Wisdom of the Sages

livin' under lockdown / it can be hard to sit alone with the mind / regulate news consumption / lets come out the other side better people / media is our mind's food / the separation between you & what you present as you / dharma / battling with the demon inside / good dog bad dog / priest vs cop - who more embodies the spiritual essence

bhakti's not fear based / purifying our spiritual intention / gradations of prayer / Day by Day - Raghu's into Godspell / the wild devotion of the Banke Bihari Temple / understanding Krishna's fear / intimate love surpasses awe and veneration

there's no stability in the material world / "offensive chanting" / understanding the demigods in relation to Krishna / bhakti means love without material motive / anxiety + Bhagavatam wisdom is a great recipe for progress / money mantras / manasa puja - worship in the mind / make God your soulmate / you have incredible value so don't sell yourself short /

learning discernment through the Bhagavatam / universe is the impersonal way of saying Krishna / yoga is for connecting with the "Higher Power" / love requires more than one / Krishna is the root / devotees own Krishna & Krishna owns them / fear of a person / the material world is a warped reflection / pure bhakti is free from the desire to exploit, or escape, the material world / whatever it is, there's always a person behind it / the esoteric vs the exoteric

wisdom keeps us steady / at the point of boredom we start to grow / the problem of evil / good comes from suffering / we cause our own suffering / misapplying karma theory increases ignorance & suffering / properly applying karma theory fosters compassion / accepting suffering to relieve that of others is the highest worship / karma & reincarnation snaps everything into place / why me? / when we are sick of it all we can chant with feeling

maybe we could use a day of rest / what I will and will not allow myself to worry about / avoiding the negative loop / control vs hysteria / another perspective from Sri Isopanisad - everything is perfect & complete (except perhaps our understanding) / Siddharta's enlightenment - ॐ perfection / the good and the bad seen as one from a higher perspective / we will all be challenged to stand tall - to be raised

crucial times / seeing through the lens of love / seeing a benevolent hand behind everything / the privileged suffer too / The BIG VERSE - SB 1.8.25 - Kunti prays for more calamities / the duty of the sane person is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities / suffering in the dream world / when we know we are dreaming it changes the experience / we create our own suffering BG 13.21 / manifested and unmanifested karma / we can't judge based on manifest karma / the rain and the seeds / Krishangi's story of growth through suffering

the power of the Beatles / illusions that create the space between us / the Person beyond the oneness / qualitatively we are one - quantitatively we're not / relationships make life worth living / the soul is a person / George's shift / George's love for Srila Prabhupada / karma is intricate / viewing karma from a different perspective / always coming from a place of compassion

love will not be cancelled today / bhakti is contagious / it's futile to worry about things beyond my control / within you without you / love isn't a headlock - it's our choice / It's Krishna that is within and without you / Bhagavad-gita 6.29-30 / seeing divinity in people who aren't acting divine - yoga off the mat looks like that / can we glimpse the truth before it's far too late when we pass away?

what is forgiveness? / Prithu forgives Indra / we are off our spiritual path if we hold on to resentment / Buddhaghoṣa on holding onto anger / forgiveness means I let go of it all / to what degree should renunciation be part of my practice? / renunciation is a medicine applied differently to different people / establish your level of renunciation & adjust with time / the main thing is to make the main thing the main thing / is good karma good - is bad karma bad / good and bad karma have to do with how we enjoy the material world - Bhakti means going beyond that / a Bhakti-yogi sees the Lord's benediction at every step / better not to get too caught up in astrology - but if it may help us serve we may use it / what is the goal of a Krishna devotee at the time of death? / ante narayana smriti - remember God at the end / release from the cycle of birth & death is good - connection with God through love is the finishing touch

judging people based on externals / the misuse of our gifts / where are they now? / Krishna's opulences are hard to handle / the 1st prayer in the universe - may I not become proud / the universe humbles us / we are a spark of divinity / when the mind is conquered the Supersoul is already reached / seeing the Supersoul in everyone through hearing / this is a process of surrendering the ego

