Vedanta Society

A Vedanta Society: one of the American branches of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, whose headquarters is Belur Math near Kolkata, teaching the Vedanta of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda, who founded the first society in New York in 1894 after the Parliament of the World's Religions. The Order counted fourteen branch centres in the United States in 2023. Each society is an independent, self-supporting nonprofit, but its swami, the Minister, is a monk of the Order sent by Belur Math and recallable by it: a society can't hire its own, and when an aged swami dies or is recalled, the next comes when the Order sends one. A board handles the money and the building; the swami, the teaching and the worship. The week centres on the Sunday lecture at eleven, in a chapel of chairs or pews facing the shrine of the three; the monks who live at the society keep the daily worship, and every evening there's vespers, the arati with its songs and then meditation. Vedanta presents itself as universal, accepting all religions as paths to one truth, so Christmas Eve (with readings from the Gospels and carols) and Easter are kept beside Durga Puja, Kali Puja at night, Buddha Purnima, and the birthdays of the three, reckoned by Belur Math's Bengali almanac and usually celebrated on the nearest Sunday. Membership is small and select: open by application to those who have attended for some time, after an interview with the swami; private mantra initiation is free. There are no fees for rites and no hundi: money comes from donations, the bookshop, and bequests, which built the larger societies. Societies don't advertise or seek converts. Monks lead the branches; in Southern California nuns of the Order, given sannyas since 1959, lecture too. Practice varies by society, in whether shoes come off, chairs or pews, and the shrine's images or pictures; there are no published figures for membership.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it and what sets its faith apart; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

Faith	Hinduism
Its words	society, temple, chapel; the swami leads the service; the lecture; Sunday; the Upanishads and the Gita
Worship	word focus, reserved, moderate formality (0.67 of 1); seated on pews
Music	organ discouraged; gospel organ discouraged; choir discouraged; band discouraged; brass discouraged; handbells discouraged; chant expected
The room's sound	no strong preference
Its year	vedanta; full observance; fasts none
Leans	liberal on moral questions, neutral on economic ones
Polity	congregational; leaders come by appointment; property local
Leaders	one leader, full time, trained by in house; marriage any
Belonging	moderate commitment, none discipline, admitted by clergy
Giving	tithing not emphasised; collected by plate, mailed, online
Way of life	alcohol moderation, dress modest, sabbath relaxed, meat vegetarian

The week's services

Day	Time	Service	Led by	People look for it
Sunday	11:00 am	Sunday lecture	the swami	expected
Every day	6:30 pm	Vespers (short, and plays quickly: people come 5% as often as to a main service)	the swami	expected
Wednesday	7:30 pm	Weeknight class (vedanta class, short, and plays quickly: people come 12% as often as to a main service)	the swami	optional

Leader: a swami. With none (a vacancy, or no one hired), the services are still held, but each costs everyone at it 0.10; on sabbatical a supply swami stands in ($800 a month) for a little less. The short daily services go on whether or not anyone leads them, and move no one's satisfaction.
Its table: vegetarian: meals cost 0.85× as much.

Rites

Mantra initiation (on request, +0.05 to those there, asked for 0.02 times a year by a household, 30 minutes): Private initiation by a swami of the Ramakrishna Order, given to someone who has come to the lectures and classes for some time and asked for it: the swami gives a mantra to repeat and meditate on, and becomes their guru. There's no charge, and no ceremony before others; not every swami gives it.

Joining

Joining: a content regular is received as a member after about 26 weeks.
Joining age: 18.
Kinds of belonging: members (votes, may hold office); received by the swami.
What it means: being received is worth +0.1 to the person, +0.05 to family there, and +0.03 to everyone else at the service. It roots them: a rooted household drifts away only 0.6 times as often, and if it does fall away, it has a 25% chance of coming home each Christmas Eve and Easter for ten years.

Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

How it's given: the offering, by a plate passed at each main service, gifts by post, and giving online. A visiting household puts $5 to $25 in the plate. Those who give online give whether or not they come (8% more a month).
Tithing isn't emphasised: people give 10% less.
Fundraisers: only the modest ones (below).
Owed above: nothing.

The swami, the staff, and who decides

How the swami comes: sent by the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, which moves them on; you can't advertise for or dismiss one, but can ask for a move.
Paid: full time; housed by the congregation.
Who they are: trained in-house (they ask 90%); men; never married (celibacy is required).
Tenure: settled, then may be called elsewhere; the associate succeeds at once.
Staff it can hire or name (see Staff and volunteers):
- Bivocational swami ($22,000–$38,000; cares for 75)
- Swami ($55,000–$85,000 + $18,000 benefits, full time; cares for 150)
- Associate swami ($42,000–$62,000 + $15,000 benefits, full time; cares for 100 more)
- Resident monk or nun (up to $2,400; cares for 40 more)
- Sunday school coordinator (unpaid; from the members; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
- Caretaker ($18,000–$30,000; slows the building's wear)
- Society secretary ($20,000–$35,000; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once))
- Youth director ($20,000–$40,000; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
- Cook ($22,000–$38,000; keeps the kitchen)
- Pujari ($24,000–$45,000 + $9,000 benefits, full time; leads worship; performs the rites families book; cares for 30 more)
- Society manager ($40,000–$70,000 + $12,000 benefits, full time; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once); cares for 30 more)
Its boards: the board of trustees (deciding, over everything).
Renovations: The board of trustees votes, consulting the swami.
New construction: The board of trustees votes, consulting the swami.
Who votes: members, 16 and over.

Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

Ministries of its own: Bhajan group, Sanskrit and language classes, Seniors' satsang, Seva meals, Study groups, Yoga for the neighbourhood.
Ministries every tradition can run that it's offered: Blood drive, Food pantry, Health clinic, Preschool, Youth group.
Fundraisers of its own: Janmashtami night.
Shared fundraisers it may hold (only the modest ones): Bake sale, Car wash, Raffle, Rummage sale.
Tenants it can take: A Masonic lodge, A scout troop, A twelve-step group, Dance classes, Music and dance teachers, Parties and receptions.
Outreach: invitation Sunday, literature (from a reading room or an office) (Community → Evangelism).
Dilemmas its code of life brings: A raffle for the roof, A recruiter asks for the hall, Champagne at the reception.

What the building needs

required PulpitPreaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
required monks' quartersThe Vedanta Society asks every society for one.
expected Murti shrineThe chapel faces its shrine: Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda at a Vedanta Society, the altar of the satsang hall at a Chinmaya center. It's a teaching chapel, not a temple: no hundi, no bell, and shoes as the center keeps them.
discouraged BannerBanners are not part of this tradition's worship space.
discouraged Drum kitA band and drum kit do not belong in this tradition's worship.
discouraged Hammond organA gospel organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
discouraged Pipe organAn organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.

What people here feel

Architectural style: Colonial brick +0.028; Modern synagogue +0.046; Gurdwara +0.052; Japanese temple +0.056; Islamic +0.05; Shinto shrine +0.05; Chinese temple +0.044; Dravidian temple +0.038; Nagara temple +0.038; Thai temple +0.038; Jain marble +0.032; Gothic +0.026.
Building fit: up to ±0.15 for everyone, the average fit of the characterful items in its worship rooms (the table below).
Acoustics: it wants a room between ringing and dry, about 2.2 seconds of reverberation: neither bare stone nor a carpeted low room. Up to ±0.05.
Seasonal decor: in their seasons, the diyas and marigold garlands are worth up to ±0.027 (missing them, the minus); out of season, nothing is called for.
Solar panels: leaning liberal, it's glad of them (+0.02 at every service).
The lecture lands by its topic and the tradition's leaning (below); the swami's preaching adds or costs up to 0.08 more.
The daily services move no one's satisfaction: no offering, sermon, or welcome; people come one by one, the retired twice as often, those of working age half as often on a weekday from nine to five.

