Podcasts about bhagavad

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.8)

“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)

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.10)

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.10)

This talk is the fifth installment in a wellness series that takes a distinctly yogic approach to understanding life's challenges and spiritual development.Acharya das discusses the concept of "false shelter" (durashraya in Sanskrit) - the tendency to place unlimited trust in things that cannot provide genuine protection or happiness. He uses examples ranging from relationships and material possessions to modern technology and social media to illustrate how people become victims of their own poor choices rather than external circumstances. He stresses the importance of taking personal responsibility for life decisions and developing consequential thinking.Acharya das concludes with an emphasis on the importance of cultivating atma-tattva (knowledge of the soul/self) and the necessity of reconnecting with the Supreme Soul as the only genuine source of shelter and protection. He advocates for regular chanting meditation as a transformative practice that can lead to self-realization and God-realization, describing it as an immersive experience rather than a mental activity. Quotes used in the talk:For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy. Bhagavad-gītā 6.6For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion. Bhagavad-gītā 6.36When a man in the material world takes more interest in the materialistic way of life than in spiritual/God consciousness, he is considered to be in a diseased condition. The normal condition is to remain an eternal servant of the Lord. This healthy condition is lost when the living entity forgets God due to being attracted by the external features of Krsna's maya energy. This world of maya is called durasraya, which means “false or bad shelter.” One who puts his faith in durasraya becomes a candidate for hoping against hope. In the material world everyone is trying to become happy, and although their material attempts are baffled in every way, due to their nescience [ignorance] they cannot understand their mistakes. People try to rectify one mistake by making another mistake. This is the way of the struggle for existence in the material world. If one in this condition is advised to take to [cultivating] God consciousness and be happy, he does not accept such instructions. – Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaPersons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 2.1.4“One who is not connected with the Supreme Soul can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?” – Bhagavad-gītā 2.66Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction to Yogic Wellness Philosophy ‎ 00:02:14 The Threefold Miseries and Realistic Expectations ‎ 00:04:35 Historical Foundation: Sanatana Goswami's Questions ‎ 00:13:32 Personal Responsibility in Relationships and Life Choices ‎ 00:19:24 The Search for Shelter and Modern Emptiness ‎ 00:26:07 Consequential Thinking and Rat Trap Happiness ‎ 00:29:17 Mind Control and Spiritual Practice ‎ 00:32:51 Modern Manipulation and Technology Addiction ‎ 00:37:34 False Shelter and Spiritual Guidance ‎ 00:42:00 Durashraya: The Nature of False Shelter ‎ 00:47:38 Fallible Soldiers and Spiritual Truth ‎ 00:50:00 True Shelter and Spiritual Connection ‎ 00:54:08 Chanting Meditation as Transformative Practice

Attention is where everything begins. It's our asset. May I go out on a limb and say it's our main asset? Or even further to the tip of the limb: it's our only asset. We get to choose where to place our attention. Attention management is what determines the direction of our life. In fact, a student of mine made me a beautiful sign for my birthday, and I have it hanging outside my office here on the wall. It says, "Where attention goes, energy flows." It's something I come back to again and again as a great reminder every time I walk in my room: where attention goes, energy flows. So that's why we say here, attention is where everything begins. In the Bhagavad-gītā, there is a beautiful verse in which Kṛṣṇa says, "yānti..."—you can go certain places. How do you do it? You place your attention there, and we're free to move about the universe. There are destinations beyond the universe. Can you go there? Yes. How do you do it? You move your attention in that direction. How do you know about it? Well, there are channels through which information comes about other universes, other planets. In fact, the first book my teacher wrote before he came to America is called Easy Journey to Other Planets. That caught my attention. I was in high school, and I thought, "That's a good idea. I would like to take an easy journey to another planet." It's not fantastical; it's reality. We move here, there, and everywhere because of our attention. So, this is a practice. Listening with rapt attention. As homework, if I may be so bold: try noticing how you attend to a subject matter. Notice. For instance, every night my wife and I get together to read. We read out loud and listen to one another reading. I find it a very bonding kind of practice and edifying, especially at the end of the day. I notice that there are different modes I can listen in as she's reading. I can drift off to other subjects, and then I'll have to go back and say, "What did you just read? Can you read that again?" Or, I can lean in. (0:12:28) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Lord Caitanya has said that in this age no one needs to change his position, but one should give up the endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative reasoning. One should learn to become the servant of those who are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to take shelter of a pure devotee, hear from him about self-realization and follow in his footsteps, one will be gradually elevated to the position of a pure devotee. In this verse particularly, the process of hearing is strongly recommended, and this is very appropriate. Although the common man is often not as capable as so-called philosophers, faithful hearing from an authoritative person will help one transcend this material existence and go back to Godhead, back to home. (BG 13.26,purport) And, of course, in the purport, Prabhupāda is referring to Lord Brahmā, who in the Tenth Canto, 14th Chapter, says: jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām This verse was spoken by Lord Brahmā, who is an intellectual. In fact he studied the Vedas three times. How many here have studied all the Vedas three times, or the Bhagavad-gītā, for that matter? So, he had studied them three times. He is smart enough to take on the duties of recreating the material world when it comes into being. Of course, he is a devotee. He met Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. We know the pastime of how Kṛṣṇa had bewildered him—the Brahmā-vimohana-līlā. He was bewildered by the mystic power of Kṛṣṇa. When Brahmā had stolen away the calves and cowherd friends, Kṛṣṇa re-manifested them exactly as they were before. So, there were two sets: one that Brahmā had stolen, and the ones that were now marching around town. After seeing that all of them were emanations from Kṛṣṇa, and realizing that this little cowherd boy, who was eating with His left hand, was not to be trifled with—that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead—he offered these prayers. Near the beginning of his prayers, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, says: "Give up trying to understand God by your own power." And sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir says: "Submissively hear in the association of devotees about Kṛṣṇa." From that, one will come to this superior form of devotional service, which means that Kṛṣṇa is conquered by your love and submission. Ajita jito —the Ajita (the unconquerable) becomes jita (conquered); it means He is conquered by love. So, how can one come to that position? Not by erudite scholarship, but by humbly and submissively hearing from those who have knowledge, as Prabhupāda points out here, and being submissive in one's service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So, there is such a thing as submissive hearing. There is also an argumentative state of mind. Of course it doesn't mean that we can't discuss the siddhānta thoroughly, threadbare. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------

This talk is from an event sponsored by the Hindu Council of Australia in cooperation with the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga.The question was whether there is a distinction between Dharma and Sanatana Dharma? Acharya das explained that while Dharma has conventional definitions including customary religious observance, prescribed conduct, duty, religion, and good works, it has a deeper meaning as an intrinsic characteristic that makes something what it is - something that cannot be removed without changing the fundamental nature of that thing. He provided examples of heat and light being the dharma of fire, sweetness being the dharma of sugar, and liquidity being the dharma of water.Sanatana as meaning eternal, perpetual, permanent, everlasting, and primeval, distinguishing Sanatana Dharma from conventional religion by explaining that it deals with the eternal nature of the living being or spirit soul (atma). Acharya das distinguished Sanatana Dharma as dealing with the eternal nature of the living being or soul (atma), referencing Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings that Sanatana Dharma refers to activities that cannot be changed and represents the eternal function of living entities in relationship with the Supreme Lord. The lecturer addressed the apparent contradiction in the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna instructs Arjuna to abandon all varieties of dharma and surrender unto Him, explaining that this refers to abandoning temporary religious duties to embrace one's eternal spiritual nature. Acharya das proposed that true self-realization requires understanding the three aspects of the self/soul: one's essence (being Brahman while maintaining distinction from Paramatma), one's position (equal to all living beings but subservient to the Supreme Being), and one's natural function (to love and to serve.) He concluded that bhakti - rendering eternal loving service to the Lord - is the natural function of the living being and the true definition of Sanatana Dharma. Quotes used in the talk:Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.66Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens. - Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 22.107 By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one dissolves his entanglement in material activities. After this, one becomes very attracted to Krishna, and thus dormant love for Krishna is awakened. - Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.109 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction to Dharma vs Sanatana Dharma ‎ 00:05:50 Deeper Understanding of Dharma ‎ ‎00:06:28 Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Teachings on Sanatana Dharma 00:08:31 The Bhagavad Gita's Apparent Contradiction ‎ 00:12:17 Arjuna's Dilemma and Krishna's First Instruction ‎ 00:15:35 The Nature of the Eternal Soul ‎ 00:17:48 Varieties of Dharma in the Bhagavad Gita ‎ 00:22:06 The Temporary Nature of Vanashram Dharma ‎ 00:25:31 Self-Realization and the Three Essential Questions ‎ 00:29:46 The Position and Relationship of the Soul ‎ 00:31:09 The Natural Function and Characteristics of the Soul ‎ 00:35:10 Service as the Soul's Natural Expression ‎ 00:38:27 Bhakti as Sanatana Dharma‎ 00:41:10 The Awakening of Dormant Love ‎ 00:43:22 Free Will and Universal Brotherhood ‎ 00:46:04 Conclusion and the Power of Chanting

