Podcasts about Ganges

ŚB 5.17.4After purifying the seven planets near Dhruvaloka [the polestar], the Ganges water is carried through the spaceways of the demigods in billions of celestial airplanes. Then it inundates the moon [Candraloka] and finally reaches Lord Brahmā's abode atop Mount Meru.Please feel free to join our Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Telegram group chat (for both prabhujīs and mātājīs): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/iskmnews

En este primer episodio sobre su viaje a India, Lola comparte una experiencia transformadora que comenzó sin buscar respuestas, pero terminó revelando verdades profundas. Desde su conexión con Kali en un templo, hasta su ceremonia de RenaSer en el Ganges, este relato íntimo abre el corazón a quienes también sienten el llamado de algo más grande.Canales para no perderte lo que viene:Substack: Sucribite Instagram: @lolacastilloNewsletter para próximas actividades: Sumate aqui

The sacred isn't far away, or locked away in a temple, a ritual, or some otherworldly realm. The sacred is the invisible thread running through the entire tapestry of life—right here, right now. In this deeply reflective episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the Vedic concept of otam-protam—the warp and weft of reality—revealing how divinity is interwoven through every moment, every element, every being. From the descent of the sacred Ganges to the subtle presence of God in all things, this episode invites you to shift your lens and recognize the divine fabric behind the visible world. Also featured is a moving tribute to Al Barile of SSD—a hardcore punk pioneer whose unexpected connection to the Bhāgavatam is a reminder that even the toughest exteriors can carry a sincere spiritual search within. Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠What “warp and weft” teaches us about the nature of reality •⁠  ⁠C.S. Lewis on the God who walks everywhere incognito •⁠  ⁠Why seeing God in everything is the highest yoga •⁠  ⁠How the Ganga purifies not just bodies, but the mind and heart •⁠  ⁠Al Barile's surprising connection to bhakti and the search for truth Whether you're walking through a city street, sitting in nature, or standing in a mosh pit—the thread of the sacred is already there. Learn to see it.

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The sacred isn't far away, or locked away in a temple, a ritual, or some otherworldly realm. The sacred is the invisible thread running through the entire tapestry of life—right here, right now. In this deeply reflective episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the Vedic concept of otam-protam—the warp and weft of reality—revealing how divinity is interwoven through every moment, every element, every being. From the descent of the sacred Ganges to the subtle presence of God in all things, this episode invites you to shift your lens and recognize the divine fabric behind the visible world. Also featured is a moving tribute to Al Barile of SSD—a hardcore punk pioneer whose unexpected connection to the Bhāgavatam is a reminder that even the toughest exteriors can carry a sincere spiritual search within. Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠What “warp and weft” teaches us about the nature of reality •⁠  ⁠C.S. Lewis on the God who walks everywhere incognito •⁠  ⁠Why seeing God in everything is the highest yoga •⁠  ⁠How the Ganga purifies not just bodies, but the mind and heart •⁠  ⁠Al Barile's surprising connection to bhakti and the search for truth Whether you're walking through a city street, sitting in nature, or standing in a mosh pit—the thread of the sacred is already there. Learn to see it.

More than sacred—this is about cosmic justice, karmic cleansing, and the mysterious flow of divine grace. In this provocative conclusion to our two-part deep dive, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack why the Ganges is revered as the purifier of sins and how its sanctity is upheld—not just by myth or ritual, but through the living presence of Krishna and His devotees. What makes a river more than water? How does mercy override karma? And how can we become a river of grace ourselves? Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠The Ganges as a portal of divine compassion—from Vaikuntha to Earth. •⁠  ⁠How saintly souls become walking places of pilgrimage. •⁠  ⁠Grace vs. karma: why fairness isn't the highest principle in the universe. •⁠  ⁠The mystical relationship between Krishna's feet, the holy river, and the pure-hearted. •⁠  ⁠Why Bhagiratha's mission wasn't just personal—it was a multi-generational act of love. Whether you've dipped in her waters or just dreamed of the Himalayas, this episode will change the way you see rivers, saints, and the subtle forces that shape our destiny.

More than sacred—this is about cosmic justice, karmic cleansing, and the mysterious flow of divine grace. In this provocative conclusion to our two-part deep dive, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack why the Ganges is revered as the purifier of sins and how its sanctity is upheld—not just by myth or ritual, but through the living presence of Krishna and His devotees. What makes a river more than water? How does mercy override karma? And how can we become a river of grace ourselves? Key Highlights: •⁠  ⁠The Ganges as a portal of divine compassion—from Vaikuntha to Earth. •⁠  ⁠How saintly souls become walking places of pilgrimage. •⁠  ⁠Grace vs. karma: why fairness isn't the highest principle in the universe. •⁠  ⁠The mystical relationship between Krishna's feet, the holy river, and the pure-hearted. •⁠  ⁠Why Bhagiratha's mission wasn't just personal—it was a multi-generational act of love. Whether you've dipped in her waters or just dreamed of the Himalayas, this episode will change the way you see rivers, saints, and the subtle forces that shape our destiny.

ŚB 5.17.2-3Dhruva Mahārāja, the famous son of Mahārāja Uttānapāda, is known as the most exalted devotee of the Supreme Lord because of his firm determination in executing devotional service. Knowing that the sacred Ganges water washes the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, Dhruva Mahārāja, situated on his own planet, to this very day accepts that water on his head with great devotion. Because he constantly thinks of Kṛṣṇa very devoutly within the core of his heart, he is overcome with ecstatic anxiety. Tears flow from his half-open eyes, and eruptions appear on his entire body. The seven great sages [Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Atri and so on] reside on planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Well aware of the influence of the water of the Ganges, to this day they keep Ganges water on the tufts of hair on their heads. They have concluded that this is the ultimate wealth, the perfection of all austerities, and the best means of prosecuting transcendental life. Having obtained uninterrupted devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they neglect all other beneficial processes like religion, economic development, sense gratification and even merging into the Supreme. Just as jñānīs think that merging into the existence of the Lord is the highest truth, these seven exalted personalities accept devotional service as the perfection of life.Please feel free to join our Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Telegram group chat (for both prabhujīs and mātājīs): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/iskmnews

Hola, os damos la bienvenida a un nuevo programa de ERA Magazine, el podcast de la música independiente española. En esta ocasión, volvemos a Madrid para hablar de Tomavistas, el festival que se celebra en la Caja Mágica de Madrid los días 29, 30 y 31 de mayo, con grupos más que interesantes del panorama nacional e internacional de la música independiente. Y para hablar de esa personalidad propia que han desarrollado a lo largo de los años nos acompaña Asier Lozano responsable de dodmagazine, una de las webs más importantes de nuestro país. En este programa escuchamos a: Mogwai, "God Gets You Back". Caribou, "Honey". Romy, "Strong". Frente Abierto, "Lo que en el mundo vale (Bambera)". Ganges, "Pensar en ti". Mala Rodríguez, "Tengo un trato". Yard Act, "Dream Job". Kiasmos, "Looped". Viva Belgrado, "Ranchera de la mina". Judeline, "Brujería!". Biznaga, "El entusiasmo". Hasta aquí el programa de hoy, gracias a todos los que nos apoyáis a través de eramagazine.fm/donacion con vuestras aportaciones, sin vosotros y vosotras, esto no sería posible. Hasta el programa que viene, Un saludo.

Die Neurotainment Show ist mal wieder mitten drin. Warum wird in Indien mehr gehupt als gebremst? Warum müssen Touristen damit rechnen, andauernd fotografiert zu werden? Wie fühlt es sich an, im Ganges zu baden? Für wen ist Indien ein geeignetes Reiseziel? Wie führt man trotz Flugangst ein Interview beim Start in einem Flugzeug? Autor, Regisseur und Podcast-Host Andreas Z. Simon redet mit seinem Director Of Photography Filip Jerzynski und seiner Regie-Assistentin Ilka Simon-Wensing über ihre Eindrücke und Erlebnisse während ihrer Indien-Reise. Geführt wurde das Gespräch in der New Delhi Metro, während einer abenteuerlichen Rikscha-Fahrt durch Old-Delhi und im Flugzeug.Infos zu Andreas Z. Simon, die Neurotainment Mail und generell mehr Neurotainment findest du auf https://www.simon.vision/

Can water actually wash away your karma? For thousands of years, pilgrims have journeyed to the Ganges River with unwavering faith that her sacred waters can liberate the soul. But where does that power come from? And why is it believed that even the most sinful acts can be purified through a simple bath in her current? In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the profound story of King Bhagirath and the descent of the Ganga, as told in the pages of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Together, they unpack ancient insights into how grace flows through sacred elements, and how divine consciousness transforms even the physical elements of this world. Key Highlights: • Why Bhagirath's mission to bring down the Ganges spanned generations • The deep Vedic symbolism of “lotus feet” and approaching the divine from the ground up • Ganga's own doubts—can she handle the sins of the world? • What makes something sacred in bhakti: form, faith, or transcendental connection? Get ready to rethink what it means to be purified, and how spiritual energy can travel through water, sound, and intention to change the destiny of a soul.

Can water actually wash away your karma? For thousands of years, pilgrims have journeyed to the Ganges River with unwavering faith that her sacred waters can liberate the soul. But where does that power come from? And why is it believed that even the most sinful acts can be purified through a simple bath in her current? In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the profound story of King Bhagirath and the descent of the Ganga, as told in the pages of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Together, they unpack ancient insights into how grace flows through sacred elements, and how divine consciousness transforms even the physical elements of this world. Key Highlights: • Why Bhagirath's mission to bring down the Ganges spanned generations • The deep Vedic symbolism of “lotus feet” and approaching the divine from the ground up • Ganga's own doubts—can she handle the sins of the world? • What makes something sacred in bhakti: form, faith, or transcendental connection? Get ready to rethink what it means to be purified, and how spiritual energy can travel through water, sound, and intention to change the destiny of a soul.

Arjun Sinsinwar, chief inspiration officer for Antara Boutique River Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Vienna about what his company offers on the Ganges and other waterways of India. For more information, visit www.antaracruises.com.  All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.  

Zweieinhalb Wochen voller Kontraste, spiritueller Tiefe, Kulturschock, Herzlichkeit, unglaublicher Kulinarik, bunter Farben und Momenten, die sich für immer eingebrannt haben:Ich nehme dich mit auf unsere Gruppenreise durch Indien – mit all den Highlights, die wir erlebt haben: Von der Tiger-Safari bis zum Holi-Festival, vom Bungee-Sprung bis zur Nachtzugfahrt, vom Yoga am Ganges bis zur Arti-Zeremonie in Varanasi.Du erfährst, was es mit dem roten Punkt auf der Stirn auf sich hat, wie viel eine indische Hochzeit kostet, warum ich mich selten so intensiv für Religion interessiert habe wie hier – und vieles mehr.Diese Folge ist nicht nur für alle, die sich für eine Indien-Reise interessieren – sondern wirklich richtig was dazulernen wollen.Ich wünsche dir ganz viel Spaß und freue mich auf dein Feedback

"This field recording was of the crowds of people at Kumbh Mela, in Pryagraj, India. This Hindu pilgrimage is celebrated every 6 or 12 years and is the largest gathering of people on earth with an estimated 400 million people attending earlier this year (2025). The festival is located at the flood plain of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers. The water is an important aspect of this religious event -- where the flowing water has a divine energy representing spiritual sustenance. The sound of water flowing gently is included in the background of my piece along with the sounds of the huge crowds -- the sea of humanity -- that has gathered here. Woven throughout the sounds of these people, are traditional classical instruments, like the tabla and sitar to provide the piece with a background rhythm or pulse. And then perhaps most importantly, the voice of a female Indian classical singer is included and slowed down, which to me represents the significance of each person gathered here out of all these millions.  "I lived in India for one year awhile ago, and gained a deep respect for the significance of these religious holidays, festivals, and pilgrimages for the Hindus from the friends and colleagues I worked and spent time with. In some ways these massive religious events remind me by contrast of what has been lost in our calendar year traditions in the West, where the main holidays are simply opportunities to go shopping and buy stuff that no one needs. I appreciated the opportunity to work with this field recording of this year's Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, as a reminder of the importance of honouring my own family and cultural heritage, and of the importance of understanding that everyone has a place in the wonderful and awe inspiring varieties of cultures from around the world." Kumbh Mela reimagined by Wayne DeFehr. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

You're not locked into karma—you're being trained by it. In this illuminating Q&A episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha reveal how the law of karma is less about punishment and more about cosmic sensitivity training. But the deeper question is: Do you want to stay under karma's rule, or reconnect with the root of all existence?

