Swami Probuddhananda Puri is the General Secretary of the International Vedanta Society. He also is the soul of IVS in Varanasi, working relentlessly to spread the message of Bhagavan and Advaita Vedanta to the whole of India and abroad. [ivsweb.org]. Nowadays he is one of six disciples of Bhagavan who have been with him since the beginning and who helped found and carry forward IVS.

Swami Probuddhananda Puri, Swamiji for his family, friends and devotees, was born on December 5th, 1971. He grew up in Maligoan, in Guwahati, in the Railway Quarters, living just one house apart of Bhagavan, who he called uncle as a child. During his teenage years, he worked with Bhagavan in theatre and played the role of his son. In later years, he became impressed with Bhagavan when he heard his speech about Buddha and his talks about Swami Vivekananda. He started to visit Bhagavan with his friends to hear all about Vedanta. He became more and more drawn to Bhagavan and the message of Advaita Vedanta. Within no time, he and his friends were immersed in a strong love of Bhagavan, starting of his spirtual life.

At age twenty-two, Swami Probuddhananda went into the depths of realization when Bhagavan told him to sink into the ocean of consciousness. Specifically, Bhagavan told him to, “Sink, Sink, Sink,” and Swamiji sank into the depths of Samadhi on September 11th, 1994. Shortly afterwards, he left his professional life. On april 5th 1998, he became a monk and vowed to serve Bhagavan and humanity to spread the message of Vedanta, and has done so ever since.

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Swami Probuddhananda was the one who brought the youth to Bhagavan and developed the youth front of IVS from his own home. He served Bhagavan in his hometown until 1998 and then was sent out to different parts of India to spread the message of Vedanta. In November 1999, Bhagavan asked Him to come to Varanasi (Benares) and start an ashram in the holy city. In ten years, with the help of his spiritual brothers, he developed both the main ashram there and an ashram for women. [facebook]. After Swamiji spent ten years developing the ashram in Varanasi and gathering aspirants and devotees internationally, Bhagavan gave Swami Probuddhananda the responsibility to travel and spread the message of Vedanta to the world and to maintain the foundation of the fast-growing IVS organization with integrity. Nowadays, Swami Probuddhananda still leads the IVS ashram in Varanasi, is part of the board of trustees as the General Secretary of IVS, and he travels all over India, Europe and the United States, to spread the message of Vedanta. He became very well known in the Benares' spiritual, religious and cultural community as a spiritual personality with integrity and profound compassion and love and has devotees in The Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain and the United States.

Teachings

Swami Probuddhananda has given lectures across India, Europe, and North America, addressing audiences in universities (i.e. Benares Hindu University, New York University, Soffolk University, Dartmouth College, Tilburg University, Laguna University), spiritual centers (Sadasiya Yoga Center, Centro Milarepa, Gita Ashram, Unitarian Church of New York, Centre for Conscious living, Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Centrum voor zingeving en spiritualiteit), at embassies (Indian Embassy in The Hague), and international forums and cultural institutions. His talks have focused on Vedanta philosophy, meditation, and the practical application of spiritual wisdom in daily life. In addition to speaking in major cities, he has also reached smaller communities, where his words have inspired seekers from diverse backgrounds.

Next to adressing big audiences with his lectures, he also provides daily satsangs in Varanasi and a few times a week he is teaching online classes in Malden (The Netherlands), Leersum (The Netherlands), and Barcelona (Spain) - for more information and participation, see the program .

In the mean time he is also training men and women who feel it as their purpose to enter the life of Monkhood within IVS. 

Lecture at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, October 2025

The last decade his work has focussed on:

Books and publications

Swami Probuddhananda is co-author of the biography of Bhagavan, "Bhagavan, the living God" and published a book of letters to devotees, entitled "With love, Swami Probuddhananda. Letters on Advaita Vedanta".