I gave you this example the other day of a visceral experience I had because a member of our congregation—a mother, had lost her child who was six years old. He had suffered a heart attack and was not revivable. She came to take counsel and solace. She brought with her a little bag that had some money in it; it came from her child's piggy bank. He had been saving that money to do something for Kṛṣṇa, and she had brought it to us and handed it over and said, "Please, would you engage this for the benefit of my departed son, who was six years old? This is all he had, as far as money goes." When my wife and I took that into our possession, we considered it sacred. There was no conception that we would stop on the way home and buy a snow cone with it. The idea of enjoying the material world is equally as odious to a person who has understood reality—that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa (bhoktāraṃ yajña-tapasāṃ). It's all meant to be engaged in His service. At the end of that third chapter of the Gītā, Arjuna asks, "How to overcome lust?" Kṛṣṇa ends the chapter by saying: evam buddhi-paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyātmānam ātmanā jahi śatruṃ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṃ durāsadam He says that you should fortify your intelligence. With your intelligence because he said there is a hierarchy: the senses are above the objects, the mind is above the senses, the intelligence is above the mind. So, how do you do that? The way you purify your intellect so you don't do stupid things is by reading the Bhagavad-gītā; that's what it's there for. Everyone ignores the Bhagavad-gītā, and they say, "Give me some rasa-tattva." Nothing against rasa-tattva ; we keep it above our heads, way up there. But the Bhagavad-gītā is where we live, and Kṛṣṇa answers all questions categorically. And then, if you want the nuance of the categories, then you read the whole Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta about 108 times—the whole, each one of them—and then you are dissuaded from touching anything in this material world unless you have the intention of offering it to Kṛṣṇa. kurvan nirantaraṁ karma loko 'yam anuvartate tenaiva karmaṇā dhyāyan māṁ parāṁ bhaktim icchati (BS 5.61) This is the whole idea Kṛṣṇa mentions in the five ślokas at the end of the Brahma-saṃhitā. This is the answer to your question Kṛṣṇa gives to Brahmā at the end of the Brahma-saṃhitā. He said everyone has to work; all living entities are engaged in work, can't stop it. Therefore, he said everything you do, you should do with the spirit of devotion to offer to Kṛṣṇa. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------

“The Upanishadic verse runs as follows: nityo nityanam chetanash chetananam. The purport is that amongst all the living entities, both conditioned and liberated, there is one supreme living personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who maintains them and gives them all the facility of enjoyment according to different work.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 15.17 Purport)

The concept of Avatāra is definitely prevalent in this verse and in this section, because Kapila is making His avatāra. If we think of it in terms of holes, the avatāra is the one who enters into the holes that we can't get out of. Otherwise, what's the use? Avatāra has the implication of one who's outside the hole and comes in just to deliver us, because we can't get out ourselves. That's why, when people realize they're in a hole and that they can't get out, and then they realize the presence of the Avatāra—they meet devotees, or they read Bhagavad-gītā—they have a conversion experience and tears come to their eyes. Because they think, "Someone's come to save me, even though I'm stuck in this hole, someone has come to take me out." So, Kapila's mission is to enter. He enters into the semen of Kardama, comes out from the womb of Devahūti, specifically to speak about Kṛṣṇa consciousness—to save not only Devahūti but the whole world. Now, what is our mission? You think about it: the people are all in some hole. If you interview people anywhere, you'll find that they're stuck in some hole. Otherwise, why is there the saying, "If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging"? Practically everybody's in a hole somewhere, and it's very difficult to come out. Therefore, our mission is to represent the avatāra. Who's the avatāra in Kali-yuga? For 20 points, it's the holy name, right? Nāmāvatāra, comes as the holy name, and our mission then is to bring the holy name and put it in various holes. Where can you think of various holes that we can put the holy name? The ear holes come up right away, right? Because that's a hole—two holes, in fact. And Prabhupāda mentions in one of his purports that although they appear very small, inside there's a lot of space; there's a lot that can go in there. If the holy name, for instance, enters the ear, then it can transform the heart of the soul, smash any of the unwanted desires within the heart, and so forth. Another hole I thought of was doors, because Prabhupāda specifically says in a couple places in his purports that it's the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to go door to door. Has anybody ever gone door to door to distribute books? Anybody here gone trick-or-treating and gone door to door? According to Vijay Prabhu, who knows these things, he says 90 times. Now, what happens when you knock on somebody's door? You open up and see which hole they fell into, or fell through the doors is the hole; but inside there is saṁsṛtiṁ ghorāṁ, a miserable life! It's a revelation, knocking on people's doors. You knock-knock, open up, there's a bunch of birds flying around inside, or there's a stench, or maybe in the mode of goodness, still there's a sense of doom, because "I'm stuck in here." Gṛham andha-kūpaṁ —Prahlāda Mahārāja says it's a hole that's hard to get out of. So, imagine if you take a transcendental literature—nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat—it's written kīrtana, and you put it in the hole. Knock-knock-knock, door opens, throw it in, boom!! It's satisfying. Because people are in the hole, they can't get out, they can't even pay the mortgage. You got to go... ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

I like limes better than lemons. I don't think there's any more beautiful fruit on the planet—just the color of it! Don't get me started. Imagine when you open a lime. Do you ever think about what a seed is inside? A lime seed falls out. If you wrap that in a wet cloth and keep it with some aluminum foil around the wet cloth for a week in a warm enough place—then when you open it up, you'll find roots coming out. Then, if you get a little cup with some soil in it, and you put the roots in the cup, and cut a plastic bottle in half, and then put it on top so it stays warm (it's incubating), then it'll grow little leaves. Then you could take it and put it in a bigger pot or in the ground, and soon you'll have a tree, and the tree will have more limes. Did you ever think about this? That's a miracle. From one little seed, you get another lime tree that will give you thousands, tens of thousands of more seeds. What to speak of the fruits? So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu liked to use the gardening metaphor. He talks about how spiritual practice is gardening—that we should become gardeners. Here's how the metaphor works: he talks about how our heart can become a fertile place for the planting of a seed called the bhakti seed. He said you get that from somebody who has love for Kṛṣṇa in their heart. Have you ever noticed how, when you associate with someone, you pick up their qualities? My friend Satyadeva used to have a nickname called "Butter Dev" because he likes butter so much. I traveled with him in Japan for some time, and everywhere we went, he ate butter. I mean, not just butter, but he ate a lot of butter! I hardly ever eat butter—except for after I came home and I asked my wife for some butter. She said, "What's going on here?" It's palpable that when we associate with others, we develop their qualities. Something Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (13.22): puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu He says whatever good or bad you have in your heart, you got that from another person who had it in their heart; you picked it up from them. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, describing how the little seed of bhakti comes to us, said that if you meet somebody who has pure devotion for Kṛṣṇa in his or her heart, then you may notice that desire for Kṛṣṇa awakens in your heart. I'm going to tell about an interview that one of our devotees Jāhnavī was part of. I think she went to get her Grammy Award. (0:22:04) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------

