Podcasts about bhagavad

Modern spirituality often says yoga is all about the journey. But is that what the ancient teachings really meant? In this focused and eye-opening Q & A episode, Kaustubha explores samādhi and the true aim of yoga. Drawing from the Upanishads and Bhakti tradition, he reveals how yoga isn't aimless—it's intentional, transformational, and love-driven. You'll also hear how Krishna's call for surrender in the Bhagavad-gītā—often misunderstood as bossy—is actually rooted in compassion and transcendental clarity. What You'll Learn: •⁠  ⁠The real goal of samādhi and how yoga stays focused •⁠  ⁠Why Krishna asks for everything—and how it's not about ego •⁠  ⁠How even negative emotions can purify when directed toward God •⁠  ⁠Shishupala's surprising liberation through hatred •⁠  ⁠Why Krishna's confidence isn't arrogance—and what it means for us This isn't vague spiritualism—it's grounded wisdom for the seeker who wants clarity, depth, and a target worth aiming for. Listen now and rediscover why love—with direction—is the heart of yoga. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108

I'm back with Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita! This is so dense I had to split it into two parts. Today we'll discuss verses 1-38. This chapter serves as a foundation for understanding the eternal nature of the soul (Atman) and the importance of non-attachment in the face of life's challenges. Let's look at Arjuna's emotional turmoil and Krishna's tough love approach, emphasizing the need for inner stability and the acceptance of life's transient nature. The emphasis on the immortality of the soul, the significance of understanding one's Dharma, and the win-win perspective in life. This chapter literally has all of Krishna's essential teachings. Making it a gold mine. Get ready to learn from the original life coach (Krishna):

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 21st of May, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

Many religious and spiritual traditions consider renunciation of the world important.But is living in an ashram or temple really more spiritual?We examine the fact that true spirituality is not determined by physical location or external appearances, but rather by one's consciousness and how one lives. We will learn that the ‘world' (the material energy) is neutral, and the real challenge lies in one's consciousness and relationship with the world. True renunciation (tyāga) is not about physically giving up worldly activities and possessions but rather about performing actions without attachment to their fruits. The Bhagavad Gita illustrates that genuine spirituality involves seeing everything as connected to God and performing all actions as service to the Supreme Soul.If you would like to do a more in-depth course on the essential teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā, it is here: https://acharyadas.com/series/bhagavad-gita-chalisa/ The verses I quote were:In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of loving service to the Supreme Lord does not take place. - Bhagavad-gītā 2.44Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.4One who restrains the senses and organs of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.6Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong. - Śrī Īśopaniṣad mantra 1The Blessed Lord said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic: not he who lights no fire and performs no work. - Bhagavad-gītā 6.1What is called renunciation is the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, for no one can become a yogi unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification. - Bhagavad-gītā 6.2“I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of the Lord ….” - Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 13.80For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me. - Bhagavad-gītā 6.30The Blessed Lord said, To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation [tyāga] by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life [sannyāsa] by great learned men. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.2It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. Therefore, it is said that he who renounces the fruits of action is one who has truly renounced. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.11The wise, engaged in loving devotional service, take refuge in the Lord, and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state beyond all miseries. - Bhagavad-gītā 2.51Unless one is engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord, mere renunciation of activities cannot make one happy. The sages, purified by works of devotion, achieve the Supreme without delay. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.6O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. - Bhagavad-gītā 9.27In this way you will be freed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this principle of renunciation you will be liberated and come to Me. - Bhagavad-gītā 9.28

“Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by what symptoms is one known who is transcendental to those modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature?” (Bhagavad-gita, 14.21)

The Lord's devotees have a special qualification in that, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (6.32): "ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo 'rjuna sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ." They're the parama yogīs because, He says, they have compassion. Atmaupamyena means they feel empathy towards others because they've been through it themselves, and they know what the material world's like. Although Kṛṣṇa oversees the material world and there's a sense of the suffering of the living entities, the ones who feel it most intensely are those who've been in it and then have been saved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are given the opportunity, then, as a lifetime occupation, to go out and give mercy to others. And He describes, as everyone knows, several ways in which this potency of Kṛṣṇa appears through the devotees in this world, through the seemingly incidental way in which someone may introduce somebody to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—the vartmana pradakṣaka guru, somebody who shows you the path. Kṛṣṇa works through that person. There's serendipity there. Interestingly, that person who introduces one to the path may not even be fully aware that he or she is doing it. For instance, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura is mentioned in the first chapter of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and his girlfriend is the one he accredits for introducing him to the path of pure bhakti. He was just going to hang out, and she said, "What are you doing with your life? Couldn't you, like, get it together? You'd actually be a great devotee if you just use some of this energy for God." And it woke him up. So he eternally gives her credit as Kṛṣṇa is speaking to him through an agent called the vartmana pradakṣaka guru—guru, one who opens one's eyes from darkness into light. Then he describes how there are many instructors who speak on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, and then there's one who gives the mantra. And all of these, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī describes as manifestations of Kṛṣṇa. It's the way that He appears in this world. Uddhava mentions at the end of the Uddhava-gītā: "naivopayanty apacitiṁ kavayas taveśa brahmāyuṣāpi kṛtam ṛddha-mudaḥ smarantaḥ yo 'ntar bahis tanu-bhṛtām aśubhaṁ vidhunvann ācārya-caittya-vapuṣā sva-gatiṁ vyanakti (SB 11.29.6)." He says to Lord Kṛṣṇa, 'That I cannot offer enough gratitude. I cannot express enough gratitude to You, because You appear in this world as the ācārya to sva-gatiṁ vyanakti, to show the path to You. And You also appear as the antaryāmī, the Supersoul within the heart.' As we know, and Kavirāja Gosvāmī quotes this in the first chapter of the Ādi-līlā: "teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te" He uses the metaphor that 'I'm there ready to light a lamp and show you the direction if you become interested in Me.' He said, 'So You're there as the antarayāmī to show the path.' And then he said, 'You manifest externally as the different gurus who will show me the path. Externally walk me by the hand along the path of devotional service,' called anugraha. As graha means a grabber, and anu means follow. So somebody who makes you follow, like, 'No, no, come here. Hold on there, little fella, come over here for a second. We have a little something for you,' and that the devotees who are representing the Lord in the material world, although The Lord doesn't get involved; the devotees do that. They're little grabbers. People feel a little bit roughed up for a minute or two, and then they realize later on, "Oh, saved me from falling on the railway track, pulled me up, grabbed me from falling off the roof." As Prahlāda Mahārāja says.. To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/

