Wisdom of the Sages

coming to art in childhood / discovery Bhakti at New York's School of Art & Design / the BBT Art Department in LA / the privilege of painting for Srila Prabhupada / Prabhupada's vision for Realism in Bhakti art / perspective as an aid to entering into the pastimes / absorbing the mind through creating art / become a transparent via medium / mastering the rules before breaking them / we can all be artists You can find Dhrti Dasi's artworks at: FaceBook & Instagram: @sosacredart & online at: www.sosacredart.com

to obtain wisdom requires independent, serious effort / knowledge vs wisdom / I may know how to build a car, but do I know where to drive it? / Ātmārāma means "one who rejoices in the self," / a materialist tries to satisfy himself in relation to his body – a devotee tries to satisfy the Superself / it's not the activity, its the state of mind in which one performs the activity / would we be attracted to the enjoyment on the heavenly planets? / what about mystic powers? SB 3.27.24-30

yin deficiencies & yangaholics / self-care vs self-pampering / FOMO / the guru is the cloud who extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence / for the yogi, nothing needs to be happening / tamasic times & self-destruction / the faultiness in our thinking which prevents us from standing in our glory SB: 3.27.23-24

even while trapped within the body & mind, the yogi is free / like a piano key , we have an individual identity intrinsically tied to a larger whole / reading to find a gem / reading as an act of worship / reading out loud / our feeling of being lost is illusory / are purusha & prakriti inextricable? / the method to break free - hear about Krishna (for a long time) & be dutiful / how to receive perfect knowledge & transcendental vision SB 3.27.14-22

the greatest duty of every Bhakti-yogi is to live & speak without hypocrisy / people who try to force circumstances become the slaves of their circumstances / superficial objections to spirituality from right & left perspectives / spiritual insights on acceptance are neither teachings promoting lack of personal ambition (right), or tools of social oppression (left) / we gotta clean up our own act before we can clean up the Earth SB 3.27.8-13

the need for trust in bhakti / #doubtyourdoubts / bhakti is spread from one heart to another / let's start with - what do I know? / as a doctor prescribes medicine as well as diet & lifestyle - a guru prescribes an object of meditation along with lifestyle practices to facilitate absorption / kindness & simplicity / insulate don't isolate / "if your dharma allows" SB 3.27.6-8

is installing the Bhagavatam recommended or necessary? / how do I serve my yoga students by not freaking them or tiptoeing around God? / are offenses during Kartik also multiplied by 1000? / how is Krishna's teasing endearing? / can the concept of ahimsa ever be broadened to allow for killing of animals for a community's survival? / how do I care for my tulsi mala? / if you could redo your brahmacharya training, what would you add and remove?

pride will ruin your spiritual path / beware of egocentric red flag mantras like "how dare you?!", "who do you think you are?!" / when things don't go your way, you get bitter or better / gratitude for our humbling experiences / let the exchanges of love transform our hearts / see yourself in Indra / transform negative thought loops with japa and sacred literature / get off your elephant & bow down Watch Raghunath's Ted talk here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjTWz4WKusU

happy Diwali - time to let go of our resentments / our minds are like the Gowanus Canal / the more we engage in the matrix, the more we forget our nature / practicing bhakti-yoga with intensity is the way out / friendship is encouraging you to raise the bar / Visvamitra & Menaka / Raghu loses it at the airport / our conditioned nature can be engaged in yoga SB 3.27.5

our desire + the reactions to our deeds (karma) = our next body in the matrix / the law of karma is cosmic sensitivity training / the whole material world is hope, desire & fear / mystic perfections as matrix transcendence / bending spoons & dodging bullets? when we're ready we won't have to / Bhakti-yogis aren't interested in mystic perfection (except for Raghunath) / channel your excellence towards God / when we realize that Krishna is the friend of everyone we transcend the matrix SB 3.27.1-4 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/new-kirtan-album-from-madi-das-dave-stringer#/

by nature we are unchanging - but we identify with the body & mind, which by nature are always changing / we all have our lady in the red dress / our attachments are causing our fears / we are shifting from body to body in the matrix due to our "faulty actions" / when you act on behalf of the higher power you transcend the laws / every object has it's nature / like water that has become solid - we can regain our true nature SB 3.27.1-3

the material elements expand telescopically / Bhagavatam language can be both literal & metaphorical / characteristics of intelligence - from doubt, to misapprehension, to correct apprehension / the intelligence of knowing when to withdraw / sound is the primeval form of energy / matter is activated by the inner presence of the Divine – He is also in you – now meditate on Him

