Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa
Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy Shastra

The Transcendental Nature of the Holy Name – Part 2

By Satyanarayana Dasa: It is common experience that to achieve something in the material world one has to work very hard. Based on this knowledge, it is very hard to believe that one can attain anything, spiritual or material, merely by chanting some sounds, even if they are identified as Holy Names.

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy Shastra

The Transcendental Nature of the Holy Name – Part 1

By Satyanarayana Dasa: In his Bhagavata-sandarbha, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī establishes on the basis of various Vedic scriptures that the birth and actions of the Lord are transcendental and distinct from those of mortal beings. Jīva Gosvāmī furthermore verifies that Kṛṣṇa’s names are also spiritual. The Lord is called anāmā (lit. nameless), because He does not

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy

The Vaiṣṇava Concept of Māyā

Based on Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s Bhagavat Sandarbha. By Satyanarayana Dasa. The Lord has two types of energy: parā and aparā. Parā means distant, beyond, superior, and so on. The energy is called parā because it is superior to, or beyond, the material energy, which is thus called aparā, i.e. near or inferior. In the Bhagavad

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy Shastra

What Is Jnana?

By Satyanarayana Dasa: The word “jnana” is usually translated as “knowledge,” but, in fact, it is not that simple. In English, one says, “I know the name of a good restaurant,” or “I know Java,” and it is easily understood. But the simplicity of these terms is not the same in Sanskrit ....

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Fire – The Transformational Energy

By Satyanarayana Dasa: Agnimile purohitam yagyasya devamrtvijam hotaram ratnadhatamam "O Agni, I adore Thee, O priest, O divine minister, Who officiates at the divine Sacrifice, Who is also the invoker, the Summoner, Who most bestows the divine wealth upon us."

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

Feeling Guilt

By Satyanarayana Dasa: Guilt is an emotion which most of us have felt at various times in our lives. It is amazing how quickly guilt can kick in for the smallest, most meaningless things. It can be draining and depressing and can rob us of our mental peace and energy ...

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa

In Ads We Trust

By Satyanarayana Dasa: Long ago there lived a philosopher in India by the name of Charvak (lit., one whose speech is very enticing). Charvak propounded a philosophy akin to Epicureanism—that this is the only life and thus we should enjoy ...

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