Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20does%20Krishna%20take%20away%20the%20karma%20of%20his%20devotees.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How does Krishna take away the karma of his devotees? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20understand%20that%20God%20is%20a%20person.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we understand that God is a person? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20develop%20a%20taste%20for%20bhakti%20and%20chanting.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we develop a taste for bhakti and chanting? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Does%20destiny%20determine%20how%20we%20respond%20to%20situations.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Does destiny determine how we respond to situations? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20is%20destiny%20related%20to%20karma.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How is destiny related to karma? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Program at ISKCON, Portland
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Lifes%204%20defining%20Ds%20-%20Desire,%20Decision,%20Destiny%20and%20Dharma.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Life’s 4 defining D’s: Desire, Decision, Destiny and Dharma appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Why%20do%20people%20in%20goodness%20sometimes%20not%20take%20up%20bhakti.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why do people in goodness sometimes not take up bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20spiritually%20reach%20people%20who%20arent%20receptive%20to%20hearing%20Krishnas%20glories.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to spiritually reach people who aren’t receptive to hearing Krishna’s glories? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Why%20is%20Krishna%20selectively%20merciful%20in%20inspiring%20some%20people%20to%20take%20to%20bhakti%20and%20not%20others.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why is Krishna selectively merciful in inspiring some people to take to bhakti and not others? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20help%20reluctant%20people%20to%20become%20spiritually%20elevated.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we help reluctant people to become spiritually elevated? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Srimad Bhagavatam class at Corvallis, Oregon (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11)
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Tread%20the%20path%20of%20the%20ears%20to%20the%20eyes%20and%20the%20heart.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Tread the path of the ears to the eyes and the heart appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20reconcile%20Krishnas%20omniscience%20with%20our%20having%20free%20will.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to reconcile Krishna’s omniscience with our having free will? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Congregation Program at San Jose
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/RASA%20acronym%20for%20finding%20rasa%20in%20bhakti.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
RASA acrony: Redirection, Adaptation, Spiritualization, Appreciation
The post RASA acronym for finding rasa in bhakti appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
(A condensed version of this article was published earlier here. This article has been expanded at the request of readers who had wanted to read more on this theme.)
“Man proposes, God disposes” is a familiar wry comment. It is a saying by which we try to philosophize when factors beyond our control foil our best plans. Despite the adage, we do feel immensely frustrated when we have to watch helplessly as providence wrecks our cherished plans one after another. When we either can’t get what we want or must accept what we don’t want, we become miserable. And because such situations come quite frequently in our life, misery is our unavoidable companion.
Little Control Means No Control
Most people tackle this dilemma by trying to increase their ability to control things. They think that acquiring wealth, power, knowledge, fame, beauty, and even renunciation will help. But do these really solve the problem? They seem to give us control over our lives and surroundings, but they themselves are beyond our control. For example, a wealthy person imagines that his monetary power gives him control over his life and so wants to increase his wealth unlimitedly (Bhagavad-gita 16.13–15). But he can lose the wealth through events beyond his control, such as a stock market crash. Thus wealth creates an illusion of control. It only increases anxiety by making us more dependent on things beyond our control. And money can’t bribe death, which in a moment strips us of everything (10.34). Hence the Gita (2.8) asserts that material solutions offer no actual relief. Srila Prabhupada succinctly states the futility of mundane attempts to control our lives: “Little control means no control.”
The Bhagavad-gita offers a dramatically different remedy: God proposes, man accepts. All attempts to become happy in the material world are ultimately misdirected. They keep us out of harmony with God. The perfection of our intelligence is to harmonize our will with the divine will (7.19).
All the major religions teach us to faithfully and gracefully accept reversals as the unknowable will of the Lord. The prayer of Jesus the night before he was crucified—“Let Thy will be done, not mine”—is a well-known example. In times of pain and grief, prayerful surrender to the will of the Lord can bring relief. But most people cannot muster the faith needed for offering such a bold prayer.
