2024 Swami Padmanabha

Join Swami Padmanabha and friends as they dive into the profound lessons of Krishna’s Govardhan Lila, with a focus on experiencing God’s omnipresence in the world around us. This class invites us to go beyond the “what” of Krishna’s pastimes and explore the “why,” uncovering how these lilas offer timeless wisdom that we can apply in our lives today. Far from being distant events, these lilas revea...

Continuing with the theme of rediscovering Krishna in our lives, this presentation explores the Gaudiya tradition's invitation to encounter the divine within the immediacy of the world around us, envisioning it as a vast cosmic cathedral. While there can be extensive discourse on God, how familiar are we to the experience itself? There is profound value in beginning with what lies close at hand, c...

0:00 Introduction 8:57 Are all three stages—kanistha, madhyama and uttama—necessary to go thru. Are any of these stages more dangerous more than others? 31:07 Is it natural to let go of previous ways of doing things in order to make one’s practice more personalized and meaningful? Do we leave those practices behind or go back to them from a different place? Is it necessarily deviation to not retur...

Part 2 of Rediscovering Krishna in My Life is a journey into deepening our relationship with God by learning to see Him in all things. Swami Padmanabha guides us to unlearn misconceptions about God, allowing us to approach spirituality with openness and wonder rather than fixed beliefs. Drawing from Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaja’s teachings, the course emphasizes radical change, encouraging us to se...

The following is a brief response to a recent letter from a prominent disciple of Srila Prabhupada, which claims that in his book Inherent or Inherited?, Swami Padmanabha stated: "Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, and Srila Prabhupada all taught apasiddhanta." Considering the weight of this statement and the potential for confusion or concern among those who may take it...

This foundational class kicks off a 6-part journey designed to help us rediscover and renew our relationship with Krishna in a deeply personal and meaningful way. Together, we’ll explore how our unique individuality shapes this connection, inviting us to ask essential questions from wherever we are on our spiritual path: "Who is Krishna for me… here, now, today?" Is Krishna a theological concept,...

0:00 Introduction 3:48 What goes with us into eternity? How much of what we are now, belongs in eternity? 17:47 How are we to understand statements that an exalted devotee who has passed on is still present in particular places, such as Srila Prabhupada being eternally present at Radha-Damodara temple? And how do we take advantage of their presence there? 29:22 How to make the most of being sick?...

0:00 Introduction 4:58 It seems that there is an emphasis on giving in our current Gaudiya understanding that positions receiving as something selfish. Can you speak about the place of “receiving” in bhakti? 21:21 How can we keep our balance as we realize the reality of spiritual bypassing? 36:56 Reflection on and discussion of recalibrating our absorption and presence as part of our humanity bein...

Join Swami Padmanabha as he delves into the essence of *sadhu-sanga,* reclaiming the depth of meaning often reduced by certainty, and loss of hope and enthusiasm arising from ill-conceived or shallow definitions. Through this exploration, we uncover common misconceptions and better understand the true blessing of thoroughly honest persons, allowing us to approach this sacred connection with greate...

0:00 Introduction 6:02 What’s the difference between bhakti and jnana. And do those differences create a hierarchy? 29:15 What is the real meaning of renunciation? How can we practice that in daily life so we can come to that goal? 47:52 Appreciation of the recent Radica Personalism retreat and especially the Contemplative Prayer class and exercise. 50:21 How can we adjust our understanding and co...

0:00 Introduction 6:24 If we hear a call and don’t respond to it, is Krishna disappointed in us? 14:38 How is it that the Uttama-adhikari sees everyone else as serving Krishna except himself? 26:30 How to understand that the gopis want a direct relationship with Krishna in the rasa dance rather than serving the Divine Couple? 48:06 If Vrindavan is a state of consciousness and can exist everywhere,...

Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX93Ip0-NcY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ▶ WEBSITE ▶ FACEBOOK ▶ INSTAGRAM ▶ YOUTUBE ********* RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.

Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/AXo-oCRoJ1Y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ▶ WEBSITE ▶ FACEBOOK ▶ INSTAGRAM ▶ YOUTUBE ********* RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.

