Wisdom of the Sages

how to approach a holy place / dhamas & tirthas / walking holy places / sound transforms space / sound is the key to a spiritual home / spiritual sound loops / kirtan changes everything / yogis consumes differently / mantra trumps the negative mind loops / spiritual PMA / who should live & who should die / it'a all Bhagavatam Poppa Tony!

bhakti philosophy - it's simple, but there is a lot behind it / just admit it, we are all dependent / Dr. Frog / the Lila of the lifting of Govardhana Hill / the steeped arrogance of materialism / Indra - the most successful materialist / pleasure from ego brings pain / the purpose of sacrifice / the key to understanding the Krishna stories - it's all about creating the setting for deepening the exchange of rasa (varieties of divine love) SB 2.7.32

decoding the layers of meaning in the sacred spaces / finding meaning without giving everything up / another miracle / samadhi / by places Krishna in the center material life becomes saturated with spiritual potency / Kaustubha's mafia story / longing for kirtan can be as good as kirtan itself / motive is everything - when you risk for service you are protected, when you risk out of selfishness you enter a world of anxiety / attempt is anxiety / Kartik is coming SB 2.7.31-32

the shape-shifter demon / fake gurus / can a Bhakti-yogi appear like Liberace? / a noble person accepts the good qualities of a person of doubtful character / no hate allowed for yogis / when you get to the very source of all existence - it is the most beautiful, most kind, most merciful / Raghu's embarrassing story / beautiful desperation / the layers of meaning in Krishna's pastimes SB 2.7.27 - 30

when it's ok to reject the guru / uncontrolled senses can never be satisfied / swan avatar / ayurveda avatar / taking down bad leaders avatar / Lord Rama! / esoteric & exoteric faith / both learning & character are important in a teacher / Vishnu-tattva & jiva-tattva SB 2.7.17 - 26

childhood India fascination / yoga grows out of the Upanishads / asana - 1% of the yoga sutras, prepares the body to sit for meditation / recognizing that life is frustrating is the 1st sign of wisdom / 2 kinds of yoga / Patanjali in the morning - Gita 9-5 / become conscious of Bhagavan / japa / the special place of the Bhagavatam / Beauty of power / 10th Canto of the Bhagavatam is transrational / contemplation of death is not depressing / think of Krishna all day! Learn more at www.edwinbryant.org

there are so many books that are to be read, where to start? / what other projects have you thought about? / monism & dualism, can you speak about this? / how to introduce a friend with cancer to bhakti? / mercy vs justice - can you share some clarity on the subject? / how can I deepen my practice during this crazy time that is COVID?

when leaders don't take good advice / the Brahminical qualities / Raghu's Jada-yogi friend / the purpose of yoga, under any heading, is to control the mind & senses and prepare one for self-realization / we become what we hear & repeat - our current social need for hearing the stories of the Bhagavatam / Krishna incarnates for our instruction, for His own adventure, and to captivate our minds / the devotee crocodile of Kerala / being in our element SB 2.7.9 - 16

captivated by spiritual pastimes or by creepy pastimes / remain satisfied under any condition / 3 ways to interact with 3 types of people / 5 ways to recognize a senior / Raghu and his prepubescent seniors / going to a holy place / pranayama as a means to fixing the mind on Vishnu / worshiping God in the heart through mantra / the deity is an access point / meditation on the pastimes of the avatars / 4 types of people approach Krishna / Dhruva's desires are transformed though bhakti SB 2.7.8

Krisangi of adventure - turning a curse into a blessing / Krishna of adventure - appearing in far-out ways for the sake of His own adventure, maintenance of the material world, and to captivate our minds / 5 varieties of devotional relationships / Raghu receives messages from false avatars / sincerity is the key / 6 types of avatars SB 2.7.1-6 Find more of Krisangi's books at www.absolutetruthpress.com and www.timeaftertimebook.com

the transcendental Q-tip / resisting the clickbait of mundane sound / the one part of the body to focus on for a deeper yoga practice - the ear / mantra > pranayama > asana / if we don't consciously swim against the tide we go downstream fast / the iPhone - a little box of "foul matter" / yoga sutras on how practice becomes firmly rooted SB 2.6.46

we are only seeing what we see / a universal line-up of characters / getting to the root of it all / the opulences of the absolute / Raghu aces the 10th Chapter game / ant colonies and intuition / know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of Krishna's splendor SB 2.6.43-45 (& BG Chapter 10)

owls are dangerous / our desires get in the way of our making sense of the universe / pure soul theory - we're not born sinful / the spiritual metaphor of Dogface208's viral video / Bhagavad-gita 18.63 - deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do / the attraction of Krishna's detachment / romance - micro & macro / the metaphor of the musk deer / Bhagavatam drops the pin in the material GPS SB 2.6.42

