Category Archives: Blogs

Hare Krsna, The qualities of Uddhava are like an ocean. No amount of glorification and description will do justice to them. We got a glimpse of Uddhava’s exceptional nature in the first chapter (of Canto 3). SB 3.1.25: Then, due to his great love and feeling, Vidura embraced him [Uddhava], who was a constant companionContinue reading “SB 3.2.1-6: Meditations on the Great Devotee Uddhava”

Hare Krsna, The essence of this forum topic is sadhu-sanga. The whole point of going on a pilgrimage is to associate with sadhus. Association with a great personality is most important. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta Lord Caitanya says that sādhu-saṅga, the association of a great saintly person, is very important, because even if one is not advancedContinue reading “SB 3.1.17-25: Vidura’s Travels to Holy Places of Pilgrimage”

Hare Krsna, From the study of verses SB 3.1.1-16, several unique features in Vidura’s character stand out. His inquisitiveness to learn from his spiritual master: Throughout the study in this month, we have seen how significant a role a bonafide spiritual master makes in the life of a sincere disciple. The whole first chapter onContinue reading “SB 3.1.1-16: Meditations on Saintly Vidura”

Hare Krsna, In my recent readings of the scriptures, coincidentally I have come across detailed descriptions of the kinds of ignorance a conditioned living entity is subjected to. In our current lesson (CC Adi Chapter 1), five kinds of ignorance are described. They are (1) accepting the body to be the self, (2) making materialContinue reading “CC Adi 1: Meditations on Dissipating the Darkness of Ignorance”

Hare Krsna, [Note: This forum post will be academic in nature because I am trying to understand the concepts of incarnations, plenary portions and energies of the Lord better] As Srila Prabhupada mentioned in his lecture, clearly understanding the difference between incarnations, plenary portions and energies of the Lord is complicated. “So it is aContinue reading “CC Adi 1: Meditations on Incarnations, Plenary Portions and Energies of the Lord”

Hare Krsna, In this lesson, the following paragraph caught my attention. “As one advances in devotional activities, the process becomes progressively clearer and more encouraging. Unless one gets this spiritual encouragement by following the instructions of the spiritual master, it is not possible to make advancement. Therefore, one’s development of a taste for executing theseContinue reading “CC Adi 1: The Initiating and Instructing Spiritual Masters”

Hare Krsna, As I was trying to meditate on this topic and wondering how to respond, I was also drawn by the once-in-many-lifetime ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s grand welcome to TOVP today (Oct 15). The central theme that played in my mind is ‘guru’ (spiritual master). We often wonder what would have happened if SrilaContinue reading “CC Adi 1: The Inner Meaning of the Catuḥ-ślokī Verses”

Hare Krsna, In the last lesson, we discussed about spiritual masters being representative of Lord Krsna. This reminds me of a particular like in Sri Guru Vandana (prayer to Srila Prabhupada) that we sing at temples every day. divya-jnana hrde prakasito. “By his mercy divine knowledge is revealed within the heart, bestowing prema-bhakti and destroyingContinue reading “Direct Communication between the Lord and His Devotee”

Hare Krsna, The greatest fortune of one’s existence (both material and spiritual) is to attain shelter at the lotus feet of a spiritual master who is a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord Krsna. The greatest misfortune is to neglect the instructions of one’s spiritual master. In fact, one of the ten offenses to theContinue reading “How the Spiritual Masters Represent Lord Kṛṣṇa”