Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/I%20was%20initiated%20earlier%20by%20a%20priest%20-%20how%20do%20I%20see%20it%20when%20seeking%20initation%20from%20a%20Vaishnava%20guru.mp3
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The post I was initiated earlier by a priest – how do I see it when seeking initation from a Vaishnava guru? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/Is%20speaking%20about%20krishna-bhakti%20to%20relatives%20who%20may%20be%20faithless%20an%20offense%20to%20the%20holy%20name.mp3
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The post Is speaking about krishna-bhakti to relatives who may be faithless an offense to the holy name? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.48%20Pious%20action%20doesn’t%20qualify%20us%20for%20devotional%20vision.mp3
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.47%20The%20vision%20of%20the%20universal%20form,%20even%20its%20destructive%20feature,%20is%20a%20rare%20favor.mp3
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The post Gita 11.47 The vision of the universal form, even its destructive feature, is a rare favor appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.46%20Darshan%20of%20Vishva-rupa%20and%20Vishnu-rupa%20provide%20visual%20demonstration%20of%20verbal%20exposition.mp3
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The post Gita 11.46 Darshan of Vishva-rupa and Vishnu-rupa provide visual demonstration of verbal exposition appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/Does%20presenting%20scripture%20as%20meant%20for%20moral%20instruction%20lead%20to%20the%20rejection%20of%20scripture’s%20transcendental%20teachings.mp3
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The post Does presenting scripture as meant for moral instruction lead to the rejection of scripture’s transcendental teachings? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/If%20Bhagavatam%20and%20Mahabharata%20tell%20incidents%20from%20different%20perspectives,%20are%20they%20histories%20or%20historical%20fictions.mp3
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The post If Bhagavatam and Mahabharata tell incidents from different perspectives, are they histories or historical fictions? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.45%20The%20vishva-rupa%20causes%20jubilation,%20the%20kala-rupa%20causes%20trepidation.mp3
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The post Gita 11.45 The vishva-rupa causes jubilation, the kala-rupa causes trepidation appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/As%20sadhus,%20should%20we%20focus%20on%20internal%20change%20through%20sadhana%20or%20social%20change%20through%20activism.mp3
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The post As sadhus, should we focus on internal change through sadhana or social change through activism? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Bhagavatam class at Radha Gopinath Mandir, Chowpatty, Mumbai]
Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Strengthen%20relationships%20by%20tolerating%20others’%20indiscretions.mp3
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.44%20Humility%20in%20the%20forgiveness-seeker%20and%20magnanimity%20in%20the%20forgiver%20uplifts%20both.mp3
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The post Gita 11.44 Humility in the forgiveness-seeker and magnanimity in the forgiver uplifts both appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.43%20Our%20response%20on%20coming%20to%20know%20others’%20greatness%20is%20shaped%20by%20our%20relationship%20with%20them.mp3
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Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/2016%20in%20review%20-%20Seeing%20global%20political%20upheavals%20philosophically.mp3
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The post 2016 in review – Seeing global political upheavals philosophically appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.42%20Intimacy%20comes%20not%20by%20formality%20or%20informality%20but%20by%20affinity.mp3
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The post Gita 11.42 Intimacy comes not by formality or informality but by affinity appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Sometimes, life seems to hand out one reversal after another and all that we are doing seems to be falling apart. We may feel that the universe is hostile; we may question the benevolence or even the existence of God.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.41%20Knowledge%20reveals%20the%20power%20asymmetry%20to%20be%20in%20the%20opposite%20direction.mp3
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Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Talk%20show%20-%20How%20to%20stick%20to%20our%20new%20year%20resolutions.mp3
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Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Dhoni%27s%20stepping%20down%20and%20seeing%20the%20big%20picture.mp3
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The post Dhoni’s stepping down and seeing the big picture appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
What we are is God’s gift to us; what we become is our gift to God
– Eleanor Powell
I first came across this quote many years ago and found it intuitively, inspiringly insightful. Over the years, I have contemplated it in the light of the Bhagavad-gita’s bhakti wisdom, wisdom that was probably unknown to Powell.
In this article, I will share this wisdom by breaking the quote into four parts:
What we are
God’s gift to us
What we become
Our gift to God
What we are
In our life-journey, we all are at different points based on our starting point at birth and our present status. At birth were determined our genes, our congenital endowments and our families. Presently, we all are characterized by various designations such as age groups, educational levels, economic brackets, religions and nationalities. We often identify with these things, thinking that their combination is what we are. But we are much more.
The Bhagavad-gita explains that we are souls, spiritual beings distinct from our bodies. We stay in one body for one lifetime and then move on to another body (02.13), just as people give up worn-out clothes and put on new ones (02.23).
While in a particular body, we have our distinctive blend of strengths and weaknesses. But these don’t define us so much when we appreciate that our core is spiritual. We understand that these weaknesses stem from the material part of us that is not actually us. The body is an essential interface for the non-material soul to function in this material world. Still, it is an impure instrument that can sully the pure soul’s actions.