600 Millionen Hindus treffen sich zum heiligen Bad im Ganges - und die Neurotainment Show ist mittendrin. Yuvraj Singh erklärt uns, weshalb es diese Kumbh Mela nur alle 144 Jahre gibt, gibt uns eine Einführung in den Hinduismus und erzählt uns aus seinem Leben als deutschsprachiger Tourguide in Indien.Kontakt zu Yuvraj via Whatsapp bekommst du unter der Handynummer: +91 80786 87545oder bei Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/n4eLwkkr2d5b4FeZ9Infos zu Andreas Z. Simon, die Neurotainment Mail und generell mehr Neurotainment findest du auf https://www.simon.vision/

This episode we will finish up the travels of Xuanzang, who circumnavigated the Indian subcontinent while he was there, spending over a decade and a half travelings, visiting important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and studying at the feet of learned monks of India, and in particular at Nalanda monastery--a true center of learning from this period. For more, check out our blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-122 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 122:  Journey to the West, Part 3 The courtyard at Nalanda was quiet.  Although hundreds of people were crowded in, trying to hear what was being said, they were all doing their best to be silent and still.  Only the wind or an errant bird dared speak up.  The master's voice may not have been what it once was—he was definitely getting on in years—but Silabhadra's mind was as sharp as ever. At the front of the crowd was a relatively young face from a far off land.  Xuanzang had made it to the greatest center of learning in the world, and he had been accepted as a student of perhaps the greatest sage of his era.  Here he was, receiving lessons on some of the deepest teachings of the Mahayana Buddhist sect, the very thing he had come to learn and bring home. As he watched and listened with rapt attention, the ancient teacher began to speak….   For the last two episodes, and continuing with this one, we have been covering the travels of the monk Xuanzang in the early 7th century, starting around 629 and concluding in 645.  Born during the Sui dynasty, Xuanzang felt that the translations of the Buddhist sutras available in China were insufficient—many of them had been made long ago, and often were translations of translations.  Xuanzang decided to travel to India in the hopes of getting copies in the original language to provide more accurate translations of the sutras, particularly the Mahayana sutras.  His own accounts of his journeys, even if drawn from his memory years afterwards, provide some of our most detailed contemporary evidence of the Silk Road and the people and places along the way.  After he returned, he got to work on his translations, and became quite famous.  Several of the Japanese students of Buddhism who traveled to the Tang dynasty in the 650s studied under him directly and brought his teachings back to Japan with them.  His school of “Faxiang” Buddhism became known in Japan as the Hosso sect, and was quite popular during the 7th and 8th centuries.  Xuanzang himself, known as Genjou in Japan, would continue to be venerated as an important monk in the history of Buddhism, and his travels would eventually be popularized in fantastic ways across East Asia. Over the last couple of episodes we talked about Xuanzang's illegal and harrowing departure from the Tang empire, where he had to sneak across the border into the deserts of the Western Regions.  We then covered his time traveling from Gaochang, to Suyab, and down to Balkh, in modern Afghanistan.  This was all territory under the at least nominal control of the Gokturk empire.  From Balkh he traveled to Bamyan, and then on to Kapisa, north of modern Kabul, Afghanistan.  However, after Kapisa, Xuanzang was finally entering into the northern territories of what he knew as “India”, or “Tianzhu”. Here I would note that I'm using “India” to refer not to a single country, but to the entirety of the Indian subcontinent, and all of the various kingdoms there -- including areas now part of the modern countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.  The Sinitic characters used to denote this region are pronounced, today, as “Tianzhu”, with a rough meaning of “Center of Heaven”, but it is likely that these characters were originally pronounced in such a way that the name likely came from terms like “Sindhu” or “Induka”.  This is related to the name of the Sindh or Indus river, from which India gets its name.  Xuanzang's “Record of the Western Regions” notes that the proper pronunciation of the land should be “Indu”.  In Japan, this term was transmitted through the Sinitic characters, or kanji, and pronounced as “Tenjiku”.  Since it featured so prominently in the stories of the life of the Buddha and many of the Buddhist sutras, Tenjiku was known to the people of the Japanese archipelago as a far off place that was both real and fantastical. In the 12th century, over a thousand stories were captured for the “Konjaku Monogatarishu”, or the “Collection of Tales Old and New”, which is divided up into tales from Japan, China, and India.  In the famous 9th or 10th century story, “Taketori Monogatari”, or the “Bamboo-Cutter's Tale”, about princess Kaguya hime, one of the tasks the princess sets to her suitors is to go to India to find the begging bowl of the Buddha.  Records like those produced by Xuanzang and his fellow monks, along with the stories in the sutras, likely provided the majority of what people in the Japanese archipelago knew about India, at least to begin with. Xuanzang talks about the land of India as being divided into five distinct parts—roughly the north, south, east, west, and center.  He notes that three sides face the sea and that the Snow Mountains—aka the Himalayas—are in the north.  It is, he says, “Wide in the north and narrow in the south, in the shape of a crescent moon”.  Certainly the “Wide in the north and narrow in the south” fit the subcontinent accurately enough, and it is largely surrounded by the waters of what we know as the Indian Ocean to the west, the east, and the south.  The note about the Crescent Moon might be driven by Xuanzang's understanding of a false etymology for the term “Indus”, which he claims comes from the word for “moon”.  Rather, this term appears to refer to the Indus River, also known as the Sindh or Sindhus, which comes from an ancient word meaning something like “River” or “Stream”. Xuanzang also notes that the people of the land were divided into castes, with the Brahman caste at the top of the social hierarchy.    The land was further divided into approximately 70 different countries, according to his accounts.  This is known broadly as the Early Medieval period, in India, in which the region was divided into different kingdoms and empires that rose and fell across the subcontinent, with a total size roughly equivalent to that covered by the countries of the modern European Union.  Just like Europe, there were many different polities and different languages spoken across the land – but just as Latin was the common language in Europe, due to its use in Christianity, Sanskrit was the scholarly and religious language in much of India, and could also be used as a bridge language.  Presumably, Xuanzang understood Sanskrit to some extent as a Buddhist monk.  And, just a quick note, all of this was before the introduction of Islam, though there were other religions also practiced throughout the subcontinent, but Xuanzang was primarily focused on his Buddhist studies. Xuanzang describes India as having three distinct seasons—The hot season, the rainy season, and the cold season, in that order.  Each of these were four month long periods.  Even today, the cycle of the monsoon rains is a major impact on the life of people in South Asia.  During the rainy season, the monks themselves would retreat back to their monasteries and cease their wanderings about the countryside. This tradition, called “Vassa”, is still a central practice in many Theravada Buddhist societies such as Thailand and Laos today, where they likewise experience this kind of intensely wet monsoon season. Xuanzang goes on to give an in depth analysis of the people and customs of the Indian subcontinent, as he traveled from country to country. So, as we've done before, we'll follow his lead in describing the different locations he visited. The first country of India that Xuanzang came to was the country of Lampa, or Lamapaka, thought to be modern Laghman province in Afghanistan.  At the time it was a dependency of Kapisa.  The Snow Mountains, likely meaning the Hindu Kush, the western edge of the Himalayas, lay at its north, while the “Black Mountains” surrounded it on the other three sides.  Xuanzang mentions how the people of Lampa grow non-glutinous rice—likely something similar to basmati rice, which is more prevalent in South Asian cuisine, as compared to glutinous rice like more often used in East Asia. From Lampa he headed to Nagarahara, likely referring to a site near the Kabul River associated with the ruins of a stupa called Nagara Gundi, about 4 kilometers west of modern Jalalabad, Afghanistan.  This was another vassal city-state of Kapisa.  They were still Mahayana Buddhists, but there were other religions as well, which Xuanzang refers to as “heretical”, though I'm not entirely sure how that is meant in this context.  He does say that many of the stupas were dilapidated and in poor condition. Xuanzang was now entering areas where he likely believed the historical Buddha had once walked.  In fact, Lampa was perhaps the extent of historical Buddha's travels, according to the stories and the sutras, though this seems unlikely to have been true.  The most plausible locations for the Historical Buddha's pilgrimages were along the Ganges river, which was on the other side of the subcontinent, flowing east towards modern Kolkatta and the Bengal Bay.  However, as Buddhism spread, so, too, did stories of the Buddha's travels.  And so, as far as Xuanzang was concerned, he was following in the footsteps of the Buddha. Speaking of which, at Nagarahara, Xuanzang mentions “footprints” of the Buddha.  This is a Buddhist tradition found in many places.  Xuanzang claims that the Tathagatha, the Englightened One, or the Buddha, would fly, because when he walked the land itself shook.  Footprint shapes in rock could be said to be evidence of the Buddha's travels.  Today, in many Buddhist areas you can find footprints carved into rock conforming to stories about the Buddha, such as all the toes being of the same length, or other various signs.  These may have started out as natural depressions in the rock, or pieces of artwork, but they were believed by many to be the actual point at which the Buddha himself touched down.  There are famous examples of these footprints in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and China.  Of course there are also traditions of creating images of the footprint as an object of worship.  Images of footprints, similar to images of the Great Wheel of the Law, may have been some of the earliest images for veneration, as images of the Buddha himself did not appear until much later in the tradition.  One of the oldest such footprints in Japan is at Yakushiji temple, and dated to 753.  It was created based on a rubbing brought back by an envoy to the Tang court, while they were in Chang'an. Like Buddha footprints, there are many other images and stories that show up multiple times in different places, even in Xuanzang's own narrative.  For example, in Nagarahara Xuanzang also shares a story of a cave, where an image of the Buddha could be just barely made out on the wall – maybe maybe an old carving that had just worn away, or maybe an image that was deliberately placed in the darkness as a metaphor for finding the Buddha—finding enlightenment.  This is not an uncommon theme in Buddhism as a whole.  In any case, the story around this image was that it had been placed there to subdue a naga. Now a naga is a mythical snake-like being, and  we are told that this particular naga was the reincarnation of a man who had invoked a curse on the nearby kingdom, then threw himself from a cliff in order to become a naga and sow destruction.  As the story went, the man was indeed reborn, but before he could bring destruction, the Buddha showed up and subdued him, convincing him that this was not right.  And so the naga agreed to stay in the cave, where the Buddha left an image—a shadow—to remind the naga any time that its thoughts might turn to destruction. Later in his travels, at a place name Kausambi, Xuanzang mentions another cave where the Buddha had subdued a venomous dragon and left his shadow on the cave wall.  Allowing for the possibility that the Buddha just had a particular M.O. when dealing with destructive beings, we should also consider the possibility that the story developed in one region—probably closer to the early center of Buddhism, and then traveled outward, such that it was later adopted and adapted to local traditions.  From Nagarahara, Xuanzang continued to the country of Gandhara and its capital city of Purushapura, aka modern Peshwar.  This kingdom was also under vassalage to the Kapisan king.  Here and elsewhere in the journey, Xuanzang notes not only evidence of the historical Buddha, but also monasteries and stupas purported to have been built by King Kanishka and King Asoka.  These were important figures who were held in high regard for spreading Buddhism during their reign.  Continuing through the region of Gandhara, he also passed through Udakhand and the city of Salatura, known as the birthplace of the ancient Sanskrit grammarian, Daksiputra Panini, author of the Astadhyayi [Aestudjayi].  This work is the oldest surviving description of classical Sanskrit, and used grammatical and other concepts that wouldn't be introduced into Western linguistics for eons.  Daksiputra Panini thrived around the 5th or 4th century BCE, but was likely one of the reasons that Sanskrit continued to be used as a language of scholarship and learning even as it died out of usage as the day to day language of the common people.  His works and legacy would have been invaluable to translators like Xuanzang in understanding and translating from Sanskrit. Xuanzang continued on his journey to Kashmira, situated in the Kashmir Valley.  This valley sits between the modern states of Pakistan and India, and its ownership is actively disputed by each.  It is the namesake of the famous cashmere wool—wool from the winter coats of a type of goat that was bred in the mountainous regions.  The winter coat would be made of soft, downy fibers and would naturally fall out in the spring, which the goatherds harvested and made into an extremely fine wool.  In the 7th century and earlier, however, the region was known not as much for its wool, but as a center for Hindu and Buddhist studies.  Xuanzang ended up spending two years in Kashmira studying with teachers there.  Eventually, though, he continued on, passing through the country of Rajpura, and continuing on to Takka and the city of Sakala—modern day Sialkot in the Punjab region of modern Pakistan.  Leaving Sakala, he was traveling with a group when suddenly disaster struck and they were accosted by a group of bandits.  They took the clothes and money of Xuanzang and those with him and then they drove the group into a dry pond in an attempt to corral them while they figured out what they would do—presumably meaning kill them all.  Fortunately for the group, there was a water drain at the southern edge of the pond large enough for one man to pass through.  Xuanzang and one other went through the gap and they were able to escape to a nearby village.  Once they got there, they told the people what had happened, and the villagers quickly gathered weapons and ran out to confront the brigands, who saw a large group coming and ran away.  Thus they were able to rescue the rest of Xuanzang's traveling companions.  Xuanzang's companions were devastated, having lost all of their possessions.  However, Xuanzang comforted them.  After all, they still had their lives.  By this time, Xuanzang had certainly seen his fair share of life and death problems along the road.  They continued on, still in the country of Takka, to the next great city.  There they met a Brahman, and once they told him what had happened, he started marshalling the forces of the city on their behalf.  During Xuanzang's stay in Kashmira, he had built a reputation, and people knew of the quote-unquote “Chinese monk”.  And even though the people in this region were not necessarily Buddhist—many were “heretics” likely referring to those of Hindu faith—the people responded to this pre-Internet “GoFundMe” request with incredible generosity.  They brought Xuanzang food and cloth to make into suits of clothes.  Xuanzang distributed this to his travel companions, and ended up still having enough cloth for 50 suits of clothes himself.  He then stayed at that city a month. It is odd that they don't seem to mention the name of this location.  Perhaps there is something unspeakable about it?  Still, it seems that they were quite generous, even if they were “heretics” according to Xuanzang. From the country of Takka, he next proceeded to the kingdom of Cinabhukti, where he spent 14 months—just over a year—studying with the monks there.  Once he had learned what he could, he proceeded onwards, passing through several countries in northern India until he came to the headwaters of the sacred Ganges rivers.  The Indus and the Ganges rivers are in many ways similar to the Yellow River and Yangzi, at least in regards to their importance to the people of India.  However, whereas the Yellow River and Yangzi both flow east towards the Pacific Ocean, the Indus and Ganges flow in opposite directions.  The Indus flows southwest, from the Himalayas down through modern India into modern Pakistan, emptying into the western Indian Ocean.  The Ganges flows east along the base of the Himalayas and enters the eastern Indian Ocean at Kolkatta.   At the headwaters of the Ganges, Xuanzang found a Buddhist monk named Jayagupta and chose to spend the winter and half of the following spring listening to his sermons and learning at his feet. From there he continued his travels, and ended up being summoned by King Harshavardhana of Kanyakubja, known today as the modern city of Kannauj.  Harshavardhana ruled an immense state that covered much of the territory around the sacred Ganges river.  As word of this strange monk from a far off land reached him, the King wanted to see him for himself.  Xuanzang stayed in Kannauj for three months, completing his studies of the Vibhasha Shastra, aka the Abhidarmma Mahavibhasha Shastra, known in Japanese as the Abidatsuma Daibibasharon, or just as the Daibibasharon or the Basharon, with the latter two terms referring to the translations that Xuanzang performed.   This work is not a sutra, per se, but rather an encyclopedic work that attempted to speak on all of the various doctrinal issues of its day.  It is thought to have been authored around 150 CE, and was influential in the Buddhist teachings of Kashmira, when that was a center of Orthodoxy at the time.  This is what Xuanzang had started studying, and it seems that in Kannauj he was finally able to grasp everything he felt he needed to know about it in order to effectively translate it and teach it when he returned.  That said, his quest was not over.  And after his time in Kannauj, he decided to continue on. His next stop was at the city of Ayodhya.  This was—and is—a city of particular importance in Hindu traditions.  It is said to be the city mentioned in the epic tale known as the Ramayana, though many argue that it was simply named that later in honor of that ancient city.  It does appear to be a city that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, visited and where he preached.  It was also the home of a famous monk from Gandhara who authored a number of Buddhist tomes and was considered, at least by Xuanzang, a proper Boddhisatva.  And so Xuanzang spent some time paying homage to the places where the Buddha and other holy figures had once walked. “Ayodhya” appears in many forms across Asia.  It is a major pilgrimage center, and the city of “Ayutthaya” in Thailand was named for it, evoking the Ramayana—known in Thai as the Ramakien—which they would adopt as their own national story.  