When we become frustrated to the point of despair, there's an opening for us. And that opening for Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā was that he gave up. There's so much effort I put into trying to organize everything in the world so it'll come out straight, and it always comes out crooked. Prabhupāda mentions in one of his purports, in the Second Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that observing our own frustration can be enlightening because it means that we're incompatible with the nature of the world. And that's because, as he says, 'We are a different category of energy altogether.' We are consciousness, and consciousness can't be measured in the same way that material elements can. We have the controlled studies scientifically to come out with a predictable outcome, or as close as possible, so that we can say that there are certain principles that work uniformly in the world, but with consciousness, you can't apply the same measurements. It's impossible to use the same tools to measure it. We're subtler than matter, and it really bugs us. Bugs me. I'm always trying to get things to work right. And then I remember that purport where Prabhupāda says, 'Just notice that the material nature is clumsy.' I may attribute it to myself, but that's because I want more; I want something more refined. So in despair, we can find teachable moments—that is, times in which we feel so out of place in this world that we can come to a point of questioning why. And oftentimes this is the turning point. It is possible to not take advantage of despair, not take advantage of frustration, and just continually try to fix it or try to forget about it and become distracted. Oftentimes we do that. I'll speak for myself. So one of the big admonitions given in the Brahma-sūtra, otherwise known as the Vedānta-sūtra, is the introductory statement that now you've got a chance to inquire, ask a big question. It says, athāto brahma jijñāsā—means now that you've come to the human form of life, you have an opportunity to ask, 'Why? Why am I suffering?' Also, other questions could be there, like, 'Why do I have to die? Why do—why am I faced with non-permanence when I definitely feel like I shouldn't be?' That's a conundrum and can lead to a sense of angst, existential angst. And it's a relief to know, isn't it, that the wisdom literature knows us? Of course, I could go back to Vyasadeva. He's the one who compiled it, and put that question first amongst all the others, a myriad of questions that can be asked or statements that can be made, principles that can be expounded. But then he says, you do it, you ask, you ask, Why am I suffering, and what's the purpose of life? The implication is that there's an answer waiting for you.It's forthcoming ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife

So, this is one of the very important lessons that Prahlād Mahārāj teaches us, is to become trained in the spiritual science. Don't neglect the Bhagavad-gītā. Or should I say it in the positive? It's better, isn't it, because that might go and you may think, 'Neglect the Bhagavad-gītā.' No. Read Bhagavad-gītā every day. How's that for a challenge? If one reads Bhagavad-gītā every day, then you won't have to make excuses for why you make mistakes, or why you made mistakes, or why you feel morose, or why you feel confused, and so forth, because those who read the Bhagavad-gītā every day don't get confused. They see things as they are, and they see the difference between matter and spirit. And that's fairly simple. Let me just check, do we have any Bhagavad-gītās? Just checking to see if we have them on site. Do we have any here? I heard that we've distributed over approximately 500 million books since Prabhupāda started book distribution, and we have a few of them here. Bhagavad-gītā is available. Do any of you have it at home? Just checking. It sounds simplistic, but sometimes the simple things are the true answer. It's called Occam's razor. So if you take this challenge that Prahlād Mahārāj is putting out—educate yourself the way a geologist becomes educated to see the way the world's actually working and to find out where the gold is—then you'll never be bewildered. So if you read at least a chapter of Bhagavad-gītā every day, hear the verses, and go deeply within the purports as much as possible, then you'll see the world and find the great treasures in life and avoid the difficulties. Now, speaking of difficulties, Prahlād Mahārāj also talks about that. He says.. Selected texts discussed: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/7/21/ https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/7/41 https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/7/7/42/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

As a complementary bonus to episode 76 (“Becoming Fearless with the Bhagavad Gita”), Hari shares his own path and story with devotional yoga beginning with his curiosity spark while watching The Adams Family as a kid and seeing Gomez performing headstand and other yoga poses. A decade-lius later, as a young New Yorker during the hey day of late 70s and early 80s, his spiritual awakening started to root while zig-zagging and chanting mantras on foot across Manhattan as courier – a foreshadowing of his true calling as one who delivers ancient philosophy packed in contemporary wisdom, and evolved into a bhakti practice, and his eventual discovery of a Hare Krishna temple.Connect with Hari✩ Website: https://hari-kirtana.com/✩ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hari.kirtana/✩ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Harikirtanadas✩ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harikirtana✩ Free Chapter of Journey Into the Bhagavad gita: https://bit.ly/3EqUNyt✩ Journey Into the Bhagavad-gita: A Guide to Exploring Timeless Principles of Transcendental Knowledge and Integrating Them Into Your Life by Hari-Kirtana Das: https://amzn.to/3QBcOwr✩ In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy by Hari-Kirtana Das: https://amzn.to/3GrwQYrSupport and stay connected with the GTY community✩ Website: https://www.gtypodcast.com/⁠✩ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtypodcast/✩ Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@guystalkingyogapodcast⁠✩ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/guystalkingyoga⁠Check out Yoga For Dudes with Larry✩ Website: https://www.yogafordudes.com/✩ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC4yM9Mv-q7fA8VKBEyzt27A

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 7th of May, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

Hari-kirtana Das — yoga teacher, spiritual mentor, and author of two books on yoga philosophy — delves into yoga philosophy and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, and shares how such ancient wisdom still relates to the challenges of modern life. An eighteen chapter dialogue between Krishna and the warrior Arjuna, the Bhagavad Gita is a story about following your dharma and being fearless in the face of life's many challenges, by recognizing your essential nature and call to duty.Additionally, the conversation touches on how individuals can find their unique paths in yoga, especially during times of identity crisis, to become fearless in the face of uncertainty. The themes of masculinity, fearlessness, and the transformative power of yoga as illustrated in the Bhagavad Gita are the backbone of Hari's conversation with Derek and Larry.Connect with Hari✩ Website: https://hari-kirtana.com/✩ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hari.kirtana/✩ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Harikirtanadas✩ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harikirtana✩ Free Chapter of Journey Into the Bhagavad gita: https://bit.ly/3EqUNyt✩ Journey Into the Bhagavad-gita: A Guide to Exploring Timeless Principles of Transcendental Knowledge and Integrating Them Into Your Life by Hari-Kirtana Das: https://amzn.to/3QBcOwr✩ In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy by Hari-Kirtana Das: https://amzn.to/3GrwQYrSupport and stay connected with the GTY community✩ Website: https://www.gtypodcast.com/⁠✩ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtypodcast/✩ Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@guystalkingyogapodcast⁠✩ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/guystalkingyoga⁠Check out Yoga For Dudes with Larry✩ Website: https://www.yogafordudes.com/✩ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC4yM9Mv-q7fA8VKBEyzt27A

