Dikṣā guru of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātana Goswami
Maharajji answers questions in Śrī Guru Darśanam.
The solution to the problem of ahaṅkāra
We examined the concept of ahaṅkāra in an earlier post. We saw how ahaṅkāra is at the very source of all suffering. We are sentient beings who fundamentally are free from all suffering. But ahaṅkāra, the misidentification with the body, ensures that we consider the body’s experiences as […]
What is ahaṅkāra?
The word ahaṅkāra literally means “I-ness”. However, this term also refers to the subtle element called ahaṅkāra which is a product of mahat-tattva, which in turn is a product of prakṛti. How does this material element ahaṅkāra relate to the I-ness which actually belongs to the individual ātmā? […]
Why is the mind disturbed even though it is a product of sattva guṇa?
The Sāṅkhya of the Bhāgavata purāṇa and Sāṅkhya kārikā both agree that the mind is a product of sattva guṇa. Yet, Kṛṣṇa calls the mind caṅcala- flickering in the Bhagavad-Gītā. This is also common experience- that the mind is exceptionally unstable, particularly when one wants to sit down […]
Why love Kṛṣṇa?
In Anuccheda 56 of the Bhagavat Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Goswami brings out the concept that Bhagavān’s personal form [meaning His personal service] is the ultimate end of all that is to be aspired for. Śrī Babaji’s commentary on this Anuccheda explains the rationale for why loving Kṛṣṇa is […]
How there is bheda and abheda in Bhagavān
Bhagavān is the only independent entity in existence.
The four progressive stages of vairāgya
The definition of vairāgya and its four stages
Understanding the tan-mātra
An essential part of the Sāṅkhya-kārikā of Iśwara Kṛṣṇa is the discussion of how prakṛti undergoes transformations which result in the material world. In this system, effects, which are the next step in the transformation, are present in a potential or unmanifest state in their cause. This is […]
Why the jīva is considered part of taṭastha śakti
The Paramātmā Sandarbha goes into great depth into the properties of the jīva. This knowledge forms part of sambandha jñāna that Śrī Jīva Goswami proffers to us for understanding the nature of our own being. His treatment is comprehensive and far more sophisticated than similar treatments in other […]
Understanding the three guṇas
The concept of the gunas of prakrti is unique to Indian philosophy, and an important contribution of the Sāṅkhya school.
Which definition of jnāna applies to the ātmā?
The word jnāna has the common meaning of ‘knowledge’. However, in Sanskrit usage, the word jnāna carries different meanings depending on the context. Here we examine these meanings, and how they apply to the ātmā.
Bhagavān’s name is self-manifest
In a previous article, we examined the characteristics of Bhagavān’s names. There, we saw that Bhagavān’s name is self-existent, i.e. independent, and conscious. Here we explore this concept some more.