Willpower is fundamentally the wrong tool for inner transformation. French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil argued that attention — not discipline or force of will — is the true engine of inner change. Raghunath and Kaustubha bring this insight into conversation with the Gopīs of Vṛndāvana, whose loving meditation on Kṛṣṇa accomplished what no effort of will could. The Bhagavad-gītā's method of inner transformation is simple: turn your attention toward Kṛṣṇa. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam promises that faithfully hearing about the Gopīs' love for Him is itself enough to conquer material lust, the deepest disease of the heart. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29.9-11 ******************************************************************** 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 was just thinking about when Prabhu and I first were getting to know each other—before we were even engaged, and obviously before we were married. Just the things that we had to learn about each other. One of the things that sticks in my mind is we lived in LA at the time, and we used to go down to the marina to take walks. He's a foot taller than me—or more than a foot taller than me—and he has got quite a leg span. So, I had to take quicker steps, and I noticed that he also changed his gait so that we could walk together comfortably. I think that's a little bit of what marriage is about: you are individuals, you do things differently, you may see things differently, you may communicate differently, but learning how to bring those things together is part of what makes a really successful marriage relationship. (Excerpt from the talk by HG Nirākulā Dāsī) The other thing that is foundational is the sound vibration. Because every environment, every realm, is defined by the sound vibration therein. Everybody has a soundtrack in his or her environment—or, together, you have a soundtrack. You can determine what your consciousness will be depending on that soundtrack. It is almost, seemingly, too obvious to state, but whatever you consume on a regular basis—whatever you're taking in through your eyes, through your ears—is what's going to be there within your heart. That's the science of the three modes of material nature: how the universe works, and how our consciousness is formed. So, considering any peaks and valleys, it can always be evened out, or we can always rise above those various changes in our lives by readjusting the sound. It's good to know because everyone goes through various challenges, and one of the main teachings in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa gives is how to remain equipoised while we are facing challenges. It's the reveal of our true character—how we act under duress. Nobody can act civilly under duress unless they have purified their consciousness and that happens especially by purifying the transcendental sound vibration. That's why I like to say: if all else fails—and it will—chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you keep the that vibration going and make it ubiquitous in your lives, then you will always stay transcendental above the changes, or aloof enough from the changes to be methodical but dispassionate when you go through anything in your lives. It's just the nature of the world that there are various challenges, and one of the great opportunities to grow together is learning how to face those challenges together. You have to have a strategy ahead of time. Those who assume that there will be no challenges will be disappointed; but those who prepare for challenges will meet them, and those who meet them with the right means to adjust to them, grow in their relationships. (Excerpt from the talk by HG Vaisesika Dasa) Occasion: Wedding reception of Swaraj and Maya ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/

Humans have the highest potential to develop their consciousness, and that depends on their situation within the three modes of nature. That's what this verse is talking about, It says: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Yoni-janmasu means that we end up in various environments because of the way in which we have cultivated our consciousness. And that cultivation of consciousness is indicated by the words kāraṇaṁ, guṇa, and saṅgha—these three words are key in this verse. Saṅga means association. Whatever we connect with, whomever we spend time with, who we study, who we listen to, we become like. And that will determine the nature of our consciousness. The nature of our consciousness is important because the world that we live in responds to us. It's a responsive universe. Every aspect of this world is responsive; however we interact with it, it in kind interacts with us. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is giving us the key here to developing our consciousness to the highest degree. In the practice of Bhakti-yoga, we emphasize association. So, there are various kinds of association. One is association with other people—that's a key point—because we take on the qualities and the ways of thinking of those we associate with, especially those that we pay close attention to and we give our hearts to. We will, as if by osmosis (as is popular to say), take on their qualities. Therefore, one of the first teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu—who is showing how to practically apply the Bhagavad-gītā—was to deliberately associate with those who were in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because as we heard from the purport, this is the pinnacle of consciousness. One can develop this in this lifetime through association. We take on the qualities of whoever we associate with. (12:47) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Willpower is fundamentally the wrong tool for inner transformation. French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil argued that attention — not discipline or force of will — is the true engine of inner change. Raghunath and Kaustubha bring this insight into conversation with the Gopīs of Vṛndāvana, whose loving meditation on Kṛṣṇa accomplished what no effort of will could. The Bhagavad-gītā's method of inner transformation is simple: turn your attention toward Kṛṣṇa. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam promises that faithfully hearing about the Gopīs' love for Him is itself enough to conquer material lust, the deepest disease of the heart. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29.9-11 ******************************************************************** 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 *********************************************************************

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that when you control the tongue, then all the other senses become controlled after that. Then, by that practice of chanting Hare Krishna, you will come to a point where it tastes good and you don't want to stop, and then automatically—systemically—you'll feel satisfied. All the senses become satisfied when you please Krishna by chanting with your tongue: jihvā ādau—first thing, the tongue. And toleration. We do various kinds of duties, and we also do austerities, and in those things you have to learn the art of toleration. Krishna mentions that in the Bhagavad-gītā in many different places, but it serves us well. I'll tell you how to do it. It's called "Tender Loving Neglect." So, there's a way in which there are urges that come up, agitations. You don't say, "No, get out of here, never ever come back!" You just say, "Yeah, I know you're there. I'll get to you later. For now, I'm not going to do anything." As Haridāsa Ṭhākura did—when a prostitute came, he didn't say, "Scram!" He said, "I'll be with you in a minute, I've got to finish my rounds." We know how to put things off. If you've ever had an important paper to write, and then you kept doing everything else—you washed your whole room, you figured out a formula for creating more efficient gasoline, whatever you might do to avoid writing the paper—that's procrastination. Do the same thing when there are sense urges: neglect them. TLN instead of TLC. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #japajolt #makejapagreatagain #chantharekrishnaandbehapy #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

“O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.8)

“One who sees the Supersoul in every living being and equal everywhere does not degrade himself by his mind. Thus he approaches the transcendental destination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.29)

If someone comes to us with an offer, saying, "I will take care of all your affairs"—for instance, I have an app, and this app will take care of all your other apps, and that includes accounting and all your emails—something like Notion, where you just put it all in one place and then you don't have to worry about it, only much better. Yes, this person will take care of your financial situation. If you're lacking somewhere, that person will make up for it and pay all your debts. You might then ask, "Well, how much is it going to cost per month or per year to pay for this app you're offering me?" You might also think there's a learning curve to figure out how to work this app that's going to solve all my problems. You might also think, "Maybe you're taking my information and selling it to somebody else," or you may think, "What happens when the app becomes obsolete and then all my information is out there?" You may have many doubts, but if one suspends one's disbelief at the very beginning of reading the Bhagavad-gītā, to accept that there is a Supreme Person who controls everything, who is within everyone's heart, and who is our well-wisher. In that suspended disbelief—the idea that there could be such a person—we accept that He is offering us an opportunity that if we give Him all our information and "take the app," He'll take care of everything. And then, at the end: mā śucaḥ—"Don't worry, I'll deal with it." Such an offer we might consider. If we consider that, taking advantage of such an offer is all that's necessary for a successful life. Because there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's within our hearts. We established that last week (if you were here for the class) beyond a shadow of a doubt. If we had a jury, we would have gotten a verdict of "Yes, there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead within everyone's heart." If we understand the definition of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—that He's benevolent and He's all-powerful—and then we take heed of the offer that He gives, "Just surrender unto Me," then what could be the problem? There would be no problem. That's why Kṛṣṇa says, "mā śucaḥ." To encourage us, and anyone who is practicing on the path trying to connect to Kṛṣṇa, in verse BG 6.40, Kṛṣṇa very sweetly says to Arjuna: 'durgatiṁ tāta gacchati'. I say "sweetly" because the word tāta means "Oh, my dear one," or "Oh, my son." He is saying it in a very tender way with an open heart: "Don't worry. If you're trying, if you're sincere, and you try on this path, then you'll never be overcome by evil." Pārtha naiveha nāmutra—in this world or in the next world, vināśas tasya vidyate—you'll never be vanquished. Na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścit—because if you're the kalyāṇa-kṛt, if you're doing the right thing—which only means you're sincerely trying to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, even if you're not completely successful, durgatiṁ tāta gacchati—you'll never have an inauspicious destination, anywhere: this world, next world. The conclusion is that if we're sincere, it's infallible. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma. There, he looked for Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, but no one could tell him where it was, as it had been lost in antiquity. While he was wandering in a field, he came upon some cows and a very small pond. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went there; he felt that Kṛṣṇa-prema had been instilled in that place thousands of years ago, the pastimes of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa at the very same place. To the surprise of everyone in the area, he began to take a bath in that tiny pond and declared it to be the original place of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu invited his most elevated disciples to come to Śrī Vṛndāvana and reveal all the original forests where Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa performed their pastimes. People all over the world now, because of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, have an opportunity to enter directly into Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma; because by worshiping the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, love for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa naturally awakens within the heart. And now, in every city of the world, every time zone is covered. At any time, there is Maṅgala-ārati going on somewhere. Somebody is chanting japa, somebody is taking prasādam, someone is reading the Bhāgavatam, someone is chanting a chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, someone is worshiping the Deity, someone is performing Guru-pūjā, someone is going on saṅkīrtana, and someone is beating Māyāpur. As they are doing so, you can hear them if you listen very carefully. If you listen closely, you can hear a vibration covering the whole planet—"Gaura Kṛpā Hole He!" 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualmusic #soulfulmusic #gauranitai #kirtan #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