This is a somewhat comprehensive discussion on the yogic view of the ego, particularly focusing on the concept of false ego (ahaṅkara) in Vedic philosophy. While the term 'ego' is commonly used by people in a derogatory sense (‘big ego', or ‘inflated ego' as examples), its Latin root simply means 'I'. The yogic understanding is that the false ego acts as a filter that distorts our consciousness and makes us identify with our material body rather than our true spiritual self (the ātmā). I have used various analogies, including the movie theater experience and spinning around, to illustrate how the false ego creates a distorted perception of reality. We also cover the distinction between the subtle body (consisting of false ego, intelligence, and mind) and the gross physical body, as being distinct from the spirit soul and emphasize how the practice of bhakti yoga can help dissolve the subtle material covering coverings without separate effort.During the talk I mentioned two talks that explain the eternal individuality of the spirit-soul.One with God – Different from God - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4TOrOiS42S7cTVEuaEe100?si=zQNcfOLHQyuHz7nxs0DHnw The Nature of the Soul - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3yKvBbyTleZLYpJuaRLfeF?si=absoB2b8SU-no9Yw4wdN0g Some of the verses I quoted from:Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies. - Bhagavad-gītā 7.4Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature. Bhagavad-gītā 7.5During the rainy season the moon was prevented from appearing directly by the covering of the clouds, which were themselves illumined by the moon's rays. Similarly, the living being in material existence is prevented from appearing directly by the covering of the false ego, which is itself illumined by the consciousness of the pure soul. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.20.19The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.27When the soul is under the spell of material nature and false ego, identifying one's body as the self, the person becomes absorbed in material activities, and by the influence of false ego one thinks that they are the proprietor of everything. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.27.2Just as a person who is whirling around perceives the ground to be turning, one who is affected by false ego thinks himself the doer, when actually only his mind is acting. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.46.41Lamentation, elation, fear, anger, greed, confusion and hankering, as well as birth and death, are experiences of the false ego and not of the pure soul. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.28.15As long as the spirit soul is covered by the subtle body, consisting of the mind, intelligence and false ego, he is bound to the results of his fruitive activities. Because of this covering, the spirit soul is connected with the material energy and must accordingly suffer material conditions and reversals, continually, life after life. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 7.2.47A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping, and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.8-9Bhakti-yoga (the process of loving devotional service) dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3:25:33.

What Kṛṣṇa is saying is that if you find your sincerity and you offer it to Kṛṣṇa, and you say, "Kṛṣṇa, I'm Yours, and I will surrender to You and only depend upon You," then Kṛṣṇa is already there, as Gajendra, I mentioned, said, "He's there waiting." It's not that He becomes bored; He's always interested in us. He's always aware of us, and what He's mostly aware of, as we found out in this verse today, is our motive. That's the most secret thing within the heart. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ—it's secret. Why is it secret? Because someone may read it and think, "I'll make a new commentarian, then I'll become Kṛṣṇa." Or, "Who is this person?" Prabhupāda mentions. Some people say, "How audacious of Him to say, 'Surrender to Me.'" And there are scholars who are expert in dissecting the verses, but they have no intention of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when they write about Kṛṣṇa or they give commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā, their commentaries are meaningless, what to speak of misleading. So the relationship we have with Kṛṣṇa can be immediately realized when we find in ourselves our motive, and even if it's very difficult to bring forth, if we find even a scintilla—is that's small enough. Scintilla? I don't know if a scintilla is smaller than a molecule, but there are different types of terms. One is about a specific element or entity. Scintilla means something very tiny—if we can find that, that's what's important. So this verse is a reminder that if we all were able to find that sincerity and offer to Kṛṣṇa and come what may offer ourselves in service—tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo, knowing that "I'm in Kṛṣṇa's hands, whatever happens because I'm a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, everything that happens to me is for my purification." Verse for discussion https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/13/49/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #sincerity #purpose #livebhagavatam #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

Prince Hamlet collides with Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in this mind-bending episode on the illusion of “good and bad.” Raghunath and Kaustubha explore Bhakti Yoga, mental programming, and the transformative power of staying steady amid life's chaos. They unpack a verse that flips the spiritual script: liberation doesn't require a cave—it requires clarity. With vegan cheesecake hangovers, Tom Sawyer tricks, and a dose of Shakespearean angst, this episode reveals how kings lived as yogis—and how your own messy, modern life can become sacred ground for spiritual evolution. Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — Hamlet (and basically the Bhāgavatam too) •⁠  ⁠Why your mind is a meaning-making machine—and how that distorts reality •⁠  ⁠Eastern philosophy says good and bad are illusions—here's what that really means •⁠  ⁠The Bhagavad-gītā's bold message: you can transcend duality without renouncing your responsibilities •⁠  ⁠How tolerance is the first quality of a true sadhu or yogi •⁠  ⁠Why red isn't good, blue isn't bad, and Denmark is just a mindset

Prince Hamlet collides with Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in this mind-bending episode on the illusion of “good and bad.” Raghunath and Kaustubha explore Bhakti Yoga, mental programming, and the transformative power of staying steady amid life's chaos. They unpack a verse that flips the spiritual script: liberation doesn't require a cave—it requires clarity. With vegan cheesecake hangovers, Tom Sawyer tricks, and a dose of Shakespearean angst, this episode reveals how kings lived as yogis—and how your own messy, modern life can become sacred ground for spiritual evolution. Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — Hamlet (and basically the Bhāgavatam too) •⁠  ⁠Why your mind is a meaning-making machine—and how that distorts reality •⁠  ⁠Eastern philosophy says good and bad are illusions—here's what that really means •⁠  ⁠The Bhagavad-gītā's bold message: you can transcend duality without renouncing your responsibilities •⁠  ⁠How tolerance is the first quality of a true sadhu or yogi •⁠  ⁠Why red isn't good, blue isn't bad, and Denmark is just a mindset

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 30th of April, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

