Category: Bhakti: Pre-requisites

Bhakti is a process that begins with a broad base and then culminates at a narrow point. This is explained in the following manner. When a person takes to Krishna Bhajana seriously, initially one is not clear of the nuances of Bhakti. As the devotee embarks on a new journey, he is yet within the grip of his mundane consciousness. Although he takes up to various activities in the service of Krishna, he continues with his mundane habits. His Bhakti being immature, he does not have a thorough understanding of what is favourable and what is unfavourable to Bhajana. Although he visits sadhus, his attraction to things mundane continues with little change. Continue reading “Narrower the better”

Jeeva or a living entity is that soul which is within the grip of mind, intelligence, false ego and may or may not possess a gross body. Ghouls and ghosts are also jeevas but they do not have gross bodies. The human being is the most complex example of jeeva. In the context of Bhakti, understanding “jeeva sthithi” or the standing of the jeeva in the context of Bhakti Continue reading “Jeeva, an embodiment of treachery”

This topic is rarely discussed in Bhakti circles because it may prove controversial considering the nature of the subject, especially in the context of spirituality; sex appears to be out of place. However this is very relevant and people who are in the sadhana practice of seeking eternal service of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in the Raganuga mode should have a proper view of sex so that their sadhana is immaculate and dot on with respect to attaining the Prayojana or the Ultimate objective, that is achieving the eternal service of handmaid-hood of Srimati Radharani while being still embodied in this life time. Continue reading “Sex and Bhakti”

There is a heavy veil of ignorance that covers the intelligence of living entities. This is relevant more so with the human beings; animals being disabled by nature herself to be categorized under the domain of intelligence since they work on instincts and not intelligence. The topic of intelligence is relevant  only amongst the human species. Having said so, human beings although they appear to be intelligent; operate far below their intelligence capacity. The veil of ignorance that grips human beings thwarts human beings to operate intelligently. Hence even human beings, most of them behave under the grip of instincts where mind rules over intelligence. Human mind is prone to be infected with mundane tendencies with strong likes and dislikes that freezes human potential itself. People thrive on social identity and this is the greatest debacle where everyone is striving constantly in pursuit of name and recognition. Continue reading “Nobody but the Lord”

Spiritual sadhana in Vaishnavism is carried out at various levels. When one is attracted towards satvikka seva or seva in the mode of goodness, one is attracted towards Vaishnavas and the various forms of Vishnu and Krishna. One thus enters into the mode of initial service towards the Lord and Vaishnavas. The mode of such service in the very beginning is usually money. On who serves the Lord with money is indeed fortunate. More important is to serve the Vaishnavas with available resources at one’s disposal and the pertinent use of money. However the results of such services also depend on the intention of the patron or aspiring sadhaka who wants to enter the pure path of Bhakti. Continue reading “Seva with Money”

In the Bhakti world , the Shastras are often the most misinterpreted elements of knowledge. The intention of the writer of the Shastra , his mood and his ideas are communicated in words. Sanskrit was the original language of all spiritual literature. Depending on the sadhana , the spiritual practices one is undertaking and the most important ,the Guru, the same Shastra will highlight different spiritual connotations in the minds of the spiritual aspirant. In  Vedic times, when there was less “consciousness pollution” , lesser amount of material contamination ; Continue reading “Interpretation”

Sriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu established the Acintya-Bheda-Bhed principle based on 4 major Vaishnavic principles namely Shuddha Advaita, Dvaita Advaita,Vishishta Advaita and Dvaita of the 4 Acaryas namely  Vallabhacarya and/or Visnuswami ,Nimbaditya, Ramanuja and Madhwa and Himself adopted the Brahma Madhwa Sampradaya , the non-Tattvavadi school called Gaudiya Vaishnavism because this thought emerged from Gauda Continue reading “The Parampara Line in Gaudiya Vaishnavism”