You'll notice that the last six verses of the 12th chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā tell us the result of practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any of its forms. As Kṛṣṇa mentions, the person becomes straightforward and truthful. There are different ways to interact with people. Somebody who is Kṛṣṇa conscious will be able to sort out situations without resorting to false ego. It's the hardest thing that we, all of us do—interpersonal dealings. I'll just see if you all agree with me on this. Every service is easy, really; it's just straightforward. You just follow the system: 1, 2, 3, 4, and you're there. But along—between one and two—there are some interpersonal dealing that becomes troublesome. It's like, "No, no, I was there first!." "And that's my pot holder over there, by the way—I brought that from home." Whatever it is, there's always something to deal with in there. But a devotee whose heart has become freed from envy—nindati śūnyam hṛdam īpsota-saṅga-labdhya—he doesn't have to give in to the false ego at every stage, and therefore is able to progress in management from one step to another, because he or she is able to accommodate others, to find workarounds, and do things. Of course, there's different styles of management, but the main point is: whatever the motive is in the heart of the person who is administering whatever form of guidance there is, if that is pure intention, then it comes out well. Actually watch Prabhupāda's way of dealing with all kinds of problems and interpersonal dealings. He was expert, dakṣa. It's one of the qualities of a pure devotee; dakṣa is that person is expert in dealing with all kinds of situations, the hardest of which is interpersonal kind of things that took place. I mean, people made all kinds of outrageous claims and had difficulties, and they just brought them all to Prabhupāda and left them at his door. "Only our group is bona fide." That's mantra has been going on since the universe started. Look at Śiva and the Dakṣa fight. It's like, you they had gangs going—gang violence at that time. So that's been going. That's the nature of the material world. So when we become pure in heart, that is, we see that "My only interest is serving Kṛṣṇa." If I have another interest, anyeṣām bhāvanām, it means that's going to manifest in my interpersonal dealings with people, and it's going to become troublesome because I'm holding something else in. We can all see this for ourselves. If we have a pure motive in what we're doing, then the ways in which we're able to maneuver in the material world become unlimited. But once we say, "I, me, my; I, me, my; I, me, my; I, me, my"—the mantra of the material world—if you listen carefully: "I, me, my; I, me, my; I, me, my." Even somebody can (gestures playing mṛdaṅga), "Look at me! Look at me! Look at me! Everybody look at me!" That's different from somebody who's chanting with, "I just want to please You, Kṛṣṇa, by this mantra." And so it all comes from that point: anyeṣām bhāvanām. All forms of difficulty come from misidentification and thinking that there's something separate from my interest of serving Kṛṣṇa. Verse for discussion: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/11/13/31/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

“Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.15)

“O conquerer of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.7)

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

A person who is sincere and tries on the path of devotional service is never without knowledge. Kṛṣṇa gives knowledge. In fact, we hear in the Bhāgavatam (Sb 1.2.7): vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam That is: by the process of devotional service, one gains knowledge and gains detachment. And where does that come from? Kṛṣṇa, as the Supersoul, is within the heart. Dadāmi buddhi-yogam taṁ—He gives intelligence. He is giving us the opportunity to come closer to Him. Prabhupāda mentions in his purport to Bhagavad-gītā 10.10 that a person who is sincerely engaged in devotional service can never be without knowledge. Even if a person isn't very adept at the practice of devotional service, by his or her sincere endeavor, Kṛṣṇa will give everything necessary. These encouraging verses come in volleys. We find also in the ninth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā: ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham Ananyāś means that without any other consideration, if you give your heart to Kṛṣṇa and say, "Kṛṣṇa, even though I'm busy, my main purpose is to be with You, to serve You." To such a person who is worshiping (paryupāsate), for those who are constantly engaged (nityābhiyuktānāṁ), He says, "I will fortify you (yoga-kṣemaṁ). I'll give you whatever you need. I'll provide the circumstances, the association, whatever is necessary." Vahāmy—He says, "I'll do it personally." This is a very special aspect of this verse that our ācāryas mention. When Kṛṣṇa says yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham, vahāmy means that He is there personally. It is not an impersonal force. It's not "the universe gave you a Volkswagen." Well, which part of the universe gave you a Volkswagen? Trace it back. Was it the clouds, the stars, a comet somewhere? No, there is a person behind it. That is what "Cosmos" means. Cosmos means somebody designed it; it's not random, it's not chaos. There is an intelligence behind it, but we have direct access to Kṛṣṇa, who gives us intelligence. And for those who are interested in Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa extends Himself. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

"Just be calm. When things are going well, be calm. Don't think you're on top of the world. Everybody is dispensable." The Bhagavad-gita calls it samathvam. Robert De Niro calls it being chill. Evenness of mind, steady in both the highs and the lows. Fame, wealth, prestige — they come and they go. And when that truth settles not just as a concept but as a genuine inner recognition, something shifts. Detachment arises — not as resignation, not as indifference, but as the fertile ground in which deeper contemplation and bhakti-yoga can take root. In this episode Raghunath and Kaustubha explore that teaching alongside the Srimad Bhagavatam, where the cowherd men of Vrindavan — hearing that Varuna himself worshiped their little boy — begin to wonder: will he bestow his transcendental abode upon us? Srimad Bhagavatam 10.28.8-11 Find Nityananda Chandra's course here: https://www.sanskritverses.com/wots ******************************************************************** 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 *********************************************************************

In this compelling fourth lecture of the series, Acharya das reframes well-being through the lens of timeless wisdom, drawing from sources like the Bhagavad Gita to reveal a powerful three-dimensional model: body, mind, and the often-overlooked spiritual self. With precision and clarity, the talk exposes a universal truth—no amount of success, relationships, or material gain can resolve the subtle but persistent sense of emptiness that many experience. This is not a personal failure or circumstantial issue; it is a signal pointing toward something deeper.The Bhagavad- gītā verse quoted in this talk:In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time. - Bhagavad-gītā 4.38Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure or external objects but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.21One whose happiness is within, who is active within, who rejoices within and is illumined within, is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.24Chapters00:00:00 Introduction and Three-Dimensional Well-being Paradigm ‎ 00:02:22 The Universal Experience of Emptiness and Advertising Manipulation ‎ 00:04:38 Personal Counseling Example: Fear of Being Alone ‎ 00:06:44 Behavioral Patterns of Avoiding Emptiness ‎ 00:08:38 Life Clutter and Hidden Loneliness‎ 00:11:19 Emptiness as Spiritual Protection and Indication ‎ 00:13:18 Material Wealth and Relationship Status Don't Eliminate Emptiness ‎ 00:15:01 The Inadequacy of the Material World ‎ 00:16:37 A Woman's Honest Blog About Emptiness ‎ 00:23:47 Attraction to Beauty, Happiness, and Love ‎ 00:27:00 The Ice Cream Sundae Metaphor ‎ 00:28:52 Spiritual Malnourishment and the Fish Out of Water Metaphor ‎ 00:30:31 The Inward Journey and Purpose of Human Life ‎ 00:33:07 Bhagavad Gita Verses on Transcendental Knowledge ‎ 00:35:56 Liberation Through Spiritual Understanding ‎ 00:37:59 The Self-Realized Person's Experience ‎ 00:39:30 The Perfect Mystic and Spiritual Attainment ‎ 00:41:08 Two Simple Practices: Yoga Wisdom and Meditation ‎ 00:42:16 Spiritual Sound and Its Purifying Effects ‎ 00:44:15 The Signal of Inner Longing ‎ 00:45:41 The Futility of Material Investment ‎ 00:46:55 Invitation to Kirtan Practice ‎