In Silla, there is a story that queen Boju, aka Heo Hwang-ok, wife to the 2nd century King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, traveled to the peninsula all the way from the foreign country of “Ayuta”, thought to mean Ayodhya.  Her story was written down in the Gaya histories and survives as a fragment found in the Samguk Yusa.  Members of the Gimhae Kim, Gimhae Heo, and Incheon Yi clans all trace their lineage back to her and King Suro. From Ayodhya, Xuanzang took a trip down the Ganges river.  The boat was packed to bursting with some 80 other travelers, and as they traveled towards a particularly heavily forested area, they were set upon by bandits, who rowed their ships out from hiding in the trees and forced the travelers to the shore.  There the bandits made all the travelers strip down and take off their clothing so that the bandits could search for gold or valuables.  According to Xuanzang's biography, these bandits were followers of Durga, a Hindu warrior-goddess, and it is said that each year they would look for someone of particularly handsome features to sacrifice to her.  With Xuanzang's foreign features, they chose him.  And so they took him to be killed.  Xuanzang mentioned that he was on a pilgrimage, and that by interrupting him before they finished he was worried it might be inauspicious for them, but he didn't put up a fight and merely asked to be given time to meditate and calm his mind and that they perform the execution quickly so that he wouldn't even notice. From there, according to the story, a series of miracles occurred that ended up with Xuanzang being released and the bandits worshipping at his feet.  It is times like this we must remember that this biography was being written by Xuanzang's students based on stories he told them about his travels.  While being accosted by bandits on the river strikes me as perfectly plausible, we don't necessarily have the most reliable narrators, so I'm going to have to wonder about the rest.  Speaking of unreliable narration, the exact route that Xuanzang traveled from here on is unclear to me, based on his stated goals and where he was going.  It is possible that he was wandering as opportunities presented themselves —I don't know that he had any kind of map or GPS, like we've said in the past.  And it may be that the routes from one place to another were not always straightforward.  Regardless, he seems to wander southeast for a period before turning again to the north and eventually reaching the city of Shravasti. Shravasti appeared in our discussion of the men of Tukhara in Episode 119.  With the men of Tukhara there was also mentioned a woman from Shravasti.  While it is unlikely that was actually the case—the names were probably about individuals from the Ryukyuan island chain rather than from India—it is probably worth nothing that Shravasti was a thriving place in ancient times.  It was at one time the capital city of the kingdom of Kosala, sharing that distinction with the city of Ayodhya, back in the 7th to 5th centuries BCE.  It is also where the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was said to have spend many years of his life.  This latter fact would have no doubt made it a place of particular importance to Xuanzang on his journeys. From there he traveled east, ending up following the foothills of the Himalayas, and finally came to some of the most central pilgrimages sites for followers of the historical Buddha.  First, he reached Lumbini wood, in modern Nepal, said to have been the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.  And then he visited Kushinagara, the site where the Buddha ascended to nirvana—in other words, the place where he passed away.  From there, he traveled to Varanasi, and the deer park monastery, at the place where the Buddha is said to have given one of his most famous sermons.  He even visited the Bodhi tree, the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama is said to have attained enlightenment.  He spent eight or nine days there at Bodhgaya, and word must have spread about his arrival, because several monks from the eminent Nalanda Monastery called upon him and asked him to come to the monastery with them. Nalanda Monastery was about 80 km from Bodhgaya.  This was a grand monastery and center of learning—some say that it was, for a time, the greatest in the world.  It had been founded in the 5th century by the Gupta dynasty, and many of the Gupta rulers and others donated to support the monastery, which also acted as a university.  After the fall of the Gupta dynasty, the monastery was supported by King Harsha of Kannauj, whom Xuanzang had visited earlier.  It ultimately thrived for some 750 years, and is considered by some to be the oldest residential university—meaning that students would come to the temple complex and stay in residence for years at a time to study.  According to Xuanzang, Nalanda hosted some 10,000 monks. Including hosts and guests.  They didn't only study Buddhist teachings, but also logic, grammar, medicine, and divination.  Lectures were given at more than 100 separate places—or classrooms—every day.  It was at Nalanda, that Xuanzang would meet the teacher Silabhadra, who was known as the Right Dharma Store.  Xuanzang requested that he be allowed to study the Yogacharabhumi Shastra—the Yugashijiron, in Japanese.  This is the work that Xuanzang is said to have been most interested in, and one of the works that he is credited with bringing back in one of the first full translations to the Tang dynasty and then to others in East Asia.  It is an encyclopedic work dedicated to the various forms of Yogacara practice, which focuses on the mental disciplines, and includes yoga and meditation practices.  It has a huge influence on nearly all Mahayana schools, including things like the famous Zen and Pure Land schools of Buddhism.  The Yogacharabhumi Shastra is the earliest such encyclopedic work, compiled between the 3rd and 5th centuries—so even if the monk Faxian had brought portions of it back, it was probably not in the final form that Xuanzang was able to access. Silabhadra, for his part, was an ancient teacher—some put his age at 106 years, and his son was in his 70s.  He was one of the few at Nalandra who supposedly knew all of the various texts that they had at the monastery, including the Yogacarabhumi Shastra.  Xuanzang seems to have been quite pleased to study under him.  Xuanzang stayed at the house of Silabhadra's son, Buddhabhadra, and they welcomed him with entertainment that lasted seven days.  We are told that he was then given his own lodgings, a stipend of spices, incense, rice, oil, butter, and milk, along with a servant and a Brahman.  As a visiting monk, he was not responsible for the normal monastic duties, instead being expected to spend the time in study.  Going out, he was carried around by an elephant.   This was certainly the royal treatment. Xuanzang's life at Nalandra wasn't all books: south of the monastery was the city of Rajagrha, the old capital of the kingdom of Magadha, where the ancient Gupta kings had once lived, and on occasional breaks from his studies, Xuanzang would venture out to see the various holy sites.  This included the famous Mt. Grdhrakuta, or Vulture Peak, a location said to be favored by the historical Buddha and central to the Lotus Sutra, arguably the founding document of Mahayana Buddhist tradition. After all, “Mahayana” means “Greater Vehicle” and it is in the Lotus Sutra that we see the metaphor of using different vehicles to escape a burning house.   We've already talked a bit about how the image of Vulture Peak had already become important in Japanese Buddhism: In Episode 112 we talked about how in 648, Abe no Oho-omi had drums piled up at Shitennoji in the shape of Vulture Peak. But although the sightseeing definitely enhanced his experience, Xuanzang was first and foremost there to study.  He spent 15 months just listening to his teacher expound on the Yogacarabhumi Shastra, but he also heard expositions on various other teachings as well.  He ended up studying at Nalandra Monastery for 5 years, gaining a much better understanding of Sanskrit and the various texts, which would be critically important when it came to translating them, later. But, Xuanzang was not one to stay in any one place forever, and so after 5 years—some 8 years or more into his journey, he continued on, following the Ganges east, to modern Bangladesh.  Here he heard about various other lands, such as Dvarapati—possibly referring to Dvaravati, in modern Thailand, as well as Kamalanka and Isanapura.  The latter was in modern Cambodia, the capital of the ancient Chenla kingdom.  Then Mahacampa—possibly referring to the Champa region of Vietnam—and the country of Yamanadvipa.  But there was still more of India for Xuanzang to discover, and more teachings to uncover, and so Xuanzang decided instead to head southwest, following the coast.  He heard of the country of Sinhala, referring to the island of Sri Lanka, but he was urged not to go by ship, as the long journey was perilous.  Instead he could stay on relatively dry land and head down to the southern tip of the subcontinent and then make a quick hop from there across to the island.  He traveled a long distance, all the way down to Kancipuram, the seat of the Pallava dynasty, near modern day Chennai.  From the seaport near Kancipuram, it was only three days to Sinhala—that is to say Sri Lanka—but before he could set out, he met a group of monks who had just arrived.  They told him that the king of Sinhala had died , and there was a great famine and civil disturbances.  So they had fled with some 300 other monks. Xuanzang eventually decided not to make the journey, but he did talk with the monks and gathered information on the lands to the south, on Sri Lanka, and on the islands south of that, by which I suspect he may have meant the Maldives.  While Sri Lanka is an area important to Buddhist scholarship, particularly to the Theravada schools, this likely did not impress Xuanzang, and indeed he seemed to feel that his studies in Nalanda had more than provided him what he needed.  Sri Lanka, however, is the source of the Pali canon, one of the most complete early canons of Buddhism, which had a huge influence on Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. So Xuanzang took plenty of notes but decided to forego the ocean voyage and headed northwest, instead.  He traveled across the breadth of India to Gujarat, and then turned back east, returning to pay respects once more to his teacher in Nalanda.  While there he heard of another virtuous monk named Prajnabhadra at a nearby monastery.  And so he went to spend several months with him, as well.  He also studied with a layman, Sastrin Jayasena, at Stickwood Hill.  Jayasena was a ksatriya, or nobleman, by birth, and studied both Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts.  He was courted by kings, but had left to continue his studies.  Xuanzang studied with him for another couple of years. Xuanzang remained at Nalanda, learning and teaching, expounding on what he had learned and gathering many copies of the various documents that he wished to take back with him, though he wondered how he might do it.  In the meantime, he also acquired quite the reputation.  We are told that King Siladitya had asked Nalanda for monks who could refute Theravada teachings, and Xuanzang agreed to go.  It isn't clear, but it seems that “Siladitya” was a title, and likely referred to King Harsha of Kannauj, whom we mentioned earlier.  Since he was a foreigner, then there could be no trouble that was brought on Nalanda and the other monks if he did poorly.  While he was waiting to hear back from Siladitya's court, which was apparently taking time to arrange things, the king of Kamarupta reached out to Nalanda with a request that Xuanzang come visit them.  While Xuanzang was reluctant to be gone too long, he was eventually encouraged to go and assuage the king. Kamarupta was a kingdom around the modern Assam region, ruled by King Bhaskaravarman, also known as King Kumara, a royal title.  This kingdom included parts of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.  Bhaskaravarman, like so many other regents, seems to have been intrigued by the presence of this foreign monk, who had traveled all this way and who had studied at the famous Nalanda Monastery in Magadha. He invited Xuanzang to come to him.  Xuanzang's teacher, Silabhadra, had exhorted him to spread the right Dharma, and to even go to those non-Buddhists in hopes that they might be converted, or at least partially swayed. King Bhaskaravarman was quite taken with Xuanzang, wining and dining him while listening to him preach.  While there, Xuanzang learned about the country of Kamarupta.  He also learned about a path north, by which it was said it was a two month journey to arrive at the land of Shu, in the Sichuan Basin, on the upper reaches of the Yangzi – a kind of shortcut back to the Tang court.  However, the journey was treacherous—possibly even more treacherous than the journey to India had been. Eventually word reached the ears of King Siladitya that Xuanzang was at the court of King Bhaskaravarman, and Siladitya got quite upset.  Xuanzang had not yet come to *his* court, so Siladitya demanded that Bhaskaravarman send the monk to him immediately.  Bhaskaravarman refused, saying he'd rather give Siladitya his own head, which Siladitya said he would gladly accept.  Bhaskaravarman realized he may have miscalculated, and so he sailed up the Ganges with a host of men and Xuanzang to meet with Siladitya.  After a bit of posturing, Siladitya met with Xuanzang, who went with him, and eventually confronted the members of the Theravada sect in debate.  Apparently it almost got ugly, but for the King's intervention.  After a particularly devastating critique of the Theravada position, the Theravada monks are blamed for trying to use violence against Xuanzang and his fellow Mahayana monks from Nalanda, who were prepared to defend themselves.  The King had to step in and break it up before it went too far. Ultimately, Xuanzang was a celebrity at this point and both kings seem to have supported him, especially as he was realizing it was about time to head back to his own country.  Both kings was offered ships, should Xuanzang wish to sail south and then up the coast.  However, Xuanzang elected to take the northern route, hoping to go back through Gaochang, and see that city and its ruler again.  And so the Kings gave him money and valuables , along with wagons for all of the texts.  They also sent an army to protect all of the treasures, and even an elephant and more – sending him back in style with a huge send-off. So Xuanzang retraced his earlier steps, this time on an elephant.  He traveled back to Taxila, to Kashmir, and beyond.  He was invited to stay in Kashmira, but because of his retinue, he wasn't quite at leisure to just go where he wanted.  At one point, near Kapisa—modern Bagram, north of Kabul—they had to cross a river, and about 50 of the almost 700 documents were lost.  The King of Kapisa heard of this and had his own monks make copies to replace them based on their own schools.  The King of Kasmira, hearing that he was in Kapisa, also came to pay his respects. Xuanzang traveled with the King of Kapisa northwest for over a month and reached Lampaka, where he did take some time to visit the various holy sites before continuing northwest.  They had to cross the Snow Mountains—the outskirts of the Himalayas, and even though it wasn't the highest part of the range it was still challenging.  He had to dismount his elephant and travel on foot.  Finally, after going over the high mountains and coming down, he arrived back in the region of Tukhara, in the country of Khowst.  He then came to Kunduz, and paid his respects to the grandson of Yehu Khan.  He was given more guards to escort him eastward, traveling with some merchants.  This was back in Gokturk controlled lands, over a decade later than when he had last visited.  He continued east to Badakshan, stopping there for a month because of the cold weather and snow.  He eventually traveled through the regions of Tukhara and over the Pamir range.  He came down on the side of the Tarim Basin, and noted how the rivers on one side flowed west, while on the other side they flowed east.  The goings were treacherous, and at one point they were beset by bandits.  Though he and the documents were safe, his elephant panicked and fled into the river and drowned.  He eventually ended up in the country of Kashgar, in modern Xinjiang province, at the western edge of the Taklamakan desert. From there he had two options.  He could go north and hug the southern edge of the Tianshan mountains, or he could stay to the south, along the northern edge of the Himalayan range and the Tibetan plateau.  He chose to go south.  He traveled through Khotan, a land of wool and carpets.  This was a major trade kingdom, and they also grew mulberry trees for silkworms, and were known for their jade.  The king himself heard of Xuanzang and welcomed him, as many others had done.  While he was staying at the Khotanese capital, Xuanzang penned a letter to the Tang court, letting them know of his journey, and that he was returning.  He sent it with some merchants and a man of Gaochang to deliver it to the court. Remember, Xuanzang had left the Tang empire illegally.  Unless he wanted to sneak back in his best hope was that the court was willing to forgive and forget all of that, given everything that he was bringing back with him.  The wait was no doubt agonizing, but he did get a letter back.  It assured him that he was welcome back, and that all of the kingdoms from Khotan back to the governor of Dunhuang had been made aware and were ready to receive him. With such assurances, Xuanzang packed up and headed out.  The king of Khotan granted him more gifts to help see him on his way.  Nonetheless, there was still a perilous journey ahead.  Even knowing the way, the road went through miles and miles of desert, such that in some places you could only tell the trail by the bleached bones of horses and travelers who had not been so fortunate.  Eventually, however, Xuanzang made it to the Jumo River and then on to Dunhuang, from whence he was eventually escorted back to the capital city. It was now the year 645, the year of the Isshi Incident in Yamato and the death of Soga.  Xuanzang had been gone for approximately 16 years.  In that time, the Tang had defeated the Gokturks and taken Gaochang, expanding their control over the trade routes in the desert.  Xuanzang, for his part, was bringing back 657 scriptures, bound in 520 bundles carried by a train of some 20 horses.  He was given a hero's welcome, and eventually he would be set up in a monastery where he could begin the next part of his journey:  Translating all of these books. This was the work of a lifetime, but it is one that would have a profound impact on Buddhism across East Asia.  Xuanzang's translations would revolutionize the understanding of Mahayana Buddhist teachings, and students would come from as far away as the Yamato court to study under him and learn from the teacher who studied and taught at none other than Nalanda monastery itself.  His school would become popular in the Yamato capital, and the main school of several temples, at least for a time.  In addition, his accounts and his biography would introduce many people to the wider world of central and south Asia.  While I could go on, this has already been a story in three parts, and this is, after all, the Chronicles of Japan, so we should probably tune back into what is going on with Yamato.  Next episode, we'll look at one of the most detailed accounts we have of a mission to Chang'an. Until then, I hope that this has been enjoyable.  Xuanzang's story is one of those that isn't just about him, but about the interconnected nature of the entire world at the time.  While his journey is quite epic, there were many people traveling the roads, though most of them didn't write about it afterwards.  People, artifacts, and ideas traveled much greater distances than we often consider at this time, well before any kind of modern travel.  It was dangerous, but often lucrative, and it meant that various regions could have influence well beyond what one might expect. And so, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan

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TAGALOGTuklasin ang kaakit-akit na kasaysayan at sinaunang alamat ng Pilipinas sa "The Philippines: The Land of Gold - Unveiling Ancient Legends." Sumama kayo sa amin sa isang nakakabighaning paglalakbay habang sinasaliksik natin ang mga mitikal na koneksyon sa mga kayamanan tulad ng Paraiso, Ophir, at Chryse. Sa pamamagitan ng mga kamangha-manghang aerial na visual at mga makasaysayang pananaw, sinasaliksik natin ang mga kwento ng mga kilalang manlalakbay, mula sa mga heograpo ng Roma hanggang kay Marco Polo, na inilarawan ang Pilipinas bilang isang lupain na sagana sa ginto at kayamanan. Alamin ang kahalagahan ng ginto sa kulturang Pilipino at kung paano ang mga alamat na ito ay patuloy na umaantig hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Huwag kalimutang i-like at i-share ang video na ito upang ipakalat ang mahika ng Pilipinas! #Pilipinas #MgaSinaunangAlamat #Ginto #Ophir #PamanangKultural #travel-documentaryBALANGKAS: 00:00:00 Mga Pulo ng Ginto at Alamat 00:02:25 Pagmamapa ng Gintong Kapuluan 00:06:55 Mga Bulong mula sa mga Sinaunang Teksto Mga Bulong mula sa mga Sinaunang Teksto 00:08:16 Ophir at ang mga Hangin ng Kalakalan sa Silangan 00:09:08 Ginto sa Tapestry ng Kultura Ginto sa Tapestry ng Kultura 00:12:03 Mga Alingawngaw ng Chryse at Argyre 00:12:59 Isang Pamana na Ginintuan ng Ginto Para sa aming buong posisyon, na walang sinuman ang maaaring hamunin nang hindi talaga nire-review (napaka-bodong iyon!), basahin ang aming mga internasyonal na libro na available sa Amazon, International Bookstores, at Shopee PH:Ang Paghahanap sa Kayamanan ni Haring Solomon sa Ingles, Tagalog, o Ilokano (libre sa eBook);Garden of Eden Revealed: The Book of Maps; at ang aming Bagong Paglabas, Ang Misteryo ng Tatlong Hari (sa Ingles o Tagalog, libre sa eBook) Mga link sa:OphirInstitute.comAt panoorin ang Solomon's Gold Series sa Tagalog:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi5gGdrUwpqEa1fkXE_Jmhw_Para sa mga agad na nag-iisip tungkol sa lokasyon ng mga Ilog mula sa Eden na hindi kailanman inilarawan sa Bibliya bilang ang Okultong Mito ng Paglikha sa Mesopotamia, iyon ang pinagmulan, tiyak na hindi kailanman ang Tigris na hindi umiiral bago ang Baha ayon sa Gen. 2; hindi kailanman ang Israel sa anumang kahulugan dahil ang Bukal ng Gihon ay hindi isang Ilog, at ang Ilog ay hindi maaaring nasa Israel ayon sa Genesis 2 maliban kung ililipat ang Israel sa Africa (na walang kaalaman); at hindi kailanman natagpuan sa India sa kabila ng pagkalito ni Josephus sa Ganges bilang ang Pison na dahilan kung bakit ang mga mapa noong Unang Siglo ay talagang naglalarawan ng Ganges sa Indochina. Oops!Mga Ilog Mula sa Eden Serye:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4psX493Wok20BN6aacr-sASa wakas, bakit Lanzones bilang ang Ipinagbabawal na Prutas? Walang banal na kasulatan ang tumutukoy doon bilang isang mansanas. Gayunpaman, inilalarawan ng Aklat ni Enoc ang bungang ito. Panoorin:Forbidden Fruit?: https://youtu.be/-zDrflASad8Bakit sina Adan at Eba Medium Brown sa pabalat? Ang sinumang tumatawag sa kanilang sarili na isang iskolar o akademiko na hindi alam ang "alikabok" kung saan nabuo si Adan ay "pula" ay hindi nagsagawa ng pananaliksik. Alamin kung ano ang sinasabi ng Bibliyang Hebreo. Panoorin: What Color Was Adam?: https://youtu.be/bVDmWI-Q_5MTangkilikin ang paglalakbay. Isang huling bagay, ito ang aming channel, at ang aming mga patakaran. Walang debate sa isang 8-min brief ng pananaliksik na nagmumula sa higit sa 1,000 nai-publish na mga pahina na sinusuportahan ng isang 300-pahinang Sourcebook, at 100+ na mga video. Ang mga magtatangka nito ay i-mute nang walang abiso. Nakasagot na kami sa malamang na bawat isa sa mga pagtutol na iyon sa kabuuan ng aming pananaliksSupport the show

Hoy nos hemos venido a la Escuela Superior de Sonido, Imagen y Tecnología, CES, para hace un programa especial con Shego, responsables de uno de los mejores discos de la temporada, "No Lo Volveré a Hacer". Raquel, Maite u Charlotte nos han contado cómo han arrancado la gira, nos han hablado de las canciones, mientras las escuchábamos, han estrenado "Te Mataré" -el track oculto- y han tocado, en directo: “Algunos Lunes”, Backstage, “Es Posible” y “arghHhh!”. Aparte, han recibido saludos de Repion, Ganges, Las Dianas, Ginebras y Samantha Hudson.Escuchar audio

Discover the enchanting history and ancient legends of the Philippines in "The Philippines: The Land of Gold - Unveiling Ancient Legends." Join us on a captivating journey as we explore the mythic connections to treasures like Paradise, Ophir, and Chryse. Through stunning aerial visuals and historical insights, we delve into the accounts of renowned explorers, from Roman geographers to Marco Polo, who depicted the Philippines as a land rich in gold and wealth.Learn about the cultural significance of gold in Filipino heritage and how these legendary narratives still resonate today. Don't forget to like and share this video to spread the magic of the Philippines! #Philippines #AncientLegends #Gold #Ophir #CulturalHeritage #traveldocumentary OUTLINE:00:00:00 Islands of Gold and Legend00:02:25 Charting the Golden Archipelago00:06:55 Whispers from Ancient Texts00:08:16 Ophir and the Eastern Trade Winds00:09:08 Gold in the Tapestry of Culture00:12:03 Echoes of Chryse and Argyre00:12:59 A Legacy Gilded in GoldFor our full position, which no one can challenge without actually reviewing (now, that is nonsense!), read our international books available on Amazon, International Bookstores, and Shopee PH:The Search For King Solomon's Treasure in English, Tagalog, or Ilokano (free in eBook); Garden of Eden Revealed: The Book of Maps; and our New Release, The Mystery of the Three Kings (in English or Tagalog, free in eBook)Links at our new website on: https://thegodculture.org/And watch Solomon's Gold Series:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4PhVocfJEi1oZRRj0AWnzxFor those immediately thinking about the location of the Rivers from Eden which are never represented in the Bible as the Occult Creation Myth in Mesopotamia is that origin, certainly never the Tigris which did not exist prior to the Flood according to Gen. 2; never Israel in any sense as the Gihon Spring is not a River, and the River cannot be in Israel according to Genesis 2 unless one moves Israel into Africa (which is illiterate); and never found in India despite Josephus' confusing the Ganges as the Pison which is why maps in the First Century actually illustrate the Ganges in Indochina. Oops! Rivers From Eden Series:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi6Xt-ts2C1QVz-ZnAZxicWJFind the Garden of Eden Series:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru2qbCMGOi4KPuAcFq4Bx4A2l8dmcfxPFinally, why Lanzones as the Forbidden Fruit? No scripture ever defines that as an apple. However, the Book of Enoch describes this fruit. Watch:Forbidden Fruit?: https://youtu.be/-zDrflASad8Why are Adam and Eve Medium Brown on the cover? Anyone calling themselves a scholar or academic that are not aware the "dust" from which Adam was formed was "red" has executed no research. Learn what the Hebrew Bible has always said. Watch: What Color Was Adam?: https://youtu.be/bVDmWI-Q_5MEnjoy the journey. One last thing, this is our channel, and our rules. There will be no debate on an 8-min brief of research that stems over 1,000 published pages supported by a 300-page Sourcebook, and 100+ videos. Those who attempt so will be muted without notice. We have already responded to likely every single one of those objections throughout our research and we are not entertaining trolling in ignorance. Go review the evidence, because an 8-min. brief is not such. One should know better. We invite you to review the full position even with skepticism. No one has proved these conclusions wrong in over 8 years now since 2017 when our first video went viral. Scoffing and ridicule are not positions, nor is "nuh uh." Yah Bless.TheGodCulture.comSupport the show

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā Chapter 1 Text 92 svargāpagā-hema-mṛṇālinīnāṁ nānā-mṛṇālāgra-bhujo bhajāmaḥ annānurūpāṁ tanu-rūpa-ṛddhiṁ kāryaṁ nidānād dhi guṇān adhīte TRANSLATION “ ‘The river Ganges flowing in the heavenly planets is full of golden lotus flowers, and we, the residents of those planets, eat the stems of the flowers. Thus we are very beautiful, more so than the inhabitants of any other planet. This is due to the law of cause and effect, for if one eats food in the mode of goodness, the mode of goodness increases the beauty of his body.' ”

