Wisdom of the Sages

accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the one you're with, with all your heart / treat everyone with the same quality of love that you treat those you love the most / the body is a universe, the universe is a body / Vishnu is the soul of the universe / awareness of the Supersoul in every nook and cranny is uplifting SB 4.22.37

keeping Krishna at the the center of our life of wacky hijinks / do we pick up exactly where we left off in the previous life? / those who understand life, let go of judgment / we have no clue where people are at /stepping out of automated karma / with every choice, we're choosing a new body / dharma, artha, kama & moksha / we don't have to go cold turkey / higher life and lower states of life exist only in relation to the interchange of the modes of material nature SB 4.22.34-36

Raghunath and Kaustubha talk with Gopi Gita about parenting, teaching, bhakti practices, and her new book Leadership Parenting. More info at www.gopigita.com

How do we practically put Krsna first in our pursuits? / Is personality a superficial aspect of the mind or do we have a transcendental personality? / how can one practice Ekadashi? / What do I do if I just can't connect with the Maha Mantra?

"I neither enjoy the idea of command nor am I frightened of it. It simply exists, and I will do whatever logically needs to be done." - Mr. Spock / make Krishna the end game / detached work leads to liberation / practice letting go / Gopal Chandra's detachment / self realization not sense gratification / receiving the blessing of departing yogis / let go of the material world one more notch SB 4.22.32-33

"Pain is a thing of the mind. The mind can be controlled." - Mr. Spock / being human is an inconvenience, but it is manageable / separating suffering from pain / Vulcans never self-loathe / when we turn fruitive activities into acts of devotion we can understand that we are not different from anyone else, regardless of the form / our real consciousness is getting sucked up / pornography - draw the line and don't flirt with it / all the activities of the lost soul are performed on a false basis SB 4.22.29-31

faith develops in small increments / don't be a shooting star be a rising moon / "I'm frequently appalled by the low regard you Earthmen have for life." - Mr. Spock / treat every little being with dignity / transcending distinctions between external and internal / upadhis - false designations / our false designations are unstable / functional and fundamental identities / the perfect conception of oneness SB 4.22.27-28

Let go of your past and future, it's just you and Krishna / Burning is learning / There's a healthy bitterness in the transition of death / surrender is going to come anyway, best to do it voluntarily with a smile / "In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see" - Mr. Spock / Our perception can be clouded by attachment & fear / become detached through devotion / burning away the material body through devotion SB 4.22.25-26

Raghunath and Kaustubha answer live questions from the audience at Supersoul Farm

Vegan or Vegetarian? / How to Deal with Chronic Pain

get off the mental platform and start identifying as a soul! / he who can control the mind is in charge / Mr. Spock - "we can control the mind, therefore we can control the pain" / "To give free rein to the senses is to shackle the soul." ― Theoleptos / "The ignorant man passes through the world dead to all pleasures, save those of the senses." - "Sammy" Smiles / kindness and simplicity! / the great yogis understood that ahimsa requires a vegetarian diet / yoga means following, not making it up / elevate the mind by remembering Krishna's character and pastimes / follow the yoga regulations without criticizing others / reprograming the mind through tolerating the dualities SB 4.22.24

human beings are sensation-receiving machines / people have little access to the possible world existing beyond their sensations - or do they? / after the indulgence - how do you feel? / there's bitter sweetness in self-disgust / the mind is living in the glue trap of desire / material pleasure is chewing the chewed - spiritual pleasure has newer and newer flavors / Yamunacarya's devotion is reignited / I'm better than this! / trade in small L love for big L Love / I don't want to live in a hope to enjoy life- I want to enjoy life / the cotton candy of material enjoyment leads to nausea / the satisfaction of serving SB 4.22.22-23

Bhakti is a practice of inviting God to reside in the temple of the mind or heart / have faith in the process / always feel encouraged to go deeper / after one handles the bad habits, next comes the subtle desires / progress not perfection CC Madhya 12.135 https://sanskritsense.thinkific.com/courses Code- wisdom25off