don't waste your time / our desires get in the way of making sense of the universe / you need a peaceful mind to perceive truth / peace comes from selflessness / misconceptions of "there is no Mara" - "we are all Mara" / no mantras, no gurus, no chanting...no yoga / Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless Purana / to those who are attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, "no samadhi for you!" / Bhagavad-gita 2.44 SB 2.6.39-41

go right for the essence / if you're broken, you're qualified / Instagram's measure of success / establishing cosmic order / creating with the mind - the iPhone is a looking glass / empirically, I can see that people wrongly limit their idea of what is possible / all-auspiciousness / Raghu's experiments in nature / qualifications to hear & know / spirituality isn't joining a club, it's a practice of gradually, step by step advancement / qualifications for perception beyond the senses is devotion / we're making ourselves vessels for truth SB 2.6.29-38

two paths - red pill - knowledge, blue pill - ignorance / ignorance of the principle of sacrifice results in clash & frustration / sacrifice means to make something sacred by reconnecting it / Bhagavad-gita shows how to make one's entire life a sacrifice / ritual is designed to bring the mind back to reality / it's all God's anyway / we find peace though sacrificing for Krishna, the dearest friend / one way or another we sacrifice / divorce from source is the disconnection / recreate & offer SB 2.6.21-28

everyone has their spiritual awakening / the hardest lessons are the ones best learned / the light of knowledge / the planting of the seed of bhakti / why become a monk? / the proof is in the higher taste / take risks! / how faith increases / my home is the world, the people of the world are my family / I've been taught to see the soul / raising saints / so much hard endeavor in the material world / every word of Bhagavatam is an inspiration / chanting is the main process / I am the servant of a glorious master www.travelingmonk.com https://www.youtube.com/c/indradyumnaswamiofficial

is there a certain way a yogi should act around non-yogis? / do I have a dharmic responsibility to vote? / where is the line between free will, my endeavor, and what God has planned? / what is life for the monks who don't greatly achieve? / how to present important spiritual values (such as humility and not criticizing) in a way that the possible negative material manifestations of them found in our society don't turn people away from them / how to handle family who are inimical to our path

The Purusha Shukta describes the totality of creation as 1/4 illusion & 3/4 spiritual reality / our choice the red pill or the blue pill / the fine print on the material blue pill - "users may experience death, fear and old age" / some gastrointestinal advice from Raghu / materialism is the blue pill - jnana is the red / bhakti synthesizes everything - you can maintain your material life while still moving from illusion to reality SB 2.6.17 - 20

the mantras of the Vedas are echoed & expanded on in Srimad Bhagavatam / what do we pray for? / virtual reality is generated out of reality / the universe didn't appear by chance, it is designed to facilitate our desires / we are given the virtual equipment (senses & sense objects) to experiment with separate enjoyment / Bhakti Yoga means we reconnect the senses to their original source SB 2.6.1-16

our depression, anger, etc. are not us, they are equipment not functioning well / pleasure of the ego always leads to pain / Sankhya - counting the material elements and knowing that I am something else / sattvic happiness turns from poison into nectar, rajasic happiness turns from nectar into poison / monk life strips away everything you've got / our little bit of freedom / sattvic living loosens the noose of the material energy / Vishnu is the soul of the universe SB 2.5.32 - 42

wisdom means making the micro - macro connections / universal creation is like baking bread / adding the elements of time, karma, and individual nature to the dough / the world is moving for our purification / Groundhog Day / our life is one thin page / Lord Vishnu on 3 levels / the ingredient of false ego facilitates the illusion we desire / earth, water, fire, air & ether / the 11 senses / for every "thou shalt not" we should have a good reason SB 2.5.21-31

Raghu's tamari almond binge & subsequent 90's girl band binge / there's either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret / behind the world we perceive is a director we don't perceive / studying the psychic effects of thinking, feeling and willing / God is never covered - we are / the bird and the hole in the wall / the false premise that everything real can be perceived empirically / ultimately, everything is revealed through love SB 2.5.17-20

a hollowness inside myself / India - an atmosphere of faith / inspiration from the widows of Vrindavan / getting past the immaturity of early followers / understanding Srila Prabhupada's intention / quaint, gleeful Vrindavan / the realization that I'm meant to serve with love / the journey from immature to mature spirituality Check out her book, Five Years, Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Unexpected Love, and her film Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All

who is your favorite character from Mahabharata & why? / how do Kaustubha and Raghu practice japa? / how to not become discouraged when our progress seems slow? / how to find community when isolated in a lonely part of the world? / how does one become initiated in a bhakti lineage? / how can we start letting go of these habits like pornography and masturbation?