0:00 Introduction: sadhu sanga, a gathering for Istagosthi, is rooted in the highest reach 10:00 How can we understand “our guru stands before us as our greatest potential” so that we do not think that reality as a mere copy/paste, as if I am meant to become them as opposed to being myself? 22:20 It seems like everyone is, in a sense, simultaneously a guru and a disciple, even “outside” of bhakti....

Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdUhW1abCfU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ▶ WEBSITE ▶ FACEBOOK ▶ INSTAGRAM ▶ YOUTUBE ********* RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.

In this discussion, we explore the guru-disciple relationship both as a universal principle (guru is everywhere) as well as the localized agent—the guru as a servant of the disciple's faith and potential. The guru acts as a facilitator of the disciple's journey, accompanying them and listening with them to what Krishna wishes to reveal. We also reflect on the dangers of over-expectation and over-i...

0:00 Introduction 4:55 How can we feel lovable when we hear statements like, “We should be lower than a worm in stool? What kind of mentality are we supposed to aspire for?” 37:05 In regard to doing and being, it seems that there is also a doing that comes out of being. What does “being” include? 1:03:15 Reflection on the ongoingness of Sri Nama and japa. 1:20:43 If Brahman realization is valid, w...

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, one of the core scriptures for Vaiṣṇavas, describes reality as a manifestation of non-dual consciousness. While non-duality recognizes the oneness of all existence, it encompasses the personal aspect of the Divine as well. vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate "Learned transcendentalists, who know the Absolute Truth, d...

Radical Personalism is synonymous with being as personal as we can be. This refers not only to the fact that behind every aspect of existence there is ultimately a personalized expression, or to being as personal as we can in our relationships, or to attaining our ultimate spiritual identity in eternity. While all these aspects of Radical Personalism are certainly true and a crucial part of this e...

0:00 Introduction 3:36 In a group setting, does our capacity to be vulnerable effect other group member’s ability to express vulnerability? How can we develop our vulnerability? 17:12 It is easy to be vulnerable while at home with one’s deity, but it’s pretty scary to be vulnerable when you step outside. How can we balance our need for safety with our need for vulnerability? 33:46 Reflection on th...

Join us as Swami Padmanabha launches the Radical Personalism Retreat with the exploration of the first pillar of radical personalism: Vulnerability. In this sacred space of openness and deep exploration, Swami and the retreat participants delve into the profound power of vulnerability as the foundation of transformational spirituality. Discover how embracing vulnerability unlocks the path to perso...

0:00 Introduction 4:10 Considering Mahaprabhu in Nitya-Navadvipa, what is the puja seva mood for Gaura Nitai? 22:56 Does Nityananda ever relate to Mahaprabhu as Ananga manjari? 32:12 Reflection about nonduality and how both nonduality and difference are necessary 46:25 Regardless of the amount of endeavor I make in my sadhana, I am still not seeing any results. I find this frustrating and disappoi...

Where there is light, there is shadow—and the guru-disciple relationship is no exception. Shadows can arise on either side, whether with the guru, the disciple, or both. The real question is how we acknowledge and integrate these human imperfections in a way that fosters growth rather than avoidance. Join the conversation as we explore profound questions: What does it truly mean to be a guru? What...

0:00 Introduction 5:39 Where did we get the information that Radha’s month preceeds Krishna’s month. And what is the signficance 21:46 What is the right mindset when we experience something that could be considered neglect from a guru? 37:43 Regarding being more tolerant than a tree and humbler that a blade of grass, how are we meant to apply this? Is there a limit so that it remains healthy? 57.3...

Is there room for nonduality in a radically personal tradition? Tune in as Swami Padmanabha explores this vital question and how the reply impacts our vision of reality: ourselves, each other, the world, God and the relationship between all things. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn17FpLqpbE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ▶ WEBSITE ▶ FACEBOOK ▶ INSTAGRAM ▶ YOUTUBE ********* RADICAL PERSONALISM: Re...