I'm born, I forget my true identity, I get caught up in the drama, I expire before I learn my lessons, I'm born / our nature is to be attracted, it's just a question of what we're attracted to / the ultimate goal for the welfare of human society is detachment from the bodily concept of life and increased and steadfast attachment for Krishna / Krishna is a magnet, we are the iron, our false designations are the rust SB 4.22.18 - 22

it's degrading for a brave, intelligent creature to waste time arguing with an ass / pointless argument is a disqualification for Vrindavan consciousness / if we knew how precarious our situation was we'd do something / good karma can be bad, bad karma can be good / our speech should be meaningful, appropriate, concise and sweet / the quality of Hunuman's speech / society has lost appreciation for quality speech SB 4.22.15-17

Raghunath & Kaustubha discuss Philology (the study of language in oral and written historical sources) with Sanskrit expert Jeffrey Armstrong. Learn more at https://jeffreyarmstrong.com or https://gitacomesalive.com

Can you bridge the gap between Bhakti and other spiritual stuff? / What would be your advice or perspective on beginners growing pains in finding meaningful relationships in Bhakti?

gratitude - start with thanking the sun / if you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be fulfilled / the ungrateful are getting owned by the world / a grateful mind is a great mind / gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder / freedom comes from simplicity / good & bad are concoctions of the mind / resetting the impulsive mind with the intellect / what is woo for one is woe for the other SB 4.22.14

the Sanskrit Vedic sciences have passed the test of time / let's sing meaningful songs, tell meaningful stories / get out of the meta verse and grow vegetables / the appearance of the child sages / receive a guest with humility and hospitality / every week is gratitude week for Maharaja Prthu SB 4.21.50-4.22.14 https://theayurvedaexperiment.com

"Forget injuries, never forget kindness." - Confucius / getting even with those who have helped you / regulating practices of gratitude / Bhagavatam asks us to mature from ritualistic consciousness, to the level of seeing God in others / clarity of vision is maintained through faith, austerity, scriptural conclusions, full sense and mind control, and meditation / the Vedas are compared to a mirror because they reveal everything about the world / may good behavior be my wealth / honoring the masters SB 4.21.41-49

the root of joy is gratefulness / the root of sadness is entitlement / learning to be grateful before you unwrap the gift / the need to grant status to the wise / tolerance, penance, knowledge and education are the qualities of the brahmanas / Krishna serves the brahmanas / dharma isn't black and white / making it a mission to serve great souls SB 4.21.38-40

Can Bhakti yogis gain truth through other traditions?

See people for their potential / We aren't cutting things out, we're adding spirit / our work should be aligned with our liberation / Sacrifice foolish speech for transcendental sound / Woo world Wednesday / Our lives are teetering- you might forget death, but death hasn't forgotten you / This body is a rented vehicle / Offending a vaishnava is losing at Kerplunk / Discern but don't condemn 4.21.33-37

How to deal with overindulging the senses? / Why is Rama's name in the maha mantra? / Should we forgive continued unkindnesses? / What to do if we don't have access to prasad?

On the day of the New York Rathayatra Festival, Raghunath and Kaustubha explain a bit of its esoteric meaning.

the spiritual purity of Madhava Prabhu's kirtan / Bhagavatam brings fire under the feet and bliss in the heart / pull Krishna back into your heart / the mystery of the universe revealed - Krishna is the root, we are the leaves / Donkey perspective - are they fanning me or are they fanning Jesus? SB 4.21.32

On the occasion of Ganga Puja, Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss the glories of the river and goddess with Sacinanadana Swami SB 4.21.30-31

catching echos of the cosmic dance / cultivating pure vision / trade in your iPad for a creek (careful about staring into fire) / the natural opulences /the Vedas are a manual for how to live in harmony with God and Nature / truth of dharmic principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person SB 4.21.1-29

"What is serious to men is often trivial in the sight of God" - Thomas Merton / "If we could let go of our own obsession with what we think is the meaning of it all, we might be able to hear His call and follow Him in His mysterious, cosmic dance" - Thomas Merton / seeing the good fortune in God's plan / we are the bird in the kitchen / the esoteric side of Bhakti-yoga - the varieties of divine love / Krishna is calling us to dance SB 4.20.33-38

Gopal Chandra discusses being diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the importance of forgiveness, compassion and love as he faces death.

