Wisdom of the Sages

whatever you do, do it as an offering, and as beautifully as possible / work done as an offering is karma free / fixed in this principle of renunciation, one receives Krishna / home life can purge one of ego / Ajamila's downfall / letting go of the concept of friends and enemies / don't let porn into your life, even a little / the Yamadutas rest their case

"Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside wakes." – Carl Jung / What am I, beyond the external ego presentation? / we've got layers to shed before we get to our authentic self / our relationship with our body is dream-like / our choices determine our next body / this is not religious dogma – it's an invitation to think about life in a different way / the proposition that maybe "there really is no such thing as Consciousness" is completely absurd (because consciousness is required even to ask the question) / attachments cloud truth perception

SB 6.1.49-52

How can I reconcile my non-binary gender identity with Bhakti? / What can I do to help the soul of my aging dog on his spiritual journey? / Does it makes senses to pray for world peace in the Kali Yuga?

Be careful what you get involved with, 'Cause you can't support a cause but then hate the effects that it causes. - DEE 1 / go all the way with Bhakti, don't just dabble, because this life is slipping away / getting to bed early and waking early gets you flowing with the favorable currents / make your daily japa meditation a power hour / we're bugged- paramatma and yamaraj know everything

SB 6.1.37-49

"Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge." - William Shakespeare / "Earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice."- William Shakespeare / Sage Vyasadeva sets out to crack our faith in ritualistic religious atonement / Karma? Warm, Jnana? Warmer, Bhakti? Red Hot! / turning to God once with sincere surrender trumps everything / just one of the wandering senses can drag you down a slippery slope / It's not so much the prostitute that brought his bad karma, it's what he did to others in order to maintain her / Ajamila calls out Narayana! And the messengers of Vishnu arrive

SB 6.1.18-36

austerity, celibacy, even-mindedness, charity, renunciation, truthfulness, cleanliness, and regulative principles - all don't quite get to the root of material desire / Bhakti uproots the weeds of karma / the desire to enjoy this world (karma) and even the desire to become free of the sufferings of this world (jnana) are both "all about me" / Vyasa recommends Bhakti as a path free from fear - even while running with eyes closed / if your heart hasn't softened, you haven't understood what life is about

SB 6.1.13-17

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we all need stability, guidance, and a contribution for growth in our spiritual life / the periodic shaving of karmic stubble / atonement vs. at-one-ment / Bhagavatam highlights the conflict between mixed devotional service and pure devotional service / religion is interested in salvation, spirituality is interested in transformation / Bhakti can burn the seeds of bad karma / "Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man." - Thomas Paine / the disciple passes the first test

SB 6.1.1-12

our habits are like seeds - they grow / Bhagavatam's 16,000 verses has 28 about hell (and they are shared in order to frame a message of spiritual optimism) / the bad karma that results in seeing hell mostly has to do with acts of cruelty / hell is reasonable / if you are in a position of power….don't misuse it / what if we treated sex as if it were truly sacred?

SB 5.26.1-40

My wife and I spend our free time getting high and watching TV. I want to spend time with her but also want to break these habits. What to do? / Why is the Bhagavad-gita, in particular, studied on its own, among some many sections of Mahabharata? / Krishna and Arjuna grew up together so why would Krishna's cosmic form startle Arjuna?

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through even insignificant observable objects - we get truths about what lies beyond the observable / contemplating what's beyond is purifying and nourishing / external virtue extends from internal life / spirituality is the key to overcoming injustice / seeing others as their fullest potential / our bodies were designed to enjoy and suffer - but there's a silken twine of spiritual joy that runs through them / to conquer our minds and give pleasure to our hearts, Krishna appears in different incarnations and manifests many pastimes / this universe is like a tiny mustard seed / without a universal designer there is no objective morality / mystery is built into our world for a purpose

