Wisdom of the Sages

simplicity facilitates meditation / our needs (for food, clothing & shelter) get hijacked by our wants / Bhakti-yoga grants fearlessness / material existence is always fearful and full of anxiety / everyone is deeply longing for a (re)connection with God/ sharing Bhakti with your kids is the ultimate parent win / everything we do influences everyone around us SB 3.23.28-57

practical humility and how to let things go from St. Francis / if you're going through hell, you should understand its because you're sincere / recurring honeymoons with Krishna / don't underestimate the power of Maya, or the speed of evolution from hearing the Bhagavatam daily / by serving the devotee, you serve Krishna / zoom out don't focus on the fault / we don't want what everyone wants SB 3.23.1-27

Bhakti is intergalactic / surround yourself with good practices and good community and you can be in it and not of it / you don't have to give up sense enjoyment, just regulate it / work toward self realization daily to approach death fearlessly / with Bhakti, you're never bored / real yogis never waste time / as flies are to us, we are to others / a little something from St. Clare of Assisi SB 3.22.34-39

Should I speak with an abusive father who is nearing death? / Why must God have a gender & why must it be male?

simple living is joyful / we're leaving a legacy of leftover crap / Stop eating bars- cook with love / transcending the material miseries / Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the antiseptic of the material world / you die & people ask "whats for lunch?" / Srimad Bhagavatam is eternal, nothing on Netflix compares / partying every day at the Radha Govinda Temple in Jaipur! SB 3.22.22-33

born into devotion / the master's instruction to bring Bhakti to the west / the treacherous sea journey / setting up on New York's skid row / blowing up in the Summer of Love / fulfilling the vision that was separated only by time / writing all the books / Allen Ginsberg's appreciation / George Harrison's appreciation / Thomas Merton's appreciation / reaching everyone, from the scholars to the street kids

Cintamani - a guru among the prostitutes / how much time, energy & resources are we giving to Maya? / the power of Krishna's flute / Krishna outsources all the work so He can engage full time in adventures of love / let Krishna shine within the heart / how is Krishna the only enjoyer & the only source of enjoyment? / we're leaving scars all over the place / greed for the poisonous meat of sense objects

how can we explain to children, without traumatizing them, about why we should not hurt animals or any living beings? / how to better understand why we have to endure lasting pain in life? / is it appropriate to pursue a material goal while on the path of bhakti? / how do we choose who to help when we can't help everyone?

envy / growing up Vedic / spiritual life - if it's not fun, you're doing it wrong / austerity brings clarity / if it isn't extraordinary, you aren't really there more info at https://madhu.life

we're unlearning the material world / everyone has a role to play / you can't buy off a brahmana / the wise are meant to temper the strong / training the brahminical mind / snuggle a monk today / good karma isn't necessarily good / the smile of the devotee / thoughts of God are the natural default of the mind SB 3.22.1-21

D8KRSNA1ST / where's my next step going Krishna? / the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium / karma, jnana & bhakti / economic development vs service as a paradigm of success / the mutual respect between the ruler & the yogi / train our teachers, leaders and business owners in ethics & dharma / control the senses, and some hearing & then Krishna steps in SB 3.21.48-56

they never sink under misfortunes whose understandings are guided by the the sacred texts / the morning rituals of the yogi / happiness in goodness & happiness in passion / the real yoga glow doesn't come cheap / the real yoga certificate / Raghu's sex education / the sadhu on the bus / when, through controlling the senses, the mind becomes reprogramed to be harmonious with the nature of the self, we call that yoga SB 3.21.45-47

what is the role of humor in Bhakti? / how to understand & speak to people about karma? / how to respond when the atmosphere I live in is fueling my addictions? / who is your favorite Mahabharata character and why? / is a true yogi someone who hears the voice of God within, and if so, how do I get there myself amidst the cacophony of everyday life?

Ishvara Pranidhana - completely surrendering to God / for one who gives everything there is no frustration / the relationship between self realization, seeing everything in Good & God in everything, and compassion for all living beings / be the bee (not the fly) / even the jerks are pure spirit souls, have compassion / Shiva fixes his mind on Vishnu and feels compassion for the haters / Raghu likes rap / let Krishna be the attractive one (it's too exhausting for us) SB 3.21.22-44

spiritual fandom / why do we love this swing festival so much? / our senses are dragging us around with the hope to enjoy / the tremendous velocity of the wheel of time / if Kaustubha created a virtual reality for Raghu he would program it with time & karma, so that he would come back out / Vishnu expands & withdraws his energies like a spider and its web / enjoyment or enlightenment? what's the universe designed for? SB 3.21.17-21

