Jiva Gosvami
Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy Shastra

The Transcendental Nature of the Holy Name – Part 1

By Satyanarayana Dasa: In his Bhagavata-sandarbha, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī establishes on the basis of various Vedic scriptures that the birth and actions of the Lord are transcendental and distinct from those of mortal beings. Jīva Gosvāmī furthermore verifies that Kṛṣṇa’s names are also spiritual. The Lord is called anāmā (lit. nameless), because He does not

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Philosophy

The Vaiṣṇava Concept of Māyā

Based on Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s Bhagavat Sandarbha. By Satyanarayana Dasa. The Lord has two types of energy: parā and aparā. Parā means distant, beyond, superior, and so on. The energy is called parā because it is superior to, or beyond, the material energy, which is thus called aparā, i.e. near or inferior. In the Bhagavad

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Philosophy Questions & Answers

Bhakti Is More Powerful

Question: In Bhakti Sandarbha (173) it is said: “The ananya bhak-ness (exclusive devotion) which is mentioned in the Gita (9.30) verse: ‘Even if one commits very bad acts but is exclusively devoted to Me he is considered a saint’ refers to popular faith which is attained through hearsay, as is referred to in the Gita

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Questions & Answers

Apparent Contradictions in Shastra

Question: Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Bhakti Sandarbha, anuccheda 286 says : “The asuras, or demons, however, who participated in the Lord’s pastimes in this world, are not present as conscious entities in the Lord’s abode. Rather, they are felt to be there in a figurative sense as representations of the same forms witnessed in this world.

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Philosophy Questions & Answers

Experience of Rasas

Question: I am trying to understand if a liberated jiva in the spiritual world is bereft of any aspect or Rasa of the Supreme lord. As per Sri Vaishnavism, a mukta jiva is all FIT to experience all rasas with the lord. To understand the Gaudiya concept better, I came across the Govinda bhasya...

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