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 […]
Misconceptions about the ātmā
That the ātmā is distinct from the body is accepted in most Indian schools of thought. Mīmāṁsā, Vedānta, Yoga and Sāṅkhya all accept this, but do not agree on the ātmā’s svarūpa or essential characteristics. There are many points about the ātmā on which there is agreement among […]
Mapping of Bhāgavatam 1.1.1 onto Vedānta-sūtras, Part 3
In the previous two articles, we saw how the first four Vedānta-sūtras map onto the first verse of the Bhāgavatam. We now examine the fifth and final sūtra, 1.1.5 ikṣater nāśabdam: 1.1.5 Because of the mention of [Brahman’s] act of seeing, pradhāna [is not the source of creation]. […]
Mapping of Bhāgavatam 1.1.1 onto Vedānta-sūtras, Part 2
We continue our examination of the mapping of the Vedānta-sūtras onto Bhāgavatam 1.1.1.
Q/A: Should I quit my profession for bhakti?
Many a young person becomes sucked up in the comfort of belonging to a religious organization or sect. They are eager to prove the degree of their surrender and conviction by quitting their profession and careers. Unfortunately, they don’t know what lies ahead, and gamble too much on […]
Mapping of Bhāgavatam 1.1.1 onto Vedānta-sūtras, Part 1
The first verse of a book is generally important in establishing its meaning. There are six criteria for establishing the meaning of a book, out of which upakrama or introductory statements is the first one. The first verse of the Bhāgavatam, therefore, is of prime importance to anyone […]
A summary of Paramātmā Sandarbha
This is a summary of the Paramatma Sandarbha.
The definition of śāstra
How is śāstra defined? Knowing its definition can help us understand its purpose and its nature.
