“Violence also has its utility, and how to apply violence rests with the person in knowledge. Although the justice of the peace awards capital punishment to a person condemned for murder, the justice of the peace cannot be blamed, because he orders violence to another person according to the codes of justice. In Manu-saàhitä, the […]
Author Archives: Chaitanya Charan das
Violence has its utility, but it shouldn’t be abused
The weapon for waging the world’s most formidable spiritual war (Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja Offering 2014)
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Dear Srila Prabhupada, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to your divine self. Among the many things that inspire me about you, the most inspiring in recent times has been your song “Markine Bhagavata-dharma.” This song composed as a prayerful request to your beloved Lord Krishna reveals not just the […]
To realize everything is illusion amidst adversities, is yoga and pranayama the way or is bhakti-yoga sufficient?
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From Anusha How do we establish ourselves in ‘the’ true nature? In the face of adversities, how do we maintain our inner peace and remember that everything is but an illusion? Is Yoga and Pranayama the way to do it, or is Bhakthi Yoga sufficient? Answer Podcast
As developing internal conviction takes time, isn’t it better to be stimulated in our devotion by external inspiration?
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From Satyam P Question based on this Gita-daily article: Why do our resolutions crash between takeoff and landing? When you say that we have to be convinced, prji dont you think it is a long process which might take a long time to happen and our flight might not even start to take-off if we are […]
When the number of breaths of a soul in a body are fixed, how can a purpose-driven attitude increase longevity?
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This question is based on this statement from the article “After the laughter”: “He reports how the inmates who couldn’t find any meaning or purpose to their sufferings succumbed much earlier than their biological capacity to endure. In contrast, those who could find meaning and purpose were able to survive much longer and eventually emerged […]
People pray to God; the Vrajavasis pray for God (Meditation on Nandotsava)
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A search for God or for the ultimate truth underlying existence has characterized thinking people in various traditions all over the world. Among various conceptions of God that have been revealed, the conception of Krishna is special. One aspect of his specialty is the specialty of his devotees, especially the devotees of Vrindavan, the Vrajavasis. […]
Why does Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati criticize organized churches when ISKCON is also an organised church?
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From Kalanidhi Prabhu
Answer Podcast
After the laughter? – Reflections on Robbin Williams’ suicide
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Lecture Podcast
After the laughter? (Reflections on Robin Williams’ suicide)
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The tragic suicide of Academy award winning actor and comedian Robin Williams has shocked the entertainment world. Suffering from depression caused by among several things a relapse into substance abuse, he reportedly ended his life first abortively with a knife and then finally with a belt. Conflating humor and happiness That depression can afflict anyone, […]
Rise beyond prevention of material misery to liberation from it
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“The people of this world understand preventive systems. They have no idea of the unpreventive positive eternal life.” – Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
The God who conceals his divinity so that love can reign supreme (Janmashtami Meditation)
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Special Day Meditation Podcast
Is the holy name transcendental or immanent?
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In ISKCON, we often say that the holy name is a transcendental sound vibration. But a manifestation of the divine in matter is said to be immanent, the opposite of transcendent. Then why do we call the holy name transcendental.
Answer Podcast
How is the holy name different from ordinary sound
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Answer Podcast
Don’t centralize – train for individual growth
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“You want to make big plans for centralization of management. I do not at all approve of such a plan. Do not centralize anything. … The movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments and action not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing […]
Has the Lord come under Maya in Kali-yuga that he is not able to protect Deities
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From Ajay Gauranga Prabhu During Moghal empire the kings broke many temples as well as beautiful deities. Few Sultans kept those deities as stepping stone of their Mosques so that people would trample it. It gives chance to impious people or Mayavadis to say that Lord is not able to protect Himself because He is […]
Why were Indian rulers other than Shivaji not empowered by the Lord to protect Vedic culture?
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From Ajay Gauranga Prabhu Recently I read few pages about Indian history. I was shocked to know how India was till 10th century & how it is now. There were beautiful temples having beautiful deities. There were many spiritual universities. There were many nice vaishnavas. But Moghals ruled around 500 years followed by Britishers for about […]
How do you maintain consistency in your daily writing year after year?
