Author Archives: Chaitanya Charan das

What is the meaning of Gita 14.11: “The manifestations of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge”?
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From Sitesh Goel
Answer Podcast

Has ISKCON replaced the scriptural worship of Ganesh in Hindu temples with the unscriptural worship of Prabhupada in its temples?
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Do we need to posit the existence of eternal souls to make the design argument robust?
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From Vaishakh P It seems to me that a way out of this will be to first understand ourselves to be eternal souls in which case our existence is a necessity. Then, its indeed fascinating that the world around us is moulded in a way that we can exist. From there on, the design argument […]

Do the Anthropic Principle and the multiverse theory make the design argument redundant?
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From Vaishakh P Some of the atheistic forums is the question of design itself. Their claim is that there’s no intelligent design. Now, one may say that there’s order that’s visible to us, such as the beautiful mountains and how the environment is ‘just right’ for life to exist. But their idea is that our existence […]

If all three aspects (SAT CIT ANANDA) are present within brahman, why can’t we perceive all of them just within the brahman itself?
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From: Gopalacarya Das Answer Podcast

Just as one can climb out of a well without a rope using footholds in the wall, can one get liberated without following a valid process?
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From Vijay Gopi Keshava P In the man in well example you mention that even using the foot holds one can rise but it is extremely difficult. But doesn’t this suggest that one can get out of material life (although extremely difficult) even without a rope (an authorized process). But there can be no way […]

Mahabharata Characters 12 – Drona 02 – The Teacher’s Tests
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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 one has devotion, why does one need to count the names of God?
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From: Ganesh : There is a saying, ” Dhyani ko mala karte dekh Premi ne kaha ‘Ye to bhagwan ka naam bhi ginkar lete hain or fir kahte hain ki unhe bhagwan se prem hai.’ Once I was chanting on my bids. My non devotee sister was sitting nearby me. Than she also quoted the above mentioned […]

When this world is duhkhalayam why are the distressed only one of the four categories of people coming to Krishna
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Answer Podcast

Isn’t demonisation of the present with its promise of hi-tech paradise necessary to make people seek spiritual happiness?
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Answer Podcast

Krishna is most suitable form of God for developing pure love
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Of all  the  conceptions of God  existing  in  the  world, the  form  of Krsna  is the  most suitable for developing  pure  love.   The conception of Allah in the Koran  is not suitable for developing pure  love.  Even the Lord’s   dear  prophet could  not see Allah’s  form, for though the  Lord  is friendly, He remains at […]

Mahabharata Characters 11 – Drona 01 – From poverty to power
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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

Demonizing the other doesn’t remove the demons hither
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‘Demonizing the other’ refers to depicting the other in the darkest hues, ascribing to them numerous vices and holding them responsible for one’s problems. Actually, most of our problems are largely caused by our own weaknesses and errors. Metaphorically speaking, our problems are due to the demons in our heart: demons such as lust, anger […]

Godless morality is no good
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Those  moral  codes  which  do  not  include thought of God, cannot accomplish any  good    for mankind, even  though presented skillfully. Such morality is materialistic. Moral  codes  which  express     belief in God  and oblige service to Him are fit for mankind. Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Mahabharata Characters 10 – Bhishma 09 – The Ideal Departure
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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

Vishnu Sahasra Nama 14 – Krishna brings completeness to our existence and our longing for happiness
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Holy Name Meditation Podcast

As India is still receptive to direct devotional preaching and Prabhupada emphasized that, shouldn’t that be our emphasis too?
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Answer Podcast

Islam and Christianity have damaged Vedic culture yet we consider them revealed religions – so are they part of Kali’s plan or have they become distorted over time?
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Answer Podcast

Don’t romanticize the past or demonize the present – utilize whatever is available
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Lecture Podcast Lecture Summary: Don’t romanticize the past: Overview of scriptural history: Adharma present in SB, RA, MB and even CC Overview of secular history: During Buddhism / Jainism’s reign in India for some 1000 yrs, more atheistic books were written in Sanskrit than in any other classical language … Battle against monism for 1000 […]

Mahabharata Characters 09 – Bhishma 08 – The Grandsire on the arrow bed
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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

The different emphasis of the words “God”, “Lord” and “Krishna”
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 In  this  first  section [of the Chaitanya Shikhsamrita]  the  words “Lord”,  “God”  and  “Krsna”  have  all  been  used.    The reader should not  think   that  these  words refer  to separate entities.     Krsna  is the only form,  the  only  object  of    worship by  the  soul.    Krsna  is  the  complete  revelation  of sweetness in God.     When  we  consider […]

Try to live naturally
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“As far as possible try to adjust to a natural way of life, free from dependence on machines” (Letter to Subhavilasa, Mayapur 16 March, 1977).

Does the M-theory do away with the need for God, as Stephen Hawking claims in The Grand Design?
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Answer Podcast Quotes by scientists pointing out the limitations of M-theory: “The connection between this multiverse idea and M-theory is, however, tentative. Advocates of M-theory such as Witten and Hawking would have us believe that it is done and dusted. But its critics have been sharpening their knives for a few years now, arguing that […]

How do we respond when prominent scientists like Stephen Hawking write books propounding atheism?
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Answer Podcast Some logical absurdities from The Grand Design: “Because there is a law of gravity, the universe can and will create itself out of nothing.” “The universe can and will create itself from nothing.” *** The book simply demands faith in M-theory, making it into a surrogate God. My review comment about this book that […]

What are dharma-shastra and artha-shastra? How are they different?
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From Rajeev:
Prabhupada’s Gita purports refer to this. Can you pl explain?
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Is belief in God a virus of the mind, as atheists claim?
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From Peter
Dawkins makes this argument in his books. What is a response that we can give to people who are between theism and atheism?
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Mahabharata Characters 08 – Bhishma 07 – Transcendental devotion amidst violent confrontation
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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

Even those who deny the form of God accept his form
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In some  religions, because  the   greater emphasis on logic, the worshipper simply   forms  a conception of God  in the mind,  and  worships it.    They  do  not  accept   an  external form  of  God.       In  reality,   however,   all  these conceptions are forms of the Lord. Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Scientism is self-contradictory
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Scientism is the belief system that places the halo of omniscience on science. Scientism claims that all valid knowledge has to come only through the hallowed lanes of science – whatever comes from anywhere else is corrupted by the cardinal “sin” of being unscientific and so should be rejected as “untouchable.” Ironically, the core claim […]

Hearing is the way to spiritual learning
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Hearing is more important than directly studying or perceiving. If one attentively hears from the right source, perfect knowledge is received. This process is called srauta-pantha, or the acquirement of knowledge by hearing from authorities. All Vedic knowledge is based on the principle of approaching a bona fide spiritual master and hearing from the authoritative […]

Mahabharata Characters 07 – Bhishma 06 – The heartbreaking conflict among loved ones
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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

Balance primary and secondary rules for healthy and happy life
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Rules   are of two types:  primary and  secondary.  Those rules  which  directly lead us to serving and    satisfying the  Lord  are  called    primary rules.    Those  rules  of life which indirectly support that  goal are   called  secondary.  This will become  clear by  giving  an example. Taking  an early morning bath is a rule.    By doing  this, […]

Vishnu Sahasra Nama Names 10-11 – The holy name links us to the Supersoul’s purity and guidance
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Holy Name Meditation Podcast