Attraction and repulsion, rāga and dveṣa, are the two primary emotions experienced by human beings. They are the offspring of avidyā, or primordial ignorance of one’s true self and of Bhagavān. In Yoga-sūtra (2.3), Patañjali Maharṣi explains that one identifies with the material mind and body because of avidya, and that identification results in raga
By Satyanarayana Dasa Different spiritual paths have different requirements for success. The path of karma yoga requires tenacious adherence to the Vedic injunctions. The path of jñāna yoga requires full renunciation from material attachments and sense pleasures. All paths in general require some amount of detachment, or dispassion. But, the path of bhakti primarily requires
Question: In Paramātma Sandarbha, Annucheda 93, it is said, “Bhagavān did not rescue Gajendra out of empathy for his pain, but rather because of his surrender in the form, ‘You are my only shelter.’” But He resides within the heart of every jīva as Paramātmā. How does He remain neutral to the threefold miseries of
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
Question: I understand that there are different types of bhakti. If a person practices bhakti without a guru according to the rules of vaidhi and focuses on activities which are in themselves bhakti, such as worship and chanting the Lord’s Names, then it seems that this person can make some progress. But after a certain
The psychology of materialists is quite opposite the psychology of spiritualists. This is why materialistic people cannot understand the minds of spiritualists –vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijṣeha nā bujhaya.
Question: My question has a few parts to it and ultimately it is about the nature of studying one’s own mind and inclinations. Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that tattva bhrama (misconception about the Absolute Reality) is an anartha, since anarthas are impediments on the devotional path, presumably a lack of clarity in terms of siddhanta will