My father suffers from schizophrenia & his violent behavior traumatized me in my youth. He's recently been institutionalised & doctors have contacted me as his next closest relative to make decisions with regard to his treatment. Is it ok to turn my back on him or should I find something inside of me and try to help him by visiting and rekindling a relationship? / Is there a part of us that currently exists in the spiritual world, perhaps in a dormant state, like sleeping, and we haven't really left the spiritual world at all? / How do books like Bhagavad-gita & Srimad Bhagavatam address the environment? / I know we are here to serve Krishna, but in what ways are we here on an individual level?

matter is eternal, but it's transformations are temporary / time as a concept / what does time teach us? time is the transformer / material existence is a rom com that turns into a horror film / 24 Sankhya, a Buddhist perspective / 25 Sankhya, a Monist perspective / 26 Sankhya, a Bhakti perspective / Western science analyzes matter, Vedic science also analyzes the experiencer of matter, the purusha www.thespiritualscientist.com www.gitadaily.com

fantasies are our dreams within the dream / Raghu's failed kindergarten romance / the spiritual origin of teasing & flirting / rationalization as the intelligence in service of the false ego / better to be a jalopy moving forward than a Ferrari moving backwards / defining yoga / the 5 fluctuating states of mind / it's not sectarian to say it all leads to Krishna / Krishna's description of the sage of steady mind

universal creation & destruction comes in cycles / God the Father & Mother Nature / the manas (mind) is the sitting place of desire - it corrupts the senses & the intellect / strengthening the intellect though hearing wisdom daily

Bhisma's 9 deathbed instructions / the external bath & the internal bath / in the material realm, nothing is more powerful than time / we can chose whether to listen to the Supersoul, but we have to listen to time / our default setting is enjoyment / hang out with people that light you up / we need purification to tune into the Supersoul / sadhana + regulation of the senses is the formula for yoga / GET THE HELL OF THE ALTAR! SB 3.26.17-18

the wise don't delight in material pleasures / the enjoyment ceiling gets lower with age / the materialist seeks external pleasure, the yogi seeks pleasure within / death comes to the devotee like a cat to a kitten / time ends our film of life & moves us to the next theater / false ego is the darkness in the theater / how we respond to the film determines our next movie (life) / zoom out to see the multiplex Maya & broader reality SB 3.26.15-16

how can one work and still not be attached to the fruits of labor? / how does falling in love with Krishna before falling in love help us? / Brahman, the universal form, Vishnu & Krishna - who should we meditate on? / can you recommend any books that are written in a simplified form to help me understand bhakti-yoga? / how to understand Arjuna's unique marriages in the Mahabharata?

material hype vs spiritual hope / as a city has department heads our senses have devas in charge / there's no room for arrogance when you accept the Vedic paradigm / there's purusha and then there is Purushotama / we can be both active & reflective / how to remember the 24 material elements / the elements are the batter & time is the mixing element / time is alien to our true nature SB 3.26.9-15

who is responsible for my suffering? / does karma necessitate callousness to the suffering of others? / great personalities accept voluntary suffering to relieve the sufferings of others / the kidnapped kings accepted radical responsibility / there are no passes on forgiveness, even in a dungeon / getting past superficial spirituality requires radical responsibility / Brahma's verse about radical responsibility / #ideservemuchworse / respond to the karma of others with compassion - respond to our own karma with radical responsibility

every tree has a back story / God is calling us to dance / Divine love is the most powerful influence in the universe / the power month is magical & may lead to Krishn-addiction / meditate on Krishna's baby cheeks / what more can I describe than this? www.sanskritsense.com

sambhanda jnana - God, the self & nature, & how they are related / God transcends material nature / because His awareness pervades all of nature, it is His / we live peacefully when we accept our quota and no more / don't fight over virtual mangos / although we do nothing, we are responsible for our own happiness & distress / the shift in consciousness from the material to Krishna / recognizing that everything is created by our well wishing friend

prayers for the devotees of Bangladesh / spiritual knowledge counters religious hatred / The Matrix is real & we need a Morpheus to get out! / Raghu observes his emotions through Covid recovery / the need for patience / transcend the matrix & become an instrument of compassion / our desires bind us in the Matrix / "guru" red flags SB 3.26.1-2

Life as a young man in the ashrams of Vrindavan, India / the 3 laws Laws of Perception / the ancient teachings for kings and queens / the 4 principles of the Dharma Code - Truth, Purity, Non-violence, and Discipline / how do we actually practically apply the Dharma Code in our everyday life? / dharma protects one who protects dharma

how does martial arts nestle with the Bhakti Yogi's path? / how to respond to people who, due to emotional scars, are averse to understanding God as a person? / what is the best way to show appreciation to bhakti-yogis? / does Krishna choose sides? / is it bad to chant in my head during meetings?