That's why we're always so confounded, because we're always trying to create a self. What is my relationship now, when I go to kindergarten with all these other kids that I never met before? What about in fifth grade? How do I adapt? Should I wear jeans or corduroys, or should I wear shorts? Who should I be like? Which identity should I take on now? And throughout our lives, trying to create a persona based on the material body and mind is extremely troublesome, and what to speak of the fact that it's untenable. You can't hold it. Whatever identity you have now will be diminished. It will change. It will be lost completely at a certain point. So, this is one of the tenets of the teachings of Jung—Jung and the Bhagavad-gītā. And finally, we have this statement: modern psychology and ancient wisdom both address this with beautiful parallels and profound differences. So, let's go into a few more of them. The problem: losing the self. This is a problem. We've lost ourselves. In the ancient Upaniṣads, this is called ātma-hā—death of the self. There is no death of the self, but we conceive that ourself has died, and we lose sense of our real self. And when we do that, we get into this trap. So, Jung says we get trapped in personas—masks. He calls them living for society's expectations. This is a sociological fact. Everyone is working very hard to put on the right mask in order to fit in. It's one of the deep needs of the human psyche: I have to fit in with everybody else. Therefore, I'll wear the appropriate mask at the appropriate time, whether it's in relationship to the family or to the greater society. One has to play a certain role and assume a certain sort of mask. He also says, "The unconscious gets repressed, leading to alienation and neurosis." I'll read that again. Maybe it resonates: "The unconscious gets repressed, leading to alienation and neurosis." And here's some from the Bhagavad-gītā. I'll give some summary comparison between what Jung said and what Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says. In Bhagavad-gītā, the soul (ātmā) identifies with the temporary body and mind. This phenomenon is called māyā, which means it's a mistake, and it forgets its eternal divine nature. If you remember your eternal divine nature and you're aware of it, you don't have a problem. The problem comes when you forget it. Next, this leads to suffering and endless rebirth—this is called saṁsāra. One thing leads to another. The world is accommodating our desires, and our misguided sense of self leads us to misguided desires, which are then accommodated by this material nature, which is very mechanical, and we end up moving from one temporary situation to another. And in each one of them, we're striving for something that cannot be achieved. We cannot find permanence in a temporary world. That's our problem. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark

“Bhagavad-gita also confirms that when the Lord appears He appears as He is by His internal potency. He is not contaminated by the material energy because He is the Lord of material energy. In the Vedic literature we find that His whole embodiment is spiritual. He has His eternal form called sach-chid-ananda-vigraha.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 13.15 Purport)

I find that when something looks too hard, then it's easy to get discouraged. If you put the bar low enough, and someone says, "So anybody could do that," that's a good place for it, which is what Lord Caitanya is doing there. So oftentimes, devotees become intimidated because they think, "It's too hard," or "It's too much," but there are many encouraging statements like that in the śāstra. Can you hand me a Bhagavad-gītā? Is there one available right there? If you can't get a Bhagavad-gītā in a Hare Krishna temple, I don't know. So, at 3.31, this is one of my favorite encouraging purports, and it has to do with doing what you can with what you have now, because there's another phenomenon, which is, "Because I can't do everything, I won't do anything." And in this verse, Krishna says, "One who executes his duties according to My injunctions and who follows this teaching faithfully, without envy, becomes free from the bondage of the fruit of actions." And Prabhupāda writes the following in his purport: "The injunction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the essence of all Vedic wisdom, and therefore is eternally true without exception. As the Vedas are eternal, so this truth of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also eternal. One should have firm faith in this injunction without envying the Lord. There are many philosophers who write comments on the Bhagavad-gītā but have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. They will never be liberated from the bondage of the fruit of action, but an ordinary man with firm faith in the eternal injunctions of the Lord, even though unable to execute such orders, becomes liberated from the bondage of the law of karma. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord, but because one is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely, without consideration of defeat and hopelessness, he will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Do you find that encouraging? https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/3/31/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #sincerity #spiritualstudy #spiritualpurposeoflife #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Once, when we were in a spot where there was no light whatsoever, no moon and no cities nearby, I stepped out of the car, and the stars were so bright, I was almost knocked on my back. I had an existential moment thinking, "Oh, I'm in a universe I forgot. And look at all these planets that abound." There's a universal form of the Lord described in the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But beyond that, there's the original beauty of the Supreme Personality of God Himself that's so captivating that He's known as Kṛṣṇa. It means He captivates everyone. There was a song written by George Harrison many years ago, "There's something in the way she moves." Actually it was originally "in the way He moves," but the producers thought, "Well, that won't fly." He was talking about Kṛṣṇa, "That attracts me like no other lover," and he was just singing a song. And there are myriad songs, not just from one who heard about Kṛṣṇa from someone else, but you go to the great ācāryas and poets, and they'll be saying—they'll—they'll want to write the choicest poetry. That's why Kṛṣṇa is called uttama-śloka. Everyone wants to write something to try to describe the limit of Kṛṣṇa's beauty, and they never get to that point of describing the limit, because it's unlimited. It's always becoming more beautiful and more captivating. And without this beauty, we're relegated to the reflection of beauty in the material world. Whatever natural scene we see, if you've ever noticed, it can't completely satisfy the heart. It doesn't reciprocate. There's a verisimilitude. It's the reflection of reality, and therefore we're attracted to it, and it's breathtaking for a moment, but you can't keep it within you. You can't—it doesn't reciprocate with you. But Kṛṣṇa is beauty, because His beauty, His opulence is non-different from Himself. By seeing Kṛṣṇa, the ultimate object for the for meditation—dheyam sadā—one can continuously, says the Bhāgavatam, look at Kṛṣṇa's beauty, and you'll never get tired of it. Other scenes you make you might get used to. If you've seen the ocean enough times, then you think, "Oh, I'm going to go somewhere else." Seeing enough sunsets, you forget about it, like, "Oh, that's suns to get in my eyes. Close the curtains. Let's watch TV." The Bhāgavatam says that everyone's looking for that beauty everywhere. There's never a time we're satisfied by it, until we see Kṛṣṇa, who's the source of all beauty. And this is what's available through bhakti-yoga—is the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa and the descriptions of His beauty. And Rūpa Gosvāmī said, "This is the second element by which one doesn't even care about—" one who has seen the beauty of Kṛṣṇa and is pursuing the beauty of Kṛṣṇa no longer cares about liberation. They're only addicted to that. "I just want to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa." ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------

As we make progress in devotional service, it's vital to be aware of who we're tuned into, and to that degree, Prabhupāda was meticulous in instructing us about the process of hearing. And I'll just give a couple of examples, and I will stop in a moment. One was when the devotees first went to India, they came to understand that there was a bigger universe, spiritual universe, outside of ISKCON. Prabhupāda had a few books: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, The Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was coming out volume by volume. Prabhupāda brought a bunch of devotees to India because he was eager to get the movement started there. So when they came there, they started to notice things. For instance, wow! there are other devotees in the world. There is Prabhupāda's own origin from the Gauḍīya Maṭh. And then there were books from the Gauḍīya Maṭh, what to speak of even then there was Gita Press. You could go get anything, if you could read Devanāgarī, that is. Of course, nowadays, there's Rāsi Bihārī Lāl's; that's a more recent thing that wasn't there in the 70s. Rāsi Bihārī Lāl is the biggest little bookstore in the world. So if you walk up the stairs, you'll notice one floor after another. I hope they have strong beams in there, because that's all they have, is books all the way to the rafters. And you can find books from anybody, because they're indiscriminate. They're not promoting Guru Paramparā and such; they're promoting the sale of books. So anybody could walk in there and pick out any stack of books they wish and go home and read it. It could have mistranslations, it could have misconceptions. It could have anything. As Śivarāma Mahārāja once commented, anybody could go buy books in the cloth market in India. He was referring to Rāsi Bihārī Lāl's, and if you're listening, Rāsi Bihārī Lāl Prabhu, no offense, I still want to buy tilakas sometimes. So a controversy came up, because devotees did find some books that they could read from the Gauḍīya Maṭh, and the temple president had understood from Prabhupāda that being exclusivistic in one's hearing is not limiting. It's the opposite. Counterintuitively, the more you refine your hearing to the Guru Paramparā specifically, and you're careful to hear from those who are authorized. And one may say, "Authorized, everybody's authorized." Well, you can take that point of view, but that it's not very refined. In fact, that goes to who can come into the circle of devotees who are cultivating a particular mood and speak? And some people would say, "Well, they're followers of Lord Caitanya, it doesn't matter," okay, but it does. Prabhupāda said it himself when Mukunda Mahārāja had wondered what would happen if Prabhupāda left, because early on, Prabhupāda had severe health problems, and he was going to go back to India. And Mukunda Mahārāja, this is in the Līlāmṛta, had brought up to him, "Well, maybe we'll bring over some senior devotee from the Gauḍīya Maṭh to take your place." Prabhupāda was quiet about it until later, and then, in a more parokṣavād, indirect way, he had indicated that that was not a sanguine idea.He mentioned at that time the famous mantra, which was, "If they say one word different, then it will cause confusion." (excerpt from the talk) Verse for discussion: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/20/31/ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.4)