In this jam-packed episode of Cyrus Says, comedians Punit Pania & Aakash Mehta join Cyrus to break down the wildest headlines of the week. We dive into Mahakumbh’s bizarre Rs 1100 virtual snan—because why wade into the Ganges when you have Wi-Fi? Then, IITian Baba’s failed cricket prophecy gets roasted after India’s epic win against Pakistan (someone tell him Kohli doesn’t read tweets). Speaking of cricket, Hardik Pandya’s rumored girlfriend, Jasmin Walia, steals the show off the field—because what’s a match without some off-pitch drama? Meanwhile, Farah Khan lands in legal soup over a Holi remark, and PM Modi rolls out a fresh financial boost for farmers. On the global front, Germany’s political winds shift as Friedrich Merz takes charge, and the U.S. sees a potential FBI shake-up with Kash Patel in the mix. Plus, an asteroid is heading toward Earth in 2032—don’t panic, Mumbai is safe (for now). Tune in for all this and more, with the usual mix of sharp wit and unfiltered banter!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/almanac for a discount on your first month of therapy.If you have questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are credentialed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation, here is an overview written by the YouTube creators behind the channel Cinema Therapy that goes into these topics: https://www.reddit.com/r/cinema_therapy/comments/1dpriql/addressing_the_betterhelp_concerns_headon_deep/ Hello dearest poison friends! I hope you are all well and staying safe! I was pondering the pollution of our worlds waterways this week and thought we could take on the discussion of some toxic and polluted (sometimes deadly) rivers. Obviously, I cannot speak on every single river that could qualify for these titles in one episode, so if you like this topic then we can do more in a future episode. Today however we are visiting West Java, Indonesia, where the Citarum River supplies water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and irrigation for crops for millions of people. There also happen to be around 2,000 industries on its banks dumping waste such as heavy metals and toxic byproducts into the water. Solid waste such as plastic, diapers, and other household trash is also dumped in and along the river by residents of the capital city of Bandung and many villages living near its waters. In some areas, you cannot even see the surface of the water and dead fish and other animals float alongside the rubbish. This along with livestock waste and human sewage has made the river dangerous to those living near it and using it on a daily basis. We also discuss the Rio Tinto in Spain, where the water runs orange-red to blood red in color due to over 5,000 years of mining in the area. The water is acidic and filled with heavy metals and other mining byproducts. Oh, and we have to discuss the company that now operates the mine, conveniently called the Rio Tinto Company, and their many shady dealings all over the world. The Ganges is well known for a few things: it is a holy site for Hindus and it is heavily polluted with untreated sewage, human remains, industrial waste, and agricultural run-off. The water quality has been so bad that the incidence for illness after getting into the water is over 65%. Even, so, many Hindu pilgrims come to bathe ritually in this river and to dispose of human ashes as it is considered a place where sins are forgiven. I had to put at least one US river on here (because there are a lot of polluted rivers here as well), so I decided to go with the Ohio River (a hard decision as I was also thinking of the Mississippi and the Hudson as well). Most of the pollution here is caused by past industrial waste (including PFAs, dioxin, benzene, etc) and agricultural run-off. Oh and as a bonus, we head to the jungles of Peru to talk about one of my favorite rivers. Thank you to all of our listeners and supporters! Please feel free to leave a comment or send us a DM for any questions, suggestions, or just to say, "hi."Support us on Patreon:⁠⁠patreon.com/thepoisonersalmanac⁠⁠Follow us on socials:The Poisoner's Almanac on IG-⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/poisoners_almanac?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==⁠⁠⁠Adam-⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@studiesshow?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠⁠⁠Becca-⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@yobec0?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠

Kumbh Mela ist das größte religiöse Fest Indiens. Noch bis Ende Februar treffen sich Hunderte Millionen Menschen an den für Hindus heiligen Flüssen Ganges und Yamuna auf der Suche nach Erlösung. Eine Reportage von Franziska Amler. Von Franziska Amler.

Indien ist im Ausnahmezustand. Grund ist das Fest Kumbh Mela. Millionen reisen dorthin, wo die Flüsse Ganges und Yamuna zusammenfließen. Jeder will im heiligen Wasser des Ganges baden. Eine Reportage von Franziska Amler.

Geetanjali Krishna takes us to a temporary city on the banks of the Ganges river to investigate a large example of temporary urbanism brought about by a Hindu pilgrimage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shelley and I rebel and try to avoid marriage proposals in Rebel Princess Deluxe Edition by Daniel Byrne, José Gerardo Guerrero, Kevin Pelaez, and Tirso Virgos from Bezier Games then attempt to gain wealth and fame in Rajas of the Ganges: Cards and Karma by Inka and Markus Brand from R&R Games and HUCH! Thanks to our sponsor Bezier Games You can sponsor the podcast directly at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

La ciudad india de Prayag (también conocida como Prayagraj o por su antiguo nombre musulmán, Allahabad) es destino durante estos días de la mayor peregrinación del planeta, la mayor reunión de personas de la historia de la humanidad. Atraídos por la confluencia de los ríos Ganges, Yamuna y el mítico Saraswati, cuatrocientos millones de individuos se movilizan desde todos los rincones del país y del mundo. Su objetivo es bañarse en unas aguas que, según la creencia hindú, procuran la inmortalidad. Para comprender este apabullante fenómeno que se repite en ciclos de 12 años, caminamos junto a Javier Hernández Sinde, autor del libro 'Kumbha Mela, peregrinación a la inmortalidad' (Universo de Letras). Nos acompañan también el escritor, periodista y profesor Narén Herrero, autor de 'Kumbha Mela, la celebración espiritual más grande del mundo' (Kairós), y el sacerdote Juan Carlos Ramchandani (Krishna Kripa Dasa), presidente de la Federación Hindú de España. Con todos ellos esbozamos un retrato de este "festival de la jarra", que se articula en torno al Triveni Sangam, la triple convergencia de cauces sagrados en esta localidad del estado de Uttar Pradesh. Contamos además con la mirada de dos fotógrafos: Gabriel Brau, que recogió con su cámara la cita de 2013, y Alberto Díaz Calvo, inmerso en la presente edición de 2025. Nadie quiere perderse las procesiones del baño, protagonizadas por los llamativos naga babas, ascetas desnudos cubiertos de ceniza. No menos espectacular es el desafío de alojar a los cientos de millones de peregrinos que pasarán por Prayag hasta finales de febrero, para lo que se ha levantado una descomunal ciudad efímera de 40 kilómetros cuadrados conocida como Kumbh Nagri.Escuchar audio

The Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela is currently underway in India. As part of the event, millions of pilgrims will take a cleansing dip in the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Inspired by this headline, we splash into a whole bathtub of stories about the science of cleaning. We find out why it's so important to prevent contamination of other planets and moons, and how space scientists keep things clean. Next up, we discover how our brains clear out harmful toxins while we snooze.And is there any truth in the saying, ‘tidy house, tidy mind'?Finally, Marnie ponders whether it's possible to be too clean, or if being a bit grubby is okay. Presenters: Marnie Chesterton, with Affelia Wibisono and Andrada Fiscutean Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Dan Welsh, William Hornbrook and Imaan Moin

Conversamos con el periodista Zigor Aldama sobre el cierre de Tik Tok en Estados Unidos. A continuación, Óscar Pujol, exdirector del Instituto Cervantes en Nueva Delhi, nos habla del Maha Kumbh Mela, el  mayor peregrinaje del mundo. Por último, el escritor Jimmy Burns Marañón nos acerca a la figura del espía Kim Philby.

One of the world's largest religious festivals is underway in India, the Kumbh Mela, which takes place every 12 years on the banks of several rivers including the Ganges. RNZ Asia's Gaurav Sharma explains the festival.

Hipergéminis publican su debut, "Hipergéminis Vol.1", este viernes, 17 de enero, y hoy comparten, en 180 Grados, el último adelanto: "Vaya Cuadro!", un corte vitamínico con los coros de Magüi y Sandra, de Ginebras. Jordana B también estrena con nosotrxs "Chicos Malos", una canción muy delicada que cuenta con la producción de Ganges. Escuchamos a Doctor Explosión en catalán con "Ves Ten Si Us Plau", La Plata suenan con "Cerca de Ti" y Bartees Strange sigue adelantando su tercer disco, "Horror", con momentos como " Wants Needs".  SHANNON & THE CLAMS - Wax & StringSPORTS TEAM - Bang Bang BangTHE AMAZONS ft THE ROYAL BLOOD - My Blood8AD - 50 DíasLA PLATA - Cerca de TiJORDANA B - Chicos MalosJADE - IT GirlMOLY GRACE - F.E.M.M.E.DAVID GRAY - Fighting TalkBARTEES STRANGE - Wants NeedsHIPERGÉMINIS ft MAGÜI & SANDRA - Vaya Cuadro!DOCTOR EXPLOSION - Ves Ten Si Us PlauJULIEN BAKER & TORRES - Sugar in the TankBRIA SALMENA - Stretch the StruggleELA MINUS - QQQQVEGA - CrisantemosEscuchar audio

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Kites of Destiny: Finding Dreams by the Ganges Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-01-15-23-34-02-hi Story Transcript:Hi: गाँव के चारों ओर ठंडी हवा चल रही थी।En: Cold wind was blowing around the village.Hi: खेतों में फसलें झूम रही थीं।En: The crops in the fields were swaying.Hi: यह मकर संक्रांति का समय था।En: It was the time of Makar Sankranti.Hi: आरव, ईशा और काव्या के परिवार में उल्लास का माहौल था।En: There was an atmosphere of joy in the families of Aarav, Isha, and Kavya.Hi: गंगा किनारे बसे इस छोटे से गाँव में सभी आने वाले त्योहार की तैयारी कर रहे थे।En: In this small village situated by the Ganga river, everyone was preparing for the upcoming festival.Hi: मकर संक्रांति पर आसमान में रंग-बिरंगी पतंगें उड़ानी थीं।En: On Makar Sankranti, colorful kites were to be flown in the sky.Hi: आरव सबसे बड़ा था, जो बहुत मेहनती था।En: Aarav was the eldest and very hardworking.Hi: वह हमेशा अपनी ज़िम्मेदारियों को निभाने में लगा रहता।En: He was always busy fulfilling his responsibilities.Hi: लेकिन उसके दिल में अपने गाँव की सीमाओं से परे जाने की चाह रहती थी।En: Yet, deep inside, he longed to go beyond the boundaries of his village.Hi: ईशा, सबसे रचनात्मक और समझदार, हमेशा परिवार को एकजुट रखने की कोशिश करती।En: Isha, the most creative and wise, always tried to keep the family united.Hi: वहीं काव्या, सबसे छोटी और चंचल, दुनिया को जानने के सपने देखती रहती।En: Meanwhile, Kavya, the youngest and most playful, kept dreaming of exploring the world.Hi: त्योहार का दिन आ गया।En: The day of the festival arrived.Hi: आरव, ईशा और काव्या घर की छत पर खड़े थे।En: Aarav, Isha, and Kavya stood on the roof of their house.Hi: आसमान में पतंगें उड़ने लगीं।En: Kites began to soar in the sky.Hi: हर्षोल्लास का माहौल था।En: There was an atmosphere of joy and excitement.Hi: ईशा ने आरव से कहा, "भैया, तुम हमेशा बहुत मेहनत करते हो, लेकिन क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि इससे तुम्हारा दिल भी खुश है?En: Isha said to Aarav, "Brother, you always work so hard, but do you think this truly makes your heart happy?"Hi: "आरव ने पतंग की डोर को कस कर पकड़ा और कहा, "हां, कभी-कभी लगता है कि मुझे बाहर की दुनिया देखनी चाहिए।En: Aarav held the kite string firmly and said, "Yes, sometimes I feel I should see the outside world.Hi: लेकिन ना जाने क्यों, इस छोड़कर नहीं जा पाता।En: But somehow, I never manage to leave this place."Hi: "काव्या ने जोश से कहा, "तो भैया, क्यों ना हम सब मिलकर गाँव में कुछ नया करें?En: Kavya said enthusiastically, "So brother, why don't we all do something new in the village?Hi: क्या हम यहाँ रहते हुए कुछ नया नहीं कर सकते?En: Can't we create something new while staying here?"Hi: "आरव ने सोचा।En: Aarav thought about it.Hi: उसकी आँखें क्षितिज पर जमी थीं।En: His eyes were fixed on the horizon.Hi: पतंग की डोर टि्टक भी नहीं कर रही थी।En: The kite string wasn't even quivering.Hi: वह बोला, "शायद यह ठीक है।En: He said, "Perhaps it's right.Hi: यहाँ की मिट्टी में भी बहुत कुछ सीखने और करने को है।En: There's much to learn and do in this soil too."Hi: "ईशा और काव्या ने खुशी से आरव की ओर देखा।En: Isha and Kavya looked at Aarav with happiness.Hi: उन्होंने आरव की पतंग और ज्यादा ऊपर उठाई।En: They lifted Aarav's kite even higher.Hi: अब आरव ने महसूस किया कि गाँव में रहकर भी वह अपनी जिम्मेदारियों को निभाते-निभाते खुद के सपनों को भी पूरा कर सकता है।En: Now Aarav realized that while staying in the village, he could fulfill his own dreams along with his responsibilities.Hi: उसने तय किया कि अभी वह कहीं नहीं जाएगा।En: He decided that he wouldn't go anywhere just yet.Hi: उसके इस निर्णय ने उसे नई ऊर्जा दी।En: This decision gave him new energy.Hi: पतंगें और ऊपर उठ गईं, जैसे उसके सपनों की उड़ान भर रही हों।En: The kites soared even higher, as if flying along with his dreams.Hi: हाँ, सही कहा था काव्या ने।En: Yes, Kavya was right.Hi: उसे अब गाँव से जाने की आवश्यकता नहीं थी, बल्कि अपने परिवार के साथ रहकर भी अपनी नई राह बना सकता था।En: He didn't need to leave the village; he could forge his new path while staying with his family.Hi: गंगा के किनारे उसकी चिंता अब सुकून में बदल गई थी।En: By the banks of the Ganga, his worries had now turned into peace. Vocabulary Words:cold wind: ठंडी हवाswaying: झूम रही थींatmosphere: माहौलjoy: उल्लासsituated: बसेpreparing: तैयारीcolorful kites: रंग-बिरंगी पतंगेंeldest: सबसे बड़ाhardworking: मेहनतीlonged: चाहcreative: रचनात्मकwise: समझदारplayful: चंचलexploring: जाननेexcitement: हर्षोल्लासfirmly: कस करquivering: टि्टकhorizon: क्षितिजlearning: सीखनेresponsibilities: जिम्मेदारियोंfulfill: पूराdecision: निर्णयenergy: ऊर्जाforge: बना सकता थाpeace: सुकूनboundaries: सीमाओंstring: डोरsoil: मिट्टीdreams: सपनोंbanks: किनारे