the real enemies are within / a sun-ray of love for Krsna / bhakti causes the heart to be softened by various tastes / the eternal propensity for love in all living entities is always searching for a place to reside / might as well face it you're addicted to God / to the degree we take shelter of Krishna our fear dissipates / choose fear or choose Bhakti SB 3.25.38-44

Bhagavatam cuts through the social fluff / 5 potent practices of Bhakti - nama, dhama, Bhagavatam, deities, devotees / Kaustubha's favorite temples / how Bhakti works / false ideas impressed within our minds are the cause of our losing touch with our true nature & seeking happiness externally / the transformative practices of Bhakti-yoga are designed to purify the mind through contact with powerful sources of spiritual energy / you've gotta throw away the magical stone to receive something higher SB 3.25.36-37

beautiful destitution / turn your prison into a temple / beginning the journey of awakening / Bhakti dissolves the false programing in the mind /the 4 objects of human pursuit / the 5th object of human pursuit / liberation is just the neutral position on the way to love / finding meditative focus in a temple SB 3.25.33-34

avoiding the material glue traps / step back & think about how we are situated in the body & the universe / approaching like a fool / the evidence that we need help is our suffering / our senses are being monitored / the Vedic teachings are the guidebook to how to use the equipment of the body / visiting the holy place in the mind SB 3.25.31-32

Bhagavatam is a support through all situations / the naval is the magic spot / Krishna can eat with his eyes / bhakti makes the pursuit of knowledge effective / yoga is an eternal practice / in bhakti, one need not kill their tender emotions / service should never be impeded due to external considerations (sex, gender, race, etc.) SB 3.25.27-30

How many Bhakti lineages are there, where do they stem from & what are the differences between them? / What is the difference between Bhakti for Vishnu & Bhakti for Krishna? / Are we supposed to always think about other people's comfort and forget about our own? / Isn't it wrong for God to lie, cheat or steal?

the most instructive question in approaching a texts is not "what does it say?" but, "what am I looking for?" / what is the path? it's hidden in the heart an unadulterated, self-realized person / aligning one's heart with the heart of a pure devotee / what do I need to let go of to open myself to truth? / welcome the breakdowns that lead to the breakthroughs / hearing Krishna's pastimes makes yoga easy / Kunti's prayer and Arjuna's material exhaustion

devotional treasures within the heart / approach a sadhu without guile or duplicity /there's hypocrisy on the Eastern paths too / the psychological effect of bowing / deep inquiry is informed by a recognition of our necessity & the absence of awareness of how to fulfill it / Maya's remedy for insincerity is suffering / in the right context and association, stories & pastimes transform / the progression from faith, associating with pure devotees, execution of the regulative principles of devotion, giving up of what has no value, being fixed, taste, attachment, affection, pure love / different things grow in different ways SB 3.25.23-25

evolution of inquiry precedes evolution of being / the basic dimension of the material world is death / sadhus are both beacon & burden for the conventional psyche / renounce what dilutes your attachment to God / spiritual wisdom leads to fearlessness / bhakti broadens affection to the wider family / absorption in divinity leads to forgetting material miseries / have faith in Krishna's eagerness to overlook our shortcomings / give up suffering & follow your bliss / prison in Vrndavan is better than 'freedom' in maya! SB 3.25.22-23

going deeper into the practices we repeat / little Karuna knows her Gita shlokas! / the peace formula / growing through the challenges / the story of Ajamil - Krishna is so kind / paka vs sucka / we recognize a sadhu by their character, not the externals / don't return the hate / practicing tolerance can make the entire day a yoga practice / once I get resentful, I'm off my spiritual path / we come in a lineage of mercy / every reaction is either a manifestation of love or a cry for love / decorating ourselves with the ornaments of a sadhu SB 3.25.21

these stories not only educate - they satisfy the soul / the mind is the pivot / Vyasadeva's despondency / Vyasadeva clarifies all the Vedic teachings through Srimad Bhagavatam / all the other yoga paths find complete auspiciousness through Bhakti / understand devotion through "spirituality" not "religion" / attachment, when applied to sadhus, opens the door of liberation / the devotional yoga of old Indian ladies / Krishna has a heart! SB 3.25.18-20

lesson 1 - material happiness does not come without material distress – this is the law of the material world / lesson 2 - when we let go of false identification of the body as "I" & bodily possessions as "mine," - we transcend material happiness and distress / we're conditioned to believe that happiness is external / the soul is like God (transcendental to material existence & self-effulgent) & different from God (infinitesimal, not temporarily fragmented) SB 3.25.12-17

Raghunath & Kaustubha speak with Porcell & Sammy Siegler from Youth of Today to discuss the juncture of Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge, Vegetarianism & Krishna Bhakti.