memories of last night - Minna's dreamy song, Kaustubha was the jerk / the value of festivals / spiritual communities sing, dance, tell stories & eat together / the guru tests the disciple before sharing knowledge / Bhagavad-gita 4.34 / humility is the fertile ground for the seed of transcendental knowledge / a culture of submissive hearing / prayer for protection / the sudarshan disc / Krishna's morality in the Mahabharata - he is willing to lie, break the rules out of love / love is the highest principle

special episode for Sri Caitanya's appearance / it's not about conversion, it's about waking up / reasons for Sri Caitanya's descent / bhakti - practical & esoteric / kirtan is the yoga for this age / the bhakti explosion / krishna = sweetness, Caitanya = compassion / Caitanya gives bhakti freely to the dented cans - the highest to the lowest / the 8 instructions of Sri Caitanya - Shikshastakam / relative vs absolute / tolerance, humility & respect

gripping vs. letting go / Uttara's history / Mahabharata stories / what do you take shelter of when you feel stress? / transcendental knowledge is the balm to soothe stress / let go of fear & need to manipulate - find shelter in Gita & Bhagavatam / you come to a guru to serve, not to be served / gurus' presence is an inspiration for self reflection and improvement / vani - instruction vs vapu - personal presence / shiksha guru - instructor vs diksha - initiator / get formal training before becoming Picasso

inauspicious choices lead to a ripple effect of inauspicious results, 1 camp - the spiritual camp, bhagavad-gita helps us face life's challenges with transcendental knowledge / we are totally dependent / Sri Brahma Samhita 5.1 - cause of all causes / 6 symptoms of surrender / Krishna is my protector / in the jaws of death, will we be the mouse or the kitten

we all need loving critics / we protect what we value - brahmanas, cows, women, children, elders / a voluntary vow of poverty / we need to revive wisdom in society / a loving integration with humans & animals / does society need a collapse? / valuing the unique contributions of women / providing love, values and protection to children / garbhādhāna-saṁskāra - meditation prior to conception /the value of elders / early training, married life & spiritual retirement in yoga culture

is it ok to enjoy the material world? / different paths of yoga / jnana cultivates detachment / bhakti connects the world with God / are there different types of love? / the esoteric side of bhakti / the happiness of the abode of love is in the happiness of the object of love/ God exists to enjoy varieties of love - raso vai saha / Krishna accommodates all varieties of love / bronzing baby shoes / Bhagavad-gita & Buddhism / soulmates & money mantras / we don't argue with the divine plan / pure bhakti

a yogi has no enemies / animosity clouds the mind with ignorance / bhakti yogis decorate themselves with the ornaments of tolerance, mercy, friendliness to all, having no enemies, peacefulness, & abidance to sacred texts / Andal, the mystic poet girl who decorated herself for the pleasure of Vishnu / 2 dharmas - temporary & eternal / Yuddhistira vs Bhima - we all have different natures that can be offered / refining our lower nature / tolerance & intolerance in bhakti / Raghu drives the swami / Kaustubha tries to give up anger

we've created so much hate / great people can differ in opinion / sage Kunti's most courageous prayer - let the calamaties continue / preparation for meditation at the time of death / wherever we bring our mind is meditation and the results stay with us / bhakti yogis meditate on the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Krishna / rituals are designed to leave lasting impressions in the mind / the Ganges River flows through the universal body / the material world is programmed with the elements of time and karma, which bring suffering / we are not trying to avoid suffering by changing the circumstance, we are trying to restore the consciousness the allows us to transcend no matter the circumstances / consciousness of Krishna helps us pass over life's obstacles Bhagavad-gita 18.58 / great souls soothe suffering through sharing truth, not illusion

binge on the Bhagavatam / Chutes and Ladders is Vedic / leaders need wise counselors / resurrecting a spiritual class of people / Krishna changes his mind / our egos get wrapped up in our opinions / justice vs mercy - dharma can be challenging to determine / let our aim be to come to truth, not to conquer our opponent / wise and pure hearted people may disagree / respect the intention / Arjun finds a we to satisfy both sides

