Question: I heard that Sukadeva Gosvami was in his last life the parrot of Krishna, and in this life first he was a Brahman-realized person. How to understand this, if he’s an eternal associate of the Lord? Is this lila? Answer: Try to understand the essence of the philosophy. These stories are there to explain the
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
Question: Is free will an illusion? Answer: Yes, more or less. Unless one has spiritual knowledge, it is an illusion only. Question: Sometimes in shastra there are references to free will and that human life is the only with free will, but it seems also that many times in shastra there are statements that indicate
Updated with new software! Welcome to the first edition of Jiva Digital Library software. This platform is the brainchild of Dr. Satyanarayana Dasa who has dedicated himself to preserving ancient Indian literature. The Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies aims to make the wisdom contained in these old Sanskrit texts accessible for the world’s benefit. It
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
Atheist: I believe what I see. If you can show me something higher, maybe I’ll believe it. I enjoy my life, have a nice car, a family, and a good bank balance. I sleep late every morning, no worries. I’m always trying to enjoy and always succeed. I’m a very happy person—quite satisfied. So why
By Satyanarayana Dasa: Agnimile purohitam yagyasya devamrtvijam hotaram ratnadhatamam "O Agni, I adore Thee, O priest, O divine minister, Who officiates at the divine Sacrifice, Who is also the invoker, the Summoner, Who most bestows the divine wealth upon us."