Do you guys have any advice to lonesome devotees, in distant places? / How can I appropriately stand up for my beliefs and be a voice for those experiencing injustice while coming from a place of loving service and compassion? / What are the rules for visiting a temple? / Can you please explain what makes a certain (spiritual) path a sect (or cult) and why Krishna Consciousness isn't one?

we're so easily bewildered - we need to keep good association / material exhaustion & total disgust creates a fertile ground for spiritual knowledge & sprouts the seed of devotion in the heart / maya covers you with blankets and slaps you around / the banyan tree metaphor / Purusha & Prakriti / the 1% suffer too / no such thing as healthy corn chips after 10 PM / we are all watching the same crap SB 3.25.1-11

crisis can lead to our spiritual growth / can I grow from my humiliation, or do I dig my heels in? / look very carefully at your endeavors for material enjoyment to see where it causes pain to others / compassion for every living being is a platform for self realization / if you go deep, you won't be rocked by the waves on the surface / the jewel of Krishna Prema can be found in the deep and calm waters of an undisturbed mind SB 3.24.44-47

what people think of as spirituality - crystals, dream catchers, burning sage / spirituality from the sacred texts - recognizing and respecting the soul & Supersoul within every living being and becoming free of fear & lamentation / spirituality is the awareness that we're all in the network of God's energy / yoga means focus - sadhana is the practice, sadhya is the goal / the principles of spiritual practice are simple but the application involves nuance / practices of fasting & silence / solitude creates an opportunity to connect to God within / clear the mind so it can focus on service to Krishna / Bhakti is about what we hold as sacred in the heart & mind SB 3.24.40-44

Bhakti is kid friendly / think of Krishna in your heart as you pass through your jungle & your lamentations & fears will recede / we're entangled in unnecessary material desires / Srila Prabhupada's contribution / focus your happiness internally & you will find Krishna in your heart /worry is a poor investment of time / fear of a personal God / attachments & fears cloud our judgment / doubt your mental loops & turbo scenarios / how explicit does Krishna have to be for us to get the message? SB 3.24.34-39

soochi vs moochi / all this sense pleasure is just a mental concoction / Raghu's movie analogy / how the mind gets programmed / shrimp are the cockroaches of the sea / meditation is on light at the least & form at the most / defining time / we get owned by the gunas / seek the blessings of the sages and move forward SB 3.24.28-34

1. What's my purpose? / 2. How can I be of service? / 3. What is the lesson? / 4. Where am I investing my attention right now? Email to contact [email protected] https://www.bhadracampaign.com https://vaisesikadasa.com/en/home/

How do you know when it is time to take on a guru and begin the initiation process? / As you become more detached from the things of this world, is it wrong to be callous towards those who don't get it yet? / How to understand dementia through the teachings of yoga? / What are some ways that I can recognize and appreciate the loving relationships that I already have in life and how can I earn the love of others on a Bhakti path?

embrace opportunity in adversity / we create our own suffering - stop blaming / emotional & rational thought / taking radical responsibility for our own misdeeds / staying away materialist mantras (why me? who do you think you are? its not fair) / let go of the material and grab hold of the spiritual / Divine love completes all of the paths of yoga / internal renunciation develops effortlessly in bhakti / don't get stuck in Scranton SB 3.24.26-28

make time to share our hearts with Bhakti yogis / contemplate our misidentification with the body / when the external self moves in harmony with the internal self / our nature is to love / train the mind to operate in harmony with the self / knowledge has to be applied / like a pen's purpose is to write, the soul's purpose is to love / we're in a divinity centered universe not a me centered universe / arranged marriage Tuesday for the A-list sages SB 3.24.18-25

great souls make any place great / Kardama's yoga instructions - sensory control, dharmic observances, austerities & gifts of charity / external rituals have internal effect / matter & spirit are knotted by false ego / truck stripes won't destroy your spiritual life / spiritual knowledge vanquishes the knot in the heart / Bhakti brings detachment without even trying for it / don't FedEx your kids / we own nothing / be like the bank teller— put it in the vault for Krishna / joy in Bhakti is effortless SB 3.24.1-17