Most of us want to be happy, so we go looking for happiness …. everywhere.  No stone left unturned, only to discover that we can't find lasting happiness.  Because at the end of the day – happiness isn't what we're looking for.  It's joy that we're after.   The Blessing of Righteousness Over the last few weeks we have been having a discussion on this programme about the promise that Jesus made; an outrageous promise, in fact, of an abundant life. Here it is, have another listen, John chapter 10, verse 10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. And I guess that the reason that it's so outrageous is that firstly, Jesus is saying that His purpose in coming to this earth, in stepping out of heaven into the physical dimension, taking on flesh, becoming a man, dying on the cross, rising again – all that – the reason He did that was what? “That we may have life and have it abundantly.” And it is for us because this promise is made in the context of a parable, where Jesus is the Good Shepherd; the True Shepherd and we are His flock. It's a beautiful picture with a deep and rich meaning to the agrarian audience to which He said it, back in the first century. "An abundant life", but what does that mean? I had a student ask me that once when I was lecturing at a Bible College. I was rabbiting on about this "abundant life" thing as though the idea of an abundant life was completely obvious to everyone. And one of the students, a woman in her sixties, asked me, she said, "But Berni, what is an abundant life?" You know something, I think that is a really, really good question. A little while ago we aired a teaching series called, “Financially Secure Once and for All”. It was all about the fact that God means us not to find our security in money; in wealth but in Him. However much we may have or may not have when it comes to financial wealth. Now, I was interested in the response of one man to that. He sent me a sharp email, declaring that he couldn't support anyone who preaches the prosperity doctrine. You know that false idea that if you believe in God in the right way and give lots of your money away to whoever is preaching that day, you will be rich. God will make you healthy, wealthy and wise, with a big house, big car, and a great job – on easy street! It's a false idea and we should have nothing to do with that because it puts our own wealth at the heart of things, rather than God's glory. And that is not – simply NOT what we are called to do. Anyhow, the point of me telling you this story is that, the moment I open my mouth about financial security, the man who wrote me that sharp email, assumed that I was talking about monetary blessing from God. But that was, in fact, the complete opposite of what I talked about in that teaching series. What I was talking about ‘God security' irrespective of the size of the bank balance, we might or might not have. And I wonder whether that isn't the obvious thing to fall into, precisely the same wrong assumption when we start talking about "an abundant life in Jesus"? That abundance must mean, well, healthy, wealthy and wise – easy street! And so people look at their lives and think, "Well, you know, I don't fall into the healthy, wealthy and wise category. I'm on struggle-street, not easy street. My life definitely is not all good or hunky dory, therefore this promise must either be false or for someone else." Do you see my point? We can be like that man who sent that email – we judge Jesus wrongly; we judge what He said from a worldly standpoint, rather than from a godly one. Back in the early church in the first century, a controversy arose about what foods they could eat and what drinks they could drink. Remember, early Christians mostly came out of Judaism with its legal demands about a whole range of things including food and drink. And the Apostle Paul was addressing this controversy in a letter to the Roman church. And the crux of what he had to say was this, Romans chapter 14, verse 17. He said: For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. In other words, boys and girls, stop looking at this whole thing from a worldly viewpoint, because in so doing you are completely missing the point. God's Kingdom isn't a physical thing – it's something that happens inside you when you lay your life down; lay down your worldly desires, lay don't everything you want, for Jesus. It's about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We will look at each of those today, starting right now with righteousness, because that's the heart of an abundant life. Righteousness is a word that is bandied around a lot in Christian circles at least, and used almost never anywhere else. So what does it actually mean, "righteousness"? It means ‘a right standing with God'; it means the state that we should be in; the condition in which we are acceptable to a holy God. Now, we have all sinned and rebelled against God. That means there's an enmity; a hostility between us and God but the moment we accept Jesus, the forgiveness we have through His sacrifice on that cross, there is peace. Because the debt for our sin, which is death, has been paid by Him and now through our faith in Him and what He has done, God sees us are righteous. Just as the criminal, who has paid his debt in prison, once released, is now right with the law; so we are right with God through our faith in Jesus. That's why elsewhere in his letter to the Roman church, Paul has this to say, Romans chapter 5, verse 1: Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we now stand. See, we are back where we should be. We are justified; ‘made right,' through our faith in Jesus Christ and so we have peace with God through Him. The war is over; the battle is over; the enmity between us and God is over; the running away from God is over. And then, does Jesus say, "Well, okay. Now, keep on doing all the things you were doing wrong – that's fine, that's not a problem?" No! Just as He said to the woman caught in adultery, whom the crowds had condemned and wanted to stone to death. In John chapter 8, verse 11, Jesus said to her: … neither do I condemn you. Now, go your way and from now on, do not sin again. So, we are forgiven, back in relationship with God and then we are called to go and live out our lives and stop doing the things that have caused the problem in the first place. That's "righteousness", right there. Something that God gives us as a free gift through Jesus Christ – a right standing with Him and then something that we are called to live out in our lives. That's what Jesus came to give us, an abundant life! A life that begins with God's righteousness given freely to us and that then continues in that righteousness and there … right there is the blessing, because sin has its consequences. Sin is the thief that comes only to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came that we may have life … real life, in all its abundance - righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.   The Blessing of Peace We are looking today at Jesus' outrageous promise of an abundant life. John chapter 10, verse 10: "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I came,” said Jesus, “that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Righteousness (we looked at that earlier) peace and joy in the Holy Spirit – those three are, in a nutshell, what the Kingdom of God brings to our lives. They are a fountain of blessing. And that little troika is put together not by me, but by the Apostle Paul, in dealing with the controversy over religious rules to do with food and drink that was raging back in the first century church. And in responding to that in his letter to the Romans he is saying, "Guys, guys, you have got a hold of the wrong end of the stick! Don't you get it? The Kingdom of God isn't about food and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." That's the context and that's why we are focusing on it today because in exactly the same way as some people were taking a "human; worldly" perspective of God's Kingdom, over a bunch of religious rules, back then, you and I can easily take a worldly view of this promise of an abundant life, through our consumer oriented, twenty first century mindset. I mean, when you hear the promise of an abundant life, what's the first thing that springs to mind? Enough money to get by? Being able to have a few of those luxuries? Aaah, easy street! I mean, that's the natural reaction, right? But is not what Jesus was saying. As I said earlier, this promise of an abundant life, comes set in a parable of a shepherd and his sheep, who lived in a difficult and dangerous world out there in search of pasture, where thieves often came and wild animals came to ravage the flock and where sometimes, the shepherd had to lay down his life for his sheep. There is nothing "easy street" about that, I can tell you. But if we stopped and thought about this whole ‘abundant life' thing for just a little while and thought, well, if I want an abundant life, what would be right up there … right up on the top of my list, numbers one, two and three, I think we might come up with the same list. 1. Righteousness – a right standing with God, finally; the enmity between us and God is gone. Finally, the threat of eternal judgement is gone. Finally, we are where we are meant to be – back in relationship and right standing with God. That is righteousness. 2. Peace – is there anyone here who doesn't want peace on every side of their lives; the absence of strife? 3. Joy – a deep delight that springs out of our relationship with God; a joy that transcends the ups and downs of life - a deep joy that's there 24/7. But right now we are going to focus on the second one of these, peace! And again, remember, we are not talking here from a worldly perspective, we are taking a godly view. And that's exactly what Jesus instructed His disciples to do when He gave them His peace. He was about to be crucified. The disciples knew that – they were in fear for their own lives as well. It was a scary, scary time. They had been following this amazing Jesus around for three and a half years – the miracles, the teaching, the crowds and now, all of a sudden, the dark cloud of death hung over their decision to follow Jesus. And Jesus says to them – He says, in John chapter 14, verse 27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not let them be afraid. Do you see this "peace", not from the world's perspective; not the way the world gives it to you. He says, "Take My peace; My deep inner peace." The security; the safety that comes from being one of Jesus disciples - the sort of peace that sheep have when they are safe in the protection of their one true shepherd – the shepherd who is prepared to lay his life down for them. And the clear thing that Jesus is saying to them is, Look, My peace isn't the same as the peace the world offers you. That's why your heart shouldn't be troubled; that's why you don't have to be afraid. And as I have said previously, that promise of an abundant life – John chapter 10, verse 10, comes set in this story of a difficult, dangerous journey in the existence of a shepherd with his sheep. It comes set in the realities … the cold, hard reality of life and it's for that reason that you and I need peace because life is not always what we want it to be. Without that sort of peace we can't have an abundant life, can we? As I look back on my decade and a half now of walking with Jesus, through thick and thin, through some great places and some places that look very much like that valley of the shadow of death, that the Psalmist talks about in Psalm 23. His peace is one of the things that I value most about my relationship with Jesus – a peace that lasts, through every situation because it's His peace; it's His way, not the world's peace; the world's way. Paul, the Apostle, in Philippians chapter 4, writes about a peace that surpasses all understanding; the peace from God that guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Can I tell you – I so relate to that because so often this peace from Jesus just doesn't make sense? It completely defies logic and surpasses understanding because there are times when I should be afraid; I should be panicking; I should be running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but instead … instead I have a deep peace. Psalm 23, verse 4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. That's the peace that Jesus brings! Friend, it is better … better than any bauble or any trinket that this world has to offer – this deep inner peace from God. A peace delivered into our very beings by the Holy Spirit, Himself. And it's a peace that only comes when we first have a right standing with God, through Jesus. That's why Paul, in his list of three things that the Kingdom of God is about, kicks it off with righteousness first, then peace because peace flows out of the relationship that we have with God, through Jesus. And then … then, once we have the relationship with God and the peace that comes out of that, the next thing; the icing on the cake is joy – the joy of the Lord.   The Blessing of Joy You ask people this question: "What do you want out of your life?" And ninety nine percent of them will answer, "Well, you know, I want to be happy." And why not? After all who wants to be sad all the time? Who wants to live out their lives in darkness when the light of happiness beckons, just around the corner? But, you know, happiness isn't always what life dishes up, is it? As much as we want to be happy all the time, it just doesn't work out that way. In fact, happiness can be illusive because it depends on our circumstances; things going on around us. I mean, we are not happy when we are sick or when someone is giving us a hard time, or when we are struggling financially or when we are having an argument or a fight. I mean, you can't be happy at those times. So as much as it is something just about everyone aspires to, happiness is not all that it is cracked up to be. Happiness is linked to our circumstances and when we say we want to be happy all the time, what we are really saying is that we want all of our circumstances to be favourable – easy street, that's happiness. Well, my friend, life isn't like that. Mine isn't and yours isn't. We might have short times on easy street, but most of life isn't like that. And so, then we come back to looking at this promise that Jesus made about an abundant life and it's easy to imagine it's a sham; it's an unrealistic promise – the sort that politicians make before an election, only to renege once we have voted for them. I'm not saying all politicians' promises are like that, but you understand what I'm saying. In my country, at least, many promises are made during an election campaign, which never eventuate. And so happiness is a bit like that – a mirage in a desert. It can be illusory. John chapter 10, verse 10: The thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. But I came … I came that you may have life and have it abundantly. Surely, if I am going to have an abundant life just as Jesus promises here, surely I have to be happy, right? Well, in unpacking and understanding this promise so far today, we have been looking at how Paul, the Apostle, summed up what the Kingdom of God is about. People back then, when Jesus and later the disciples, were going around talking about the Kingdom of God, well, people kind of imagined that it was something physical, there was the Roman Empire - that was THE kingdom. But there had been other kingdoms before that so they were expecting Jesus to come, riding in on His shiny white steed, with His sword held high, leading a mighty army to boot the Romans out of Israel. That pretty much is what the Kingdom of God kind of painted to them; the picture that they thought of but Jesus had a completely different take, as Jesus often does. Luke chapter 17 and verse 20 – have a listen to this: Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, when the Kingdom of God was coming and he answered, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” for in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you. So when it comes to Jesus coming to this earth in order that you could have a life and I could have a life, that we could live out abundantly, it makes sense to me not to look at from that human perspective, the way the Pharisees were, but from the perspective of God's Kingdom. And this is why we have been unpacking Paul's nutshell of what the Kingdom of God is all about – Romans chapter 14, verse 17 – Paul writes: For the Kingdom of God is not about food or drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Well, so far today on the programme we've looked at the first two of those: righteousness – a right standing with God, we live out in our relationship with Him and peace – the sort of peace that Jesus brings; the sort of peace that doesn't make sense; that surpasses all human understanding. But what about this third one; what about joy? You know what? I spent the first thirty six years of my life looking for happiness. I left no stone unturned in my quest for this happiness thing – wealth, a big house, expensive cars, marriage, children, status, career, fame, recognition, winning at everything I set my hand to – it was all about winning for me back then. Believe you me, I looked under every rock. I was persistent. And other than some fleeting experiences of happiness, I never found it. Why? Because unbeknown to me, I wasn't so much yearning for happiness, I was yearning for something much deeper; something more lasting and abiding. What I was after was "joy". And joy is different to happiness, in that, it doesn't rely on our circumstances. It doesn't come from out there, joy comes from within, from among us, from in our midst. It's a well inside us that bubbles up, no matter what is going on, on the outside. I have experienced joy on some of the darkest days in my life. Now you can't experience happiness at those times. To be happy, things out there have to be on the up and up – the sun has to be shining. But I have experienced great joy, right, smack bang in the middle of great pain. How? Why? Because it's a joy that comes from God and that well never runs dry. Let's listen again to what the Apostle Paul wrote, that the Kingdom of God was all about – Romans chapter 14, verse 17: For the Kingdom of God is neither food or drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. You see, the righteousness, peace and joy come when we are immersed in the Holy Spirit. They come from God through the Spirit, not from us. And Jesus describes how this works in John chapter 7, beginning at verse 37: Jesus was standing there and he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and let the one who believes in me, drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘out of the believers heart will flow rivers of living water.'” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The joy of the Lord, which comes from His Spirit within us, is like that. It bubbles up and then it flows out of the centre of who we are, out of our hearts, like rivers – not a tiny little stream, not even a modest or large river but rivers, a Nile and a Ganges and a Mississippi and a Rhine and an Amazon – rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit, with His righteousness, peace and joy, flows up out of us like a … like a flood tide of blessing from rivers of living water, into the lives of other people when we yield our lives; when we turn them back and live them for God. That's what the Kingdom of God is! And do you know what this overflow sounds like to me? It sounds like life in all its abundance and that's exactly what Jesus promised.

