Author Archives: Chaitanya Charan das

Appreciating India after traveling in America – Hindi
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[Brahmachari class at ISKCON, Nasik]

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Appreciating%20India%20after%20traveling%20in%20America%20-%20Hindi.mp3

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When we don’t get an intimation of our death, as did Parikshit, how should we practice bhakti?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/When%20we%20don’t%20get%20an%20intimation%20of%20our%20death,%20as%20did%20Parikshit,%20how%20should%20we%20practice%20bhakti.mp3

The post When we don’t get an intimation of our death, as did Parikshit, how should we practice bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

How do we help people who know about karma but think it won’t apply to me?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/How%20do%20we%20help%20people%20who%20know%20about%20karma%20but%20think%20it%20won’t%20apply%20to%20me.mp3

The post How do we help people who know about karma but think it won’t apply to me? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

When we are provoked, we get angry despite our resolutions not to do so – what to do?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/When%20we%20are%20provoked,%20we%20get%20angry%20despite%20our%20resolutions%20not%20to%20do%20so%20-%20what%20to%20do.mp3

The post When we are provoked, we get angry despite our resolutions not to do so – what to do? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Spiritualizing our relationships 2 – To improve relationships, decrease expectation and increase contribution
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[Phone class to everydaychant.com online sanga]

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Spiritualizing%20our%20relationships%202%20-%20To%20improve%20relationships,%20decrease%20expectation%20and%20increase%20contribution.mp3

Podcast Summary

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Summary%20-%20Spiritualizing%20our%20relationships%202%20-%20To%20improve%20relationships,%20decrease%20expectation%20and%20increase%20contribution.mp3

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Our intelligence is our security system – don’t let temptation disable it Gita 02.63
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Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Our%20intelligence%20is%20our%20security%20system%20-%20don’t%20let%20temptation%20disable%20it%20Gita%2002.63.mp3

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Whom are we giving our mind – Hindi
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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Nasik, India]

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Whom%20are%20we%20giving%20our%20mind%20-%20Hindi.mp3

Podcast Summary

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/07-17%20classes/Summary%20-%20Whom%20are%20we%20giving%20our%20mind%20-%20Hindi.mp3

The post Whom are we giving our mind – Hindi appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Can we say that the brain processes various energies and one kind of energy processing leads to consciousness?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/Can%20we%20say%20that%20the%20brain%20processes%20various%20energies%20and%20one%20kind%20of%20energy%20processing%20leads%20to%20consciousness.mp3

The post Can we…

Is an unfavourable family situation Krishna’s arrangement – should we accept or reject that situation – Hindi?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/Is%20an%20unfavourable%20family%20situation%20Krishna’s%20arrangement%20-%20should%20we%20accept%20or%20reject%20that%20situation%20-%20Hindi.mp3

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If feelings of satisfaction deter us from doing difficult duties, what should we do – Hindi?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/If%20feelings%20of%20satisfaction%20deter%20us%20from%20doing%20difficult%20duties,%20what%20should%20we%20do%20-%20Hindi.mp3

The post If feelings of satisfaction deter us from doing difficult duties, what should we do – Hindi? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

If we give up all emotions, then what will motivate us to work – Hindi?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/07-17%20QA/If%20we%20give%20up%20all%20emotions,%20then%20what%20will%20motivate%20us%20to%20work%20-%20Hindi.mp3

The post If we give up all emotions, then what will motivate us to work – Hindi? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Is it natural to have expectations – does spiritual life change that?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/Is%20it%20natural%20to%20have%20expectations%20-%20does%20spiritual%20life%20change%20that.mp3

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If someone helps us but makes us feel bad about having taken their help, should we keep a distance from them?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/If%20someone%20helps%20us%20but%20makes%20us%20feel%20bad%20about%20having%20taken%20their%20help,%20should%20we%20keep%20a%20distance%20from%20them.mp3

The post I…

In ancient India, there were many different belief systems, as there are now – why is this?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/In%20ancient%20India,%20there%20were%20many%20different%20belief%20systems,%20as%20there%20are%20now%20-%20why%20is%20this.mp3

