Wisdom of the Sages

The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn / When I start to hate, I'm off my spiritual path / Put the microscope on me / Bhakti Yoga means rooting out one's animosity / I don't have to be the lawyer, judge and jury - I can be the mailman / What pleases Vishnu - is not so much about sacrifices or offerings to Him - it's 2 things – 1. honoring and learning from virtuous people, 2. respecting the spiritual equality in all living beings / The quality of the Vaisnava Brahmin - akiñcanānām mayi bhakti-bhājām - they do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in devotional service.

SB 5.5.25-26

applying spiritual principles to times of tragedy / Bhakti is devotion & service / handling the rough waves on the surface, while being situated in the deep calm / rituals need substance / the qualities of a brahmana / Bhakti-yogis take no offense and harbor no resentment / We can all become the personified Vedas

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SB 5.5.23-24

Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss memories and instructions they received from Kaustubha's guru, Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami, on the 21st anniversary of his passing from this world.

Thanks Hare Krishna Movement (for helping promote animal rights) / leverage your influence for good / the entire cosmos is a cooperative / finding the social balance thru inspiration rather than legislation / finding happiness in truth, not in things / be guided by the wise and self controlled / Jatayu the vulture of the Ramayana, probably history's most popular bird / recognize the hierarchy on the level of bodies, and the equality on the level of the soul

SB 5.5.20-22

Raghunath and Radhikesh Prabhu discuss planetary influences, being possessed by ghosts, our roadmap of karma, yajnas, gemstones and more.

Find out more about Radhikesh at https://www.radhikeshdas.com/

Any advice for a recovering Atheist? / How can we bring up teenage kids who are more empathetic, understanding and caring? / If God has a plan, are we still free to choose? / How to deal with feelings of comparison to others?

Pity me not, your nose will grow too / teach your kids the law of karma / opt out of a society of envy / I dont wanna be in a pack of dogs / we've been addicted to Maya for lifetimes / Align your heart with the heart of God

SB 5.5.15-19

Mayapur is buzzing with devotional energy / Radha embodies the ecstatic energy of love / through cultivating a relationship with the Deities you can incur magic / Krishna Lila - Its not a Warner brothers cartoon! / immerse yourself in Vrindavan with proper focus & perspective and never have downtime / Krishna Lila draws you in, purifies and refines you / Bhakti is trickling down from great souls - immerse yourself in the flow / May auspiciousness reign!

the only disqualification is hypocrisy / there's a power of honesty and vulnerability / Don't doubt that Bhakti can change the world / having a healthy self-disgust / be a religious virtuoso (you're not a fanatic) / thoughtful enthusiasm and patience is a necessity for spiritual advancement / Bhakti yoga- the means and the end are the same

If Krishna is the creator, is He responsible for creating the issues that plague humanity? / How to see all living entities without distinction, and still make important distinctions? / How can the soul be both eternally separate and never separated from God? / Is reincarnation always sequential? / How to "come out" as a Bhakti-yogi to a catholic family?

Raghunath and Kaustubha share from their recent visits to the temples of Srinathji in Rajasthan and Sri Padmanabhaswamy in Kerala, and explain how these ancient masterpieces of science and art were designed to create harmony by bringing our awareness to essential spiritual truths.

The words that come out of our mouth attract people or repel people / Hear and chant about Vrindavan to gain entry / Prioritize romancing Krishna / May we all grow and change / We've got good people in our life

Reading from Ananda Vrindavan Campu

the universe is working for our evolution / our bodies are like bowling shoes - we have to give them back / the attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence / masculine - feminine dichotomy plays out in homosexual relationships as well / the door to our cage is wide open, but we're attached to the food inside / knowledge slackens the knot in the heart / jnana via The Twilight Zone / shoot the robot of illusion

SB 5.5.7-9

Service to the great souls opens the doors to liberation / the temptation to exploit women's bodies is the dark door in life / Let service to great souls be your austerity / great souls see everyone in a relation to their spiritual identity, are very peaceful, and satisfied, are without anger, are well-wishers of everyone / lock the dark door of porn / The living entity is not really connected with this material world / the excitement of desire robs us of peace / the desire for sense gratification is never fulfilled / we're just test driving different vehicles until we evolve to the point of love / get back in the water

SB 5.5.2-6

Vishnu descends to recalibrate and enliven / birth as a human is a rare opportunity to learn and be liberated / we all have an eternal spiritual nature - don't settle for temporary happiness / formula for human life - divine austerity, to purify the heart, leading to liberation / car culture has gotta collapse / Bright Door: Service to the great souls opens the doors to liberation / Dark Door: exploitation of women for sex / when it come to porn, everyone has to draw a hard line and not cross it / speaking about women as sex objects - yogis don't talk like that!

