Wisdom of the Sages

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 designa...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 lo...

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 4.20.31-3...

"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 opule...

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-rea...

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 cour...

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 i...