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.
Is the jīva’s bondage real?
The root cause of suffering is the jīva’s identification with the body. Is this identification real?
The name Kṛṣṇa (black) establishes Kṛṣṇa as the supreme Bhagavān
There are many names of Bhagavān. What is the significance of the name ‘Kṛṣṇa’?
The ātmā is not like a drop to Bhagavān’s ocean
Some offer the analogy that the jīva is related to Bhagavān in the same way as a drop of the ocean relates to the ocean. The drop of the ocean:ocean analogy has been used to propagate the notion that the jīva is ‘qualitatively similar’ to Bhagavān, but quantitatively […]
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