“The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field.” (Bhagavad-gita, 13.2)

“By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma's one day. And such also is the duration of his night.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.17)

“The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.” (Bhagavad-gita, 2.11)

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 23rd of April, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

One of the principles: the less you claim to have or to know, the more you're open to learn, and the more grateful you are for what you get. There's a way in which entitlement—thinking that I deserve more, leads to disappointment, to the degree we have this sense of entitlement. And also in learning, one may see, "The more I know, the more I know I don't know." Oftentimes people, including myself, when I'm hearing some valuable information or getting a lesson from someone, I may think, my unruly mind may say, "I already know that." One of my colleagues, who speaks all around the world, says there are four words that block all learning. Should I say what they are? I'm going to write them in the chat. There they are: "I already know that." So how can you receive more knowledge if you already know something? "I know that. I know that." And oftentimes due to a sense of knowing more than other people, we can't listen to what other people say, because my mind's saying, "I already know that. I already know that, already know that. I know more than this person. When they stop talking, then I'm going to say something more valuable." So of course, we want to listen to those who are most qualified to teach us something. But in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa talks about this principle of knowledge. When you're akiñcana and you come as an empty slate, then you can take in so much, even if somebody is not as qualified as you, you might hear something from them that will edify you. In the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that there are three ways you should approach somebody teaching you knowledge. One is that you should be open to hear. It's called praṇipāta. The other one is that you should be in a mood of service—that somebody's giving me something, I should give them service. And you should also be ready to ask questions that are relevant so you can get more out of that person. All this takes place when you are willing to be akiñcana—to, said the golden monk and Queen Kuntī.You can learn so much when you claim to know nothing ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

In this continuation of the Bhagavad-gita Wisdom Series we discuss the complex topics of mind and consciousness from both scientific and yogic perspectives.Many scientists stubbornly insist that there is a single “energy” (the material energy) which exists and is perceivable by us. This idea, however, gives rise to the fundamental challenge in understanding consciousness, that is how consciousness arises from atomic particles or complex chemical compounds. This problem is sometimes referred to as the 'hard problem of consciousness'.The Vedic and yogic perspective is that consciousness is a quality of another type of ‘energy', the spiritual being (ātmā or ‘self). The understanding is that the spiritual being has two coverings or bodies: a gross physical body and a subtle body, with consciousness being the quality of the ātmā/self that pervades both.Some quotes that were referenced in the talk:“Consciousness poses the most baffling problems in the science of the mind. There is nothing that we know more intimately than conscious experience, but there is nothing that is harder to explain. All sorts of mental phenomena have yielded to scientific investigation in recent years, but consciousness has stubbornly resisted. Many have tried to explain it, but the explanations always seem to fall short of the target. Some have been led to suppose that the problem is intractable, and that no good explanation can be given.” “- David John Chalmers, a philosopher and cognitive scientist.“The hard problem of consciousness is the problem of explaining why any physical state is conscious rather than nonconscious.”O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminates the entire body by consciousness. Bhagavad-gītā 13.34Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. - Bg 2.17"The soul (atma/self) is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna), is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited." - Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.9The seer (atma) is pure (transcendental) even though it perceives this world through the mind. - Yoga-sūtra 2.20The mind is not self-illuminating being itself an object of perception (that which is knowable). Yoga-sūtra 4.19 Not being self-luminous, the mind cannot be aware of an object and itself (as perceiver and perceived) at the same time. Yoga-sūtra 4.20 The pure and transcendental consciousness of the atma (self) is unchangeable. When the mind receives the reflection of that consciousness it is able to perceive and appears like the seer. Yoga-sūtra 4.22 The mind, being able to perceive due to its reflecting both the atma (self) and objects of perception, appears to comprehend everything. Yoga-sūtra 4.23 Even though the mind has accumulated various impressions (and desires) of various types it is always at the disposal of the atma (self). This is because the mind cannot function without the power of the perceiver. Yoga-sūtra 4.24The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. - Bhagavad-gītā 15.7"One must deliver themself with the help of one's mind, and not degrade themself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy. " Bg 6.5-6

“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.16)

