Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers

Worship and Rituals in the Gauḍīya Tradition

Question: I have spent a lot of time looking at the traditions of the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas. Their texts are so much more codified than anything I have ever come across from the Gauḍīyas, which seems to be a spider web of references that don’t really lead to anything consistent. Is this just because it is a

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General Questions & Answers

The Purpose of the Law of Karma

Question: Karmic reactions are often compared with punishment by an authority. But the difference is that there is a clear cause / effect relation in the case of punishment, where the person who receives the punishment knows why they are being punished, and that it is meant to rectify him. In the case of karma,

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Questions & Answers

Ekādaśī, Caitanya, Gosvāmīs, Ātmā

Question: As Vaiṣṇavas, we don’t follow Ekādaśī with a material motive and to attain a certain result, but we do because it enhances and facilitates our devotional service and pleases Kṛṣṇa. However, we take care to break our fast at the proper time in order to get the ‘result’ afterwards.  How should we understand this

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Questions & Answers

States of Consciousness, Varṇas, Advancement

Question: Some Vedāntists assert that wakefulness (jagṛta–sthāna) is in sattva, the dream state (svapna-sthāna) is in rajas, and deep sleep (suṣupti-sthāna) is in tamas. Is this concept correct, and if so, how?  Answer: Yes, this is correct because while awake, you can perceive things as they are, e.g., you can perceive a laptop as a

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Questions & Answers

Ultimate Mukti Comes from Kṛṣṇa

Question: What is the concept of jīvanmuktas in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism? And how similar or different is it from the concept of Advaitic jīvanmukta? Answer: Jīvanmukta in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism means one who has attained bhāva-bhakti. In Advaita Vedānta, it means one who has given up the sense of doership and identifies with Brahmaṇ. Question: How do you interpret the

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Questions & Answers

Different Kinds of Bhakti, Dharma and Karma

Question: Could you explain the difference between āropa-siddhā bhakti and karma-miśra bhakti as defined by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in Bhakti Sandarbha? Answer: Āropa-siddhā bhakti consists of activities that are not devotional in themselves but become part of devotion because of contact of bhakti. Primarily that includes offering your actions to Kṛṣṇa, karmārpaṇam. These actions themselves

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Questions & Answers

Result of Offense and Criticism

Question: King Śatadhanu made an offense because he spoke with a heretic out of respect, since he was the friend of his military teacher. He had to take birth as a dog, jackal, peacock, and finally the son of Mahārāja Janaka. Kṛṣṇa is all auspicious and whatever He does is also all auspicious, but I

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