Questions & Answers
Hindu Philosophy Questions & Answers

Concepts of God with a Form

Question: Ramanuja invests so much energy in his SB 1.1.1 commentary in countering Sankara’s notion of avidyā, yet he includes nothing about an eternal form. The Śruti says nothing about form. No one else—not Yoga, Mīmāṁsā, Vaiśeṣika, Tantra, Bauddha, Jaina, Śaiva, not even Nyāya—accept an eternal form. The entire premise and practice of bhakti rests

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Philosophy Questions & Answers

Concepts of God in Christianity and Vaishnavism

Question: I’ve undertaken a discussion with Christian theologians. Their understanding of a Personal God, specifically their resistance to a God with form, which is cogent and well-argued by their scholars based on their śāstra, has forced me to think carefully about our own theological claims. Please share your thoughts on a few points. We say

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Questions & Answers Sandarbhas

How Yogamaya Influences Perfected Devotees – I

Question: Regarding the ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṃ verse in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Jaya and Vijaya agreed to please Kṛṣṇa by fighting with Him and thus took birth as demons. In this condition, were they aware of this pleasing intention, or were they completely subjugated by yogamāyā so that they could fulfill this role? Answer: They were under yogamāyā. Śrī

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Questions & Answers

Consciousness in Deep Sleep, Science and Shastra

Question: I have heard that in the Gauḍīya sampradāya, the ātman is conscious as well as aware of itself. In Advaita Vedānta, the ātman is mere consciousness. Can you please explain how the ātman is aware of itself since in deep sleep we are the awareness (consciousness) but still not aware (conscious) of anything? Answer:

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Questions & Answers

Observing Proper Rules of Deity-worship

Question: I have questions regarding offenses to uninstalled Deities. Recently I informed a devotee that keeping dogs in the home is an offense to the Deity, because the dog contaminates the entire house. It is impossible to maintain basic sadācāra with a cat or dog inside the home. Then another devotee said that most devotees

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Questions & Answers

Bhakti in Other Traditions?

Question: The impersonal aspect [of God] (Nirakara, Nirguna) is called Brahman, or ‘unknowable’ by Herbert Spencer, ‘will’ by Schopenhauer, Absolute Noumenon by some ‘substance’ by Spinoza. The personal aspect (Sakara) of that Being is termed ‘Ishvara’ or Allah, Hari, Jehovah, Father in Heaven, Buddha, Siva, etc. Just as vapor or steam is formless, so also

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Questions & Answers

Guiding Principles in the Jungle of Shastra

Question: In the Śiva-Purāṇa, Kailāśa-Saṁhitā, 15.21-29, it is said that Viṣṇu appears from the Vāmadeva face of Rudra, is the presiding deity of the Sthiti-Cakra, and has four vyaṣṭi manifestations. A Śrī Vaiṣṇava, in order to establish samanvaya, as well as to establish Viṣṇu’s supremacy, explained to me that this Viṣṇu is not the unmanifest

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