How to help someone who feels they can have no compassion or empathy? / Can you please explain the flow of wealth and power within the Varnasrama system, and how it is different from historical and modern feudalism? / Is food offered by Sikhs to the Guru Granth Sahib considered prasad by Krishna bhaktas? / Have we been planets, gods and goddesses at some point in our journeys?

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories." – Plato / the 6 enemies - lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy / 6 more "enemies" to be conquered - the 5 senses and the mind / through devotion one can see heaven, hell and liberation with an equal mind / don't blame, reframe / the mysteries of the world have fallen on our lap / getting beyond the triggers SB 4.20.31-32

"He has the most who is most content with the least." – Diogenes / all that exists to satisfy the senses cannot satisfy a person whose senses are uncontrolled / positive spiritual bypassing - bypassing the fickle mind and going straight from intelligence into action / turning up the comfort level makes us intolerant / in the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, samadhi does not take place / Existential Shift #1 - from dharma to karma / Existential Shift #2 - from karma to jnana / Existential Shift #3 - from jnana to Bhakti / declutter externally, helps declutter internally SB 4.20.30

Prithu, a gladiator in touch with his feminine side / Krishna is the friend of the poor / Krishna magnifies whatever insignificant service we do / when the King becomes the street sweeper / even liberated souls take to Bhakti / in Bhakti-yoga the means and the end are the same / snipers are picking us off everywhere! / when the jnana-yogis knowledge is complete they surrender to Krishna / Self-realization is not complete unless one comes to the devotional platform / Shankara's monism, Bhaktis response and the Neo Vedanta blend / is love merely a psychological, social phenomena, or an existential reality? SB 4.20.27-29

Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul – Democritus / Dr. Pain comes to Raghunath (reminding him that none of this is ours) / the beauty and simplicity of Krishna's devotees / the awakening voice comes through the mouth of a pure devotee / let Krishna reclaim you / never break a devotee relationship SB 4.20.25-26

Socrates on the sage of steady mind / its as easy to get swept away by success as by misfortune / Maharaja Prithu feels devotional ecstasy / water parks aren't fun alone / serving together is the best association / Vishnu demonstrates the purity of the Bhakti-yogis's heart by offering a boon to Prithu / Prithu's boon - to hear about Krishna from the devotees / when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and the senses become inert SB 4.20.19-25

How does yoga "clean the mirror of the heart"? / When trying to fix a relationship, can we intentionally resolve the quarrel or it all comes down to Krishna's mercy? / How are we to know when we are dealing with a Perfected Being, and what is the difference between a Perfected Being and an incarnation of Krishna? / What is the Mantra at the beginning of the song "Message of the Bhagavat"?

"To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal" Ralph Waldo Emerson / "We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough" Ralph Waldo Emerson zooms out / school shootings & other tragedies – the answer lies much deeper than political solutions / forgiveness right down to the level of the heart / how to forgive when people refuse to change? / this is a lifetime mission - to become tolerant, compassionate, kind, forgiving, wise / loosen the noose of hate SB 4.20.17-18

Beware what you set your heart upon, for it surely shall be yours. – Ralph Waldo Emerson / all we do is desire / desire + karmic merit = next body / lessons from the Twilight Zone / advancing in spirituality means we can laughing at ourselves / Krishna's not impressed with sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga / krishna fulfills our material desires in a way that we realize we don't want them / you can be emotional, and equipoised on Krishna / jacked, tanned & disappointed SB 4.20.15-15

it's never too late to learn Sanskrit or plant a fruit tree / be bound in friendship not guilt / redirect desires through divine friendship / study like you'll live forever, do sadhana as if you'll die tomorrow / we should always be learning / set aside some time every day exclusively for spiritual practice / working on the functional level, with the fundamental always running in the background / don't become a leader or parent if you can't deliver your dependents / we don't need forced religion, but we do need spiritual values SB 4.20.12-14 instagram link: @bhakti_kids_sangha facebook link: Bhakti_kids_sangha | Facebook youtube link: Bhakti_kids_sangha - YouTube

