism is the latest title (fall 2010) of Pandit Vamadeva Shastri (David Frawley) on the Hindu tradition and its global relevance. It follows his several best sellers in the field and his books on Hindu Dharma which have gone through more than twenty reprints in India since 1994. The book explains the relevance of Sanatana Dharma not only for the past but also for the future, not only for India but for all countries. Notably the book explains how Hinduism can be of universal and eternal value and yet have its own special identity among the religions of the world.

The book features introductory notes by Sri Sivananda Murty and by Frank Morales (Sri Dharma Pravartaka). Sivananda Murty is one of the most respected Sadgurus in India today with a large following in Andhra Pradesh. He heads the SivadvaitaShaktivishta tradition of Yoga and is closely connected with Ramana Maharshi’s teachings and is well known for his insight into Yoga, astrology and classical Indian music. Sri Dharma Pravartaka is one of the most important western teachers of Sanatana Dharma and has written several important books on related subjects.

Expert Quotes and Commentaries

Subash Kak, one of the most notable American Hindus and Vedic scholars wrote in the Foreword for the book: ‘How I Became a Hindu’ by David Frawley,

“Consider themodern fascination with spirituality, self-knowledge,environment, multiculturalism; this ground was prepared over the last two hundred years by Hindu ideas. David Frawley is one of the most prominentHindus of our times. He has made fundamental contributions to ourunderstanding of the Vedas; he has also written on Ayurveda and otherVedic sciences. Most importantly, he has urged a return to theVedas as ameans to unlock the secrets of the scriptures that followed.

He has shown how this key can reveal the meaning behind the exuberant imagination of the Puranas and the Agamas. It also unlocks the mysteries of Hindu ritual. Frawley has also been at the forefront of questioning the oldcolonial paradigm within which Indian history and Hindu religion has beensituated by nineteenth century Indologists.

He has done this through his writings and lectures all over the world. Hiswork shows the way not only for the Westerner who wishes to understandHinduism but also for those Hindus who know their religion only through theinterpretations of the Indologists.

The Gita says, "Both renunciation of works and also their practice lead to theSupreme. But of these, to act rather than to renounce is the better path.''Frawley's life story is a testimony to this wisdom of following the path of action. Frawley's work is informed by deep meditation and awareness of larger forces of history. He is a modern rishi in the same spirit asVivekananda and Aurobindo.

Frawley's work has also shown the relevance of the Vedas for there discovery of the forgotten past of the Old Religion, pejoratively calledpaganism. Ancient Hindus, Greeks, Romans, Celts, and Babylonians knewthat their religions were essentially the same.

As the sole surviving member of the Old Religion, Hinduism provides usmany insights to recognize the universality and perenniality of the spiritual quest. David Frawley's discovery of Hinduism for himself has eased the wayfor others who want to reach the same goal.

His life story provides inspiration to all who wish to be reconnected to thewisdom of our ancestors everywhere.”

In his book American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, in the section "Passions for India", Philip Goldberg (2010) mentions Vamadeva Shastri as among three important teachers or acharyas of the Vedic tradition in the West today, along with Georg Feuerstein and Andrew Harvey.

In its “Meet the Innovators” section, the magazine Yoga Journal, speaks of Pandit Vamadeva as “one of the first Americans to bring Ayurvedic Medicine and Vedic Astrology to the West.”

Rajiv Mehrotra (2003) of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, India, interviewed Frawley as one of twenty important spiritual teachers in his book The Mind of the Guru.

His “Swami Vivekananda: The Maker of a New Era in Global Spirituality” occurs in a Ramakrishna Mission book anthology in honor of the one hundred and fiftieth birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Edwin Bryant (2001) commented that Frawley's historical work is more successful in the popular arena, to which it is directed and where its impact "is by no means insignificant", rather than in academic study and that "(Frawley) is committed to channeling a symbolic spiritual paradigm through a critical empiric rational one".

Alternative archaeologist Graham Hancock (2002) quotes Frawley’s historical work extensively for the proposal of highly evolved ancient civilizations prior to our current estimate of history, including in India. In addition, note Kreisburg 2012, for Frawley’s “The Vedic Literature and Its Many Secrets”.

Phillip Goldberg in his popular book American Veda (page 223) recognizes Vamadeva (David Frawley) as one of the main acharyas of Vedanta-Yoga in the West today, as well as noting his influence in India as a Vedacharya.

Swami Veda Bharati notes“Those who know (vidvaamsah) will confirm that the works of Shri Vamadeva Shastri are distinguished by their authenticity. This is so because they are based on (1) his personal quest and experience (2) deep dwelling into the texts and (3) oral learning received from many authentic teachers who are experts in their areas of knowledge.

“Shri Vamadeva Shastri (Acharya David Frawley) has done this great service to many that he has offered access into knowledge that was often hitherto inaccessible to an average western seeker.”


“David Frawley is one of the most important scholars of Ayurveda and Vedic Science today. I have great respect and admiration for his knowledge and the way he has expounded the ancient wisdom of the Vedas.”


Deepak Chopra

“Frawley is an Indian in an American body. The ease with which he enters into the spiritual of the Indian tradition and renders its deeper concepts in terms of modern thought shows an unusual familiarity with this ancient wisdom.”


M.P. Pandit, Secretary of Sri Aurobindo Ashram

“Certainly America’s most singular practicing Hindu.”


Ashok Malik, India Today

“David Frawley is a formidable scholar of Vedanta and easily the best known Western Acharya of the Vedic wisdom.”
Ashish Sharma, Indian Express, the Express Magazine.

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Vedacharya David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is a western born teacher in the Vedic tradition. In India, Vamadeva is recognized as a Vedacharya (Vedic teacher), and includes in his scope of studies Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedanta and Vedic astrology, as well as the ancient Vedic texts.

In India, Vamadeva’s translations and interpretations of the ancient Vedic teachings have been acclaimed in both spiritual and scholarly circles. He has worked extensively teaching, writing, lecturing, conducting research and helping establish schools and associations in related Vedic fields over the last more than three decades.

Vamadeva sees his role as a “Vedic educator” helping to revive Vedic knowledge in an interdisciplinary approach for the planetary age. He regards himself as a translator to help empower people to use Vedic systems to enhance their lives and aid in their greater Self-realization.

Vamadeva has worked in several different healing and scholarly fields, with some degree of specialization over certain periods of time. Yet he has endeavored to approach each with a degree of specificity, providing both the background philosophy and practical teachings. For a good overview of his work and background, it is best to examine his book Yoga and the Sacred Fire: Self-Healing and Planetary Transformation (2005). Presently Vamadeva is working on new book on the Vedic Yoga.

Vamadeva has become an Academy Advisor for Kerala Ayurveda, one of the largest and most innovative Ayurvedic companies and educational centers, and helps with their work in India and in the West. He visits their Ayurveda Gram center in Bangalore on a regular basis and contributes to their publications. He joins Kerala Ayurveda for special training programs, audio and video classes, and is an advisor for course development.

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