Of course, we can’t blame the body for our limitations because it is a fruit of our own past karma. Nonetheless, we are not our karma – we are spiritual beings distinct from our past actions and their consequences, even consequences that manifest consequentially as our material vehicles.
By knowing ourselves as essentially spiritual, we can avoid lamenting about our deficiencies and focus on our abilities. Thus discovering and developing our talents, we can become the best that we can be. We need to be aware of our limitations, but that awareness needn’t be at the center of our consciousness. Unfortunately, thoughts of our limitations often dominate our consciousness when we see ourselves materialistically, because materialism holds that matter is all that exists. In contrast, bhakti wisdom helps us place our material side at the periphery of our identity and focus on our spiritual potential, thereby freeing us to bring out our best.
God’s gift to us
Our very existence expresses God’s love for us: we are meant for a life of eternal love with him. Bhakti wisdom reveals God to be not just supreme, but also supremely lovable – he is the all-attractive Supreme Person, Krishna.
Eternal love for Krishna is best reciprocated in the spiritual realm, in his personal abode. And our life in this world can prepare us for that life of love. Thus, our existence, with our innate longing to love and be loved, and with the […]
The post The life of devotional dynamism appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.40%20Acknowledge%20Krishna’s%20presence%20everywhere%20and%20appreciate%20it%20where%20it%20is%20specially%20manifest.mp3
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.39%20Appreciate%20the%20Absolute%20Truth%20in%20both%20bheda%20and%20abheda%20aspects.mp3
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.38%20Knowledge%20of%20the%20Absolute%20helps%20us%20see%20how%20the%20things%20we%20know%20manifest%20the%20one%20we%20need%20to%20ultimately%20know.mp3
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Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Let%20life%20give%20new%20eyes%20to%20see%20old%20relationships%20-%20Wisdom%20on%20Wisdom%207.mp3
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The post Let life give new eyes to see old relationships – Wisdom on Wisdom 7 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/No%20place%20in%20the%20world%20is%20pain-free%20-%20Wisdom%20on%20Wisdom%206.mp3
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The post No place in the world is pain-free – Wisdom on Wisdom 6 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Pain%20is%20new%20for%20the%20sufferer,%20old%20for%20the%20observer%20-%20Wisdom%20on%20Wisdom%205.mp3
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The post Pain is new for the sufferer, old for the observer – Wisdom on Wisdom 5 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Pleasure%20is%20a%20smooth-talking%20lawyer%20-%20Wisdom%20on%20Wisdom%204.mp3
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The post Pleasure is a smooth-talking lawyer – Wisdom on Wisdom 4 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.37%20God%20in%20this%20world%20is%20like%20an%20author%20in%20a%20book%20-%20the%20cause%20outside%20the%20cause-effect%20chain.mp3
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.36%20What%20brings%20joy%20to%20the%20godly%20causes%20misery%20to%20the%20ungodly.mp3
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The post Gita 11.36 What brings joy to the godly causes misery to the ungodly appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/The%20future%20is%20in%20the%20future,%20not%20the%20past%20-%20Wisdom%20on%20Wisdom%203.mp3
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The post The future is in the future, not the past – Wisdom on Wisdom 3 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.35%20The%20kala%20rupa%20makes%20the%20fearless%20fearful.mp3
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The post Gita 11.35 The kala rupa makes the fearless fearful appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/What%20is%20the%20connection%20of%20vibhuti%20yoga%20with%20perceiving%20spiritual%20reality.mp3
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Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/Talk%20Show%20-%20Growing%20Amidst%20Anxiety.mp3
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Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/01-17%20classes/What%20we%20are%20is%20God’s%20gift%20to%20us%20-%20what%20we%20become%20is%20our%20gift%20to%20God.mp3
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/01-17%20QA/When%20a%20close%20relative%20troubles%20us,%20do%20we%20need%20to%20tolerate%20infinitely.mp3
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Nietzsche’s Desirer of desire – Wisdom on Wisdom 2
Emerson’s Thought-stealing Ancients – Wisdom on Wisdom 1
The post Wisdom on Wisdom appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.34%20Assurances%20are%20reassuring%20when%20they%20are%20not%20just%20generic%20but%20also%20specific.mp3
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.33%20Harmonizing%20with%20the%20divine%20will%20is%20the%20perfection%20of%20human%20expertise.mp3
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Gita%20verse-by-verse/Gita%2011.32%20Question%20about%20the%20identity%20of%20the%20familiar%20refers%20to%20the%20unfamiliar%20within%20the%20familiar.mp3
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/12-16%20classes/What’s%20new%20about%20the%20New%20Atheists%20-%20and%20what%20isn’t.mp3
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The post What’s new about the New Atheists – and what isn’t? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/12-16%20QA/How%20can%20I%20protect%20my%20NRI-nephew%20from%20being%20carried%20away%20by%20materialism.mp3
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The post How can I protect my NRI-nephew from being carried away by materialism? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.