Author Archives: Chaitanya Charan das

Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s contributions 2 – See the unity of purpose underlying the diversity of religions
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Special Day Meditation Podcast “When we have occasion to be present at the place of worship of other religionists at the time of their worship, we should stay there in a respectful mood, contemplating thus: ‘Here is being worshiped my adorable highest entity God, in a different form than that of mine. Due to a […]

Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s contributions 1 – Let faith and reason remove the mosses of illusion
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Special Day Meditation Podcast “When the stream of reason joins the river of ancient faiths, the stagnant mosses of illusion are swept away. And with the gradual flow of time when this unwanted stench will disappear, the knowledge of the Indians will blossom again.” – Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Krishna Samhita

Mahabharata Characters 38 – Arjuna 01 – Diligence is essential for attaining excellence
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Are we compromising when we use mild words like outreach instead of Prabhupada’s standard words like preaching?
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Answer Podcast

Jagannatha Ashtakam 8 – The end of all desires except the desire to serve is the end of material existence
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Jagannatha Ashtakam 7 – A glimpse of the supreme indestructible rasa removes all taste for destructible things
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Jagannatha Ashtakam 6 – The rasanandi Lord relishes the highest ananda through the highest rasa reciprocated with his highest devotee
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Jagannatha Ashtakam 5 – The Ratha Yatra festival offers affectionate service in the association of those with intense devotion
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Mahabharata Characters 37 – Bhima 07 – Draupadi’s dishonorers destroyed
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Selecting our association without being judgmental or offensive
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Lecture Podcast Lecture Outline: 1. Association is the most precious blessing 2. Association with like-minded and affectionate devotees 3. Surrender is not just an emotion but also an action – surrender by choosing favorable association within devotee circle. 4. Two kinds of favourable association: that which inspires us to serve Krishna generically and that which […]

Mahabharata Characters 36 – Bhima 06 – Bhima decimates the Kauravas in the war’s first sixteen days
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Jagannatha Ashtakam 3 – The difference in the sequences of designation and depiction of the Deities
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Jagannatha Ashtakam 2 – Spiritual vision goes beyond abstraction to transcendental specification
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Mahabharata Characters 35 – Bhima 05 – Bhima’s heroics during incognito exile
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Mahabharata Characters 34 – Bhima 04 – Meting punishment while giving forgiveness
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Mahabharata Characters 33 – Bhima 03 – An attack on the gods that fulfilled a godly purpose
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Mahabharata Characters 32 – Bhima 02 – No demon is a match to this human
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Autobiographical Writing in Vaishnavism
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As an author, I am often asked questions about the different kinds of writing that devotees can engage in. One genre whose authenticity comes up for questioning is the genre of autobiographical writing in Vaishnavism. The most prominent example of this kind of writing is The Journey Home by His Holiness Radhanath Maharaj, but several […]

Mahabharata Characters 31 – Bhima 01 – Growing stronger through danger and disaster
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Mahabharata Characters 30 – Yudhisthira 08 – Dharmaraja’s moments of infamy and glory in the war
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Is ISKCON an American organization that sends temple donations from India to America?
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Answer Summary: ISKCON is not an American organization, but an international organization. ISKCON has a standard policy of each center being financially self-sustaining. So normally donations from one temple are not sent to another temple even in the same country, what to speak of outside the country. As special holy places in India like Vrindavan […]

Mahabharata Characters 29 – Yudhisthira 07 – Steadiness through wisdom amidst the war’s worries
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Why are Einstein’s and Prabhupada’s metaphors about blind man-lame man contradictory?
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From Grisham P Einstein compares religion to feet and science to eyes, whereas Prabhupada compares Eastern wisdom to eyes and Western technology to feet. Why the difference? Answer Podcast Another relevant quote: “You know in the West we have built a large, beautiful ship. It has all the comforts in it. but one thing is […]

What does Einstein’s metaphor about science and religion mean?
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Answer Podcast Albert Einstein’s full quote: “Science  can  only  be  created by  those  who  are  thoroughly imbued  with  the  aspiration towards truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that  the regulations valid for the world of existence  are  rational, that  is, […]

Is science based on rational faith and religion on irrational faith?
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Answer Podcast Professor Sir John Polkinghorne: “Physics is powerless to explain its faith in the mathematical intelligibility of the universe.”

Does religion require faith from start to end whereas science requires faith only occasionally?
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Answer Podcast Physicist Paul Davies: “Science can proceed only if the scientist adopts an essentially theological worldview … even the most atheistic scientist accepts as an act of faith  the existence of a law-like order in nature that is at least in part comprehensible to us”.  

Mahabharata Characters 28 – Yudhisthira 06 – Wisdom wins where strength fails (Nahusha & Yaksha)
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Shrivas Thakura – The summit of selfless service in offering everything for the Lord’s pleasure
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Special Day Meditation Podcast

Mahabharata Characters 27 – Yudhisthira 05 – Words of wisdom vs words of anger in the forest
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Listen audio… This talk is a part of the “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

If we shouldn’t be disturbed by the mind’s impurities, then how can we beat the mind?
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Asked in relationship with this Gita-daily article: Be not alarmed by the presence of impurities; be heartened by the presence of the alarm Prabhuji, this beautiful explanation of text 18.38 removes some of the misgivings but how to connect it with the words of Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Goswami Prabhupada that one must thrash the mind […]