"Just be calm. When things are going well, be calm. Don't think you're on top of the world. Everybody is dispensable." The Bhagavad-gita calls it samathvam. Robert De Niro calls it being chill. Evenness of mind, steady in both the highs and the lows. Fame, wealth, prestige — they come and they go. And when that truth settles not just as a concept but as a genuine inner recognition, something shifts. Detachment arises — not as resignation, not as indifference, but as the fertile ground in which deeper contemplation and bhakti-yoga can take root. In this episode Raghunath and Kaustubha explore that teaching alongside the Srimad Bhagavatam, where the cowherd men of Vrindavan — hearing that Varuna himself worshiped their little boy — begin to wonder: will he bestow his transcendental abode upon us? Srimad Bhagavatam 10.28.8-11 Find Nityananda Chandra's course here: https://www.sanskritverses.com/wots ******************************************************************** 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 *********************************************************************

In our lives, the phenomenon is there that when we don't have a clear idea, a clear goal, then we tend to tip over. Somebody will come along with an idea; we'll run off in one, or another direction. What's more, there's this feeling of urgency for all kinds of things—they all fall in the same category. You just have one little bowl, and you throw everything in there, and the marking on the side of the bowl says 'Urgent.' Every little thing can wake you up in the middle of the night saying, 'Urgent!' You forgot to write an email to such-and-such, and you think, "Well, they must hate me by now," and that becomes a burning cinder in your mind. We have to deal with the issue of balance in our life by becoming introspective and also working on our clarity of purpose, vision, and goals. This is a great time of year for it because we're in the first quarter. That means we've got three quarters left; that's exciting! I took this phrase from Seven Habits: 'Start with the end in mind.' What do you want it to do? Where do you want whatever you're doing to end up? What will it look like when you get there? Once you have that in mind, then set your goals. It's an antidote to the sense of disturbance. If we don't have a clear idea, then whatever comes up will be very disturbing. But you may notice that if you're intensely focused on doing something or going somewhere, even if there are disturbances, you might barely even notice them. There's an example given about this in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, great literature on Bhakti Yoga. There was once an arrow maker who was sitting in his shop. He would hone the tips of the arrows and then use some special instruments to make sure they were perfectly straight. He was famous for his arrows; people used to purchase from him all the time because they were so perfectly balanced. One day, while he was in his shop, the King came through the city and passed by the arrow maker's shop. When a King goes by, there is fanfare: there were dancers, jugglers, flame-swallowers, music, bands. He went by in a palanquin carried by ornately dressed bearers; there were elephants—what a tumult! It took an hour to pass. Soon afterwards, the son of the arrow maker came running through the shop and said, "Did you see the King? Did you see the King?" The arrow maker said, "What King?" The son said, "He just passed by, right in front of your own shop!" He said, "I was unaware." Why was he unaware? Because he had one single-minded purpose, which was sharpening his arrows and doing his work. Therefore, he wasn't concerned—or wasn't even aware—that the King had passed through the town. So this is what's called in the Bhagavad-gītā 'The one-pointed attention': vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. The intelligence is fixed, going in one direction to achieve the ultimate goal. Bhakti Yoga shows us how, if we're clear about the ultimate goal of life—what we are trying to get out of life, ultimately. I'm not talking just about some financial thing or a health goal we are working on—but why are we here in the first place? What does the end look like? Is there a purpose at the end for us to be focused on? If we have that in mind, we don't even note the disturbances that come to us when we're absorbed in the ultimate purpose of life. (0:28:18) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

“Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.20)

There's a story my teacher told about a person. In this case it is a man, Scott. Poor Scott, he put his money in the wrong bank account. He was investing over many years. He was 37 years old, and had been investing since he was seven. He got a US Treasury bond and he invested that when he was a kid—he got it for his birthday, and he kept saving his whole life. When he went to make a withdrawal, he realized he had been putting his money in the wrong bank account his whole life, and there was nothing in it. Knowing the difference between reality and illusion is really important because if you invest in illusion, first of all, there's no compound interest. Second of all, there's nothing there to draw upon. So, what's the practicality of knowing the difference between yourself and your life situation? Well, that's indicated in the next slide—'the money slide': Take time to invest in Sat. If you're doing an experiment with this and you're setting goals, find out what's eternal, what is always existing, and what will be there after this body is finished. I set a five-year goal that culminates in 2026, and I'm working on it right now to make sure that it happens. Those five years went by so fast; I don't even know where they went. It's just, all of a sudden, 2026, and I say, "Okay, this is the year." If everyone set a five-year goal, it would go by really fast. But what if you set a 125-year goal? JM, why don't you write down a goal that you'd like to see come to fruition in 125 years? Manu, why are you smiling when I say that? Why does that seem so funny? Manu: "I think it just makes me think that I can write some impossible goals, also, which I think is impossible. Well, it does bring your mind to the question: Where will I be in 125 years? Doesn't it? It's possible to live to 125, but okay, stretch it out to 150. Where will you be 150 years from now? For that matter, where will you be100 years from now? Where were you 100 years ago? (None of you are 100 years old now.) So this is a consideration. We don't know, but what the Bhagavad-gītā is telling us is that you were somewhere. You—the person you are now—you were somewhere. Not the body 'you'. Not the American, Canadian, man, woman... or for any cats listening to this program today. We do have a few cat fans that tune in; Chuck's looking for the cat. Yeah, they listen too! But you might not have been a cat in your last life, cats who are listening today. You could have been a dog. I hate to freak any of the cats out here today, but that's a fact. It's because we are Sat and the body is not sat. So, invest in Sat. That's the idea. That's satisfying. You're putting the money in the right bank account. There are a couple of excuses there. Somebody did a graffiti down there at the bottom; it must have been with a spray can. It says: "But I'm too busy." And then somebody else came along with another spray paint can and said: "Busy doing what?" That's the big question.We're always busy. This is something..(41:32) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

“Avyakta means unmanifested. Not even all of the material world is manifested before us. Our senses are so imperfect that we cannot even see all of the stars within this material universe. In Vedic literature we can receive much information about all the planets, and we can believe it or not believe it. All of the important planets are described in Vedic literatures, especially Shrimad-Bhagavatam, and the spiritual world, which is beyond this material sky, is described as avyakta, unmanifested. One should desire and hanker after that supreme kingdom, for when one attains that kingdom, he does not have to return to this material world.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Introduction)

“But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give to you divine eyes by which you can behold My mystic opulence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.8)

See, how yajña works! You do a little something, and the next thing you know, food's coming in your door. That happened with Mṛgāri the hunter. He was hunting, and he thought, "I can only make my living this way." And Nārada Muni came along and said, "No, no, I'll show you a better way. Just break your bow." "I can't break my bow!" He said, "No, go ahead—do it." So Mṛgāri broke his bow, and then he just started doing little programs at his house; he had a bhajana going on. And the next thing, he was complaining to Nārada Muni. He said, "It's too much! They're bringing too much!" That's what happens with yajña, if you do some service to Kṛṣṇa. People are looking for entrepreneurial opportunities—the best business is preaching. That's it. If you just move your energy little by little towards preaching—open your door a little crack, invite people in, and just say, "Here, let's read Bhagavad-gītā for 16.006 seconds and then you can go home. I'll give you a little something to take with you"—it changes everything. It changes the equation. So, we want to expand. Every house should be a new community where people can come and learn how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, learn the Bhagavad-gītā, and so forth. Every one of you is now deputed. You're deputed as of today, Akṣaya-tṛtīyā. Put some books in your car. Get a little box; maybe order it on Amazon, make a group order. Get a little box, get a whole package of boxes, and then put some books in it and put it in your back seat. I guarantee you, the opportunity will come up where someone will say, "Have you heard of the Bhagavad-gītā? Can I have a Bhagavad-gītā?'" And you'll just pull it out of your back seat and give him a Bhagavad-gītā. Take a little prasādam with you. Be an ambassador of goodwill. Pass it on to other people. This is what the planet needs. There's no stopgap measure that can stop people's suffering, because human life is not meant for comfort. It's actually meant for—and I don't want to say anything too shocking, but it's meant for tapasya. It's meant to take some trouble so that you can do good for others. It's called paropakāra. That's what makes us happy, and that's what makes the world a better place. So, we should try for that. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna

“But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give to you divine eyes by which you can behold My mystic opulence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.8)

I had a similar experience going on—being on saṅkīrtana and hearing music when I was a brahmacārī. And, I distinctly remember once I heard a song by Diana Ross, and it goes like this: "You are everything, and everything is you." I was going, "That's Bhagavad-gītā." And the part where we connect it, and we're able to see how Kṛṣṇa's energies are working, and we say, "Oh, I see how that happened"—it's very similar to what the gosvāmīs do when they mention this: they see boys and girls are spontaneously attracted to one another, and they say, "Yeah, that's it. I want to be attracted like that to Kṛṣṇa." It's all a reflection. So, if you're seeing the connection in the reflection, then it becomes a Kṛṣṇa conscious observation, and that's a result of our own observations. We talked about it during japa this morning, that when we're chanting, we can be acutely aware—ubhayor api dṛṣṭo 'ntas(BG 2.16)—that there's two things happening: there's material nature, and then there's consciousness. The two things are fascinating to watch and see the difference between the two, and then the rest of the world. As Nārada Muni, when he was a small child, after his mother passed away, he was left an orphan; and by that time, he had already had association with the sādhus. So he went out to observe the world, and he was seeing how all of Kṛṣṇa's energies were working. Those kinds of observations Prabhupāda constantly made when he was on morning walks. He'd notice things. He'd say, 'This means this. This means that.' And, 'Oh, how interesting.' A bird sitting in a nest was leaving its remnants on the ground, and Prabhupāda asked what it meant. Devotees thought, 'What could it possibly mean?' It's passing and it's going on the ground in one pile, and Prabhupāda said, 'It means he's attached to that branch. Every living entity is attached to a particular place." In this way, Prabhupāda would see something. He saw a father pick up his son to place a letter in a mailbox, and then Prabhupāda made something out of that: like, this is how we work. We have a desire to do; Kṛṣṇa picks us up. We put all of our functions—the way we talk, the way we move... it's all coming from Kṛṣṇa. In Hawaii, devotees asked Prabhupāda if it was māyā if they went to the beach—because that's all there is in Hawaii, is beach. Prabhupāda answered. He said, "How could you be in māyā? Kṛṣṇa is the ocean. He's the light of the sun and the moon. How could you possibly be in māyā there?" It's a good question. So obviously we have to be careful, because unless we have a melted heart and we're engaged in seeing the world and feeling such an intense connection to Kṛṣṇa through seeing everything that's happening, then it's possible to get caught on something as happened to Ajāmila. He was doing his sādhana, but he wasn't strong enough. So when he saw a scene, it wasn't like he could connect it. And certain things we should be very careful of looking at and not think, "Oh no, I can process that," but then it might process you—which is the problem in the material world. We're really smart because we're parts of Kṛṣṇa. So we invent television, for instance. I know it's an old technology; I'll get to the higher things in a second. But you know, what does it take to figure out how to build a television? It's an amazing thing. But...(0:51:15) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

You should have a quota for reading.Take a number where you mark it and you make sure you finish it—even if it's one verse or one page—or if you feel like you can do more, try to do more. Because those vows that you make to read Prabhupāda's books every day in a certain amount, they'll push out of the way a lot of the frivolous other things. And for the frivolous other things, the thoughts, you can tell your mind, "We'll get to those later after I finish my quota." That's Haridāsa Ṭhākura's trick. When the prostitute came and said, "Hi,' he said, "Yeah, no problem. Just wait. I got to finish my rounds." And we should have the same fortification: that every day we have a series of things that we finish first, even to the chagrin of our whimsical friends who say, "Come on, let's do this; let's do that." Say, "Sure, after I finish my chapter, and after I finish my pages, and of course, after I finish my rounds—then we can do this thing." And next thing you know, they're going to go, 'All right, well, we'll chant the chapter with you," and then the whole environment will change. That's our daily protection, because any given day we can veer from the path and go somewhere else. So sādhana has to be serious, strict, and calculated. We should line it up at home. Get your ironing board and open it up—it's nice and long. Put down all the śāstra that you're going to read that day. Line it up: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Put your bead bag first; put your Bhāgavatam second; put your Bhagavad-gītā third. What else you're going to put on there? Whatever it is. An ironing board is long enough; you can put it all down there. And if somebody else needs it, get another ironing board! But have it—that's how you should line up. (For the context of the ironing board, please watch https://youtu.be/vacZxESREFw?t=3475) So when you wake up in the morning, you go right for your thing. You have it set up. If you go for a drive and you're not driving—well, even if you are driving—have something lined up that you can listen to, that you're finishing. This is the method of the Goswāmīs: 'saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ.' They counted everything. Everybody who counts, they make progress. In business, if you count, you make progress. What kind of business is it where they don't count anything? "What's the quarterly report?" "We don't know, we're just going along." "What's the yearly report? "We don't have one, we just do the best we can." There's no progress there.So, same thing in spiritual life. This is our time to cultivate while you're young and you're vital; make sure you invest. Invest in sādhana. It's the only investment really necessary for the human form of life. I was just reading yesterday from the 11th Canto about varṇāśrama. Whoever was in the car, we all heard it together. Is it that when I get in the car, I always have a speaker system ready so that everybody in the car can hear? Pull it out and read. And what an impression I got from that yesterday; it was talking about... ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------

“Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.” (Bhagavad-gita, 18.78)

In fact, the whole concept of the world given in the Vedas is called bhava. Bhava means that everything is morphing into something different, just like in a dream. You may be dreaming about something or someone, and all of a sudden, it changes. So, the whole world is like that; and the idea that "I'll contain it," or that "I'll hold on to it"—this is called māyā. Therefore, when you take the advice from this verse (BG 5.10) taught through this metaphor, then you become "super-māyā-phobic"—which means you can live in an illusory world that is always changing, but it will never affect you. That is the facility given by the practice that Kṛṣṇa mentions in the Bhagavad-gītā, and that we emulate and teach here in our International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness—Bhakti yoga. It is a way of changing the way we look at the world and our approach to the people in it, we look through a lens of service: "How may I be of service?" One way to enact this "super-māyā-phobic" superpower that you can attain this very night even before you walk out the door, you'll have this in mind—to ask this question: "How may I be of service?" When the idea comes that "I'm not being served enough," or if you ever feel uncomfortable or unfulfilled, you can ask this simple question: "How may I be of service?" It's a switch you can flip, and suddenly, you'll see the world through a different lens. https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/5/10/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