SB 5.25.9-15

the universe (Paramatma) is eavesdropping on your every desire / materialists chase desires – yogis modify desires / popular model of success = the ability to satisfy desires – yogic model of success = the ability to modify desires / a twofold strategy for dealing with desire 1. Jnanic - Reflection on the illusory nature of matter 2. Bhakti - hearing and remembering the descriptions Krishna / For those who hear about and meditate upon Krishna, He… enters the cores of their hearts, vanquishes corrupted files and cuts to pieces the hard knot within the heart

SB 5.25.6-8

we've been traveling the universe, from the top of the bubble to the bottom / devotees meditate upon on the presiding deity of false ego to / be purified of the false conception of I and mine / this universe is like a tiny mustard seed / all sensations originally exist in the spiritual body / how to approach sacred topics with the right attitude

SB 5.25.1-5

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don't take the fun out of Bhakti / You don't own your kids. Or anything else. / God shifts our life's circumstances to make these truths come to life / In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things,- there is no samadhi / is it bad karma, or is it a blessing? / Bali zooms out / there is nothing of this material world that will satisfy me deeply

SB 5.24.22-25

Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss Bhagavad-gita Ch.15 / Krishna's guided meditation – how to contemplate his sustaining presence in everything / Krishna pervades the heart of everyone / even to forget Him, we need Krishna's help / beyond the condiitioned and liberated souls there is the Supreme Soul who enters the world and maintains it / knowing Krishna as the ultimate person, and engaging in His loving service is the most confidential secret of the Vedic literature

Raghunath and Kautstubha discuss Bhagavad-gita Ch.15 / this world is a reflection of a tree that we get entangled in / one must cut down the tree with the weapon of detachment - and then surrender to the original person - the source / the keys to transcendence / a summary of existence in illusion / those with the eye of knowledge can see what's happening / contemplations for seeing Krishna's presence in everything

Does the soul really have feelings or are feelings the product of the mind-ego? / What's a good morning ritual for starting a Bhakti-yoga practice? / Do the thoughts at the the moment of death really determine the next birth, and if so, isn't that kind of Random

"At some point the entire population of the earth is gonna have to look back at the essence of spirituality." — Sinead O'Connor / Krishna and His name are non different / spiritual practice begins with refining perspective and culminates in refined perception / the vast, timeless Vedic texts have earned my faith / kindness and simplicity are the basic yogic principles / negative sound in the head can arrest our evolution / see your experiences as tailored for your evolution / happiness doesn't come from sense contact with externals / thank you for your sincerity, Sinéad O'Connor

SB 5.24.21

life as an exploration of living the truth / have I become comfortable projecting a lie? / living the truth, moment to moment / discarding our temporary identities / our default identity is pure spirit / 3 levels of purity in mantra meditation / the spread of Bhakti beyond the Sanskrit language into the local vernaculars / the rise of the "lowborn" Bhakti exemplars / the power of even a glimpse of the pure mantra

SB 5.24.20

"All that there is within the universe to satisfy the senses, cannot satisfy one whose senses are uncontrolled." - Sri Vamanadeva / always look for the deeper essence / the Bhagavatam shows us dharmic reversals again and again, even the demons can be glorified more than the devas - if they have devotion

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SB 5.24.1-20

"Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts." - Soren Kierkegaard / freedom requires a concerted, disciplined effort to direct our thoughts / the thoughts of a pure Bhakti-yogi radiate into the minds of those around them / meditate on Vishnu 3x a day / bathe to refresh your mind 3x a day / don't meditate on murder before bed / Vishnu meditation 3 times a day disintegrates the bad karma programing in the mind

SB 5.23.8-9

"This house, this car, this plane, this furniture, this bank account, so much reputation and fame, none of them are of any use to me." - Kyrzayda Rodriguez / we're not here to just enjoy ourselves / death as the final exam and we've gotta prepare for it / Bhagavatam is Vyasa's way of clarifying everything / the devas are like tax collectors / your body is a universe

SB 5.20.5-33

Who is supreme - Vishnu, Rama, or Krishna? / Can conditioned people have unconditional love? / How can care-givers grow through their challenges? / How to find and recognize good guidance when you come to the forks in the road?