SB 5.5.1-2

Can we make adaptations for Senior Citizen Bhakti-yogis? / Why do materialist sometimes seem happier than spiritualists? / How to explain the yamas and niyamas to a new audience?

the return of the Varkala Jellyfish / Sri Nityananada - God manifests in unlimited ways for enjoyment / Krishna is behind everything / respecting the Devas in the context of Krishna / how the seers of the truth define what is real

SB 5.4.16-19

it's inevitable that Bhakti will spread / keeping the message of the Bhagavatam as the main thing / respond to the darkness but see the light / Vyasadeva was is a beautiful sage / wanna be a chosen person- become qualified / he crow of old age and death is coming / "Serves him right" is a red flag that you're in maya / Kaustubha reveals his evil to the world / filter out animosity

SB 5.4.11-15

tuning into the power of ancient sacred places / mental stability through timeless rituals vs mental instability through 15 second videos which disappear forever in 24 hours / celibate student life as preparation for a successful marriage / what do you do when you drop your baby in the hundi? / why pop n lock when you can play mridanga?

SB 5.4.6 - 10

Kaustubha's birthday reflections / let the religious part of me die and the spiritual part of me rise / aspiring to develop real yogic vision / cultivate Feelings of gratitude daily / accepting austerity expertly & joyfully / depend on Krishna and hear his whisper / 8 symptoms of a liberated soul from Chandogya Upanishad

SB 5.4.1-5

Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss with the charming and learned monk Nityananda Das about his youth in South India practicing in the ancient Bhakti lineage of the great teacher Sri Ramanuja and how he eventually came to the lineage of Sri Caitanaya.

the names of Rama & Krishna have been resounding from the hills in India for longer than we can calculate / the humility of parents who can learn from their children / What is the next step on my path? What could I let go of, or what could I embrace that will make a real difference in the awakening of my own self realization / material energy is a glue trap / there are higher goals in life than getting stuff / the need for truth tellers who can't be bought

Raghunath and Kaustubha interview more of the guests from their retreat at the Govardhan Eco Village in India.

Janeshwar Das, Raghunath's assistant on his India pilgrimages, shares his inspiring story of being born and raised in the slums in Bombay and his courageous and fascinating path to Bhakti.

In this emotional and touching episode, Raghunath & Kaustubha bring their friend Sri Govinda onto the show to discuss the loss of his young son, the sprouting of his faith in Krishna, meeting his fiancé, and taking up services as a successful financial consultant coming to the path of Bhakti.

Raghunath & Kaustubha speak with Dhanya Rico, a professional Relationship Counselor and Bhakti-yogini, about the importance of honesty and revealing our minds to people we can trust.

I look at my dogs life with envy, why are some births considered lower? / If you're born on a higher planet and you still have a mind, what about it would be an improvement over the planet we're already on? / Who judges or decides our next births?

Raghunath and Kaustubha share their thoughts on Victoria's Vedic wedding, and interview some of the guests from their retreat at the Govardhan Eco Village in India.

Will we learn to live in harmony with nature, or will we run off the edge of a cliff? / the cow and bull provide everything we need / Ella's Story - I Won't Be Groomed for Cruelty

Krishna is not interested in wealth, He just wants only our devotion / the story of Kolavecha Sridhar / Make a little time for a sincere sadhana and it can transform everything else / strive for the next level of awakening / all our desires and fantasies are prayers - and Paramatma is the heart monitor

SB 5.3.4-13

Priests can be bigots and cops can be saints / it's not your intelligence position that counts, it's the quality of your heart / how did marriage get so complicated? / sometimes you go with the wild card / keeping the consciousness pure and uncontaminated before rituals / the beauty of the vision of Lord Vishnu

SB 5.3.1-3

How do we learn from karma? / How can we bring yoga into our everyday life while still being in line with the people around us instead of maybe scaring them off by religious or spiritual theories? / Where to start if you're new to Bhakti and a little overwhelmed by all the resources? / What happens to the souls of those who achieve impersonal liberation?

In a moment we'll be gobbled by the frog of death / "As soon as the heart is pure, all truths sparkle in it in a minute; all truth in the universe will manifest in your heart if you are pure enough." - unknown / it's reasonable I can't perceive everything / we're all untouchables but there's hope / don't let your mind be a broken record / let your heart become a place of pastimes for Krishna

SB 5.1.30-41

planning for our (birthday) enjoyment can bring great distress / 1 person with a sincere focus on service can change the world / work externally, but always think of Krishna internally / the soul of the universe is within each of our hearts / yogis see the world as moving specifically for the purpose of their enlightenment / looking at the universe from a different angle

SB 5.1.22-29

Resentment blocks the flow of grace / evolve or repeat / devotion shrinks the ocean of the material world down to the amount of water in a calf's footprint / To do the right thing, when it is difficult, is a sign of goodness. To do it without resentment is a sign of greatness. / Lord Rama had no resentment / Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions.