This is a talk on personal agency and spiritual well-being as Part 2 of a continuing series on Wellbeing.Personal agency is defined as "the individual's capacity to act intentionally, to make autonomous choices, and to influence their own circumstances and environment." But how free is our decision making process? And how autonomous are we in a world driven by Social Media and AI? Unfortunately, people don't question where their desires originate and whether they are truly self-generated.Personal agency is often associated with the terms self-determination and self-agency. Acharya das questions what personal agency means from a spiritual perspective, beginning from the concept of "self" used in the term ‘self-determination.'At the beginning of the talk Acharya das mentions another series of talks titled “Who Controls your Mind” which can be accessed via the following links:https://open.spotify.com/episode/125xZdjbMeCC1wmN4O8mPm?si=4Vw4cpZoQz6NKEPOKXxACw https://open.spotify.com/episode/5UiR00VEKV5q2HT4L4g7bC?si=2qLshURaTa2VDF0m_68kMQ https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Bb1QwUPfzJN0wIcRT1qbU?si=eu3rhEToQkGR3SYEQAXF-A https://open.spotify.com/episode/6FLoEVfJoEmQ7frixdVuCC?si=W5NVIIdbSImv31IIdPwRAQ https://acharyadas.com/series/who-controls-your-mind/ Verses quoted in this talk:“The individual is the passenger in the chariot of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers.” Katha Upanisad 1.3.3-4The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. Bhagavad-gita 3.42A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. Bhagavad-gita 6.5For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy. Bhagavad-gita 6.6This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious. Although it is not factual, it is very strong. It covers the constitutional position of the self/atma. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 5.11.17For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion. Bhagavad-gita 6.36“One who is not connected with the Supreme Soul can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?” – Bhagavad-gita 2.66Chapters 00:00:10 Introduction and Topic Change ‎ 00:02:16 Modern Mind Control and Social Media Manipulation ‎ 00:04:32 The Illusion of Engagement and Control ‎ 00:06:34 Defining Personal Agency ‎ 00:10:46 The Science of Advertising and Manipulation ‎ 00:13:51 Redefining Personal Agency ‎ 00:15:52 The Question of Self-Identity ‎ 00:18:14 Vedic Understanding of Self ‎ 00:25:21 The Chariot Analogy ‎ 00:28:28 The Mind as Friend and Enemy ‎ 00:30:48 Rat Trap Happiness ‎ 00:32:37 The Importance of Good Decision-Making ‎ 00:35:30 The Uncontrolled Mind as Enemy ‎ 00:36:30 The Path to Self-Realization ‎ 00:37:44 Marching to a Different Beat ‎ 00:40:20 Connection to the Supreme ‎ 00:41:54 The Role of Meditation ‎

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.2)

Kṛṣṇa likes it when we care about other peoples' consciousness and we take steps to help them. He says so in the Bhagavad-gītā; He says, "One who preaches the Bhagavad-gītā to others is the most dear to Me." And when we do it, we achieve a kind of realization that's not available when we just keep it to ourselves. There is a way in which, when we give mercy to others, we get a superior kind of realization that happens when we vicariously experience, again and again, souls reawakening by coming in contact with the Holy Name in written form, or by hearing the hari-nāma, or coming in contact with devotees. In previous yugas, when yajña was the means to please the Lord, it's mentioned that brāhmaṇas used to test their mantras. In fact, they would sacrifice an animal and then bring it back to life with the mantras; that way, they would know the efficacy of their mantras, and then it would give them superior faith in the mantras to be able to do the yajñas properly. In a similar way, when we go and give the mantras to other people—like down in Watford—people are wandering aimlessly down there for various reasons, their souls under the various modes of material nature. But when we take the trouble to go there and we meet them, and we give them the mahā-mantra and so forth—we test our own mantra. When we see it—see its potency and its effect on other people—then we get a superior realization of how powerful it is, rather than staying in an insular state. That's powerful too, but it's more powerful when we give it to others because then we see the effect. Isn't it the most valuable and enlivening of all perspectives to be in the hari-nāma saṅkīrtana and to watch people's reactions to it as they're walking by? I mean, I want front-row seats there! Any busy street in the world and just notice the effect that the Holy Name has—not just on people, but animals too—and watch the effect when they get touched by the mantra. Some people start dancing, some people run away as best they can, and some people pretend like it's not even happening. Even if it's a rip-roaring kīrtana, that can be the most fascinating of all because, you know they're in there, and you know they hear it, and still they try to ignore it. Then it gives us a perspective of our sojourn in the material world. Kṛṣṇa has been speaking to us this whole time, and He's always there within every atom, but we're ignoring Him. We can become circumspect and think about what is our sojourn. That all happens by outreach, by preaching to other people. Plus, as it's mentioned in the song about Lord Nityānanda, how He's a broker; He's selling the Holy Name. He started in a marketplace. This is MLM, in case you ever wanted to join multi-level marketing—you're already in it! This was the precursor to Amway, and Lord Nityānanda started that. It's mentioned by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that you bring people to Lord Nityānanda and sign them up for the product, and you get your commission. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says—he said, "We'll all take the commission; we'll all take some." They pay the price with their faith—it's their śraddhā. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

If we want to serve Kṛṣṇa in a particular way, then Kṛṣṇa accommodates that. Take for example the Daṇḍakāraṇya ṛṣis; they thought, "Oh, He's so beautiful! I want to be in a relationship with Him—a very deep, conjugal relationship." And Kṛṣṇa reciprocated. Prabhupāda points out here in the purport that the jñānīs wouldn't appreciate this verse. Jñānīs wouldn't appreciate that the devotees are pained by the Lord's lotus feet being pricked by thorns on the forest path. They wouldn't be able to do that, what to speak of the karmīs. And therefore, we find that the devotional path—bhakti is a "feeling path." "Nāyam sukhāpo bhagavān dehinām gopikā-sutaḥ, jñānīnām cātma-bhūtānām yathā bhakti-matām iha." This is a verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu quoted many times. One instance that I'm sure you're already thinking of is to Vyaṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa. When He was speaking to Vyaṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa about how the Supreme Goddess of Fortune tried to enter into the rāsa dance, but she wasn't able to do that because she couldn't change her mood in order to be a follower of the residents of Vṛndāvana—specifically the gopis. She wasn't able to enter into the rāsa-līlā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that the supreme path is this "feeling path," and that the jñānīs don't have access to it. Neither do the karmīs. Nāyam sukhāpo bhagavān dehināṁ gopikā-sutaḥ—those who are attached to the body also can't feel it. They don't get that special connection with Kṛṣṇa. Karmīs don't get it, jñānīs don't get it, and mystics don't get it. But it comes very easily to devotees; it's natural. Yathā bhakti-matām iha—with bhakti, this feeling of the heart for Kṛṣṇa in service as we see here, then one can very easily attain Kṛṣṇa. Thinking of today, and the "poor" people who couldn't find their way here to celebrate Lord Rāmacandra's appearance day: How would they be benefited? The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says: anugrahāya bhaktānāṁ mānuṣaṁ deham āsthitaḥ bhajate tādṛśīḥ krīḍā yāḥ śrutvā tat-paro bhavet (SB 10.33.36) What a great verse for an appearance day! You can thank me later—or thank the Bhāgavatam later. Anugrahaya means "mercy." It's interesting because graha means "a grabber," like the planets are grabbers. So anugraha means someone who pulls you in the right direction; someone who pulls you along. Do you ever thank somebody for pulling you along in the right direction in your life? Please say yes. Yeah, you should thank somebody. Anugrahāya bhaktānām mānuṣaṁ deham āsthitaḥ means that the Lord comes with a beautiful human form. Like we find at the end of the 11th Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna is saying to Kṛṣṇa, "No more! I don't want to see this." Seeing the Universal Form of the Lord has shaken him deeply; it's really scary. So Kṛṣṇa shows him His four-arm form, and then He shows him the saumya-vapu—His beautiful two-arm form. It is highly relatable and a form perfectly suited for very deep relationships with Kṛṣṇa, whether in friendship, parenthood, servitude, or, of course, the conjugal relationship. Kṛṣṇa, especially, is the epitome. That's what "Kṛṣṇa" means: that He can facilitate all of those rasas. He's the King of all rasas. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