If we can't remember our past life, how does it help us grow? / Is the instruction to give up bad association a bit harsh? / What is OM all about?

"Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion." ― Isaac Newton / sense perception and inference are valid ways of knowledge, but that can't answer the big questions / science isn't determined by consensus - politics is / life is not meant for sense gratification / the desire to hear grows in the heart of one who serves / Krishna purifies the mind & heart of the hearer / the result of Bhakti is happiness - and then positive scientific knowledge of the Absolute Truth / we don't need to be a blind follower

SB 1.2.6-20

Bhagavatam holds us steady through life's ups and downs / we choose our actions and Vishnu sends the karma / it's ok if we can't figure everything out / there's a subtle layer imbued with false ego surrounding the universe / you can live on the sun with a fire body / Surya is the representative of Vishnu / we're moths born in a bag of cashews

SB 5.20.5

normalize Vedic wisdom / a short life on earth is better than billions of years in the heavens / making the best use of this earth portal / intelligent people not take no interest in places where ,the river of Krishna's pastimes don't flow / Krishna will purify our desires / the subtle is the solid

SB 5.19.23-31

"and so begins their journey of awakening" - Henri Bergson / choosing knowledge over the veils of ignorance / the first day of Purushottama month / keep the practices alive and mindful / proclivities are previous life practices / devotees can activate the devotion within us / Earth is the portal to freedom

SB 5.19.19-21

"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." ― Charles Bukowski / we are like moths / we become purified by remembering the holy rivers / we take birth according to our karma

SB 5.19.16-19

Do you have advice for people entering marriage? / Should I give up the practice of Bhakti out of frustration? / Why do you think Krsna doesn't allow us to see Him? / With leaders growing older, how can the Krishna movement keep itself relevant to the current youth?

As a Bhakti-yogi, can I acknowledge my feelings and still take no offense? / How to view the premature loss of a child through the lens of Bhakti?

"Awareness needs constant refreshing." Rick Rubin / approaching the state of constant openness to receiving / our practices create space for awareness / Patanjali's definition of practice / skeleton keys to the secret chambers of awareness / a good attitude goes a long way in Bhakti / respect to the seniors, kindness to juniors / accepting even the unfair criticism / humility as a way of opening up to learning lessons at every moment

The value of simplicity is to open our minds for Krishna's inspiration / Untangle the knots of revenge and anger, and control the senses to create space for Krishna / Prepare and sincerely endeavor for connection to Krishna / The joy of life is not your family or your motorcycle / Get off the superficial level and get on the self transformational level and become fearless / We don't care if you wear a robe or get a Krishna tattoo- understand nothing is ours / Be cynical about the body or you'll get swept away / Make the best of a bad bargain- identify with the spiritual self / Nobody is sleeping on a bed of nails anymore / Your False security will be ripped away, take shelter of Krishna

SB 5.19.14-15

The mind is the slayer of the real / Pleasure and pain are mental experiences / Ignorance of self is the field that kleshas and attachments grow from / Identity with the body is the genesis of illusion / Yoga practice requires surrender to God or it cultivates the ego

SB 5.19.13-14

Raghunath talks with famed Sanskrit scholar Pradyumna Prabhu about Madame Blavatsky and other mystics, the early days in Calcutta, and the parallels among Baha'i, theosophy and bhakti yoga, and more.

Our creations are insignificant / How can we be proud when we don't even know how to do anything? / Vaishnavas don't take any credit / Real humility is truth - we are tiny and not in control / Consider your accomplishments from a zoomed out perspective / Give up the taste for prestige / Understand that we are made of God's energy / Thank god for the Vedic framework / The leaves of the tree get their stability/connection from the roots / We're manipulators not creators / Krishna is transcendental to our faults and aloof to attachments

SB 5.19.8-12

Raghu and Kaustubha interview Ananta Govinda about kirtan, creativity, becoming an instrument and the "Bhakti Fugue State".