Mara's leap of faith / we live in a world of hype / expectations make us suffer repeatedly / you're at the Coliseum, now what?! / every moment of the day, we get a fork in the road & can choose Krishna / Krishna is the root of everything / as Divine consciousness rises within us the externals become less significant / we're being dragged around like a bull with a ring in its nose / fearlessness through seeing God in everyone SB 3.21.13-16

death doulas / saris are long / advice from sage Narada - waste no time with indecisive debate – put aside material happiness, distress, desire & false gain – cultivate nonviolence, truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion & faith – constantly worship the Krishna with all of your heart / by nature the heart is full of love / the vision of the yogi – God is in everyone & everyone is in God /Bhagavad-gita is not a convo between Arjuna & a candle SB 3.21.7-12

the yogi Kardama Muni lived how long? / Kaustubha's trip to the waterfall / this podcast is NOT sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts / Prabhupada's disbelief at what Americans are willing to buy into / turn your entire day into yoga / is love an illusion? / love is intrinsic to the soul & is awakened through Bhakti-yoga / all the yoga paths are meant to go to the same place - but Bhakti goes there directly SB 3.21.5-7

advancement in yoga is tapping into the frequency of God in the heart / GiGo principle - good in, good out, garbage in, garbage out / reduce the noise to hear the whisper within / God is our internal engineer dropping pebbles on our helmet as reversals in life / Srimad Bhagavatam teaches us to make lemonade of the lemons and offer it to God https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChkQ7Q6cEBQenwKugPjOVjA

How can material things mean nothing when Krishna's energy is in all material things down to the atom? / If the material world means nothing and is an illusion, why wouldn't we just stay in the spiritual realm from the beginning? / Why is chanting talked about as 'the only way' in this age? / Am I worthy of owning the Bhagavatam without being a full time Bhakti-yogi? / Karmically, how responsible am I for these people who are under my care as a business owner? / How to respond to someone who tells you that you aren't putting into practice 'everything you read in your books' during a disagreement/argument?

we all need a spiritual mission / we're born to contribute / reprograming the mind through shloka memorization / drop your phone and hold the mind steady / you need a peaceful lifestyle for a peaceful mind / self knowledge frees one from body negativity & anxiety / smash your mirrors / phones are sickly addictive… turn it off! / climbing the 8 limbs of yoga SB 3.21.4

if I have an enemy, I have a problem / accepting illusion as truth in the material world / higher beings, lower being, snakes, angels, mystics, sages, demigods, demons, ghosts, fiends, sages & the father of mankind / the problem with counteracting bad karma - you don't get to the root of the problem / it was The Clash Raghu, The Clash, (not the Jam) / the Srimad Bhagavatam family tree SB 3.20.1-21.3

continuous practice reframes all of life's challenges / 2 ways to see the world - it's meant for me to enjoy - it's meant for me to learn from / Kaustubha met a wild boar! / our bodies are unreal / what about stillness Raghu? / doubt your doubts / even alpha-male elephants need to cry for help sometimes / 5 potent practices SB 3.19.20-38

What to do when you catch your 15 year old smoking Marijuana in the house? / Is there a place for women renunciants in the Bhakti tradition? / Do the Bhagavatam or other Vedic scripture provide any direct insight on parenting or the development of the child in the first weeks and months?

happy birthday Mara! / create ripple effects of love / zoom the hell out - its over in a moment / worry is a lousy investment / you can love your enemies when you zoom the hell out / God is to us as the root is to the tree, or as the stomach is to all the limbs of the body / Raghu's Christian outreach method / when it comes to personalization - make that circle big / Vishnu's battle with Hiranyaksha SB 3.18.1-3.19.18

1. don't let hate make you hate / 2. don't let revenge, resentment or spite enter your heart / 3. step back and zoom out - its just a tiny moment in time / 4. we've got karma to burn / Bhagavatam works! / the words of the shaman / Krishna always saves us / we'll all be severely tested so that we can break the cycle of birth & death / by Krishna's grace we can pass over all life's obstacles / building up to the big fight - Hiraṇyākṣa vs Vishnu! SB 3.17.1-31

checking in with the 3rd generation / listening to the Bhagavatam just makes my day better / I may have been a chicken in my last life / the appeal of Bhagavatam at all stages of life / Krishna's forgetfulness is part of his perfection / Krishna gets lost in play to taste love / when you displease great souls, you lose your beauty & luster / Krishna, looking like a puppet made of butter, gets lost in playing as Krishna getting lost in play (It's a Fibonacci Spiral!) SB 3.16.27-37