The Bhagavad-gita holds a unique position among the world’s scriptures in that it offers a solid intellectual springboard and a well-defined spiritual trajectory for this leap of faith. The philosophy of the Gita is so cogent, coherent, and complete that after understanding it Arjuna accepted the Lord’s desire that his relatives be killed. And he went even further. He agreed to help bring about the execution of Krishna’s desire. Karisye vacanam tava: “I will do whatever You say.” (18.73)
Insights from the GIta
Here’s a summary of the Gita’s extraordinarily empowering perspective on the reversals of life:
We are not gross bodies or subtle minds, but are eternal souls (7.4–5). Therefore the sufferings caused by […]
The post God Proposes, Man Accepts appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/If%20God%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20everything%20what%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20God.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post If God is the explanation for everything, what is the explanation for God? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20deal%20with%20doubts%20about%20Gods%20existence%20coming%20from%20the%20study%20of%20science.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to deal with doubts about God’s existence coming from the study of science? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Sunday Feast Class at Rukmini Dwarkadhish Temple, Los Angeles, on the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Prabhupada%20-%20dependent%20on%20Krishna%20yet%20dynamic%20in%20service%20-%2050th%20anniversary%20address.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Prabhupada – dependent on Krishna yet dynamic in service – 50th anniversary address appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20understand%20that%20there%20is%20life%20after%20death.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to understand that there is life after death? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20see%20death%20of%20a%20loved%20one%20philosophically%20without%20becoming%20hardhearted.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to see death of a loved one philosophically without becoming hardhearted appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
By trusting someone, aren’t we give the key to our happiness to that person?
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20are%20trust%20and%20expectation%20related.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How are trust and expectation related? Can we love without trust? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Should%20criminals%20who%20go%20on%20murderous%20sprees%20be%20forgiven.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Should criminals who go on murderous sprees be forgiven? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20to%20deal%20with%20anger%20when%20others%20hurt%20us.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to deal with anger when others hurt us? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Talk to students of California State University, Channel Islands
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/IDEA%20-%204%20insights%20for%20facing%20adversities.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post IDEA – 4 insights for facing adversities appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
I have been sharing bhakti wisdom for many years and have many ideas that I wish to put together as a book. How can I go about doing this?
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20I%20write%20a%20book.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can I write a book? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Is%20thinking%20that%20we%20may%20not%20attain%20Krishna%20in%20one%20life%20being%20realistic%20or%20being%20lethargic.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Is thinking that we may not attain Krishna in one life being realistic or being lethargic? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20avoid%20losing%20enthusiasm%20as%20we%20keep%20practicing%20bhakti%20over%20the%20years.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we avoid losing enthusiasm as we keep practicing bhakti over the years? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20do%20our%20relationships%20in%20this%20world%20relate%20with%20our%20relationship%20with%20Krishna.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How do our relationships in this world relate with our relationship with Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Gita class at ISKCON, Laguna Beach
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Overcome%20discouragement%20through%20spiritual%20wisdom.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Overcome discouragement through spiritual wisdom appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Why%20does%20the%20Bhagavatam%20end%20with%20impersonal%20knowledge.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why does the Bhagavatam end with impersonal knowledge? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/When%20prasad%20is%20so%20purifying%20why%20dont%20those%20who%20take%20prasad%20regularly%20get%20fully%20purified.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post When prasad is so purifying, why don’t those who take prasad regularly get fully purified? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/What%20is%20the%20source%20of%20desire.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post What is the source of desire? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Srimad Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Phoenix
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Three%20special%20results%20of%20loving%20Krishna%20-%20PSI%20Purification%20Satisfaction%20Illumination.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Three special results of loving Krishna – PSI: Purification Satisfaction Illumination (Bhagavatam 1.2.14) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20know%20that%20God%20exists.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we know that God exists? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20connect%20with%20God%20to%20get%20positive%20energy.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we connect with God to get positive energy? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/If%20destiny%20is%20supreme%20how%20do%20we%20have%20free%20will.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post If destiny is supreme, how do we have free will? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20do%20we%20deal%20with%20negativity%20coming%20from%20reading%20bad%20news.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How do we deal with negativity coming from reading bad news? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/What%20is%20the%20best%20way%20to%20get%20positive%20thoughts%20regularly.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post What is the best way to get positive thoughts regularly? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/Why%20are%20we%20suffering%20in%20this%20world.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why are we suffering in this world? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2015%20QA/09-15%20QA/How%20can%20we%20decide%20when%20pursuing%20material%20things%20is%20enough.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we decide when pursuing material things is enough? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Lecture Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/09-15%20classes/Intention%20in%20Tension%20-%20Principles%20for%20Sustainable%20Relationships.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Intention in Tension? – Principles for Sustainable Relationships appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.