Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa
Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Vāsudevaḥ Sarvam Iti

When we were born, we were tiny beings, a few pounds and just about a foot and a half long. Over the years, we have grown so much bigger that when we see our own birthday photo, we hardly recognize ourselves. This change did not happen overnight. It has taken many years of continual change

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Love and Control

In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that those influenced by rajas take birth on earth (14.18), which indicates that human birth is predominantly rājasika. Rajas inspires action (Gita 14.12). To perform any action one needs śakti, energy or power. Therefore, human life is a struggle for power. Everyone desires power. No one likes to be powerless. A child

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Success Is where Krishna Is

Bhagavad Gītā begins with Arjuna’s dilemma – whether to fight or to abandon the battle. Arjuna is leaning toward giving up arms and abandoning the battlefield. He cannot conceive of shooting arrows at his teacher Droṇa nor his grand-uncle Bhīṣma; after all, they are worthy of his honor and worship. Yet, Arjuna is also not

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

The Reason for Loneliness

The real identity of ātmā is that it is part of Kṛṣṇa’s intermediary potency, taṭasthā-śakti, as Kṛṣṇa proclaims in Bhagavat Gīta 15.7: mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ  “The eternal living being is an integral part of Me alone.” However, because we are under the influence of beginningless ignorance about our own true identity, we identify instead

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

The Importance of Human Birth

Among all species of life, human birth is very rare and important. In Śānti-parva of Māhābhārata (chapter 180), the great devotee Bhīsma, one of the twelve Mahājanas, tells King Yuḍhisthīra a story to show the significance of its importance. He describes that long ago, there was a very austere brahmaṇa, named Kāśyapa. He was very

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Is a Guru Really Necessary?

There are mixed feelings about the role of guru in one’s spiritual life, and I am asked about it very often. Those who stick to tradition think that guru is absolutely essential and one must accept the guru as the supreme authority. Others think that, although guru is a must, there is no need to

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Complain? Or be Grateful?

We have a choice: We can complain about what we are missing, or we can be grateful and celebrate what we have. Most people choose to complain. Obviously, we are all quite dissatisfied with our present state. Our only inspiration is the hope of being satisfied in the future. Our only respite is the memory

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