Prabhupāda had the devotees that were in early ISKCON in the '70s come to Māyāpur, and Vṛndāvana and sometimes, Jagannātha Purī on the way between the two. And he invited the devotees from all over the world. He said all of you should come here and meet with me here in Māyāpur. And he said we should discuss unity in diversity. We'd have kīrtanas. And Prabhupāda said that should be the time of discussion here in Māyāpur. It was a time when, in a fledgling movement, devotees from all over the world who were preaching in various countries would come together and meet one another and discuss how it was going in various places. In the afternoon, we go from the temple such that it was the living facilities here were very rough. If you think that your room is a little simple. I hate to tell these back-when-I-was-a-boy stories, but the room I stayed in as a brahmacārī was on the wall that was the simplest of dwellings because there weren't enough rooms. The wall was there, and they just weaned some plywood off of the wall and then cut a little hole so we could get in there. The floor was dirt. There was no latrine at all, just a big pit in the middle of the field with a kind of a fence around it. And water, there was no although were the pumps. There was no drinking water, there was no shower, there was no hot water, there was no bottled water. That didn't come until much later in the '80s here in India. And nonetheless, Prabhupāda pushed on. He invited everyone to come here because he saw that the essence was to come together, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and discuss how we can cooperate. One of his main points was to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and devotees would come here and discuss and hear how one another were doing in the daytime. Everyone would go to the Ganges, and it wasn't as far away as it is now, but there you could walk up and down the Ganges, and every one of the leaders from different parts of the world would be sitting, and then there would be a circle of devotees around that leader all the way up the Ganges. And there'd be classes going on, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad Gītā discussion. And then in the morning, Prabhupāda would give class in the temple that's there now. And in the evening, he would give darśana in these rooms. And many devotees would come and crowd in the rooms. And one evening, while we were in there and the darśana was over, one of my godbrothers, who I partnered with on book distribution, kept inviting everybody else to go out first because he had a plan that he was going to meet Prabhupāda. And when everyone was gone, he turned around and went back to Prabhupāda and asked him a question that a lot of devotees had, which is, should I live in the West, or should I move here to the dhāma? And Prabhupāda said that the West is for preaching or for sense gratification. And his indication was, if you're going to the West, then you should go there to preach. Otherwise, you will just be engulfed by sense gratification. You notice that in Prabhupāda's bedroom, he has a picture of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Govinda. Those are the deities in Brooklyn. Prabhupāda, although he was in Māyāpur, he was thinking about Rādhā Govinda every night before he took rest. But there's a section that one of my godbrothers pointed out with how he had mentioned how he was thinking about the project in New York, that he had Rādhā Govinda on the wall, but it's not retrofit. This is not a new thing that somebody put Rādhā Govinda on the wall. Those deities were on his wall when he was here. So although Prabhupāda was in the dhāma, he was thinking about the West, and he was thinking about how to expand the project. (excerpt from the talk) 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://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/

If I'm talking to someone who's explaining to me something extremely valuable, like last night, I stayed a little later at Prabhupāda's room with some godbrothers, and one of them was speaking about some history that was very interesting. At the same time, a thought came into my mind: I wonder how late it is. But I resisted looking at my watch, because if I just went like this, how long does that take? Approximately.. Audience : Half a second. Half a second, my interlocutor would have then said, 'Oh, you have to go.' And it's that break of attention from listening to somebody that can suddenly change the relationship. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura mentions in his teachings on chanting The Holy Name of the Lord, the most important ingredient is giving attention. And there is a way at a certain point when we have become fascinated with the sound of The Holy Name, "mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa mayi sarva-guhāśaye mano-gatir avicchinnā yathā gaṅgāmbhaso 'mbudhau," Kapila Dev says (SB 3.29.11) the mind will be carried along, just like the Ganges is carried and carries everything with it. And it doesn't stop for anything or anybody. It just goes 'mano-gatir avicchinnā,' no stoppage. But in the beginning, it takes a long time to stay the mind's tendencies to look at problems and try to solve them. And we do it even when we sleep. At least I do. I wake up like, 'Oh, what am I going to do about this or that?' But in the time of meditation on The Holy Name, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "Find the ways and means to completely focus your mind." And he suggests various ways and gives the directive that, "Find the ways that work for you." ------------------------------------------------------------ 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://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

India and Bangladesh have had cordial relations in various geopolitical frontiers. While a successful Ganges water treaty came into existence in 1996, the Teesta River dispute remains unsolved today. but not so much when it comes to the transboundary river, Teesta. While there was a successful Ganges water treaty that came into existence in 1996, Teesta river dispute remains unsolved till today. In today's episode of All Things Policy, Yusuf Unjhawala sits with Dr Nithiyanandam and Swathi Kalyani to discuss this issue, its implications on the bilateral relations of India and Bangladesh and the importance of Geospatial technology in planning a solution for the same. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sharing stories from her world travels, yoga teacher Susan Maruffo explores healing and self-discovery through yoga, Tantra, and meditation.This time on Mindrolling, Susan and Raghu journey through: Unhappiness within Western cultural conditioningHow getting out of the United States transformed Susan's lifeBeing alone while doing yoga versus in a group settingHow suffocating our ‘roles' in life can beRecognizing our universal connection via a trip to IndiaComing back into the body through yoga practiceSusan's experience at a Tantric school in ThailandNeo-Tantra versus classical TantraHealing through yoga and sexual explorationDying to the old versions of ourselvesHow the heart reveals itself during meditationThe ways we run away from intimacyAbout Susan Marrufo:Susan left the United States and a job in advertising in 2008 to travel internationally and experience life beyond the confines of her cultural conditioning. She received her first 500-hr yoga certification in Thailand in 2009, where she began her studies of the classical yogic scriptures and delved deeply into esoteric tantric philosophy. After 2 years of teaching month-long tantric-based courses on the banks of the Ganges in India and the Pacific coastal towns of Mexico, Susan returned to the US to begin a residential internship with the Kripalu School of Yoga, where she taught in and project-managed several Kripalu yoga teacher trainings as well as received her 2nd 500-hr teacher training certification from the Kripalu School of Yoga. Susan facilitates group courses in the inquiry of yoga and meditation and dives increasingly deeper into her yogic studies. She is the founder of Samarasa Center.“It was the first time that I started practicing yoga alone. Not in groups of classes with other people. That was transformational for me. That was the game changer, just being alone, having time, not feeling stressed, not feeling the pressure to be anybody. To be a wife, to be a boss, to be a daughter.” – Susan MarrufoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There's two kinds of association with bhāgavat or the person bhāgavat that means a person who's a pure devote dedicated to pure devotional service. One is called vāni and the other is called vāpu. Vāpu means you get the personal association.In other words the person's physically walking around the planet and if you go there and you have some association you can see the person, maybe render some service, be in the same room and so forth so that's one of the important kinds of association. But even more important is called 'vāni'.Vāni means listening to the words of the person and that can be done, yes through zoom. We have done this.We've had the experiment already, forced experiment albeit that that everyone had to resort to isolation but we weren't really isolated because we had the sound vibration. So we felt ourselves improving not only did we improve, I mean I didn't cuz I barely ever do but everyone else did. And there's a way in which we were able to get a lot of things done in service and this has come through the sound vibration. It it spills out in many different ways. There's a verse in the Śrīmad Bhagavatam (SB 10.1.6) which says : vāsudeva-kathā-praśnaḥ puruṣāṁs trīn punāti hi vaktāraṁ pracchakaṁ śrotṝṁs tat-pāda-salilaṁ yathā' Just like when you bathe in the Ganges you get purified so similarly it says three types of people get purified when there's Kṛṣṇa kātha or somebody speaking about Kṛṣṇa. One is the person who's speaking,next is the person who's in the audience listening, and the third is everyone else in between. Recently in the UK, we went to London and in London we had a seminar in the the Soho Street temple where Śrī Śrī Rādhā Londonīśvara are and then we all went out together, about seventy of us into the streets of London which is a hoot. And we proceeded down to one of the very busy shopping plazas and when I say very busy.. (excerpt from the talk 32:48) ------------------------------------------------------------ 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://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Harmony at the Ganges: A Diwali Tale of Music and Tradition Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2024-11-19-23-34-02-hi Story Transcript:Hi: वाराणसी की गंगा घाट पर पतझड़ का मौसम था।En: It was the autumn season at the Ganga ghats of Varanasi.Hi: हर जगह लोग दीपावली की तैयारियों में जुटे हुए थे।En: Everywhere, people were busy preparing for Diwali.Hi: आर्यन, एक युवा व्यक्ति, गंगा किनारे बैठा था। उसके मन में कई सवाल थे।En: Aryan, a young man, was sitting by the riverbank, pondering many questions.Hi: घर में माँ-पिताजी उसकी संगीत के प्रति रुचि से नाराज़ थे।En: At home, his parents were upset about his interest in music.Hi: वे चाहते थे कि वह परिवार के व्यवसाय में शामिल हो।En: They wanted him to join the family business.Hi: पर आर्यन के मन में संगीत के लिए गहरा प्रेम था।En: But Aryan had a deep love for music.Hi: आर्यन की बहन माया ने उसे समर्थन दिया।En: Aryan's sister Maya supported him.Hi: माया कहती, "आर्यन, तुम्हें वही करना चाहिए जो तुम्हारे दिल में है।"En: Maya would say, "Aryan, you should do what your heart desires."Hi: लेकिन अपने माता-पिता को नाराज़ करने का ख्याल आर्यन को परेशान करता था।En: However, the thought of disappointing his parents troubled Aryan.Hi: तभी उसकी दादी, निशा, ने सलाह दी, "बेटा, गंगा के पास जाओ। शायद वहाँ तुम्हें जवाब मिल जाए।"En: Just then, his grandmother, Nisha, advised, "Son, go to the Ganga. Maybe you'll find answers there."Hi: दीपावली की शाम को आर्यन गंगा के घाट पर पहुँचा।En: On the evening of Diwali, Aryan reached the Ganga ghat.Hi: आकाश रंगीन पटाखों से जगमगा रहा था।En: The sky was sparkling with colorful fireworks.Hi: लोग घाट पर दीये जलाकर अपनी प्रार्थनाएं कर रहे थे।En: People were lighting lamps on the ghats and offering their prayers.Hi: आर्यन ने भी एक दीया जलाया और गंगा में प्रवाहित कर दिया।En: Aryan lit a lamp as well and let it float in the Ganga.Hi: उसने अपनी आँखें बंद कीं और मन में शांति का आह्वान किया।En: He closed his eyes and called for peace in his mind.Hi: जैसे-जैसे शाम आगे बढ़ती गई, घाट का माहौल और भी खूबसूरत होता गया।En: As the evening progressed, the ambiance of the ghat became even more beautiful.Hi: शंख और घंटों की आवाज़ के साथ गंगा आरती का समय आ गया।En: With the sound of conch shells and bells, it was time for the Ganga Aarti.Hi: आर्यन, अदृश्य धारा में अपनी आत्मा की गहराई में खो गया।En: Aryan lost himself in the depths of his spirit within the invisible stream.Hi: उसने महसूस किया कि दीयों की लौ, पारंपरिक रस्में और उसका संगीत, सभी एक समानतान के धागे से जुड़े हुए थे।En: He realized that the flames of the lamps, the traditional rituals, and his music were all connected by a thread of harmony.Hi: उसने देखा कि ये दीये उसकी राह को रोशन कर रहे हैं।En: He saw that these lamps were illuminating his path.Hi: आर्यन को समझ आया कि उसे अपने माता-पिता से बात करनी चाहिए।En: Aryan understood that he needed to talk to his parents.Hi: उसे संगीत और परिवार के बीच संतुलन बनाना होगा।En: He had to find a balance between music and family.Hi: घर लौट कर आर्यन ने अपने परिवार से खुलकर बातचीत की।En: Returning home, Aryan openly talked with his family.Hi: उसने कहा, "मैं संगीत को अपनी ज़िंदगी का हिस्सा बनाना चाहता हूँ, लेकिन मैं परिवार के व्यवसाय को भी आगे बढ़ाऊंगा।"En: He said, "I want to make music a part of my life, but I will also continue the family business."Hi: माता-पिता ने उसकी दृढ़ इच्छा देखी और उसकी बातों को समझा।En: His parents saw his determination and understood his words.Hi: अंततः, आर्यन ने सीख लिया था कि समझ और सहयोग से परंपराएं और सपने दोनों पूरा किए जा सकते हैं।En: Ultimately, Aryan learned that with understanding and support, traditions and dreams can both be fulfilled.Hi: वह पहले से अधिक आत्मविश्वासी और अपनी जड़ों और सपनों के प्रति वफादार बन गया।En: He became more confident and loyal to his roots and dreams.Hi: वाराणसी के घाट ने आर्यन को एक नया दृष्टिकोण और शांति का साधन दिया था।En: The ghats of Varanasi gave Aryan a new perspective and a means of peace.Hi: दीपावली की वह रात उसके जीवन का मार्ग बन गई।En: That Diwali night became the path of his life. Vocabulary Words:pondering: सोच विचार करनाupset: नाराज़desires: इच्छाएँtroubled: परेशानadvised: सलाह दीsparkling: जगमगा रहाfloat: प्रवाहित कर दियाambiance: माहौलconch shells: शंखbells: घंटोंrituals: रस्मेंconnected: जुड़े हुएharmony: समानतानilluminating: रोशन कर रहेdetermination: दृढ़ इच्छाfulfilled: पूरा किएroots: जड़ोंperspective: दृष्टिकोणloyal: वफादारmeans: साधनgrateful: कृतज्ञaflame: लौevening: शामspirit: आत्माthread: धागेbalance: संतुलनpathway: राहreconciliation: मेल-मिलापconfidence: आत्मविश्वासdevotion: समर्पण

