Examining mythology 4 – The Monk’s Podcast 100 with Shyamananda Prabhu
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Examining mythology 4 – The Monk’s Podcast 100 with Shyamananda Prabhu

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Was Parashurama’s violence against the kshatriyas disproportionate?
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Chaitanya Charan · Was Parashurama’s violence against the kshatriyas disproportionate

Examining mythology 3 – The Monk’s Podcast 99 with Shyamananda Prabhu
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Chaitanya Charan · Examining mythology 3 – The Monk’s Podcast 99 with Shyamananda Prabhu

Why do we feel more envy toward some people than toward others?
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Chaitanya Charan · Why Do We Feel More Envy Toward Some People Than Toward Others

During Western outreach, results come very slowly – how to avoid becoming encouraged?
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · During Western outreach, results come very slowly – how to avoid becoming encouraged

Gita key verses course 39 – What is education meant for – Gita 13.12
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Chaitanya Charan · Gita key verses course 39 – What is education meant for – Gita 13.12
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While doing yoga outreach, how can we ensure that our bhakti focus doesn’t get diluted?
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Chaitanya Charan · While doing yoga outreach, how can we ensure that our bhakti focus doesn’t get diluted

Examining mythology 2 – The Monk’s Podcast 98 with Shyamananda Prabhu
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Examining mythology 2 – The Monk’s Podcast 98 with Shyamananda Prabhu

 

Video:

Sustainable Living and Rural Outreach – The Monk’s Podcast 96 with Sanat Kumar Prabhu
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Chaitanya Charan · Sustainable Living and Rural Outreach – The Monk’s Podcast 96 with Sanat Kumar Prabhu

 

Summary podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Sustainable Living and Rural Outreach – The Monk’s Podcast 96 with Sanat Kumar Prabhu summary

 

Video:

Isn’t the Vedic path better because it doesn’t narrow-mindedly claim to be the only way as do the Abrahamic religions
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Chaitanya Charan · Isn’t The Vedic Path Better Because It Doesn’t Claim To Be The Only Way As Do Abrahamic Religions

Do We Need To Be Politically Correct And Say That All Paths Are The Same When Addressing Devotees?
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Chaitanya Charan · Do We Need To Be Politically Correct And Say That All Paths Are The Same When Addressing Devotees

The Monk’s Podcast 97 with Shyamananda Prabhu – Examining mythology 1
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Chaitanya Charan · Examining mythology 1 – The Monk’s Podcast 96 with Shyamananda Prabhu.mp3

Video:

When we know that our senses are defective and that Big Pharma can be manipulative, how can we work in or with science without cognitive dissonance
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Chaitanya Charan · When We Know That Our Senses Are Defective , How Can We Work in Science Without Cognitive Dissonance

During Western outreach, results come very slowly – how to avoid becoming encouraged?
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Chaitanya Charan · During Western Outreach, Results Come Very Slowly – How To Avoid Becoming Encouraged

Gita key versescourse 38 – Does religion make people better or worse? – Gita 12.13
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Chaitanya Charan · Gita key versescourse 38 – Does religion make people better or worse – Gita 12.13
Video:

The Monk’s Podcast 95 Krishna Kshetra Maharaj – Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara 6 – Parashurama
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 95 KrishnaKshetra Maharaj – Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara 6 – Parashurama

Summary podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 95 KrishnaKshetra M summary – Churning the Bhagavatam- Dashavatara 6 – Parashuram

Video:

Why are Prabhupada’s non-confrontational quotes so less known and his confrontational quotes so well-known?
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Chaitanya Charan · Why Are Prabhupada’s Non-ConfrontationalQuotesSoLess Known&His ConfrontationalQuotes So Well – Known

When our movement quantifies spirituality in terms of targets, won’t this alienate thoughtful new people?
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Chaitanya Charan · When Our MovementQuantifiesSpirituality InTermsOf Targets, Won’t This Alienate Thoughtful New People

The Monk’s Podcast 94 with Lokanath Maharaja – Gaudiya bhakti, Maharashtrian bhakti, universal bhakti
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 94 with Lokanath Maharaja -Gaudiya bhakti, Maharashtrian bhakti, universal bhakti

Summary podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 94 Lokanath Maharaja summary-Gaudiya bhakti,Maharashtrian bhakti,universal bhakti

Video:

In the Daksha pastime, why do we blame Daksha alone and not consider that others also acted hastily or insensitively?
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Chaitanya Charan · Daksha Pastime,Why Do We Blame Daksha Alone And Not Consider That Others Also Acted Insensitively?