What is the access point for all of us in talking about conquering the heart of Kṛṣṇa? We hear the pastimes in which great devotees conquer Kṛṣṇa's heart, but how is it that we all have access? Well, we heard this morning that one of the ways is to understand what "providential" means. Once, when I was having a managerial crisis, I consulted some godbrothers about what to do, and they tried to placate me by saying, "It'll probably be all right." And I've heard that a lot before, throughout my whole life, and it wasn't necessarily true. I came home and was still quite disturbed about the situation, which I won't go into now, because I'm sure you have many of your own. Then I got an email from one of my godbrothers who had been there when I had gone to consult with several of them, they happen to be in one place same time. And he said, "Oh, maybe this will help you." It was a verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the pastimes of Pṛthu Mahārāja. Pṛthu Mahārāja had been engaged in performing his 100th horse sacrifice, but it was thwarted by Indra, as you know, who became envious and didn't want to see him complete it, because he's known as the one who's done 100 horse sacrifices—Indra, that is. He disguised himself several times as a sannyāsī (which he's not), and he stole the sacrificial horse and rode off into the sky with it a couple of times. Pṛthu Mahārāja, his son, chased after him. Finally, Pṛthu Mahārāja said, "Oh, I'm going to kill him." The priest there said, "Not a good idea. We'll kill him. We'll use our power of mantra, and we'll suck him into the fire, and he'll be killed in that way." Then Brahmā came and said, "You can't kill Indra. He's a devotee." And at that time, Brahmā gave a verse to Pṛthu Mahārāja, saying that these kinds of twists of fate come to us, and we have to learn to tolerate them when there's nothing else that can be done. In the purport, Prabhupāda said, "When something's providential, and you have to learn to tolerate, just as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, what else can you do?" When I read that, I felt relief, amazingly, as if I had taken a magic pill. There's a way in which we have the opportunity to enter into the mercy of Vṛndāvana and avail ourselves of the Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy by ārya-vacasā—following the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Second Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the matter of the catuḥ-ślokī Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in a purport that "The order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a manifestation of His internal potency." I'll say that again: "The order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a manifestation of His internal potency." And then he goes on. You want to hear the second part? (Yes) "It is by that particular potency that one comes to see the Personality of Godhead face to face." When I read that, I thought, "Oh, this is access." I had spoken with the scholar and great devotee, Rādhikā-ramaṇa Prabhu, when we stayed at his house in Utah, and we had a conversation about access. And he said, "Scholars everywhere, philosophers everywhere, say that whatever philosophy you may present, if it has no access point for people in general, that philosophy is useless." What good is it to us? It sounds good, but where do we come in? And finding the access point is always important, because we want something to do, and we want to know what's in it for us, right? so this is the order. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is abundantly available to anybody. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.4)

I distribute Bhagavad-gītā. I mean, I meet people—ball in the street. In fact, I don't hand Bhagavad-gītās to Indians, because they're going to say, "I already know Bhagavad-gītā, my mother read Bhagavad-gītā, and my grandmother memorized Bhagavad-gītā." So as everybody knows, if they see me distributing on the street, I withhold and I say, "You already know this. This is not for you. And your mother read Bhagavad-gītā, your grandmother memorized Bhagavad-gītā." And they were going, "What do I say now? There's more to it." It's not like I don't give them a Bhagavad-gītā, but that's it. But the fact is, millions of people know about the Bhagavad-gītā, but who actually communes with Kṛṣṇa through the Bhagavad-gītā? I'm not saying that I have such intimacy, but it is Kṛṣṇa's direct words. There's nothing like the Bhagavad-gītā in this whole world. It's Kṛṣṇa speaking directly to us, as Prabhupāda said, "It's not just Arjuna." And as Lord Caitanya said, "With one arrow"—that is the speaking of the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa saved the whole world." What kind of book is that that I'm not reading? What kind of book is that that I'm not reading? And so that's another one: to really try to read Bhagavad-gītā and listen for His voice, that He's speaking to...to me when I read the Bhāgavata. When He says, "Mama," He's actually there on the page. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

So he (Lord Caitanya )went back to His spiritual master, and he said, "Did you give me the right mantra? Because when I chant this, I go crazy." And the spiritual master said, "Very good, very good, very good." And there in the purport, Prabhupāda said, "A spiritual master isn't interested in donations or any material facility. What he wants to see is that the disciple gets the freedom of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gets a taste for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Prabhupāda—the first time I had the fortune of sitting in his presence, it was in 1973 in San Francisco, a kid from the suburbs. Here's a paramahaṁsa. I went in with a group, got whisked in, sat down, and when the devotees read Prabhupāda the saṅkīrtana results for the day, he looked right at us, and he said, "You must also read my books. I've not written them just for selling. I've written them for you to read, become pure devotees, and go back to Godhead." That's what Prabhupāda wanted. He says so in his books. So he wanted us to read his books. And after that time, I felt full permission to read Prabhupāda's books as much as possible, and I still do, and it's the mainstay of our movement—that is the sound vibration, that is the books. Prabhupāda's books are the primal vibration of ISKCON, and taking full advantage of that vibration by going deeply within them, reading them regularly, reading all of them completely, all the way through as many times as possible in his lifetime—that gives one this internal spiritual strength, and one can understand exactly what Kṛṣṇa wants, what Prabhupāda wanted, hearing from his purports. He said, "Everything I had to say, I said in my books, so please read them carefully and discuss them." He said in his final purports before he left the world that if there's ever any difference or problems, he said, "Sit together and read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and you could work it out." So that's what he wanted us to be internally, to be deeply in love with the Bhāgavatam. And that's not hard to do because it's so beautiful. The Bhāgavatam solves all the problems. Kṛṣṇa mentions in the Bhagavad-gītā vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ—there are these three main stumbling blocks in the material world: rāga, bhaya, krodha. By reading through the whole Bhāgavatam, there's a way in which the Bhāgavatam helps us overcome all of the psychological anomalies that hold us back from giving our full heart to Kṛṣṇa. And that's what Kṛṣṇa wants. That's what Prabhupāda wants. That's what any Vaiṣṇava wants. They want to see everybody happy. And a Vaiṣṇava knows you can't be happy unless you're with Kṛṣṇa. I mentioned in a class this morning, I just read in the 11th Canto of the Bhāgavatam that the emptiness that people feel in the material world because they're not in contact with Kṛṣṇa is worse than death and hell. The pain of struggling through life and then dying and going to hell is not as great as the emptiness that one feels by not being connected to Kṛṣṇa. And you can directly connect to Kṛṣṇa by reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because that's the sound incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So that's what Prabhupāda wanted. He wanted us to take advantage of what he painstakingly presented for us. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 16th of April, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

When you look at the world, you think, "Oh yeah, I know how this works. I know causality. I know the resultant vector of what's taking place here." And when you read the Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa tells you, "Here's how to identify the modes of nature, and here's the effect of each mode of nature." For instance, He says, in passion, it's like nectar in the beginning, but poison at the end. When you know that, and it's there in your intelligence strongly enough, and the opportunity comes and you go, there's a little screen in front of your face, like there's a little readout that you can see, like if you had those AI glasses or something. And then you look, and you go, "Rajas: happy in the beginning, poison in the end." And like, "Would you like poison?" "No thanks." Even though the senses are going, "Take it, come on, take it," and then the intelligence says, "No, we don't want to drink poison right now. Thanks a lot. Maybe, you know, some other time." This is what we get from the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So in the beginning, if we're diligent in doing vaidhi—taking shelter of the scripture. Vaidhi means scripture. In the beginning, we're not practicing spontaneous devotional service. We don't have a taste, but we have faith in śāstra. As it is pointed out many times by our ācāryas and by Prabhupāda, śāstra or śastra. It comes from the same root, but śāstra means the scripture which gives us this razor-sharp intelligence, and śastra means the sword of the material world. If you put your hand in the wrong place, you get your fingers cut off. So which do you prefer? You take the śāstra or the śastra? That's why we emphasize our movements based on this śāstra. If you join a movement and there's no śāstra and they just have emotions, you really won't be able to make advancement. This is also there in the Second Chapter—it's a few verses before where we are now, śṛṇvatām. It says (SB 1.2.12), tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā To make advancement on this path, you need śāstra. It has to be there. And if you don't have that, then it's going to be very difficult just to say, "Okay, I already have a higher taste; therefore, I won't be attracted to everything else." If you don't have that yet, you will be pulled back into the idea that maybe I can enjoy both things—I'll do devotional service and also enjoy the material world at the same time. And that doesn't work out well. Verse for discussion: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/2/17/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------