SB 5.1.19-21

"The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the mind." - Napoleon Bonaparte / Yogis recode their experience through the filter of intelligence / bolstering the intellect by daily hearing the truth / It's a war on Maya out there / Self control is the secret of being in the world but not of the world / We have to work on our mind wherever we are / how family life can be yoga / there's a noble way to age

SB 5.1.17-18

• What's the root of intention? • Is Krishna immoral? • If we reincarnate as an animal, how do we get back to human birth? • Is there sin and repentance in Bhakti?

SB 5.1.13-16

Can one really be in the world but not of the world? / Lord Brahma descends on a swam / the highly qualified language of the yogis / don't flatter, but set your mind right with appreciation / we don't need to isolate, we need to insulate / find a community to help us evolve / seeking blessings before our endeavors / God is coming back in vogue

SB 5.1.8-12

learning to live in harmony with nature / power comes from austerity / stop manufacturing what we can't throw away / the reality is we're about to die / know your why / Bhagavatam clarifies everything / the sage expands their affection from My family, to everyone

SB 5.1.1-7

Raghunath and Kaustubha speak about their own lives in 2022 and how hearing Srimad Bhagavatam every day made a difference.

Advice for an Intensive Care Unit Nurse. - How to give your patients what they need but also save some energy for yourself. - Prayers to offer to patients when they are sick or actively dying.

Advice for parents cooking for picky eaters

convenience and comfort breed complaints and intolerance / downgrading from the tour bus to the van / you're about to lose everything (superficial) / reach out, but don't tip and fall / indulgence is miserable / a yogi is satisfied somehow or other / Maitreya concludes the 4th Canto with a description of the God of Love / although Krishna is self-sufficient, He becomes dependent on His devotees

SB 4.31.19-31

wash your brain and think for yourself / joy is the default of the spirit soul / being is more fulfilling than having or doing the most / don't blame God / we are not this earth suit / we're all going through the same things / Krishna is accelerating our karma / have faith in the bhagavatam and fall in love with Krishna / choose enthusiasm and associate with enthusiastic people / keep spirit at the forefront of our consciousness / purify your mental contamination / focus on the inner reformation / Make Krishna your Number 1

SB 4.31.17-20

" Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein / existential clues are found in nature / devotion makes up for all external shortcomings / lack of devotion leaves any strengths or achievements hollow of true, lasting meaning / the primary lesson taught through the functioning of this world is the need to reestablish our connection with our source / our identity is in relation to, and granted by, our source / don't just accept this as religious dogma - look deep into nature / by watering the root, the entire tree is satisfied / everything emanates from Krishna, and in due course of time everything enters into Him again

SB 4.31.11-16

All that counts in life is intention." - Andrea Bocelli / evolved souls look past the externals and understand, sympathize, and appreciate the person underneath - and it's palpable / our past doesn't equal our future / a perfect Vaiṣṇava should be completely independent and unbiased / put the people before the regulations / the devotee is the great reminder / external imperfection becomes perfect when one's purpose is selfless / external perfection becomes imperfect when one's intentions are selfish / Krishna is Bhava Grahi Janardana - He accepts one's mood and intention / say his name!

SB 4.31.3-10

Are there any Krishna consciousness nonprofits that work to provide food for the hungry, help children in need, or other charitable works? / Can we trust healing mediums?

Make a donation to

https://annamrita.org

https://fflv.org

https://ecovillage.org.in

https://www.iskconchildprotection.org

https://bhakticenter.org

https://careforcowsvrindavan.com

"The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort." - Confucius / step out of your comfort zone for growth / real growth comes from taking responsibility and releasing resentment / growth = growing pains / the message of Bhagavatam comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable / the comforts of home reinforce limited perspective / cultivating expansion of perspective from love for my small circle, to love for every living being

SB 4.31.1-2

"I'll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything." — Alan Watts / forests are the lungs of our land / who has priority—humans or nature? / dharmic leadership brings about the Earth's flourishing / a shortage of natural resources indicates the lack of dharmic leadership / Bhagavatam gives trees agency and voice in its narrative / human and nonhuman - parts of the same whole / responsible leadership plays a central role in averting ecological crises

you never know what Krishna is going to use to bring you back / don't mistake the flute for the player of the flute / don't get too comfortable- this isn't your home / the whole material world is a sad story / offer what you got / material desire breeds ignorance / trees are people too / see every body as a temple - by such vision you will satisfy the Lord / one who desires self-realization and thus subdues his powerful anger

SB 4.30.39-51