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the necessity of revealing one's mind in confidence / duplicity is a recipe for disaster / "Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets." - Ludwig van Beethoven / always striving for the deeper levels of awareness / Lord Rama is a connoisseur - he only wants pure love - material qualities such as one's birth in an aristocratic family, personal beauty, eloquence, sharp intelligence or race or nation can't touch His heart / the price for achieving God's favor is simply one's sincere eagerness to have it / Krishna wants every waking moment

SB 5.19.7

What can I do to love and accept myself? / What is the essence of love? / How do we handle relationships with family, friends & loved ones that are not on this Bhakti path? / How can we be a good Bhakti friend? / How do people stay motivated in Bhakti without the fear of hitting rock bottom? / What journey does the soul take after leaving the body? / How did you decide to dedicate your whole life to the path of renunciation and to Krishna? / How to face my shortcomings without blaming myself and making the problem even bigger?

Questions from our live audience at the Wisdom of the Sages retreat in Tuscany.

How can one transform or purify subtle egoistic desires? / How do you develop compassion for someone who has hurt you? / How do you know when it's time persevere or time to move on? / Is there an eternal place of Sri Chaitanya's pastimes in the spiritual realm? / What are the recommended practices for Purushotama month?

Raghu Interviews Mikele, owner of Villa Casa Vecchia and Bhakti artist Vayu, about their individual paths to Bhakti and their art collaborations.

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Raghunath and Kaustubha speak about love in separation and survive a Tuscan Earthquake live on the show.

SB 5.19.6

Mathurananda and his twin Velcro discuss with Raghu their hardcore backgrounds, first temple experiences, and how they bhakti-fied their careers.

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"Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes / good qualities are measured by the character of Lord Rama / Hanuman speaks of the consciousness that facilitates perception of Lord Rama / material "happiness" is the cause of distress

SB 5.19.1-5

Krishna is naturally controlled by love / the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of reality / self realization not sense gratification / Krishna creates this world only because the conditioned souls want to enjoy it / if life seems unfair it might just be that the scoreboard is displaying a score based on previous play (karma) / expect that things won't go smoothly

SB 5.18.38-39

the man who preserves his selfhood, is ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence / Silence is the cornerstone of character / even mindedness is yoga / Bhagavad-gita, Native American Wisdom and the hundredth monkey effect / the quiet mind recognizes what's happening behind the scenes

SB 5.18.37

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Does the soul feel, or is that just the mind/ego? / What happens to one who commits suicide and can we help?

Are my mystic interests at odds with Bhakti? / How to connect all of Krishna's manifestations with Krishna of Vrindavan?

Bhagavatam is that friend that tells you the truth / the truth is simple - everything will crumble but we're spiritual beings / simplify, be kind, and we will be able to read the messages life sends us / excavate the spiritual self / pluck me Krishna I'm yours / just as fire is concealed in wood, Vishnu is within everything / When one understands that the Lord is within the heart and sees Him everywhere, they have perfect knowledge / if we only we all had a wholehearted percentage meter

SB 5.18.36

appreciating the character of Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic / pass the praise like a Vaishnava / maintain humility because your position is temporary / we can become possessed by greed in a moment / can I appreciate it when others are praised / love is demonstrated through sacrifice / Vishnu is the generator and we are the lightbulbs / Vishnu is worshiped alongside the Goddess of Fortune and Mother Earth

SB 5.18.34-35

you can't find the painter by evaluating the chemical composition of the paint and canvas (but you know there is one) / if Richard Dawkins' thoughts are developed through a random and meaningless flux of the atoms, then why are they more valid than anyone else's thoughts? / if you've haven't given up your biases you are just a so-called scientist / "the speculative research work of a so-called scientist or philosopher is always interrupted when he dies, and the laws of nature go on without regard for his work."

SB 5.18.33

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