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From Shubham R Gole
how do u maintain consistency in ur activities? prabhuji what u do when u feel bored of writing? from two years i m reading gita wisdom u r so consistent prabhu.
Answer Podcsat
Exploitative desires reduces a living spiritual movement to a stagnant organised church
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“The idea of an organized church in an intelligible form indeed marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dykes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a […]
Don’t blame others – accept responsibility
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“You say ‘they mistake.’ Who are they? You say, ‘you do mistake’ don’t say ‘they.’ This is bureaucracy, ‘they.’ You are all ‘they.’ (conversation in ‘76 in Hyderabad). – Srila Prabhupada
Are tragedies in our lives such as a relative committing suicide God’s punishments on us?
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Answer Podcast
How should relatives of a suicide resolve their anger towards that person?
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Answer Podcast
Should relatives communicate via planchette with someone who has committed suicide?
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Answer Podcast
If a good person commits suicide due to some frustration, what is their destination?
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Answer Podcast
Does a sudden tragedy in the lives of God’s worshipers indicates that God is too busy in his own kingdom to protect?
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Answer Podcast
Gita 08.13 – Cherish remembrance of Krishna to relish the fruit of meditation
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Holy Name Meditation Podcast
Krishna offers special mercy to those who seek him
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“When one desires Krishna, the Lord takes special care and encourages one to desire in such a way that one can attain to Him and be eternally happy” (Bhagavad-gita 5.15 purport). – Srila Prabhupada
When we are attracted to material things through our senses, whereas Krishna is spiritual, how can Krishna be considered all-attractive?
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From Swapnil Mani if krishna is said to be all attractive then the bhakti for him must be fake, because attraction arises due to senses, for e.g i see a beautiful girl on street i get attracted. so how can attraction be defined a word for krishna..please describe what is attraction and why it arrises […]
Gita 09.19 – Krishna manifests all around us to give us the chance to choose him
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Holy Name Meditation Podcast
Why does the Gita use a setting of war to convey its transcendental message when such a setting can be abused to provoke communal violence?
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Such a setting can be easily misused by those wanting to provoke violence in the name of religion
Answer Podcast
Vasana cannot be annihilated, but it can be redirected
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“You cannot kill the human propensities, but they can be changed for higher purposes. You said of annihilation of desire or vasana. But you can think on it very wisely if vasana can be stopped at all. No. Vasana can never be stopped. The vasana is an eternal function of the soul and as the […]
The acharya takes liturgy from letter to spirit
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“The bona fide teacher of religion is neither any product nor the favorer of any mechanical system. In his hands no system has likewise the chance of degenerating into a lifeless arrangement. The mere pursuit of fixed doctrines and fixed liturgies cann…
What is the theory of reflection Prabhupada refers to in the Gita 2.13 purport?
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From Anuj Agarwal
Answer Podcast
What is the Vedic perspective on passive euthanasia?
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Answer Podcast
Why do we say that lust needs to be curbed when it can be channelized towards Krishna as Narottama Das Thakura says?
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Answer Podcast
Why does Krishna emphasise consciousness at death which is much more uncontrollable than consciousness while living?
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From Pandurang Charan P Why does Krishna put emphasis on consciousness while leaving the body to determine one next destination. While we are in the healthy state it is kind of easier to remember Krishna, though that is also difficult than while leaving the body there would be so many problems with one struggling to […]
Meditation on the only prayers to Balaram in the Bhagavatam
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Special Day Meditation Podcast
The Lord is not responsible for our bondage – we are
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“Because he is a living soul, he has the capacity to desire by his free will. Such desire is fulfilled only by the omnipotent Lord. And so, when the living entity is bewildered in his desires, the Lord allows him to fulfill those desires, but the Lord is never responsible for the actions and reactions […]
When Krishna had said he wouldn’t lift weapons in the Kurukshetra war, why does he say in Gita 11.33 that the Kauravas are already killed by him?
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From Sushant Kulkarni
Answer Podcast
Does taking anti-depressant drugs as medicine violate the no intoxication principle?
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From Jack Hansen P
Answer Podcast
When opulences are disqualifications for devotion, why does ISKCON preach to the opulent?
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From Mahesh P “SB 1.8.26 — My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.” We mainly focus preaching […]