yoga wisdom is not summer reading, we have to hear it and apply it daily / dharma means doing what's right rather than trying to change the circumstances to our favor / learning Sanskrit prayers to aid meditation / Arjuna's red hot copper eyes - Krishna's lotus eyes

shaming doesn't work / hearts don't change through humiliation / seek first to understand / don't leave Raghu a voicemail / everything is fear-based these days / take shelter of the decoder / Bhagavad-Gita 7.14 / no time to tinker anymore / first thing in the morning - fix my mind right / transcendental knowledge melts away fear / BNN Bhakti News Network / don't let mundane sound into your morning

kirtan is what the whole world needs / kirtan without ego / dancing without ego / we become what we consume / kirtan is the yoga for this age / Bhagavatam is an eternal conversation / yoga is eternal / the Earth is crying / the devas approach Lord Vishnu together / Krishna wants to serve / devotion is more important than scholarship

start with gratitude / yogis discern but don't hate / the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing / kindness, simplicity, tolerance, love / Bhakta Louie hates hate / the atmarama verse / the opposite of being $1,000,000 in debt / liberation into the oneness is just the neutral stage / liberated souls are attracted to spiritual form, qualities, and relationships / Vishnu instructs Brahma about spiritual vision / our negative experience of service in this world create a fear of transcendental loving service

resurrecting our natural identity / Bhagavatam background - Suta, Sukadeva & King Pariksit / bhakti mitigates material miseries / cats & monkeys / Krishna's energies - internal, external & marginal / we are like the beach, sometimes covered and sometimes uncovered / living in the moment / savant syndrome - underneath it all, nothing can touch the soul / true social justice requires equal vision - Bhagavad-gita 5.18 / Joan of Arc is Bhagavatam

sages hits #1 / Krishna takes everything away / Jesus didn't even have a watch / thanks to the listeners! / just a matter of time before our world gets shaken / transcending good & bad / Drona - Arjuna's guru / Vyasadeva's ashram high in the Himalayas / Krishna, God, Higher Power, Divine Source - let's not get caught up in the semantics / Vyasa's meditation / the 3 gunas / sattva guna expands the space between stimulus & response / our fundamental problem - misidentification with the mind & body / analogy of the moon's reflection on water

choose your addictions carefully / loving every living being - beyond externals / what is the duty of one about to die (all of us) / perspective - our senses are so limited / karma & free will / free will expands & contracts according to the choices we make / bhakti releases one from past karma / yoga as an access point out of samsara / you get what you get & don't be upset / Maya (illusion) keeps out the riffraff / religious language vs yogic language - sin = bad karma / Astrology as a form of metaphysical materialism / we think we're free, even when we are completely controlled

Raghu makes bhakti history on Joe Rogan / speaking with genuine conviction can be as strong as a well developed argument / summary - what is Srimad Bhagavatam / we are here to grow / Narada's meditation experience / even-mindedness through shifting externals is called yoga (Bhagavad-Gita 2.48) / fundamental misconception - happiness is found through external things / a peaceful mind is not the end goal - it is the platform for connecting with spiritual sound

what's next God? / time is short - we gotta get focused / gravity / the material world gets boring / we've got too much love to give to just one person / the 50's / bhakti accumulates / petty material things are like shadows / Narada's character, instructions, meditation & results / the interconnectedness of trees / how do you know it's a myth? / what do we build our faith on / it all can't come from nothing

Raghu's in Cali / everything we have is a gift from someone / Narada's perfection in meditation / the bhakti path - 9 steps from faith to divine love / be steady and do the basics / we're chasing forms that don't satisfy / flash melts / bhakti is a descending (not ascending) path

it's not about joining a club / focus on kindness & simplicity - drop the pettiness / you've been tricked to hate / simplicity means finding pleasure in the simple things / bhakti means transforming our desires - not our name or our clothes / this world is a jungle and we have to see God in the heart of all the creatures / Krishna appears in the heart of little Narada / Paramatma as the object of meditation / the value of initiation / there is a qualification to receive mantras - it's not done by whim / guru stuff vs guru fluff / study Srimad Bhagavatam to understand what is a real guru / guru, sadhu & shastra / some final words from bhakti Louis

