Sandarbhas
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

Read More
Sandarbhas

Everything Related to Bhakti is Nirguṇa

[The following is the last part of a transcription of a class on Bhakti Sandarbha, Anuccheda 134] CONNECTION WITH BHAGAVĀN As Śukadeva Goswami explains in SB 8.9.29: yad yujyate ’su-vasu-karma-mano-vacobhir dehātmajādiṣu nṛbhis tad asat pṛthaktvāt tair eva sad bhavati yat kriyate ’pṛthaktvāt sarvasya tad bhavati mūla-niṣecanaṁ yat “Whatever is done by human beings for their body, children,

Read More
Sandarbhas

Everything Related to Bhagavan is Nirguna

[The following is a continuation of a class given on Anuccheda 134 of Bhakti Sandarbha] NIRGUṆA JÑĀNA Someone may object that knowledge about Bhagavān is not nirguṇa, but is only called nirguṇa figuratively (lakṣaṇika-artha) because it leads to the nirguṇa position. In other words, because it leads to the nirguṇa position it is called nirguṇa,

Read More
Sandarbhas

The Real Mercy of Bhagavan

[The following is a continuation of a class given on Anuccheda 134 of Bhakti Sandarbha] BHAKTI COMES FROM ASSOCIATION WITH A BHAKTA If sattva was the cause of the realization of Bhagavān then it would not be possible for Vṛtra to have had such A realization. Actually, Vṛtra’s devotion was due to having obtained the

Read More
Sandarbhas

MATERIAL AND TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE

The following text is based on Anuccheda 134 of Bhakti Sandarbha   In Śrīmad Bhāgavata 11.25.24, Śri Kṛṣṇa describes four categories of knowledge, namely knowledge in each of the three guṇas of prakṛti, and nirguṇa knowledge. kaivalyaṁ sāttvikaṁ jñānaṁ rajo vaikalpikaṁ ca yat prākṛtaṁ tāmasaṁ jñānaṁ man-niṣṭhaṁ nirguṇaṁ smṛtam “Kaivalya-jñāna, or knowledge of the pure

Read More
Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

A Unique Interpretation of Tat Tvam Asi

In the first anuccheda of Prīti Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī begins establishing love for Bhagavān, prīti, as the ultimate goal of human life, puruṣārtha. During the course of his explanation, he remarks that the famous mahāvākya (great statement) tat tvam asi (You are That) actually hints at the prīti between a jīva and Bhagavān. This

Read More
Bhakti Gaudiya Vaishnavas Sandarbhas

Diksha Guru Is Also Shiksha Guru

The following are the last questions in the context of Babaji’s podcast interview with Namarasa.   Question: If dīkṣā and śikṣā are never separated, why did Narottama, Śyāmānanda, and Śrīnivāsācārya all take śikṣā from Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī who was not their dīkṣā guru?  Answer: First of all, I did not say that dīkṣā and śikṣā

Read More