Bhakti helps you deal with the pain of material existence / uproot & let go of the hurt / don't be petty back / Kaustubha's dentist chair prayers / Vishnu steals your victim card / taking radical responsibility / Guna, Purusha, Yuga, Shakyavesa & Lila Avataras SB 3.16.24-26

from the gangsters of Chicago to the Goswamis of Vrindavan / the renunciation of Raghunath dasa Goswami / family responsibility as exemplified by Gopal Bhatta Goswami / the loving dealings of Sanantana Goswami / madhukari - collecting one's meals like the bee / the vast contribution of Rupa Goswami / Jiva Goswami's humility /the tomb of esoteric books / Srila Prabhupada presented the teachings of the Goswami's in a way that even we can understand and apply / the confrontational debate consciousness bans us from entering the meditation of Vrindavan / Jahnava Devi - the female saint and head of the bhakti community / Gangamata Goswamini - the princess turned saint https://chaturatmadasa.com

can you recommend any strategies for me to use to help bring my mind to higher things and away from these carnal thoughts? / why are we given a number of rounds to chant, rather than a length of time? / beating ourselves up can lead to unnecessary amounts of guilt and shame, but so-called self-acceptance can lead to remaining attached to things that are holding us back - how can we continue making progress in bhakti without being overly hard on ourselves? / how does Bhakti, although highly specialized, avoid the pitfalls of other forms of specialization & points of view that are prevalent today?

Celebrate Episode 500 with us as we hear testimonials from Wisdom of the Sages listeners about how the podcast, bhakti & Srimad Bhagavatam have transformed their lives.

reading wise things won't make us wise- we need to apply it / Vishnu is exceedingly attached to his devotees / 3 principles of spiritual culture - cleanliness, austerity and mercy / our nonsense got us here, we need wise people to lead us out / the need to honor the speakers of truth / live simply to be happy / frogs are dying / what's the news - everybody is burning / dharma is hidden in the hearts of the great souls SB 3.16.19-23

Sherri's kirtan adventure / to be aloof from public opinion / Vishnu asks a favor / being bound by love / knowing the mind of the master / getting beyond religious superficiality / the most confidential knowledge is when God reveals His heart / the 4 Kumara's try to make sense out of Vishnu's love / Sanatana dharma - there is an eternal standard for what is good / Kaustubha's satanic friend SB 3.16.12-18

the importance of routine / even people of the lowest behavior are purified by their interest in hearing about Vishnu / interest in Vishnu obliges Vishnu personally / Vishnu is glorious because he honors the Brahmanas / good fortune is always with Vishnu because he serves such devotees / Vishnu is more pleased by service to devotees than by ritual offered to him directly / ritual becomes void if you can't treat others with respect & love / how we treat the vulnerable is how we treat God 3.16.6-11

when there's no ego the heart dances / Sherri's kirtan adventure / there's more happiness in serving than in being served / nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded / a brahmana is known by their qualities, not by their birth / God takes radical responsibility and apologizes / Vishnu is sacred because He serves his devotees / how social justice is woven into bhakti culture / how ideas of cultural appropriation can be misapplied to yoga culture SB 3.16.1-7

How does the bhakti community view the LGBT community? / Does hearing Raghunath and Kaustubha on a podcast recommending "chant the maha mantra" count as receiving the mantra from guru & does it make a difference if I haven't been personally directed by a teacher to set aside time each day to chant? / In this modern age of internet association, how can someone develop a real relationship with a teacher & how do you actually ask the teacher to be your guru? / Is Krishna present in full, in all things?

kirtan at the Bhakti Center / our egos get in the way of everything / Krishna is like the sun, and I'm a stinky t-shirt / 3 approaches – karma, jnana & bhakti / engaging the mind, words and body / the devotee is fearless - heaven & hell are the same to them - externals don't matter / Krishna is my inner engineer SB 3.15.49-50

eagerness is everything / rapture / Dhruva / spiritual form /The Absolute Truth can be understood in three features — impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and Bhagavān / the personal feature is the last word in understanding the Absolute Truth / untie the knot in the heart / becoming materially exhausted / nothing in the material world will satisfy your heart / its what can I give, not what can I get SB 3.15.46-48

the Bhakti-yogi is like salt / the Bhagavatam perspective shift / #BhaktiGoesNiceWithAge / even the 1% is dying / Bhakti is superior to mukti - example 1. Sukadeva, example 2. the four Kumaras / the supreme dharma is Bhakti / Paramatma in the heart of everyone & in every atom / as our consciousness spreads though our body, Paramatma's consciousness spreads through the entire universe / as we have a right of proprietorship over our bodies, Paramatma is the proprietor of the universe SB 3.15.44-45

