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Eternal Quest Programs

ATLANTA

Keeping alive vedic tradition especially for the second generation Indian Americans is one of the main tasks for Swami Yogeshananda, the director of Eternal Quest, which he founded in 1992.

He also has been interested for many years in bringing the vedantic lore to the attention of Americans and get them to know the work of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Another key activity of the mission is to foster interfaith dialogue in this city, part of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr who preached here on many occasions.

Swami Yogeshananda has been a monk of the Ramakrishna order for over 50 years and has lived for extended periods of time in several monasteries in the US, in India and in England, before establishing Eternal Quest.

Being himself a westerner the Swami says he knows the difficulties that Americans may experience when exposed to Indian culture and philosophy.

As a graduate of the University of California, a scholar of Sanskrit and Indian history, and a public speaker, he is able to communicate to a western audience. Having extensively studied the religions of the world, he feels that he is in an ideal position to teach one of the core principles of Vedanta -- that every religion is a valid path to the One Truth.

He is a board member of the Interfaith Coalition of Metro Atlanta. He works with the Chaplain's Office at Emory University, and other places to get dialogue going.

The routine at Eternal Quest involves discourses from 11 am-12.15 pm on Sundays; the chapel is open at 10:45 am for meditation.

On Tuesdays, 7.30-8.15 pm, there will be a reading from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna with the swami offering comments.

On Thursdays, between 8 and 9.30 pm, there will be scripture class, using talks by Swami Vivekananda as inspiration. One of the talks is from the retreat held at Thousand Island Park, New York, in 1895.

Last Sunday of the month, 10.30-11 am singing of the devotional songs, followed by practice of bhajans.

Every evening, except on Sunday, 5.45-6.45 pm vespers are held; a short period of chanting (arti) is followed by silent meditation.

The Eternal Quest has new center which is being renovated and would be functional soon. It is located at 2331 Brockett Road,Tucker, GA 30084; phone: (770) 938-6673.

Vedic Tradition in Atlanta

ATLANTA

The Greater Atlanta Vedic Temple in Lilburn offers havan every Sunday from 10.30 am-noon, followed by prasad and vegetarian potluck lunch.

Also, every Sunday from 10.30 am to noon Dayanand Atlanta Vedic Sunday school holds classes in yoga, meditation, Indian history, Hindi, drawing and music for both children and adults.

The Sunday school schedule runs parallel to Sunday Worship. Participants join the worship services around 11.45 am.

For more information, contact Mini Sharma (Principal) 770-465-4667 Harish Chandan, 770-978-1257.

The Greater Atlanta Vedic temple is located at 492 Harmony Grove Road in Lilburn. Call 770-381-3662 or any of the contacts above for directions.

If you would like to post any information about forthcoming events or community happenings, please email the details to bettypais@aol.com

Information and photographs can also be mailed to Betty Pais at 87-52 108th Street, 2nd Floor, Richmond Hill, NY 11418-2229, USA.

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