Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers

Physical Pain in Bhakti, Pandavas, Balarama’s Favoritism

Question: I have understood that bhakti leads to release from the three sources of miseries. This should also include physical pain. How does this work? Is Krsna going to appear like a kind of anesthesic? Fear of pain is even more fearful than fear of death (for a devotee will get either a new fresh

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Questions & Answers

Krsna’s Body, Dramatic Writing according to Siddhanta

Krsna’s Spiritual Body Question: In Bhagavad Gita the Lord says ‘ksine punye martya-lokam vishanti’ and also we know from scriptures like Brhad-bhagavatamrita that the demigods regularly have the audience of Lord Vamanadev. So they develop such devotional credits by being in the direct presence of the Lord and serving Him in some ways. So how is

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

Sayujya-mukti and Bliss in Brahman

Question: This question is regarding sayujya-mukti, where there is no personal relationship with the Lord. If a living entity attains this mukti (after practice), then does he eternally remain in that liberated state or does he fall back to the material sphere due to lack of love for the Personality of Godhead? According to my

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Questions & Answers

Krishna’s Supremacy, Politics without Dharma, Bliss of Bhakti

Question: I am looking for scriptural texts that approximate "krsnas tu bhagavan svayam" in the Bhagavata Purana (1.3.28). From the Gaudiya Vaishnava point of view, this is a paribhasa sutra proclaiming that Krishna is Supreme, i.e., the source of all other divine incarnations.

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Questions & Answers

The Mechanics of Darshana

Question: I have a question about the mechanics of darsana – through what mechanisms or instruments does the qualified bhakta actually perceive Krishna (since the atman has no inherent senses)? In the Gita, Krishna has to give Arjuna divya caksus. Granted this is to see the virat rupa, as otherwise Arjuna is able to see

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Questions & Answers

Respect, Literature, Creation

Respect Question: In the discussion surrounding Bhakti Sandarbha, Annucheda 153, pg 455 it says that “If a person disrespects a Vaisnava, then Lord Visnu is not pleased with him even if he worships the Lord for hundreds of lifetimes”. My first question is what constitutes disrespect? Answer: Anything which will displease one. It could be

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Questions & Answers

Descriptions of Women in Shastra

Question: Often we hear statements that women are 9 times more lusty, but I have not come across that in any scripture. Some people may argue that the basis of this roof for the “nine times lustier” statement in shastra is in the story of Devahuti and Kardama Muni (SB 3.23.44) where Kardama expands himself 9

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