When you follow the footsteps of the great sages, you say, "Only Kṛṣṇa. All for Kṛṣṇa. I'm all in for Kṛṣṇa. I'm all out for the idea that I'm going to be happy in the material world. That's it—finished, done, no más, out." Then you're eligible for the same result as the greatest of sages: kalpante yennu tāṁ iha—means you get what they got, because you're following their footsteps. Even if you feel feeble in your attempt, you will attain the highest perfection. So if you take this attitude that "Kṛṣṇa, I'm Yours, there's nothing else but You," then you'll never make an offense, also never feel entitled. Entitlement is a dangerous attitude. If you feel it creeping in, then go somewhere and get some remedial measure to overcome entitlement, because it can creep in and you might not even know that you have it. If somebody notices it in you and mentions that you seem entitled, like you feel entitled, then be afraid. What should you be? Actually, I'm going to modify that. Be very afraid. Be afraid of entitlement and feel that "I'm not entitled to anything," and you may notice that it's natural. Your senses feel entitled. Have you ever noticed that if you see a cupcake, your tongue may say, "That's for me. That's mine." And you can say, "No, that's not your cupcake. That's Kṛṣṇa's cupcake." First, you offer it to Kṛṣṇa, then you can have a little bit. Don't be entitled, and be sincere. Just be sincere. Don't think you have to perform a trick. This is not a circus act. It is not something to show that "I'm something" or "somebody." We have nothing except our own sincerity. Just come down to that essence. Bottle it, if you can find it inside, you put it in a little bottle, and every day, take a little drop of that, and remember you just need sincerity. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: 'teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te' (BG 10.10) He's there for us just as long as we're sincere, and He knows what our heart is. And if we're sincere, don't try to have pretense—a pretense that "I'm more than I am." You don't have to do that. It's not important. Nobody cares anyway. Everyone is concerned with their own stature and how they look. And everyone looked in the mirror this morning at one time or another and thought, you know, "How am I going to come off in the world?" You don't have to worry about that, except for as a record of being a representative of Kṛṣṇa, but for ourselves, we can remain akiñcana. Queen Kunti says, don't get caught up with the designations of wealth or beauty or intelligence. Don't try to perform like a circus animal. Just be a sincere devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And don't even try to be a great devotee. Just try to be a good devotee. And if we just try to be good and put together one lifetime of dedication to Kṛṣṇa—just one lifetime—that's it. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark

This Q&A episode offers a bold reminder: a deep and transformational spiritual experience isn't reserved for mystics in the mountains—it's available to you right now, anywhere. Kaustubha and guest Co-host Kishori Gopi unpack the Bhagavad-gītā's ancient key to overcoming seasonal depression, emotional heaviness, and the constant ups and downs of modern life: detachment from the shifting mind, and connection to the ever-radiant soul within. Learn how simply observing your thoughts and emotions—rather than identifying with them—is not just mindfulness, but a moment of true spiritual awakening. Also in this episode: * What the Gītā says about seasonal sadness and inner stability * The profound power of stepping back from the mind and witnessing the soul * How weather, darkness, and emotional struggle can become fuel for real growth * How to raise God-connected kids in challenging circumstances * Navigating Catholicism, Krishna bhakti  Whether your long winter is literal or emotional—this episode will help you rediscover your luminosity and find clarity on how to guide others, especially your children, toward the same.

This Q&A episode offers a bold reminder: a deep and transformational spiritual experience isn't reserved for mystics in the mountains—it's available to you right now, anywhere. Kaustubha and guest Co-host Kishori Gopi unpack the Bhagavad-gītā's ancient key to overcoming seasonal depression, emotional heaviness, and the constant ups and downs of modern life: detachment from the shifting mind, and connection to the ever-radiant soul within. Learn how simply observing your thoughts and emotions—rather than identifying with them—is not just mindfulness, but a moment of true spiritual awakening. Also in this episode: * What the Gītā says about seasonal sadness and inner stability * The profound power of stepping back from the mind and witnessing the soul * How weather, darkness, and emotional struggle can become fuel for real growth * How to raise God-connected kids in challenging circumstances * Navigating Catholicism, Krishna bhakti  Whether your long winter is literal or emotional—this episode will help you rediscover your luminosity and find clarity on how to guide others, especially your children, toward the same.

In friendship, we require trust between the two. So it's not just that we're trying to develop faith in Kṛṣṇa. It's also that we're trying to act in such a way that He'll have faith in us. Easy come, easy go. If one has very easy access, it would seem like something very insignificant. We do have access, but it's a serious relationship also, where Kṛṣṇa, when He sees that we're sincere and serious, the more that He does reveal Himself to us and talk to us.He does talk to those who are pure devotees and who have no other motive. He says so in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "I'm attentive to those who are attentive to Me." So as an example, let's say you're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and what if Kṛṣṇa did talk to you, and He said, "Why don't you come back to Godhead right now?" What would you say? "I would, but I got work later today," or "I still have to go to school," or "I would, but, you know, I wanna take care of my family a little more before I go with You." Kṛṣṇa's relationship is beyond an ordinary relationship where you can be serious or not serious, but Kṛṣṇa wants to evoke that sense of seriousness in us. ----------------------------------------------------------- To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualquestions #answer #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

“You Won't Rise to the Occasion—You'll Default to Your Training”. In this episode we explore how ancient yogic wisdom aligns with the discipline of elite athletes, soldiers, and spiritual seekers. Learn how the mind, when trained in remembrance and devotion, naturally turns toward the Divine—even at the moment of death. This episode is a clarion call to train your heart, shape your consciousness, and live with purpose so that when the test comes, you're not grasping for last-minute wisdom—you're simply doing what you've always done: remembering who you've been meditating on all along. Drawing from the timeless teachings of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Kaustubha, and special guest Kishori Gopi dive deep into the life of King Katvanga, a warrior-king who turned his final moment into his finest moment—not by chance, but by a lifetime of conscious preparation. Key Highlights: * “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”—why your daily practice shapes your destiny * What King Katvanga teaches us about detachment, clarity, and the power of a single moment * How to build your spiritual default setting through consistent sādhanā * The Bhagavad-gītā's teaching on death, remembrance, and ultimate transformation * Why even the devas admired a king who asked for no boon but truth