The Monk’s Podcast 93 with Radha Gopinatha Prabhu – Preserving a simple heart in a complex world
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 93 with Radha Gopinatha Prabhu – Preserving a simple heart in a complex world

Summary podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · The Monk’s Podcast 93 Radhagopinatha Prabhu summary – Preserving a simple heart in a complex world

Video:

What can we do when we feel emotions that we aren’t meant to feel?
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Chaitanya Charan · What Can We Do When We Feel Emotions That We Aren’t Meant To Feel?

If I am happy now why do I need to learn about reincarnation?
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Chaitanya Charan · If I Am Happy Now Why Do I Need To Learn About Reincarnation?

Gita key verses course 37 – Beyond black and white conceptions of spirituality – Gita 12.10
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Chaitanya Charan · 38 Beyond black and white conceptions of spirituality Gita key verses course 38 – Gita 12.10
Video:

If we say the Itihasas – historical scriptures – are not historical, won’t people get reasons to reject scriptures as imaginary?
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Chaitanya Charan · If We Say The Itihasas Are Not Historical,Won’tPeople GetReasons To Reject Scriptures As Imaginary?

How do people use spirituality and religion to justify suffering?
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Chaitanya Charan · How Do People Use Spirituality And Religion To Justify Suffering

Does the caste system still exist in some parts of India?
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Chaitanya Charan · Does The Caste System Still Exist In Some Parts Of India?

How can humility go along with self-respect?
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · How Can Humility Go Along With Self – Respect

Transcription
Question: How can humility go along with self-respect?

Answer: Let’s look at it this way. Is there a difference between humility and humiliation? Yes, there is, definitely.

We say we should cultivate humility, but none of us want to be humiliated. Let’s put it another way, we all want to cultivate humility. So, should we start insulting and humiliating each other in our community? Then we will all become humble. You are proud and I will insult you, I will humiliate you and you humiliate me and in this way by exchanging humiliation we will all get humility. No!

Does humiliation make one humble? Not necessarily. Humiliation can make one feel offended, it can make one feel enraged. Sometimes it may make one humble, but not necessarily. So, clearly, there is a difference between humiliation and humility, and certainly although we talk about, say, we should be humble, but we also say respect each other. That’s the injunction in our devotee community and that’s normal human conduct also. So, we could put it that humiliation is false ego frustrated. Humility is false ego rejected.

Humiliation is false ego frustrated. I want to be respected, but instead of being respected, I was disrespected, I was mocked, I was derided, I can’t bear this. So, humiliation is false ego frustrated. I want to be respected, but I was not.

But humility is false ego rejected. That means I don’t crave for respect from others. I don’t depend on respect from others. That doesn’t mean that I don’t care at all. I mean it’s not so easily possible. We are human beings and we will notice how people are dealing with us. We can’t artificially become stone-like and that’s not exactly humility. But humility and humiliation are… Humiliation is I want something and I don’t get that respect, that’s humiliation. But humility is I don’t want it that much.

So, we could look at humility from the perspective of what we expect, what we demand from the world, what we need from the world. So that’s one aspect of humility.