illusory I & Mine conceptions of the self in the center / Brahma's clarification - everything is seen in relation to Narayana / to say "there is no Absolute Truth" is an absolute statement / with no spiritual foundation there is no basis for ethics / Kaustubha's Satanic friend / the understanding that consciousness in non-material leads to recognizing that all life is sacred / yoga & tapas are meant for connecting to Narayana / the beautiful verses of the Bhagavad-gita SB 2.5.14-16

levels 1,2 & 3 of the Bhagavatam / where is the school that studies the nature of the soul? / I'm not God - my significance comes from my contribution / we are made up of mercy / if Brahma is God why does he perform austerities? / sampradaya - lineage / a good question is as important as a good answer / "gurus" who let their followers think they are God / I meditate on Vasudeva / the illusion of I & mine SB 2.5.1 - 13

respects to Vyasadeva who compiled the Vedic teachings / one becomes enlivened through spiritual sound / drawing from the works of the previous teachers / exoteric and esoteric understandings / Krishna pastimes are transcendental, and so we meditate on them / Rasalila>10th Canto>Srimad Bhagavatam>Vedic literature / the words of the gopis at the Rasalila is the pinnacle of all the yoga teachings / the gopis are empowered in all the arts because they are pure / Vyāsadeva compiled the Vedic literatures to revive our lost memory SB 2.4.24 - 25

spiritual knowledge is a lamp lit from within / the lamp requires the right attitude & the right process / gimme a straight answer! / service attitude / the GPS is inside of us / spiritual knowledge is handed down in a chain - otherwise it's fruitless / the teacher has to be firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth - the student has to come carrying wood / nothing grows beautiful without the spiritual touch / God is the soul of the universe / Sukadeva's prayer SB 2.4.21 - 23

purifying the mind before speaking / receiving the spiritual download / intelligence engaged in enjoying prison life vs intelligence engaged in becoming free / 'I live to be corrected' / Krishna from within the heart gives intelligence / the manas and the buddhi / Raghu's mindset on Joe Rogan / Kumbakarna forgets everything / Keshava Kasmiri and the Goddess Sarwaswati SB 2.4.19 - 20

our attention is our one greatest asset / the human body is a lab for experimentation / impressions we allow in our minds become the mold of our future / develop a service mindset / the attitude "I live to be corrected" is pivotal / application - make incremental improvements- mini habits / the wedge / Bhagavatam understands us www.vaisesikadasa.com www.fanthespark.org

how to understand & respond when discontent, bitterness, envy & resentfulness arise / what does spiritual maturity look like? / I'm isolated and my spiritual life is sliding downhill - what to do? / why does the soul need to keep reincarnating to find what it already is? / do you have tips for someone with ADHD? / how to pluck the weeds that grow alongside the bhakti creeper? / how can I get past feelings of resentment after heartbreak?

elevation through reconnection / the complete whole is within everyone / Krishna is the attractor / no matter how dented our can is, remembering Krishna elevates us / reconnection liberates us from distress / reconnection purifies our bad karma / reconnection frees us of attachment to good karma / our good qualities only have value when we reconnect / cultural appropriation and who it applies to - bhakti purifies anyone who reconnects / Radhanath Swami & the King of Puri / Kaustubha gets 86ed from the temple / it not about our birth, it's about our character SB 2.4.12 - 18

bhakti satisfies the simple & complex / there's our faith & there's what our faith is based on / Vedic culture never broke / essentially, we have one big choice - to disconnect and live in service to the mind & senses or to connect and live in service to the root of all existence / is our body really ours? / the 4 defects of the conditioned soul / backing up what we say / the beautiful freedom of the connected soul SB 2.4.11

Dillinger Escape Plan's Liam Wilson - why a lot of musicians get into bhakti / the culture of respect facilitates truth perception / where one is at determines how much they can hear / we've got a culture of disrespect / the mood for learning / to one person it's a statue - to another it's Lord Vishnu / guru is the therapist - mantra is the medicine / Krishna creates, maintains & withdraws his energy back into himself like a spider SB 2.4.5 - 10

the yogi & the mouse fable / dovetailing material energy with the spiritual / the value of destitution / letting go of anxiety / letting go of possessiveness, not responsibility / a verse about connecting to the root / a verse about freedom from the need for validation / a verse about offering oneself completely to the supreme friend / 2 striking verses about unconditional love SB 2.3.25 - 2.4.4

Makeover Monday / Raghu dreams of Krishna / rules facilitate freedom / the change in heart / the balance between not changing the teachings, and explaining them in our own words / a mantra must be received in the lineage in order to be effective – the rational and transrational understanding / 10 important considerations in the meditation on the maha mantra SB 2.3.24

