Category: Q/A

Should Caitanya Vaiṣṇavas observe Śivarātri?

Question: Should Caitanya Vaiṣṇavas observe Śivarātri? Answer: In the Gadādhara parivāra, we fast on Śivarātri. Q: Some say that there is no need to observe Śivarātri. They cite the following from Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Goswami: śivarātrivratamidaṁ yadyapyāvaśyakaṁ na hi |  vaiṣṇavānāṁ tathāpyatra sadācārādvilikhyate ||186||  Could you help me […]

Q/A: Is Indian culture important for bhakti?

Śrī Babaji answers question in Pearls of Wisdom – Question: Having recently read Rajiv Malhotra’s “Being Different” and your commentary on Bhagavat Sandarbha, I think that there are pitfalls for Western people approaching Indian thought, including Gauḍīya siddhānta, which can lead to the gross and subtle misunderstanding of […]

Bhakti is not a group dharma

From Pearls of Wisdom – A Questions and Answer Anthology Question: What is the destination of a person who practices devotion on an individual basis and is not part of an institution but takes guidance regarding sādhana from genuine sādhūs? Answer: When Kṛṣṇa played on His flute on […]

Q/A: dying in Vṛndāvana

Maharajji answers questions in Śrī Guru Darśanam, p 490 Question: Many people believe if they just leave their body here in Vṛndāvana, they will go to Kṛṣṇa-loka. What is the actual destination of somebody who leaves his body in Vṛndāvana? Answer: Just by dying you do not go to the […]

Q/A: acintya bheda-abheda

Maharajji answers questions in Śrī Guru Darśanam, p 20 Question: Can you explain how Bhagavān is devoid of different types of bhedas? Answer: Bhagavān has potencies; and between śakti (potency) and śaktimāna (who possesses the potency), there is no bheda (difference) or abheda (non-difference). He is the only one who […]