A reader suggested that the dharma taught in the Bhāgavatam cannot be isolated from varṇāśrama dharma, as the word ‘dharma’, as used in the Bhāgavatam, carries the same meaning and connotation as in any other śruti [i.e. the Vedas]. But does Śrī Jīva Goswami agree with such a […]
Q: Can one chant and pray for others? A: Why do you want to do that? Q: I am just curious. I know one devotee who chants one round every day for another person. A: Ok. Q: But do you think such chanting is effective? A: Depends on […]
Question: I have been told to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra or 16×108 mahāmantras everyday. Is it mentioned in the śāstra that this should be done? Answer: I am not aware of any prescription in the śāstra to chant 16 rounds everyday. Question: Where does […]
This article is motivated by a reader’s comment on a previous article. It was proposed that anyone who succeeds on the path of bhakti must have been part of the three varṇas – brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya – in a previous life. I responded with the example of […]
People from other sampradāyas often visit this site. These people seek to teach me, sometimes directly, and sometimes indirectly, that Śrī Jīva Goswami copied major parts of his theology from others like Śrī Rāmānujacārya, Śrī Madhvācārya and even Śrī Śankarācārya. They want to imply that he was a […]
In a previous post, we saw how the Bhāgavata is an independent pramāṇa meaning that it does not depend on the Vedas even for its authority. Here, we examine the essence of the Bhāgavata derived by Śrī Jīva Goswami in the following statement in the Tattva Sandarbha Anuccheda […]
The Bhāgavata is known as the topmost pramāṇa for Caitanya Vaiṣṇavas. What this means, in practical terms, is that Caitanya Vaiṣṇavas do not accept those statements in other śāstras that are not line with the Bhāgavata, and/or try to interpret such other statements so that they are in […]
Śrī Babaji answers questions in Pearls of Wisdom Question: What is dīkṣā? Does it refer to getting Hari-nāma and taking a different name? Or does it refer to getting brāhmaṇa initiation, when one gets the Brahma Gāyatrī? Answer: There are three levels of dīkṣā, namely, harināma-dīkṣā, mantra-dīkṣā, and veśa- […]
There are differing views about Brahman in Indian theology. The Advaitavādis claim that the only real existent is quality-less, formless Brahman. Both Śrī Vaiṣṇavas and the followers of Śrī Madhvācārya reject that such type of Brahman exists. In their view, whenever the scriptures mention tattva or real existent […]
Reader Sridhar asked the following questions to which my responses are provided. The response to question 2 lists the passage where Śrī Jīva Goswami coins the term “acintya bheda-abheda”. Question 1. Could you make a post on how the acharyas see the exact relationship between shaktis and shaktimān? Is […]
Reader Ananta wanted me to explain the following notoriously misinterpreted verse by Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja- nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya To understand this verse properly, we need to first understand something about the Bengali language. In Bengali, the word for ‘cooked’ is ‘siddha’. Use google […]
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