we're walking right past clues to the magic of the universe / the stars admonish us for our pettiness / the recipe for inner satisfaction - tying your functional dharma to your fundamental dharma / Bhagavatam ties all sorts of theistic worship into one excellent principle - Bhakti / knowledge of calculus doesn't diminish addition and subtraction / duty, performed for any reason but love, is a waste of time SB 4.20.10-11

"He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety" Ralph Waldo Emerson / we all have 2 identities - functional and fundamental / an advanced human being is never malicious / even the mental states are of the body / we're all victims of the three modes of material nature / there's no karma for devotees / the recipe for inner satisfaction - tying your functional dharma to your fundamental dharma SB 4.20.1-9

the Gita's universal question - "what is the right thing to do?" / 3 stages of the Gita's popularity / it's not just action that entangles - it's motive / wisdom lying between the polarities, and on multiple levels / moral dilemma vs ethical dilemma / Krishna gives a philosophical world view with a moral framework for ethical dilemmas / the Gita's battlefield setting - violence is absent in terms of content, context and consequence / reading into a book / gaslighting & knowledge in the mode of ignorance / uncertainty as a symptom of humility

How to deal with heartbreak? / How to understand the Demigods? / Can one have pride in Bhakti?

differences of opinion embittered by group hostility / Daniel Dennett's Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently / expressing respect by trying to understand the other / understanding morality requires more than citing the moral rules of scripture / sometimes good people perform bad deeds / Bhisma's progression to consequentialism / Prthu leaves it at 99 / the more we resist providence, the more we enter into the darkest region of materialistic thought / fate is the language of God / aligning one's heart with God's through full forgiveness SB 4.19.32-42

the gravity of Indra's transgression / all that glitters is not gold (there are plenty of phony holy men out there) / Prthu prepares to kill Indra / the Brahmanas prepare to kill Indra / Brahma overlooks Indra's behavior / deontological ethics vs consequentialism / the stories of Balaka, Kaushika and Mrigari the hunter / ya can't reduce dharma to a list of rules / sometimes it's better to speak a lie than to speak the truth SB 4.19.13-32

we're not buying into the false dichotomy – that other-worldly thought is opposed to worldly good / feeling vitalized by plugging into Bhakti / use the thorn to remove the thorn / Bhagavavad-gita on fake sannyasa vs real sannyasa / cultivating internal renunciation while embracing one's external duties SB 4.19.10-12

the reality of death can quickly deepen our spiritual insight / when it's bad it's good / ritual is meant to re-mind us / the perennial danger of 'religion' / seeing God in fire, the sun, water and other elements, in the heart of the guest, and in one's own heart / when Indra embarrasses himself it's in front of everyone! / real prosperity is accepting the gifts of the cows, earth, rivers, trees, and oceans SB 4.19.3-9

C.S. Lewis week begins / when it's bad, it's good / prosperity can be an obstacle to approach Krishna with sincere feeling / how intellect can shape samskaras as they enter the subconscious mind / why is Lord Indra always being humiliated? / Bhagavatam is full of dharmic reversals / even the most successful materialist suffers from fear and envy / Indra steals the last horse / Indra send a seductress to break a yogi's determination / Bhagavatam shares the highest truth, which is understandable by the non envious / the litmus test of spirituality - happiness at another's good fortune / karma can cut the weeds in the heart, but Bhakti uproots them SB 4.19.1-2

Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder. - Henry David Thoreau / Sage vacation tips - don't travel for happiness - travel to learn, rejuvenate and especially to cultivate devotion / satva guna conditions one by a sense of happiness / we're second hand gods - we manipulate, we don't create / we're not destroying the Earth, we're destroying our relationship with her / seeing personhood behind nature - primitive or profound? SB 4.18.23-32