retraction: the Council of Nicea / gulab jamuns for increasing church attendance / we are made up of the mercy of other people's love / spiritual form / sharing knowledge is the ultimate act of welfare / seeing all reversals as blessings / taking "Why is this happening to me!?" out of our rotation / Raghu's Scottish divine messenger / wandering alone as a spiritual practice / warning: never chase female owls / sadhus see God in the hearts of the dangerous animals / we need to walk more / we can also just sit & hear

little tweaks / get rid of your enemies / hurt people hurt people / I wanna know what love is / based on beauty, love soon dies / the power of commitment / sense control can overcome depression / radical self-change / bhakti delivers knowledge as a concomitant factor / good intelligence - I may only be going 40mph, but it's in the right direction / transcendental sound delivers knowledge, spiritual opulences & love / faith comes in increments / the sound in your world determines the sound in your mind

Raghu's first, weird temple experience /what is Deity worship all about? / controlling body, words & mind / how to wake up in the morning / Aindra Das' intense devotion / "it's not for me first" / duty is the first step in mastering the mind / St. Valentine / can dented cans become undented? / dedicating all our activities / tiny brains / putting oneself in the center leads to suffering / Krishna saves Raghu from choking on a lozenge / the secret to success / making the material world spiritual

who am I? why am I here? what is my offering? /Announcement! - We're Launching an Online Community on Patreon for the Wisdom of the Sages Family / naked man & the box - shedding our programing / aghoris / Narada's example of how to practice bhakti / regulating the senses & support groups / Bhagavad-gita 2.59 getting a higher taste / Krishna's 3 energies - spiritual, material, and marginal / Public personas & hidden identities in ashrams / the material energy is not suitable food for the soul / taking shelter of the spiritual energy

reconciling Christianity & bhakti / fundamentalism of the ego - my way is better / saragrahi Vaishnava, one who understands the essence / only spirit is eternal - there is no kennel in the sky / Raghu's Netflix fall down / yesterday's cliff hanger revealed - it's foot water! / the test for spiritual advancement - our desire to hear / we become what we call ourself / the lilas of Krishna attract the mind out of tamas and rajas / bhakti is dormant in the heart - hearing with the right attitude, from the right people, lets it flow / truth is the food for the soul / how I treat other people is the barometer of my spiritual life / infusing the water with mantra / there is an original me before the programing

the shape of the hole in my heart / it's ok to die today / we don't eradicate our lower self - we transform it / stealing prasadam is bona fide / this world is a reflection / Poe's dream within a dream / if you want to engage me in gossip, then there must be something wrong with me / Stages of Spiritual Development – From Faith to Pure Divine Love – 1. sraddha: faith 2. sadhu-sanga: association with devotees 3. bhajana-kriya: performance of devotional service 4. anartha nivrtti: decreasing of unwanted attachments 5. nistha: steadiness 6. ruci: taste 7. asakti: attachment 8. bhava: love 9. prema: pure love for Krsna

criticism – destructive & constructive / the 1st step in changing the world is changing oneself / pettiness can rob me of finding my inner happiness / honesty with oneself / bhakti etiquette / the detached can speak the truth / the true blessing is when we feel "I want to be like that" (the transcendentalist)

trade in your expectations for appreciations / the 8 instructions of Sri Chaitanya / what's real punk rock / not caring about the opinions of the masses / Maya used to taste great :-( / material pleasure is just the cessation of pain / all the Vedic & yogic sciences are meant to lead to our divine source - Vishnu (Krishna)

the power of karma / our endeavor is only one factor in any action / the bhakti path is direct - karma & are steps that one can get lost on / bhakti is successful even if you fail - materialism is a failure even if you succeed / monism vs. dualism / the responsibility of human life (and sea turtles save lives)

fasting from mental junk food / changing our thoughts is real yoga / back in the states / refining our lens / bikini pics ≠ yoga insight / the false hope of the new India / Bhakti is all about becoming receptive to spiritual energy / Vyasadeva's yoga insight / Narada instructs Vyasadeva on the superiority of Bhakti over karma & jnana / apply yogic truths and feel free / a good teacher is qualified by their character