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Lost and Found: A Diwali Adventure on the Ganges Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2024-11-18-23-34-02-hi Story Transcript:Hi: गंगा के किनारे का दृश्य अद्भुत था।En: The scene by the Ganga was amazing.Hi: बनारस की पावन भूमि पर दिवाली की धूम मची थी।En: On the sacred land of Banaras, the hustle and bustle of Diwali was in full swing.Hi: आरती की घंटियाँ गूंज रही थीं और फूलों की माला से सजी घाट की सीढ़ियाँ जगमगा रही थीं।En: The bells of the Aarti were echoing, and the steps of the ghat adorned with garlands were glowing brightly.Hi: आरव और उसकी चचेरी बहन काव्या, दीये हाथ में लिए घाट की ओर बढ़ रहे थे।En: Aarav and his cousin Kavya were heading towards the ghat with lamps in their hands.Hi: आरव बनारस इसीलिए आया था ताकि वह अपनी दादी की आखिरी इच्छा पूरी कर सके।En: Aarav had come to Banaras to fulfill his grandmother's last wish.Hi: काव्या, जो हमेशा यथार्थवादी थी, आरव के साथ आई थी यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कि वह त्यौहार के जश्न में खो न जाए।En: Kavya, who was always realistic, had come with Aarav to ensure that he didn't get lost in the festival's celebrations.Hi: उनके संग रोहित भी था, जो एक स्थानीय नाविक था।En: Accompanying them was Rohit, a local boatman.Hi: रोहित का इरादा था कि वह दिवाली के दौरान अपनी कमाई बढ़ा सके ताकि वह अपने परिवार का अच्छे ढंग से पालन-पोषण कर सके।En: Rohit's intent was to increase his earnings during Diwali so that he could better provide for his family.Hi: अचानक, एक दुर्घटना घटी।En: Suddenly, an accident occurred.Hi: आरव की दादी का कीमती हार, जो हर दिवाली पर उनके परिवार को आशीर्वाद देता था, गंगा में गिर गया।En: Aarav's grandmother's precious necklace, which blessed their family every Diwali, fell into the Ganga.Hi: यह हार आरव के लिए बहुत महत्व रखता था।En: This necklace held great importance for Aarav.Hi: आरव ने तुरन्त रोहित से कहा, "क्या तुम मुझे हार खोजने में मदद कर सकते हो?En: He immediately asked Rohit, "Can you help me find the necklace?"Hi: " रोहित ने सहमति में सिर हिलाया लेकिन काव्या ने फौरन विरोध किया, "यह कितना खतरनाक हो सकता है, सोचा है?En: Rohit nodded in agreement, but Kavya immediately objected, "Have you thought about how dangerous this could be?"Hi: "धरती पर रौशनी की लहरें फैल रही थीं और आकाश में पटाखों की चमक थी।En: Waves of light were spreading over the earth, and the sky was aglow with fireworks.Hi: आरव, रोहित के साथ नाव पर चढ़ा।En: Aarav boarded the boat with Rohit.Hi: नाव गंगा के जल पर सरपट दौड़ रही थी।En: The boat raced over the waters of the Ganga.Hi: भीड़ और जलधाराओं की वजह से हार खोजना लगभग असंभव था।En: Due to the crowd and currents, finding the necklace seemed almost impossible.Hi: तभी आरव ने जल में एक चमक देखी।En: Then Aarav saw a glimmer in the water.Hi: उसने बिना सोचे समझे, गंगा में छलांग लगा दी।En: Without thinking, he jumped into the Ganga.Hi: गंगा की धारा तेज थी, पर आरव ने हार नही छोड़ा।En: The current of the Ganga was strong, but Aarav did not let go of the necklace.Hi: रोहित और काव्या ने उसे मुश्किल से वापस नाव पर खींचा।En: Rohit and Kavya struggled to pull him back onto the boat.Hi: आरव और सब लोग हैरान थे जब उन्होंने देखा कि वह चमक का स्रोत एक मछली पकड़ने के जाल में फंसा वही हार था।En: Everyone was amazed when they saw that the source of the glimmer was indeed the necklace caught in a fishing net.Hi: आरव ने अपनी खोई हुई चीज केवल नहीं पाई, वह अपने परिवार और विरासत के महत्व को भी समझ पाया।En: Aarav not only found his lost item but also understood the importance of his family and heritage.Hi: वहीं, काव्या ने भी आस्था की ताकत को पहचाना।En: Kavya, too, recognized the power of faith.Hi: अब बनारस की ठंडी हवा में उनका घर वापसी का सफर था।En: Now, in the cool air of Banaras, their journey home began.Hi: आरव, काव्या और रोहित, तीनों के चेहरे पर उस रात की लालटेन की रौशनी फैल गई थी।En: The light of the lantern of that night spread across the faces of Aarav, Kavya, and Rohit.Hi: दिवाली का ये अनुभव उनके जीवन में हमेशा के लिए अमिट रह गया।En: The experience of this Diwali remained etched in their lives forever. Vocabulary Words:scene: दृश्यsacred: पावनhustle and bustle: धूमechoing: गूंज रही थींghat: घाटadorned: सजीglowing: जगमगा रही थींfulfill: पूरीrealistic: यथार्थवादीensure: सुनिश्चितbracelet: हारprecious: कीमतीblessed: आशीर्वादimportance: महत्वaccident: दुर्घटनाobjection: विरोधdangerous: खतरनाकcurrent: धाराimpossible: असंभवglimmer: चमकstruggled: कठिन सेamazed: हैरानheritage: विरासतfaith: आस्थाlantern: लालटेनetched: अमिटrealized: समझ पायाaccumulate: इकट्ठा करनाcompanionship: संगdwell: रहना

Shilpika Gautam talks about her journey from the trading floor to environmental work. She discusses how a transformative – and record-breaking – experience paddleboarding the Ganges catalysed the founding of Opna, a greentech company focused on accelerating climate action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one's mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone's heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards the Supreme Lord (SB 3.29.11-12) 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://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark

Kardama underwent austerities to gain the causeless mercy of the Lord, and when the Lord arrived there He was so compassionate that in pleasure He shed tears, which became Bindu-sarovara. Bindu-sarovara is therefore worshiped by great sages and learned scholars because, according to the philosophy of the Absolute Truth, the Lord and the tears from His eyes are not different. Just as drops of perspiration which fell from the toe of the Lord became the sacred Ganges, so teardrops from the transcendental eyes of the Lord became Bindu-sarovara. Both are transcendental entities and are worshiped by great sages and scholars. The water of Bindu-sarovara is described here as śivāmṛta jala. Śiva means “curing.” Anyone who drinks the water of Bindu-sarovara is cured of all material diseases; similarly, anyone who takes his bath in the Ganges also is relieved of all material diseases. These claims are accepted by great scholars and authorities and are still being acted upon even in this fallen Age of Kali. (SB 3.21.38-39, purport) 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://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark

Clover and Varien bid farewell to Heaven's Gate to embark on a daring journey to Repentance in search of answers. Trigger Warnings: child endangerment, child harm, elements of horror, mentions of Kaleo Kenon Pearce as GM Jordache Richardson as Varien Tyris and Justin Nikki Richardson as Clover Barrows ISHNAR/KALCRIN HOMEBREW SETTING (C) by Kenon Pearce   Sound editing and design by Nikki Richardson CLICK THE LINK TO JOIN US! https://discord.gg/59axDYE3Sq Twitter/X and Bluesky: Kenon Pearce @mr_fugufish/mrfugufish Jordache Richardson @jdash24 Nikki Ri @thenikkiri   Website: totrpodcast.com Twitter: @totrcast Studio Twitter: @whiteravenpods  Facebook: @topoftheround Instagram: @topoftheround Bluesky: @totrpodcast Thank you to our Executive C2 Producers! HOLDEN RAY Go to our website for MERCH! https://www.totrpodcast.com/merch.html#/   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/topoftheround Buy us a cup of coffee on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/topoftheround Join our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/476203760792265/   TOTR WIKIPEDIA! https://topoftheround.fandom.com/wiki/Top_of_the_Round_Wiki SEND US MAIL! White Raven Studios PO Box 603 Circle Pines MN 55014 SHADOWS OF THE DIVINE BY NICK HIGHAM https://www.nickjhigham.co.uk/ Music Courtesy of epidemicsound.com: The Thaw by Million Eyes Two Moons by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen Running through the Dark by Roots and Recognition Foggy Skies by Martin Klem One Final Theft by Piper Ezz Settling Dust by WHENISEEYOUISEEMYSELF Constancy by Prozody Seeking Refuge by Christian Andersen And Then There Were Three by Farrell Wooten Behind the Shadow by Ruiqi Zhao A Slow Descent by Victor Lundberg Tendere by Craft Case Ask Where They Come From by Experia Escalade by Alec Slayne Like Moths to a Flame by Alec Slayne Ghost Assassin by Ted Beattie Dark Turns to Light by Hampus Naeselius Room for Whatever Is Left by Hanna Lindgren 699X by Lennon Hutton Stay or Go by Farrell Wooten Abandoned Village by Lennon Hutton Celestial Spheres by Ave Air Tvivel by Hanna Ekstrom The Lost Island by DEX 1200 A New Dominant Form by Hampus Naeselius Behind the Shadow by Ruiqi Zhao Tension Mansion by Kikoru Running through the Dark by Roots and Recognition And Then There Were Three by Farrell Wooten Asylum by Dream Cave I'm the Villain by Dream Cave Dead if They Catch You by Philip Ayers Rattlesnake's Rest by Sage Oursler Sunrise at Ganges by Ethan Sloan Licensed through Universal Music for Creators/UMC: Forensic Pulse Instrumental by Hunter Jr. Slott The Dark Place Instrumental by Kallins Teller Truth Instrumental by Kallins Teller Fire Temple Instrumental by Doney Perry A Story of Two World Instrumental by Cooper Difficult Past Instrumental by Cooper Darkened Places Instrumental by Kallins Skinner Rising Body Count Instrumental by Kallins Skinner Persons of Interest Instrumental by Kallins Skinner Fatal Consequences Instrumental by Kallins Skinner Haunted Station Instrumental by Hunter Jr. Slott Chasing the Light Instrumental by Opus Fallen Prophecy Instrumental by Jewson Forensic Pulse Instrumental by Hunter Jr. Slott Uncover the Truth Instrumental by Kuei Hypothesis Instrumental by Kuei Loosening Screws Instrumental by Fahlen Syndicate Backing Vocals Only by Beck De Morinis Flight Risk Instrumental by Elias Ramani Day of Reckoning Instrumental by Opus Winning the Fight Instrumental by Opus Long Note One by Kevin MacLeod License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Licensed by Envato Elements License (CC BY 4.0): Mysterious Dark Drone Scary Eerie Swelling Spatial Ambient - 1 Hybrid Action Track Eerie Vampires Lair Dark Choir (Main Version) Gothic Litanies Danse Macabre Horror Harmony Convergence Sacral Baroque Choirs Trailer Cinematic Church Organ

The Ganges River, a lifeline for millions and one of the most significant and sacred rivers in the world, faces a multitude of seemingly intractable environmental challenges. One of the most innovative ways of both researching and shifting attitudes on the Ganges is through Citizen Science, bringing scientists and communities together to learn more about the world around them. Guests: Dr Prem Kurup (Science Education, La Trobe University) Anjali Yadav (PhD Candidate, La Trobe University and IIT Kanpur) Host: Assoc. Professor Ruth Gamble (Deputy Director, La Trobe Asia) Recorded on 17th October, 2024.

Sheila delar med sig av sin känslosamma och spirituella resa under sitt retreat i Indien. Från omvägar till Seoul till ceremonier vid Ganges, beskriver hon hur upplevelsen öppnade upp hennes hjärta och förde henne närmare sig själv. Isabella reflekterar över retreatets betydelse och hur Sheila planerar att integrera sina insikter i vardagen. Dessutom, sanningen om Isabellas resebokning som Paul inte får veta. Välkomna!Obvi klippt av @thepodfather_magnus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a different sort of podcast, featuring interviews I did half my life ago. I originally planned to make a radio documentary, but the audio wound up on MiniDiscs gathering dust.In 2001, I was a foreign correspondent searching for answers. I hoped I might find some in India at the world's biggest gathering – the Mahā Kumbha Melā, where the Ganges meets the Yamuna. I talked to a wide range of people, asking Westerners what had inspired their journeys Eastward.Looking back, I've made one myself – from drug-fuelled confusion to writing a book about yoga philosophy, and a career as a teacher. My younger self had other ideas – he tried to emulate the Melā by staging a festival on Big War Island in Belgrade. However, listening to these chats, I can hear a few echoes of what was to come – plus repeated indications of much still to learn…The first conversation is with Scott McNamara, an American disciple of the yogi “Pilot Baba”. The second is with Susan Shumsky, who learned to meditate with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, then turned to “New Thought” – better known today as “manifesting” – whose positive psychology infuses modern yoga.I'm still unsure about the documentary prospects – not least since I don't work in radio, or know where to start. I also have mixed feelings about the discussions, as the podcast explains. If you have any thoughts in response, please get in touch!