Another aspect is, if I’m not demanding, how am I looking at myself? So now we have great saintly people saying that, Bhaktivinoda Thakura says “Amara Jeevana Sada Pape Rata,” that my life is full of sin and there is no good that is seen in me. Now, he has songs like that, but then he is writing books, he is sharing Bhakti wisdom confidently, countering misconceptions. So, when he is saying there are no good qualities in me, I am sinful, he is looking at it from a very elevated perspective. So, he is thinking of how pure Krishna’s devotees are, how pure Krishna is. As compared to them, what am I? Krishna loves me […]

If we label people positively – you are specially talented – can that help people grow?
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Chaitanya Charan · If We Label People Positively – You Are Specially Talented – Can That Help People Grow

If our guides speak unpalatably to us and we can’t express ourselves to them what can we do?
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Chaitanya Charan · If Our Guides Speak Unpalatably To Us And We Can’t Express Ourselves To Them What Can We Do

Gita key verses course 36 – How can I forgive those who have hurt me – Gita 11.55
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Gita key verses course 36 – How can I forgive those who have hurt me – Gita 11.55
Summary podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Gita key verses course 36 – How can I forgive those who have hurt me – Gita 11.5…

Does free will exist when one is suffering from bipolar disorder?
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · Does Free Will Exist When One Is Suffering From Bipolar Disorder

If someone commits suicide, can that be caused by their karma?
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · If Someone Commits Suicide, Can That Be Caused By Their Karma

Transcription

Question: If someone commits suicide, can that be caused by their karma?

Answer: In general, our past karma determines our situations, not our decisions. Now when I talk about situations, it doesn’t just refer to physical situations. We could talk about psychological situations also, so our dispositions also. But just because somebody has a particular disposition doesn’t mean that they necessarily have to make that decision. Yes, those thoughts may come more in some people, those thoughts may come less in some people, but we can’t really say that our past karma makes us do things as extreme as suicide. Yes, there are other factors also. Maybe if somebody does like that, yes, they may have suicidal thoughts, they may have done some things by which they have alienated themselves from people or whatever has happened, somebody is against them and that’s why they are feeling very lonely and persecuted.

Generally, our actions in this life are not forced upon us by our past actions. They’re prompted, but they’re not forced. That’s where the idea of free will comes in. We always have free will. Of course, how much free will we have, that will vary from person to person. That will be affected by one’s past karma, but free will is always there. It’s like, say even a person in a jail has free will, but they don’t have freedom. Freedom is the area over which free will is executed or exercised. So, they don’t have the freedom to go to this part of the city or that part of the country or that part of the world. They have to stay within that jail cell or in that jail premises, but even there they have free will. There they can quarrel with other people, they can fight, or they can maybe read and learn some useful skill and come out wiser. They have choices. Some prisoners might be in a far more restricted cell, they might be in solitary confinement, in a dungeon, and some might be allowed to go around as long as they’re within the prison walls. That will depend largely on what kind of crime they have committed, what kind of conduct they have had in the jail cell as well as before getting into jail.

Like that, we can say our past conduct determines how much freedom we have, but it doesn’t determine our free will. Free will is always something which is with us. If somebody comes to the point of committing suicide, then it is definitely a decision. It is a decision that they took. We can’t put it on past karma alone. Past karma may make them more vulnerable, but then it’s up to them. It’s their choice.

This also is seen to some extent in gender variation within suicides. What is found is that women attempt suicide more, men commit suicide more. What does that mean? Now […]

When Narada has a transcendental body, how does he appear through Brahma’s body
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Chaitanya Charan · When Narada Has A Transcendental Body, How Does He Appear Through Brahma’s Body

Was Yudhishthira wrong to gamble and cowardly to not protect Draupadi while she was dishonored?
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Chaitanya Charan · Was Yudhishthira Wrong To Gamble And Cowardly To Not Protect Draupadi While She Was Dishonored

If we are extroverts how can we be invisible while doing our services?
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Podcast:

Chaitanya Charan · If We Are Extroverts How Can We Be Invisible While Doing Our Services

Does surrender mean simply leaving our fate to God – then why practice bhakti-yoga to attain him?
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Chaitanya Charan · Does Surrender Mean Simply Leaving Our Fate To God – Then Why Practice Bhakti – Yoga To Attain Him

When Vasudeva Was In Prison With Devaki, How Did Rohini Conceive A Child?
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Chaitanya Charan · When Vasudeva Was In Prison With Devaki, How Did Rohini Conceive A Child