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About
Dandapani

Dandapani is a Hindu priest, entrepreneur, and former monk of ten years. After earning a degree in Electrical Engineering, he left it all behind to embrace a life of rigorous personal discipline and spiritual training as an ordained monk. For a decade, he lived a cloistered life in a traditional Hindu monastery under the guidance of one of Hinduism’s foremost spiritual leaders, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.


Today, Dandapani shares a blend of tools and teachings rooted in the Hindu monastic tradition he trained in, along with methods he has developed through decades of personal practice and teaching. His mission is to empower people with timeless tools for self-mastery, helping them cultivate unwavering focus and live with intention.


Since leaving the monastery, he has worked with leading entrepreneurs, top athletes, and global companies, including Nike, Bloomberg, American Express, Fortress Investment Group, and ICONIQ. He has had the opportunity to share stages with figures such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hillary Clinton, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, filmmaker JJ Abrams, and entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg.


Dandapani’s book, The Power of Unwavering Focus (Penguin Random House), has been translated into 23 languages. His TEDx talk has garnered over 7 million views. His teachings have reached tens of thousands of students across more than 120 countries, and his app has been downloaded over 140,000 times.
He currently lives in Nosara, Costa Rica, where he and his wife are developing a 33-acre Hindu spiritual sanctuary and botanical garden. Over the past decade, they’ve planted more than 9,000 trees and plants, creating a sacred space dedicated to reflection, learning, and inner transformation.

Timeless Teachings for Life Today

Four Principles for Building a Happier and Purposeful Life

  1. 01

    Ancient Wisdom, Modern Application

    I draw upon timeless Hindu teachings to offer universal truths that are accessible and practical for today's world. These teachings transcend cultural and religious boundaries, providing tools anyone can apply to lead a happier, more focused, and purposeful life.

  2. 02

    Simple and Practical Tools

    I provide clear, straightforward tools and teachings that are easy to use and seamlessly integrate into your life. These simple yet powerful methods help you take small, consistent steps toward achievable transformation.

  3. 03

    Foundational Approach

    I believe lasting transformation begins with a strong foundation. By first teaching you how to understand and focus your mind, I prepare you to embrace deeper practices like meditation and experiencing higher states of mind, ensuring steady and meaningful progress.

  4. 04

    Focus on Sustaining Change

    I understand that sustaining change is one of the biggest challenges in personal growth. That's why I focus on providing tools and techniques designed to help you maintain progress over time, so the transformation you achieve today lasts a lifetime.

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Engage and Connect

Discover meaningful ways to engage with me and explore transformative tools for growth. Gain the clarity to focus on what truly matters, manifest your goals, and create a life that feels fulfilling, rewarding, and authentic every day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover answers to the most common questions I’m asked about my life, philosophy, and journey.

01

Why do people call you a monk?

Dandapani is formerly a monk, now a Hindu priest.

02

Why do you dress like a monk if you are not one any longer?

Dandapani wears the traditional garb of a Saivite Hindu priest. The dress of Hindu monks and priests is very similar and it is not easy to tell them apart.

03

Can Hindu priests get married?

Yes. In Hinduism there are two paths. One is of the monastic and the other of a householder. The monastic path is for monks who live a celibate life. Priests fall under the category of householders and can get married. Dandapani is married and lives with his wife and daughter in the United States.

04

Are Hindu priests allowed to earn money?

Yes, in fact, they are encouraged to do so. Since Hindu priests are householders they follow the guidelines that have been outlined for householders in the Hindu scriptures. The four goals of a householder, called purushartas in the Sanskrit language, are artha (wealth), kama (love), dharma (righteous action) and moksha (liberation or Self-realization). Householders should amass wealth in a righteous way and make a positive difference in this world with this wealth.

05

What do the three lines on your forehead symbolize?

The lines are a symbol of Saivism and represent anava (ego), karma (law of cause and affect) and maya (illusion).

06

What are those beads that you are wearing?

The beads are called Rudrakshas which literally translates to “Rudra’s eyes” or “Siva eyes.” They form a mala (necklace) that is often worn by Hindus.

The Rudraksha is a bead that comes from the Elaeocarpus ganitrus tree commonly and often known as the Blue Marble tree. The tree produces a blue fruit which is edible but has an acquired taste. When you clean off the meat of the fruit you will find one of these beads within.

07

What sect of Hinduism do you belong to and what philosophy do you subscribe to?

There are four sects within Hinduism and Dandapani belongs to the Saivite sect. Followers of Saivism worship Siva as Supreme God. The philosophy is firmly based on the Vedas and Saiva Agamas – the core scriptures of Hinduism.

Dandapani subscribes to the Saiva Siddhanta philosophy (Monistic Theism) also known as Advaita Isvaravada in Sanskrit. Here’s an excerpt from his guru’s book, Merging with Siva, that explains the philosophy perfectly.

“Monism is the doctrine that reality is a one whole or existence without independent parts. Theism is the belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being. Monistic theism is the dipolar doctrine, also called panentheism, that embraces both monism and theism, two perspectives ordinarily considered contradictory or mutually exclusive, since theism implies dualism. Monistic theism simultaneously accepts that God has a personal form, that He creates, pervades and is all that exists–and that He ultimately transcends all existence and that the soul is, in essence, one with God.” – Subramuniyaswami, S. S. (2002). Merging with Siva. Kauai, HI: Himalayan Academy Publications.

Train Your Mind to Focus

With over 7.3 million views, Dandapani’s TEDx talk has impacted millions by clearly and practically distilling how to master the mind, overcome distraction, and live with focused presence.

Cover of the Dandapani's book

Discover the Book That’s Changing Lives

In a world where distraction rules supreme, Dandapani's groundbreaking book teaches that focus can be learned and mastered through practice.
In this book, he distills 30 years of experiential learnings and practice, and the profound training he received from his guru on the power of the mind and focus into a practical guide that is modern and contemporary, seamlessly bridging timeless philosophical concepts and wisdom with today's world.

print, audio, eBook formats

Translated in 23 languages

Learn more!

...Both profound and practical, The Power of Unwavering Focus will lead you on a journey to reclaim your life and live it with joy and purpose.

Arthur C. Brooks, Professor at Harvard Business School and #1 New York Times bestselling author

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