Śrī Jīva Goswami refutes the notion that the universe is not real
Is the universe real? What does the word ‘real’ mean?
What is advaya jñāna?
Absolute reality is called advaya-jñāna in the scriptures. What does this term mean?
Sat-kārya-vāda
In Anuccheda 60 of the Paramātmā Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Goswami accepts the Vedantic concept of sat-kārya-vāda as applying to the material world. Here we examine what sat-kārya-vāda means.
Q/A: Why is Hinduism so complex?
Hinduism has so many gods and so many scriptures. Why?
The parallel universes of aprakaṭa and prakaṭa līlās
Prakaṭa means ‘manifest’, and aprakaṭa is the negation of manifest, or ‘unmanifest’. These terms crop up in the discussions of the tenth canto in the context of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s leaving Vṛndāvana for Mathurā. The gopīs are distraught. Śrī Kṛṣṇa promises them that He would return, but He never […]
The need to study Śrī Jīva Goswami’s original works
Of the many amazing teachings of Śrī Jīva Goswami are his superb explanations of bhakti yoga, and its total difference from karma yoga and jñāna yoga. I heard these terms and frustratingly fruitless discussions about them from many others years ago. For example, in one current and prominent […]
Definition of yukta-vairāgya
Vairāgya literally means a state in which a person is devoid of attachment or rāga for things. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, we come across the curious term ‘yukta-vairāgya’, or literally, ‘appropriate’ vairāgya. Here we examine the definition of yukta-vairāgya as given by Śrī Rūpa Goswami, and examine Śrī Jīva’s […]
Śikṣāṣṭakam or eight instructions of Śri Caitanya
The famous eight instructions of Śri Caitanya
What is pradhāna?
Pradhāna is the unmanifest state consisting of the three guṇas in a neutralized state.
Śrī Jīva Goswami’s purpose in writing the Sandarbhas
Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism has come to be associated with proselytizing in modern times. However, a deeper study of the foundations of the tradition appear to not support the notion that ‘preaching’ was the main purpose of Śrī Caitanya. I have written about this elsewhere. We can also discern this […]
Q/A: do I need to be advanced for getting answers to questions about bhakti?
A sincere question comes from a lack of understanding, and it is the duty of a teacher to answer it.
When guru contradicts śāstra
Leaving an inauthentic teacher and path.