Even going to Jaipur—it was like one of those bumpy roads that we went on yesterday, but for the whole way. Now it's nicer, but it still takes an extra eight hours to go to Karaulī. But going to see Madana-mohana there is a heartfelt experience—to see the devotees and how they love that Deity. Madana-mohana represents attraction to the spiritual world; this is sambandha-jñāna. In many philosophical systems, there is no conception of attraction. There is only renunciation. Dry renunciation of the material world means: "Because I've been victimized again and again by my senses and by the sense objects, I decide that I will cultivate detachment and become free from the tyranny of my senses." Some take it a step further and they say, "Let me have no senses. Let me become nothing." In the concept of Nirvāṇa, as given by some, there is a candle flame; if you blow it out, then there is no candle flame. The idea is that the experience we're having now in this world—that I'm conscious, I'm aware, I love, I hate, I have emotions—is all the process of material nature. It's happenstance. And by my meditation, I'll come to a point of realizing that I'm not that awareness. I'm not anything. I'm not part of the process; I'm not the process; there is no process. There isn't anything, and I'll achieve nothingness. But even that nomenclature is the problem. Consciousness is something you cannot deny, because as soon as you deny, it is an act of consciousness. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā says (BG 3.5): na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ The soul is always active. We want something, and especially, we want love. So Madana-mohana brings the clarion call to us: "I am your beloved. Here, you can become attracted, and you don't have to fear the loss of our relationship." Prabhupāda tells about how, when we approach Kṛṣṇa—in Deity worship, the arcana process—it is so sweet and personal that sometimes the servitor installs the Deity and worships in such a heartfelt way that the relationship is so "thick." He mentions in a purport that after that servitor passes away, the Deity performs the piṇḍa ceremony for His servitor out of love for the servant. So, when we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are not left with nothing, or we are not asked to recede into the void. As we say, "namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe"—we are hearing Gaura-vāṇī—"nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe." Śrīla Prabhupāda relieved us of that Where's the entry place? It's Madana-mohana. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------

In our What Is Our Lineage, Actually? | Tradition vs. Innovation lecture, we started an inquiry into lineage, responsibility and accountability by taking into consideration all the subtleties and nuances of our tradition, from a historical and somewhat academic perspective. I offer a few stories from various sampradāyas (traditions) to show how multifaceted all of this can be to drive home the complexity of the Ramakrishna lineage and the ideals which we, across different interpretations, stand for. All of that was part of my own personal reflection on how to responsibly share my enthusiasm and delight about this tradition, which is a delicate balancing act between honoring my own instincts, inspirations and interpretations with what we call ekavākyatā (lineage consistency). In this talk, which acts as a sequel of sorts, I take a much more personal approach and using a reflection on svadhārma as per the Bhagavad-gītā, I articulate some of my most cherished ideas about being yourself & following your heart, as an expression of svatantrya, the innate playfulness of Reality. However, while I do just want to say what is in my heart to say, I also offer a few methods of accountability and means for calling me out on anything and everything!For whom my ramblings have not been helpful and appropriate, I apologize sincerely and pray you'll find the traditions, interpretations and practices that do. Naturally, you will because Hinduism is nothing if not maximally diverse and inclusive! For those who my ramblings have been somewhat interesting at least, I am deeply grateful for your support and indebted for your kindness, patience & understanding. On this sacred first day of Navaratri and Ugadi, the New Year, I offer you this from my heart to yours! namah śīvāyah.Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

My point is: you should assimilate what you have first. We already have so much, and it's highly assimilatable—but not many people have assimilated it. Who has fully assimilated the Śrī Īśopaniṣad? What is assimilation? What does it look like? Assimilation means you spend some time going deeply within the book: researching it, learning all the verses, and knowing the purports backwards and forwards—learning the verses backwards and forwards. We did that with 'Divinity and Divine Service.' In order to get full credit, you had to be able to recite the chapter forwards and backwards. That's the very beginning of assimilation. Hanumat Presaka Swami, one of the great thinkers and scholars in our movement—I just remember when he was frequenting ISV. He always kept a little pouch around his neck. What was in that pouch? The Upadeśāmṛta. But not just the Upadeśāmṛta; it was in Spanish. He wanted to challenge himself doubly, because that's how his brain works. He speaks Spanish, and he wanted to practice reading in Spanish. But everywhere he went, he would have that around his neck, and he'd read it and read it. When you assimilate a book, you'll find out how—or at least, when you attempt to assimilate one book, you start to realize—how deep it is and how much is really there. Generally, people get involved in things because they want to 'strike it rich quick.' That's why so many people live in California. In 1849, the world changed because there was a discovery of gold in the mountains of California. And actually, the world wealth situation dramatically increased at that time because so much natural gold was discovered. People came from all over the world, and they wanted to strike it rich. There's still the impulse in each person in the world that they want some way to get rich quick. In a business I once had, I was training people how to do business, and I noticed that people would come in, and then as soon as they had to make a few phone calls—which is actually work—they would quit and say, "I'm going to find another business that's easier." There's a tendency to do that in spiritual life also. Instead of reading the whole Bhagavad-gītā 108 times, or as Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta said, "You should read Prahlāda Mahārāja a hundred times and Dhruva Mahārāja a hundred times." Did you know it's mentioned in one of the commentaries that the gopīs used to read Dhruva Mahārāja and Prahlāda Mahārāja? They would weep reading those accounts of those little boys doing such austerities and so forth. Assimilate the Bhagavad-gītā. I know very few people who have actually gone deeply within the Bhagavad-gītā who can sit and discourse. I mean, Caitanya Caraṇa—he comments on it every day. He reads it deeply and thinks about it when he's sleeping at night; he's thinking about what he's going to present the next day, how to bring out topical points in the world and connect them to the Bhagavad-gītā. Ask him if he's assimilated the Bhagavad-gītā. What will he tell you? The more he's going into it, the more he's seeing how deep it is. What about the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Have you ever in your school days, or even now when you're in school, ever noticed the phenomenon where you finish a course and then realize you absorbed about 2% of what was in the textbook? I used to save all my textbooks. My garage was full of....

Recently, Nirākulā, my wife, and I have been getting our affairs in order—trying to make sure that we don't have any extra stuff (because things pile up) and making sure that every paper we have is accounted for: all the accounts and everything like that. And there are a lot of papers. Looking through the papers, I came across a file full of warranties for various appliances, from small to large. Every one of them had some kind of guarantee, at least for some time. Most of them have run out. But there is one we can't find anywhere. We looked in the attic and the godown. We went through the glove boxes in our car and—you know those drawers that have a combination of many different kinds of papers and you're not sure? We went through those too, and we couldn't find a contract that guaranteed how long we were going to stay in this body. Apparently, we didn't get one. At least, my parents didn't tell me about it. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa describes how this human life is temporary but very useful. In fact, that's also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—a famous verse spoken by the avadhūta brāhmaṇa who lived in the wilderness (which is not a bad idea; nobody can bug you out there). He met with King Yadu, who was traveling with his retinue. When the King interviewed the avadhūta brāhmaṇa, he could understand that this was a self-realized person. He asked him how he became self-realized, and the brāhmaṇa said, "I have twenty-four gurus. They are here with me." King Yadu looked around and said, "I don't see anybody here." Then the brāhmaṇa began to enunciate the various gurus that he followed, starting with the mountain. It was tolerant; although it was smashed by lightning bolts and clouds poured water, it still stood firm and yet provided crystal-clear water and minerals to everybody. The tree was mentioned, and many other entities, both moving and inert. Then he gave this famous verse, which I've heard many times from many speakers on the Bhāgavatam, and which Śrīla Prabhupāda quoted frequently as well (SB 11.9.29): labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mṛtyu yāvan niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt At the very end of the verse, syāt means something is coming up. What is available or what is coming? He said viṣayaḥ—sense gratification. Sarvataḥ—where is sense gratification? Everywhere. It's available to everyone, including little critters like the salamanders, the frogs, and the fish; they all have access to sense gratification. So, what the Avanti Brāhmaṇa was pointing out is that it's not a big deal. Because if salamanders and frogs can get it for free, why should you work so hard for it? He said what this human life is especially meant for is to take this temporary amount of time that we have (since we don't have a warranty and don't know how long we'll be here) and utilize it to transfer ourselves to the eternal atmosphere: the spiritual world. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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:

The 1960s weren't just a musical revolution—they were a spiritual one. In this episode, we reflect on George Harrison's role in that shift: from global superstardom to sincere spiritual seeker. After "meeting everyone worth meeting" and reaching the height of fame, George realized something was still missing. That insight led him beyond counterculture and into mantra meditation, the Bhagavad-gītā, and open support of Krishna consciousness. We explore how his faith, humility, and conviction helped carry the Hare Krishna mantra into the mainstream—and why his search for a "higher taste" still resonates today. ******************************************************************** 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 *********************************************************************