Gaudiya Philosophy
Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers Shastra

Krishna’s Disappearance Lila

Question: I am wondering about Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance. It is not something devotees like to discuss or write about, and although the Bhāgavata covers His disappearance, it makes a point of moving it to the next canto—all Kṛṣṇa-līlā is in the Tenth Canto except for this one pastime. That seems significant, and I think it has

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

Etymological breakdown of the Mahamantra

Question: I am following a Śrīmad Bhāgavata class with Professor Edwin Bryant, and after last night’s class, I asked him a question about the meaning of “Hare” and “Rāma” in the mahāmantra. Though my professor had a few insightful answers for us, he didn’t have a definite opinion on the etymological basis for their meaning

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers Shastra

Temporary or Eternal Hell for Asuras?

Question: In BG 16.20, Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa presents a concept of “eternal hell” for some jīvas, with no possibility of deliverance. Even after many births, Bhagavān does not deliver them. He explains how Bhagavān only kills a specific type of asura who is not internally opposed to the Vedas. Even in Govinda-bhāṣya, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes

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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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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

Expansion of the Siddha-svarupa

Question: We hear repeatedly that our goal is to become eternal servants of Śrī Rādhā Kṛṣṇa  in Goloka Vrindavan. So when one reaches that position, for example as gopī or gopa, and is engaged in one’s eternal service, then at that time what about Gaura-līlā? Answer: I am sure you know that our ācāryas like

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

The Meaning of the word Anādi

Question: I have a query regarding the use of the word anādi and the conditioning of the jīva as described in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Someone recently raised the following argument to me: “All Sanskrit words in śāstra that indicate an unlimited time span—anādi, śāśvata, nitya, etc.—are used nonliterally when referring to events in the material

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Gaudiya Philosophy Questions & Answers

Spiritual Bodies and the Internal Potency

Question: Would you please explain about spiritual body of the jīva? When the jīva enters spiritual realm of Kṛṣṇa, does the soul get a beautiful spiritual body? Or does the soul already possess such an eternal body, which is with us right now? Answer: The soul does not possess any body. It is formless. It

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