Sandarbhas
Bhakti General Sandarbhas

Importance of Sādhu Seva

In Anuccheda 238 of Bhakti Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī describes the importance of service and association with Vaiṣṇavas. Citing the statements of Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava, he shows how sādhu-saṅga captures the heart of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Incidentally he also talks about how to deal with a situation if one has accepted an unqualified guru. Below

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Bhakti Sandarbhas

Guru-sevā Is the Key to Success

In Anuccheda 236 of Bhakti Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains that surrender to Bhagavān is the first step in pure devotion. However, Bhagavān is not directly available to us. So how do we surrender to Him? What is the proof that we are truly surrendered? It is not easy for our ahaṅkāra to surrender because

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Bhakti Sandarbhas

Surrender

Surrender is the most fundamental step on the path of bhakti. It is like the foundation for the edifice of bhakti. The foundation is invisible but supports the edifice. Similarly, the activities of devotional service are based on surrender. Without surrender, service is nothing but work. The varṇāśrama system in Vedic society was designed to

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Bhakti Sandarbhas

Why Do We Need To Study from a Guru?

To engage in the practice of bhakti, a practitioner needs the requisite knowledge about the practice and the goal to be achieved. These are the questions that are often asked: “Does this knowledge have to be received from a qualified teacher? Is it not possible to receive the knowledge by myself with the help of

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General Sandarbhas

Śravaṇa-guru, Śikṣā-guru, and Dīkṣā Guru

I receive many questions related to śīkṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru. At present, the general understanding in the devotee community is that these two are different persons. I do not know the reason behind such an understanding, nor the history related to it. Moreover, there is not a very clear understanding of who is a śīkṣā-guru. In Anucchedas 206 and

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Gaudiya Philosophy Sandarbhas

Different Kinds of Bhakti and Karma

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

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

Who Is a Qualified Teacher

To practice spiritual life, one needs to study from a teacher. There are various types of spiritual paths such as Jñāna Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Yoga, Rāja Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. At present, there is also of a fusion of different paths and thus the boundaries among these paths are blurry. Practices of one path have been

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