we are not the mind / material pleasure is a hope to enjoy created in the mind / mystic siddhis / mindfulness is a platform for approaching divine love / #connectthedots / spiritual regulations are designed to break the attachments that warp truth perception / the soul craves relationship by nature / we have the choice - to be a crow or a swan - lets stop consuming deep-fried twinkies

transforming attachments rather than breaking attachments / discontent should move us towards truth / knowing I'm eternal makes everything meaningful / cat in the basket - how rituals lose meaning / good teachers are rooted in the sacred text - not just making it up

spiritual ecstasy of Jaipur mornings / singing & dancing is the goal of the yoga system / unity through connecting the universal source / Srimad Bhagavatam lifts the mind above hankering & lamentation / there's no equality on the bodily platform / Mahabharata brought yoga wisdom to the masses / spiritual knowledge is the only solution to our material problems / treat everyone with dignity

legend of Jaipur deities / no lasting happiness in the higher or lower planets / only spirituality can satisfy the soul / dreams of playing with the Ghouls / giving up on fulfilling material desires / nobody cares! (About Mara's knitting, or anyone from Pompeii)/ Vyasadeva's vision of Kali Yuga / what have we done to / the Earth? / divisions of the Vedas / how one's occupation can be purified

Raghu meets his first Krishna guy who's not a gang member (Yogeshvara / Joshua Green) / Yogeshvara meets & records with the Beatles / the relationships we yearn for in this world are a reflection of those in the spiritual world / Yogeshvara witnesses Srila Prabhupada translating Srimad Bhagavatam / in departing, the guru enters the hearts of his disciples / the ecstasy of spiritual pain

spiritual experience isn't cheap - we need a lifetime plan / evolved people are the most humble / spiritual radar / Raghu chooses Bhakti over Shakti / a sage is recognized not by seeing, but by hearing / a guru is a postal peon / the qualities of a real sadhu / haters gonna hate / love is the way to change people's hearts

a brief history of Gaura's mother, Rukmini Devi / the cooperation of earth, animals and humanity / we've made the earth a ghetto / you can't force bhakti / kindness is practical / the sages ask about Sukadeva Goswami - the naked sadhu speaker of the Srimad Bhagavatam / the oneness, the divine light, is just one aspect of the Absolute Truth / the birth of Vyasadeva / ladies have a creep radar / Raghu's meditation broken by monkey love / crazy wisdom is crazy / suppressing the senses vs engaging the senses

It's all one – but it's different too / our objective and subjective faith / Krishna comes as Chaitanya to understand the love of the Gopis / Hunuman's incarnation in Chaitanya's pastimes / spiritual knowledge descends - you don't climb up to it / positive peer pressure in spiritual community / real friends share our values and lift us up / dating advice from Raghunath / Bhagavatam is not just a book, it's a person / letting go of bad habits one step at a time / Don't be a frog in the well - broaden your mind / Vyasadeva spoke Bhagavatam to Sukadeva who spoke it to Maharaja Pariksit - Suta Goswami overheard it and spoke it to the sages in the forest called Naimisarana / Bhagavatm is the cream or ripened fruit of all the Vedic literature / bogus Bhagavatam reciters / Mahabharata - the best story you will ever read! / parampara - chain of discipline succession / Srimad Bhagavatam is a brilliant as the sun /

creating a framework for raising our kids with bhakti-yoga / offerings with both skill and devotion / carrying kirtan-tattva – delivering the Shakti in the holy names / ISKCON's 2nd generation of kirtan leaders are crushing it! / if Raghu & Kaustubha wrestled who would win? - the power of the brahmin / devotion, not learning or even piety, is the qualification for understanding God / Bhakti isn't sectarian - devotion is the qualification in all traditions / who cares what you know! / the material world as a refugee camp or a house of mirrors / devotional nicknames / Krishna's joke with Rukmini / the contrast between material & spiritual vision / prayer to the Sacred Heart Bhakti in the Christian tradition / Krishna breaks His word for love