Peace Corps in India / meeting Prabhupada and inquiring / shifting from an observer to a practitioner / the secret - who we reveal our minds and listen to - who we trust / details vs principles / the Bhaktivedanta Institute - studying science & Vedanta / in order to really understand consciousness, we need to raise our consciousness

how should we view spiritual teachers who don't offer the "full picture" of the yoga tradition – is it unjust to dismiss them without respect? / how can we combat the mindset of low self worth? / if reincarnation exists then where is the urgency - would a Vedantin say to Hitler "Don't worry about this life, you'll get to try again next time around"? / if our identity is illusionary what gets reincarnated? / why does man forget his relationship with God? / how can I better understand the overlap of our spiritual qualities with their material analogues?

shape shifting lizard / keep the great souls close / more miracles / you gotta follow / becoming an educated consumer spiritually - don't get conned by a seedy used car salesman / 1. Happiness through loving service is our true nature. 2. False ideas impressed within our minds are the cause of our losing touch with our true nature and seeking happiness externally. 3. The transformative practices of Bhakti-yoga are designed to purify the mind through contact with powerful sources of spiritual energy. 4. The steady flow of the transformative energy requires the right conceptions, the right sentiments and the right lifestyle / important Considerations in the Meditation on the Maha Mantra - translated SB 2.3.24

Krishna miracles / purushottam month / ya can't bypass humans on the path to God / God is the property of the devotee / heart to heart transferral / psychic surgery / lack of appreciation of others is the death knell of spiritual growth / the servant of the servant of the servant / happiness comes through service / Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the tenderhearted feminine energy of God SB 2.3.23

the soul is there - walk on with Jamuna Jaya / don't bring your bad habits into sacred circles / you can't bypass humans on the road to love of God / you can't get bhakti through austerity, worshiping the devas, renunciation, being dutiful, or Vedic chanting - you only get it from someone who has got it / letting go / Bharata's obsession with the tender little fawn / Bharata's birth as a deer / Bharata's birth as Jada Bharata / you never know who you are talking to - treat everyone with dignity / the six enemies lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy SB 2.3.23 (& SB 5.11.4)

snakes & frogs / don't croak / is wearing jewelry problematic? / to have freedom you have to regulate the senses / how temples can infuse the mundane mind with spiritual inspiration / pilgrimage vs wanderlust / earn with integrity - spend with compassion / don't go wide - go deep / the need to be guided on pilgrimage SB 2.3.20 - 22

relishing Mahabharata / the chicken of death / the rare opportunity of human birth / we gotta dance / polished animal life - eating, sleeping, mating & defending / dogs, hogs, camels & asses / who do we celebrate - and is it based on their technique or their character? / we go begging for a master like dogs / if we'll eat anything we're not a yogi SB 2.3.17 - 19

on music / on friendship / on being a good man / on children / on pain / on teaching / on religion / on prayer / on death / on marriage / on the Bhagavad-Gita

why does it feel like that bad guys always win (when does the karma kick in)? / how to practice meditation the right way? / how to understand attachment & detachment when it comes to one's family? / please advise me about chanting mantras in relation to bhakti? / is my intense longing a healthy spiritual desire ?

the levels of conversation in the Bhagavatam / the eagerness to hear spiritual talks / Bhagavatam is mind medicine in candy / dreams with the dream / Raghunath's androgynous avatar / we're meant to tire of the material world / spiritual experience is the gateway drug to God / we got stuck in the virtual realty because we desired to play the role of God / bhakti is like the mafia - once you're in you can't get out / once we realize this is a virtual reality we are free SB 2.3.13 - 17

truth can be a big pill to swallow / ya can't just say stuff / when our rust is removed we will be attracted like a magnet / the 4 nutshell verses of the Bhagavad-gita / keeping on track / kaivalya / the liberated soul loses interest in worldly affairs / the liberated person can spiritualize world affairs SB 2.3.12 (& BG 10.8 - 11)

Krishna's got a special plan for you / devotion is attained by the association of devotees / ratiḥ (attraction) / acalo bhāvo (unflinching spontaneous attraction / pure bhakti has 6 characteristics / the inauspiciousness of leaving the association of the Bhakti-yogis / progressing through 3 stages - unaware of the faults of devotees, engrossed in the faults of devotees, less concerned about the faults of devotees / the all attractive is attracted to the one who has pure devotion SB 2.3.10 - 11 bijaartisans.org

we are the children, the devas are the house servants, Krishna is the parent / Raghu shares a little Socrates / impregnated desires vs those from within / ya can't reach Bombay with a ticket for Baroda / pure devotional service means without any tinge of material desires / bhakti is for Krishna / the show of bhakti vs true love / we all have to throw something in the Ganges / Krishna fulfilled Raghu's desire but gave him the tools / "serve God not be God" SB 2.3.1 - 10