Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa
Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

Love Beyond Love – Part 4

If one performs yajña without material motive, the result is subduing of rajas and tamas and predominance of sattva. In turn, this grants clear knowledge of the self, jñāna. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the (Gīta 4.33), sarva karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate, “O Arjuna all endeavors culminate in jñāna.” Therefore jñāna, too, can be created.

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

Love Beyond Love – Part 2

In the first sixty anucchedas, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has established that prīti is the ultimate puruṣārtha (object of human pursuit). As said earlier, traditionally in India, mokṣa or mukti is considered the highest puruṣārtha. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī is establishing a new principle,

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Bhakti Sandarbhas

Love Beyond Love – Part 1

I am currently translating and commenting on Prīti Sandarbha, and wanted to share the 61st anuccheda, in which Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī discusses the definition of prīti, given by Prahlāda in Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Translation Thus, prīti for Bhagavān is the highest objective of life. In Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.20.19), Prahlāda uses an analogy which describes the intrinsic

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Gaudiya Philosophy

Prayers of the Baby in the Womb

One of the most important but underappreciated topics in the field of scriptural study is the topic of hermeneutics. Whether one is academically oriented or a staunch practitioner of a particular tradition, in order to gain an authentic understanding of the profound and esoteric meanings of ancient scriptural writings, it is essential to understand the

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

Envy Among Devotees

Below is a section of Prīti Sandarbha (Anucchedas 287 and 288, along with my commentary) where Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī speaks about envy in perfected devotees. I thought it would be interesting for the readers, and affords a glimpse into Prīti Sandarbha. Translation Śuka mentioned an example of inimical gopīs (prātipakṣikī): “Oh! These footprints left by

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Questions & Answers Vedic Culture

Women in Vedic Culture

Question: Are women less intelligent? Answer: This is a vague question, I must say.  Intelligence is multifaceted; there are various types of intelligence. According to Howard Gardner, Professor of Education at Harvard University, there are nine types of intelligence. Similarly, according to Steven Rudolph of Jiva Institute, there are eight types of intelligence. Somebody may

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Gaudiya Philosophy Sandarbhas

Bhagavān Is Not Biased (Part 2)

Commentary on Paramātma Sandarbha, Anuccheda 93, by Satyanarayana Dasa Śrī Jīva now responds to the second objection regarding the accusation that Bhagavān is biased. Earlier he established that Bhagavān acts only to give delight to His devotees, which seemingly implicates Him in bias. Śrī Jīva writes that a person acts to please others for two

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