How each lecture lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

Racial Justice & Reconciliation+0.06
Radical Inclusion+0.06
As Many Faiths, So Many Paths+0.04
Interfaith Understanding+0.04
Reading Scripture in Context+0.04
Swords into Ploughshares+0.04
Bhakti, the Way of Love+0.015
Gratitude+0.015
Hope & Comfort+0.015
Karma and Dharma+0.015
Lessons of the Ramayana+0.015
Service as Worship+0.015
Stewardship & Generosity+0.015
The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter by Chapter+0.015
The Guru's Grace+0.015
The Upanishads+0.015
What the Festival Means+0.015
Care for Creation-0.02
Healing for All-0.02
Welcome the Stranger-0.02
Social Justice Call-0.03
Faith & Family-0.05
Faith of Our Fathers-0.05
Resisting Temptation-0.05
Sanctity of Life-0.075

Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

Item	Fit	Rule
Seating
Box pew	+0.333
Floor sheets	0
Meeting bench	no fit
Oak pew	no fit
Row of chairs	0
Liturgical furniture
Columbarium niches	+0.333
Havan kund	0
Incense burner	0
Lectern	no fit
Murti shrine	+0.5	expected The chapel faces its shrine: Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda at a Vedanta Society, the altar of the satsang hall at a Chinmaya center. It's a teaching chapel, not a temple: no hundi, no bell, and shoes as the center keeps them.
Navagraha shrine	0
Pulpit	no fit	required Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
Music
Drum kit	-1	discouraged A band and drum kit do not belong in this tradition's worship.
Electronic organ	-1
Grand piano	0
Hammond organ	-1	discouraged A gospel organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
Handbell table	-1
Pipe organ	-0.333	discouraged An organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
Sound system	-1
Temple bell	0
Upright piano	0
Decor
Banner	-1	discouraged Banners are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Diyas	no fit
Eternal flame	no fit
Gopuram	0
Great dome	+0.333
Marigold garlands	0
Memorial plaque	no fit
National flag	0
Shikhara	0
Small dome	no fit
Stained glass window	+0.333
Vimana	0
Furnishings
Alms box	no fit
Coffee pot	no fit
Commercial coffee pot	no fit
Computer	no fit
Crib	no fit
Desk	no fit
Desk chair	no fit
Folding table	no fit
Full-length mirror	no fit
Head scarves	0
Hundi	0
Pangat mats	0
Pillar	+0.333
Projection screen	0
Shoe rack	0
Vestment cabinet	+0.333
Wooden table	no fit
Utility
A/V rack	no fit
Camera	no fit
Cast-iron boiler	no fit
Central air conditioner	no fit
Commercial HVAC plant	no fit
Commercial stove	no fit
Congregation van	no fit
Ductless heat pump	no fit
Electric wall heater	no fit
Gas furnace	no fit
Hearing loop	no fit
Lift	no fit
Packaged heat pump	no fit
Plumbing stack	no fit
Ramp	no fit
Shuttle bus	no fit
Sink	no fit
Solar panels	no fit
Stairs	no fit
Toilet	no fit
Used school bus	no fit
Wall camera	no fit
Window air conditioner	no fit
Grounds
Dhvajastambha	0
Evergreen tree	no fit
Flower bed	no fit
Fountain	no fit
Garden bench	no fit
Hedge	no fit
Playground	no fit
Shade tree	no fit

Sources

Vedanta Society Bulletin, December 2019, Vedanta Society of Southern California (link)
Vedanta Society, Wikipedia (link)
Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (link)
Activities and FAQ, Vedanta Society of New York (link)
Activities, Vedanta Society of Sacramento (link)
Calendar of Observances 2024-2025, Vedanta Society of Southern California (link)
Santa Barbara Convent, Vedanta Society of Southern California (link)
2026-2027 Birthdays and Celebrations, Vedanta Society of Sacramento (link)
Vedanta Societies, Encyclopedia.com (link)