A lot of translators actually skip chapter one of the Bhagavad Gita, but I've found it to be one of my favorite chapters. This chapter sets the stage for the conflict and highlights the struggle between emotions and intellect. Something we all struggle with throughout our lives. Make sure to go back a couple of episodes and listen to my overview of the Bhagavad Gita, and get excited because chapter one is only the beginning of this amazing series! Let's explore:

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 9th of April, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

Meet Vrindavanath Das (Shawn Coutu) Bhakti has been a part of his life since birth. His family played an integral role in the acquisition and renovation of what is now known as the Bhakti Center in Manhattan's East Village—a vibrant spiritual hub for seekers. As a teenager, Vrindavanath formed a personal connection with the Bhagavad-gītā, striving to understand its wisdom and apply it to his life. During a gap year between high school and college, he travelled to Vrindavan, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, to formally study bhakti texts. After spending 14 years immersed in the energy of New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, he began to feel the limitations of urban living and decided to return to the heart of bhakti textual study with renewed focus. Over the past two years, responding to a growing interest in online spiritual study, he began facilitating group readings of bhakti texts, including the Gītā. His sessions are known for their inclusivity, clarity, and devotion-centered approach. Now residing full-time at the Govardhan Eco Village, Vrindavanath is immersed in the study of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa alongside a diverse international community of learners. In this session, he'll guide us through an overview of the entire Bhagavad Gītā, inviting individuals in the group to take turns reading as we move through the flow and themes of the text—an enriching summary in just about 45 minutes. Title of Session: Connecting with God: Krishna's Step-by-Step Suggestions (A Thematic Summary of the Bhagavad Gita) Connect with Vrindavanath Das: EMAIL: vrindavanathdas@gmail.com WHATSAPP: +1 646 954 9539 SESSION HANDOUT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MQtjPANaIgtRVKiieADtK2LzwPwsO6gv/view?usp=sharing #VrindavanathDas #BhaktiYogaConference #HarvardDivinitySchool This event is hosted by ✨ Happy Jack Yoga University ✨ www.happyjackyoga.com ➡️ Facebook: /happyjackyoga ➡️ Instagram: @happyjackyoga Bhakti Yoga Conference at Harvard Divinity School Experience a one-of-a-kind online opportunity with 40+ renowned scholars, monks, yogis, and thought leaders! REGISTER FOR FREE: www.happyjackyoga.com/bhakti-... This conference is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the wisdom of sincere practitioners as they address the questions and challenges faced by us all. Expect thought-provoking discussions, actionable insights, and a deeper understanding of cultivating Grace in an Age of Distraction and incorporating Bhakti Yoga into your daily life.

Jīva Gosvāmī says in his Sandarbha that you can understand your own advancement by how eager you are to hear. It's not to say, "Okay, somebody's feeling not as inclined," but one must practice hearing on a regular daily basis until one begins to be attracted. The reason I'm not attracted to chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa or to hearing the pastimes is because of the effects of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa within my mind, but 'śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ, puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi, vidhunoti suhṛt satām' (SB 1.2.17) - the effects of rajas and tamas are quickly dissipated by the hearing of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes and of ātma-tattva-jñāna, and one then desires to hear. And Jīva Gosvāmī says to the degree that one desires to hear about Kṛṣṇa in all the details, that's one of the other aspects. As you can tell from Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he's inquiring from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he wants to know about everything. Like, why did he ask that question? And Prabhupāda answers in his purport, was it because it's related to Kṛṣṇa, directly or indirectly anything related to Kṛṣṇa, he wants to know it. He wants to drink it with his ears. As we continue to hear, we'll also develop such an impetus to hear more and to hear the details, and that will develop into this same sense that Rāmdās Vipra has for hearing Rāmāyaṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī then says, 'kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ, krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate, tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ, janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate (CC Madhya 8.70).' You can't get that kind of desire to hear about Kṛṣṇa from doing good works in this world, some sukṛti, because it's not the mode of goodness. You can cultivate the mode of goodness, but it won't bring you to this intense desire to hear about Kṛṣṇa, but by association of Vaiṣṇavas who are interested in hearing and by being patient and listening to Kṛṣṇa's book, to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to the Bhagavad-gītā, to the books that Prabhupāda gave us, entering again and again into hearing them, there will be a natural attraction, and that attraction, says Rūpa Gosvāmī, when it comes to a sense of greed—you can tell the intensity of Rāmdās Vipra, because he said, "I'd rather die than think about this idea of Sītā being touched by Rāvaṇa"—he was so absorbed in the pastime. When our desire is on the stove, or our practice is on the stove, and the fire is coming up, you can see from water—those who are cooks, they know there are different levels of temperature in the water. You can do it even without a thermometer. I know. My grandmother was a cook, and she was saying that when those tiny little bubbles come up, she said, "Okay, that's called smiling—the water smiling—because it's a little bit boiling," and then when it's raging, boiling, and it's spilling over, that's the topmost. As those different levels of desire we may have for devotional service, the intention is to hear until, well, you can feel it's smiling, like, "Yeah, I gotta get back there. I want to hear the class. I don't want to stand on the corner and gossip. I want to hear the kathā." And then it becomes more and more imperative to hear, and when it becomes laulyam, what's described as a kind of greed that you'll steal it wherever you can, and you can't do without it at any time, then he says, that's the price of admission into bhakti. I heard a story... https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/2/17/ https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/8/70/ https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/7/138/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/

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Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 2nd of April, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita

Our perception of truth is rarely objective—it's colored by what we crave and what we fear. In this eye-opening episode of Wisdom of the Sages, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack a powerful quote from Carl Jung: “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Paired with deep wisdom from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, they explore how our internal programming—our icchā (desires) and dveṣa (aversions)—create filters that distort our understanding of the world, ourselves, and God. The episode takes a fascinating turn as the hosts recount the story of King Sagara's sons, whose perception was so warped by anger and false assumptions that it led to their destruction. In contrast, a single grandson approaches with humility and clarity, revealing how higher consciousness means learning to see clearly—beyond the lens of the ego. Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠How unconscious preferences distort spiritual understanding •⁠  ⁠Krishna's words on icchā and dveṣa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.27) •⁠  ⁠Why seeing the divine requires transcending the “box” we've built for truth •⁠  ⁠The difference between living under illusion and recognizing Krishna's hand in all things •⁠  ⁠A reflection on how saints, mystics, and avatars may be walking among us unnoticed This episode isn't just theory—it's a call to courageously examine the filters we carry and begin the inner work of uncovering truth as it is.

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 26th of March, 2025, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, MA. For more information, please see https://vedantasociety.net/store?category=Gita