Author Archives: Chaitanya Charan das

Amidst conflicts, how can we put aside our ego and accept responsibility for the problem?
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Answer Podcast

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/Amidst%20conflicts,%20how%20can%20we%20put%20aside%20our%20ego%20and%20accept%20responsibility%20for%20the%20problem.mp3
 

Transcription :

Transcriber: Suresh Gupta

Question: Amidst conflicts, how can we put aside our ego and accept responsibility for the problem?

Answer: We often have a very functional approach to things – this is the problem; this is the solution. The one who has caused the problem should fix the mess. This is the way we normally function in the world. Instead, we should have a more service-oriented approach where we are conscious that the problem can impede our service to the Lord. The cause of the problem is not as important as the problem getting fixed. If we shift our vision from the specific problem or its solution, to service of the Lord and give more importance to service of the Lord then that itself gives a higher perspective.

We all have to choose our battles in lives. There are too many things that are wrong in life. If we look at the news, we will find hundreds of things that are wrong. We all choose our battles, even in spiritual lives we have to choose our battles. When we want to serve the Lord then for the service to go on, we keep the big picture in mind and may just decide to take a step back. This will help us understand that the problem is not a big issue and we can give concession to the person or the problem so that at least this will keep things moving.

The mind magnifies small problems and deludes us by making us loose our sense of perspective. Sometimes we may magnify a small problem and sometimes we may trivialise a big problem. Either way, the mind can make a loose sense of perspective. However, if we have a clear picture that we have dedicated our life for the service of the Lord, then we can decide, how much energy we want to spend on a problem.

There is a good example in Ramayana of four obstacles which Hanuman meets on his journey to Lanka, which represent various things. One of those obstacles was a demoness named Surasa. She had the benediction that whatever passed on her way should enter her mouth. Seeing Hanuman approach, she made her mouth big. Sensing this, Hanuman too makes himself big. Then Surasa makes her mouth bigger and similarly, Hanuman makes himself bigger. But at one point, Hanuman shrinks his size and immediately enters the mouth of Surasa and comes out. Hanuman could have made this situation an ego issue, but instead he gives priority to his goal of reaching Lanka, which was his service to Lord Rama. Hence, to honor Surasa’s benediction and continue on his journey, he reduces his size and enters her big mouth and immediately comes out. Seeing the intelligence of Hanuman, Surasa becomes pleased and allows him to go ahead and even grants Hanuman her blessings.
Similarly, when we are faced with arguments then instead of getting stuck in the loop of arguments and counter-arguments, we should instead look for ways […]

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When there is disunity, should we just surrender and wait for Krishna to restore unity or do something to restore unity?
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Answer Podcast
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If people speak in anger, doesn’t it reflect unfiltered what is in their heart?
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Answer Podcast

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If we are not spiritually advanced, do the problems we face come from our past karma or by Krishnas arrangement?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/If%20we%20are%20not%20spiritually%20advanced,%20do%20the%20problems%20we%20face%20come%20from%20our%20past%20karma%20or%20by%20Krishnas%20arrangement.mp3
The post I…

Why did Vali attribute negative intention to Sugriva – was he already suspicious?
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Answer Podcast

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After Valis death why didn’t Sugriva console himself by focusing on Valis atrocities?
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Answer Podcast

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Reincarnation – Myth or Reality with Spanish Translation
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[Talk at Hotel El Panama, Panama City, Panama]

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/05-17%20classes/Reincarnation%20-%20Myth%20or%20Reality%20with%20Spanish%20translation.mp3

Reincarnation – myth or reality 

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The Karma Conundrum – Does our destiny make us or do we make it?
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[Talk at Princeton University, USA]

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/05-17%20classes/The%20Karma%20Conundrum%20-%20Does%20our%20destiny%20make%20us%20or%20do%20we%20make%20it.mp3

