Wisdom of the Sages

Bhakti-yogis are Karma-yogis and more, because they directly cultivate love for Krsna / sakama vs niskama (attached workers vs detached workers) / karma-yoga can purify the consciousness of all the false narratives / the time factor extends to the heavens of this universe / why people honor the forefathers and why Bhakti-yogis don't need to SB 3.32.1-26

the stages of the embryo's development / the sufferings in the womb / the prayers within the womb / losing memory during birth / the sufferings of childhood / buying into the false narrative again, that happiness will be found through externals / losing all our good qualities / becoming a dancing dog in the hands of maya / balancing healthy material pessimism with healthy spiritual optimism 3.31.1...

time is blowing us around like a cloud in the sky / even the hog in the sewage gutter thinks "life is good" / our deep rooted attachments / anxiety due to attachments / the bad karma we create due to attachments / then it all goes to hell / if you look closely you'll see hell all around you / it's all a wake up call 3.30.1-34

How can I answer my 5 year old when he asks "Why did God make me sick on the day of the Christmas play?" / Are Krishna and Christ the same? / Was Jesus a shaktyavesa-avatara? / Is resurrection considered possible in the yoga tradition? / Did Prabhupada ever comment on 'the missing years' of Jesus in India? / Why would the teachings of Bhagavad-gita be considered higher than the teachings of the Bi...

the love of possessions is a weakness to be overcome / learning the beauty of generosity & tasting the happiness of giving / knowledge is the understanding that my material attachment brings pain & my material detachment brings relief / time is the cause of change in matter / Krishna codes, downloads & installs time into the material world / if I know the benevolent coder the program gives inspira...

Carl Jung on fear & wonder / don't throw the Brahmana out with the bathwater / Steven Covey as a contemporary Brahmana / Recognizing and applying the true Varnashram Dharma / offer respect and dignity to every living / even the most dented can can transform with association of a pure devotee 3.29.31-35

getting through the pain of divorce / Zoom out - look at decades not days / life's struggles can foster intimacy with God / why the talk of hierarchy? / see spiritual equality & discern the material hierarchy / societies are divided into four / brahmana (leadership counsel, educating, religious ministering) / ksatriya (establishing & enforcing law & justice, protecting) / vaishya (job Creators, em...

doing small things with great love / the need for nuance / every castle we build will turn to sand / we do your dharma as best you can with selflessness & detachment / Manipur's only thrash band - Phoenix / more need for nuance - we are all both equal & unequal / what is true equality? / treat everyone with dignity - it's basic math like the ABCs / what's the criteria to determine one place as bet...

superficial religion is simply imitation / superficial religion is like offering oblations into ashes / superficial religion deprives one of peace of mind / superficial religion never pleases Krishna / superficial religion causes fear / spirituality = seeing God everywhere, in the heart of everyone & in one's own heart / spirituality through kindness to everyone / how spiritually infused ritual cu...

What is meant by Krishna's internal, external & marginal energies? / If we are incarnated as a dog, or an insect, or as a blade of grass, how is our next incarnation determined? / Just how entangling is the law of karma – do we have to come back to accept the charity that we gave in the past? / Is coffee evil?

friendship with the wicked is like a clay pot, easily broken and impossible to mend / friendship with the wise is like a gold pot, difficult to break yet easy to mend / bad company / yogis are straightforward / 2 fundamental practices of Bhakti - hearing & chanting / the point of all the practices is they lead to attraction to Krishna / even if you pronounce Krishna wrong, He knows what you mean /...

focus on your dreams, not your nightmares / just as the name of a medicine cannot cure a disease, knowledge of scripture bears no fruit if not applied in times of adversity / the need to be dutiful - while committing as little violence as possible / the purpose of temple worship / mundane tasks become sacred when you put God in the center / what it means to see everyone as spiritual / showing resp...

is my daily contemplation my highest spiritual potential? / cultivate an attitude of friendship toward those who are happy / cultivate an attitude of compassion toward those in distress / cultivate an attitude of joy toward those who are virtuous / cultivate an attitude of equanimity toward those who are nonvirtuous / our attitudes towards others are clouding our mind / the inclination for enlight...

On the occasion of the anniversary of the speaking of the Bhagavad-gita, and World Gita Day, Kaustubha and Paramananda discuss how the Gita entered their lives, favorite verses, how the Gita can be consulted in all critical times for solace from all kinds of mental agonies and how it helps one find their way out of great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour. https://livetogi...

broadcasting spiritual knowledge in order to check the imbalance of values and to achieve real unity and peace / Bhagavad-gita summarizes all the Vedic teachings / Bhagavad-gita transcends & synthesizes religiosity & spiritual escapism / Bhagavad-gita finally demonstrates how to be in the world but not of it / two energies - material and spiritual / the senses the mind and the intelligence / the 3...

In this interview Shyamasundar Das discusses his recently released Volume 3 of "Chasing Rhinos with the Swami" as well as his time with the Beatles and his cameo appearance in the new Beatles film "Get Back". www.chasingrhinos.com chasingrhinos@gmail.com  

A small piece of me screams a bit when I think about humility and quieting my ego. For women, and other marginalized groups, is it possible that we need to get bigger and take up a bit more space before we relinquish a power we've never really even had? / Are Krishna bhakti kirtan and Shiva bhakti kirtan the same? / How can we understand the presence of child abuse within religious and spiritual o...

For the 600th episode Raghunath is granted free rein into the paranormal as he & Kaustubha discuss Dr. Ian Stevenson's research into past life memories, and we hear stories from the podcast audience.

bhakti as an emotion / bhakti as a state of consciousness / bhakti as a yoga practice / bhakti as a school of thought / bhakti as an historic spiritual movement / pure love vs sleazy proposals / we're in an historic era of bhakti / thoughts on sleazy gurus / look for teachers that point up the ladder / little Karuna chants the shikshastakam / bhaki-yogis don't even ask for liberation SB 3.29.13 ht...

knowledge is the best wealth because it can't be stolen, is priceless & it's imperishable / unadulterated bhakti is when there is no motive getting in the way of the love flow between God & us / bhakti works if you work it, & you're worth it, so work it / purifying the heart so Krishna will enter / habits are just the first layer of muck to cut through - then come the hidden motives / our nature i...

the UK figures out that octopuses, crabs, and lobsters are "sentient beings" / why didn't we ever discuss "what is life" in school? / when people bring their envy, pride & anger into spiritual circles should it affect our faith? / 4 types of children analogy - the vikarmi, karmi, jnani & bhakta SB 3.29.8-10

Kaustubha interviews Keli about crafting his recently released EP, Falling Upwards, available here https://keliwoods.hearnow.com/falling-upwards Follow Keli on IG @keli__woods

Is it possible that we can be reincarnated in the past ? / How do we, practically, take pleasure in the Self? / Is there anything that you think I should consider before approaching a guru for initiation? / Why is it important not to take offense?

spiritual optimism & material pessimism / I don't mean to minimize your suffering - but you should / materialism causes fatigue, spiritual energy is refreshing / knowledge is the greatest gift / tamasic influence on bhakti practice - proud, violent & angry yogis / don't give up critical thought - just give up criticism SB 3.29.3-8

what is a pure devotee? / why saying "bhakti is the ultimate" is not sectarian - because there is nothing greater than love / the liberation found through jnana-yoga is just the neutral stage / do the laws of nature disprove or prove that God exists? / who says that human life is accidental? / the universe was spontaneously created out of nothing, according to the laws of science? / the Church of...