the mad elephant offense / smiling Lord Vishnu melts the heart / so called pleasure is just a cessation of pain / have faith that happiness lies in service / #dontbeasuckerbeaserver / the Bhakti-yogis don't try for liberation, but liberation herself stands with folded hands waiting to serve them / everyone has a backstory / the fact that the atmaramas take pleasure in the form of Krishna is proof that His form is spiritual SB 3.15.39-43

our attractions & aversions are randomly programed into our minds / the illusion of duality / Raghunath's exercise / happiness is an inside job / purification through the fire of knowledge / see the Divine orchestration in everything / we accept the curse, but may we not forget Vishnu / we aren't asking for peace, we are stepping in the fire / high level meditation on the form of Vishnu / the appearance of Lord Vishnu / seeing God in the skunk SB 3.15.34-38

we're either grateful or entitled / gratitude leads to spiritual awakening / the myth of the more choices the better / regulation gives rise to beauty / finding value in the tough times / parampara - from one to another / being endowed with billions of years of tradition / life is a game of frogger / people have shown me kindness that was otherworldly / the catharsis of gratitude

Can departed family members send us signals, and how can their souls stay with us and simultaneously take on a new body? / How can Bhakti help me to manage expectations of others and how can I manage expectations of others on me? / In the sacred texts we hear about how humiliation can stimulate spiritual growth, but also how Krishna uses fear of humiliation as an encouragement for Arjuna's growth. How would you connect the two? / Do you have any suggestions for ashrams in India to visit or stay at?

taking radical responsibility / Srimad Bhagavatam every day! / when the mind is out of harmony with the soul, we experience discord - anxiety, fear, boredom, depression, etc./ train the body to dance with the soul / as you become more spiritual you become aware of discordance within / religion = allegiance to a church; spirituality = developing the qualities of God / harmony of the body & mind with the true self is yoga / a positive spin on subordination SB 3.15.32-33

relinquish the burden of resentment / squash it quick! - be quick to apologize and quick to forgive / the pain derived from humbling oneself is less than the pain derived from offending someone / the qualification and disqualification for freedom from anxiety / Vaikuntha Man / the verse we wear around our necks / Krishna is sending us people for our evolution / superficial peace crumbles when it's challenged / the boy sages approach the gates of the spiritual world / anger is the younger brother of desire / the anger of the liberated person is different SB 3.15.26-31

sound is transformative / "the darkest region of ignorance" like those football hooligans / to change your life wipe out Blame & criticism / how we open the gate to fear, anxiety & depression / the rare opportunity of earthly human life provides just enough pleasure & pain for one to decide to transcend / you can't step into reality with a hard heart / 5 steps to getting blown up in a spiritual land mine SB 3.15.23-25

Madhava's Rock Band is saving Raghunath from the Brahma Complex / the Brahma Complex = don't you know who I am – who do you think you are? / you don't punk Krishna, Krishna punks you / we get bitter or we get better / seeing the inner child of the football hooligan / their desires are fulfilled by rendering transcendental loving service / the residents of Vaikuṇṭha have a better standard of pleasure / bringing the principles of the spiritual world into the material world = spiritual activism SB 3.15.20-22

Ouch! Wisdom of the Sages gets rejected by Madhava's Rock Band (we love them anyway) / Diti puts a pause on her pregnancy (we're beyond uniformitarianism over here) / we can fight the law - but the law always wins / the first description of the spiritual world / the metaphor of the upside-down banyan tree / illusion follows desire / the metaphor of the reflection in the window / it's not that dogs & vegan doughnuts don't exist - it's just that we are trying to enjoy their reflections SB 3.15.1-19

rational, ethical & metaphysical challenges to the sacred texts / 3 levels of thought - literal, rational, transcendental / burden carriers vs essence seekers /the folly of uniformitarianism / 3 challenges to miracles / just because something happens routinely doesn't make it any less extraordinary / the mathematical complexity of digestion / rationality is a call for open-mindedness / sci-fi - why is attraction to the supernatural so natural? / what we call reality depends on the scale of our perception / celestial perspective vs human perspective / how we devalue scripture & how we devalue science / humility facilitates open-mindedness

How can I share wisdom with people going through a death in the family? / How do I stop lying to myself? / What does it mean that Krishna is the most renounced? / Do you or the bhakti lineages find any use in vipassana style meditation?