Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers

Relation Between Shraddha and Bhakti

Question: Is it possible that one develops śraddhā in bhakti without hearing any śāstra at all? For instance, someone simply hears that there is a Supreme Person and by worshiping that person we can gain the ultimate goal of life. Just from hearing this statement, the person begins to have śraddhā in bhakti. In this case,

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Bhakti Gaudiya Vaishnavas Questions & Answers

Samanya-bhakti, Bhakti-yoga and Sharanagati

Question: I heard you say that sāmānya-bhakti can be attained without dīkṣā and that it would grant one sālokya. How does sāmānya-bhakti manifest in this world and where does it bring the sādhaka who practices it? Is there any diversity in it? Answer: The word sāmānya means general. The word meaning itself implies that it is

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Questions & Answers Shastra

Importance of Studying Shastra

The following is a question that addressed Babaji’s podcast interview with Namarasa. Question: Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā, “O son of Pṛtha, those who take shelter in me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas, and śūdras—can attain the supreme destination” (Gītā 9.32). These classes of people are generally not accustomed to study like

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Gaudiya History Questions & Answers

Bhagavata Parampara

The following questions were asked following Babaji’s podcast interview with Namarasa Das. Question: The term bhāgavata-paramparā is commonly used in our saṃpradāya, but you seem to doubt it. I was under the impression that there is no difference between śīkṣā-paramparā, the process of receiving spiritual knowledge through Hari-kathā or spiritual instructions, and bhāgavata-paramparā. Can you

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Questions & Answers

Falling Down or Coming Down?

Question: There are verses from various Purāṇas which talk about the jīva falling from Vaikuṇṭha. Could you kindly shed some light on these? “The selfless devotee of Viṣṇu, after his death, achieves the abode of Viṣṇu, and being selfless, he never comes back from that place. Such of the devotees, as adore the two-armed Lord

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

Fall Down for Whom and from Where?

There were some questions in the comment section of Babaji’s interview with Namarasa Prabhu posted on YouTube. Below is Babaji’s reply to some of them. Question: If even a kaniṣṭha-adhikarī cannot fall down, then why do the stages like viṣaya-saṅgara, etc., as explained in the Madhurya Kaḍambinī, happen between bhajana-kriyā and anartha-nivṛtti? In these stages,

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Questions & Answers

Fall from Param Padam, Bestowing Prema

Question: How do you understand the term paraṁ padam in SB 10.2.32 (ye’nye’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas…) in the sense that paraṁ padam refers to the highest abode, and this verse is speaking about falling from there. Some argue that the verse mentions paraṁ padam and therefore must be speaking about some fall from the “highest position,” which

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