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Does our desire for freedom from parents come from resentment towards them or from a genuine need for self-expression?
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Answer Podcast
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/Does%20our%20desire%20for%20freedom%20from%20parents%20come%20from%20resentment%20towards%20them%20or%20from%20a%20genuine%20need%20for%20self-expression.mp3
The po…

If traditional cultures aren’t against love, why are love marriages banned in ISKCON?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/If%20traditional%20cultures%20aren’t%20against%20love,%20why%20are%20love%20marriages%20banned%20in%20ISKCON.mp3

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Select emotions with intelligence – Hindi
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[Talk at Swaminarayan Center, Panama City, Panama]
Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/05-17%20classes/Select%20emotions%20with%20intelligence%20Hindi.mp3

Podcast Summary

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2017%20classes/05-17%20classes/Summary%20-%20Select%20emotions%20with%20intelligence%20-%20Hindi%20.mp3

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Amidst today’s financial insecurity, how can we decide how much accumulation is enough?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/Amidst%20today’s%20financial%20insecurity,%20how%20can%20we%20decide%20how%20much%20accumulation%20is%20enough.mp3

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When bhakti practice hasn’t yet changed our disposition, how can we take sound decisions?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/When%20bhakti%20practice%20hasn’t%20yet%20changed%20our%20disposition,%20how%20can%20we%20take%20sound%20decisions.mp3

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If someone puts in the same efforts as me but gets better results, how to avoid envy?
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Answer Podcast

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/If%20someone%20puts%20in%20the%20same%20efforts%20as%20me%20but%20gets%20better%20results,%20how%20to%20avoid%20envy.mp3

 

Transcription :

Transcriber: Suresh Gupta

Question: If someone puts in the same efforts as me but gets better results, how to avoid envy?

Answer: All of us are on a multi life-time journey where actions and results are not simply a linear connection. We see that a particular action done by us leads to a particular result and when someone else does the same action, it produces different result. Although causes and effects are connected, the connection between cause and effects is not simply linear or a one-to-one correspondence. For example, two farmers living in different part of the country may individually do the same action of sowing seeds, ploughing their land but if it rains only in one part of the country and not in the other part then the place where it rained, the farmer will get lots of harvest and the other place where it did not rain, the farmer may not get any harvest.
In Sanskrit, all these factors are described as karma (action), daiva (destiny), kaala (time) and phalah (fruit). We perform karma (action) to produce phalah (fruit) but actually there are two more factors involved: daiva and kaala. So, the entire equation is karma + daiva + kaala together lead to phalah. In this case, the karma is the farmer ploughing the land, sowing the seeds; daiva is the rains coming; kaala is the passage of time until the harvesting season and finally it leads to phalah.

Whenever we do any action, we need to understand that they alone do not determine the results. Our actions do play an important role – the farmer has to plough the land, sow the seeds but that alone does not bring the result. Sometimes, we may go through a phase when the daiva or the destiny is not favourable and because of that, even after doing the work, result does not come. If we look back at our life, we will remember situations where although we had put in small efforts, still we got a good result. Along with our hard work, many things would have fell right in place (e.g. we might have found the right contact, a particular thing happened on time etc.). The results achieved require not just our good performance but also other things. Thus, daiva is an accumulated sum total of the karma that we have done in the past.

When we do not get the results, it means that karma is not leading to phalah because daiva is not favourable. Daiva is like weather – sometimes cold, sometimes hot. It is not that daiva will always be unfavourable. One must learn to tolerate such events and be patient. There is no need to be envious of others because everybody has done a mix of good and bad karmas. With this understanding, we would not deem ourselves as failure for not producing a result.

Ultimately, nothing is gained by envy. Therefore, we should instead focus on doing our best then even when the results do not […]

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Philosophy makes sense intellectually, but doesn’t sink emotionally – what to do?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2017%20QA/05-17%20QA/Philosophy%20makes%20sense%20intellectually,%20but%20doesn’t%20sink%20emotionally%20-%20what%20to%20do.mp3

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