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If we practice bhakti simply to look good in others’ eyes, how can we advance?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/If%20we%20practice%20bhakti%20simply%20to%20look%20good%20in%20others’%20eyes,%20how%20can%20we%20advance.mp3

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After practicing spirituality, we feel less materially insecure – does that mean we are spiritually advanced or are irresponsible?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/After%20practicing%20spirituality,%20we%20feel%20less%20materially%20insecure%20-%20does%20that%20mean%20we%20are%20spiritually%20advanced%20or%20are%20irresponsible.mp3

The post After practicing spirituality, we feel less materially insecure – does that mean we are spiritually advanced or are irresponsible? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

If we cursed someone who disappointed us in a relationship, are our present problems a karmic reaction for cursing that person?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/If%20we%20cursed%20someone%20who%20disappointed%20us%20in%20a%20relationship,%20are%20our%20present%20problems%20a%20karmic%20reaction%20for%20cursing%20that%20pers…

If we can’t decide whether a particular desire is good or bad, what should we do?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/If%20we%20can’t%20decide%20whether%20a%20particular%20desire%20is%20good%20or%20bad,%20what%20should%20we%20do.mp3

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Isn’t Prabhupada’s Gita just one among the many interpretations of the Gita?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/Isn’t%20Prabhupada’s%20Gita%20just%20one%20among%20the%20many%20interpretations%20of%20the%20Gita.mp3

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If our children don’t become devotees, are we failing in our primary duty?
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Answer Podcast

Transcriptions

Question: If our children do not become devotee, are we failing in our primary duty?

Answer: We have often heard this phrase – “Parents’ primary duty is to liberate the child.” This aspect of parenting should not become a burden on the child.

Sometimes it may happen that, despite having the greatest parents, the child may not become a devotee. We see in Chaitanya Charitamrita that one of Advaita Acharya’s sons did not become a devotee, but became a Mayavadi. Now, Advaita Acharya is an important associate of the Lord. The fact that his son did not become a devotee is not a deficiency in parenting of Advaita Acharya.

The mood in this sentence is that one should do one’s best to offer facilities to children for spiritual growth. One should not think of becoming a parent simply as just an ordinary activity. It is not just a result of the biological activity of mating. One should see parenting not just a material responsibility but also as a spiritual responsibility.

At the same time, if our children do not become devotees, we shouldn’t see that as a personal failure. Sometimes something similar happens with spiritual masters also. Spiritual masters are far more potent than most parents, but sometimes some of their disciples may not become devotees. In contrast to parenting, the spiritual master-disciple relationship is formed on a spiritual basis and still sometimes the disciples may leave practicing bhakti.

Yes, at one level, it is heartbreaking for the spiritual master when the disciple gives up bhakti. But still, this is not to be seen as a personal failure of the spiritual master and certainly this should not be used to whip the disciple into submission. The disciple is an independent soul and the disciple may choose to give up bhakti. Similarly, the child is also a separate soul and if the child doesn’t practice bhakti, we shouldn’t make this as a personal antipathy. The relationship with the children should still go on irrespective of whether they are practicing bhakti or not.

If we take too much of a “holier than thou” attitude of moral superiority – “You know, you are giving up devotional life, one day you will learn a lesson. You will come crawling back. You will understand that I was right and you were wrong!” – it becomes an ego issue and even if they realize that they were wrong, their ego would not let them come back.

I remember one case of a child whose both parents were devotees. His sister also became a wonderful devotee. This child went through a difficult phase in his life and just gave up practicing bhakti. His parents were very concerned but the parents didn’t force him. One day this child went to a rock music concert. It was many years ago when Michael Jackson first came to India. There was a huge crowd, he pushed through, got a ticket in black, spending a lot of money. And then when he was there […]

Aren’t parents who want their children to succeed in competitions encouraging materialistic over-endeavor?
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Answer Podcast

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Should we as parents encourage our children to participate in competitions for discovering and developing talents?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/06-17%20QA/Should%20we%20as%20parents%20encourage%20our%20children%20to%20participate%20in%20competitions%20for%20discovering%20and%20developing%20talents.mp3

The post Should…