Category Archives: Blogs

Hare Krsna, Lord Krsna’s supreme instruction in Bhagavad-Gita (18.66) is to abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Hiṃ. While this sounds straight forward but difficult, what is little known is the test one has to go through to prove one’s complete surrender to Krsna. This is also partly a reason why manyContinue reading “SB 10.22.13-19: Following Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions Require Surrender”

Hare Krsna, Generally, people go to the demigods for material benefit, as indicated in Bhagavad Gita 7.20: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥtaṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā “Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.”Continue reading “SB 10.22.1-12: The Gopīs Worship A Demigod, Goddess Kātyāyanī”

Hare Krsna, Growing up in India, we had a conception (or misconception) that samadhi is a deep state of consciousness achieved only through meditation. We would visualize yogis sitting in the Himalayas, eyes closed, legs folded in an asana pose, head, neck and trunk in a straight line. In Buddhism, samadhi is the last ofContinue reading “SB 10.21.17-20: SB 10.21.17-20: Venu-gīta, Part Three”

Hare Krsna, The Vraja gopis’ separation from Krsna in this lesson is a great lesson on humility. Gopi-bhava refers to the extraordinary loving sentiments manifest in the hearts and demeanor of the gopis of Vrajadham, Sri Vrindavan. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa yā kalpitā (Caitanya-manjusa): there is no more better worship than whatContinue reading “SB 10.21.11-16: Venu-gīta, Part Two”

Hare Krsna, Para bhakti or pure bhakti (supreme devotion) means bhakti which follows in the wake of the gopis of Vraja (ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita). This lesson on Venu-Gīta (song of the flute of Krsna) shows us the art of thinking, feeling, and willing in the mood of the gopis for Krsna. The activitiesContinue reading “SB 10.21.1-10: Venu-gīta, Part One”

Hare Krsna, In this lesson (SB 10.20.32-49), Srila Prabhupada and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura beautifully describes the symbolism of the autumn season in relation to spiritual life, drawing parallels between natural transformations and the journey of a devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It highlights how the cleansing and clarifying effects of autumn—such as the disappearance ofContinue reading “SB 10.20.32-49: From the Rainy Season to Autumn”

Hare Krsna, This lesson is truly delightful to read and meditate upon. It is wonderful to see Kṛṣṇa taking time to marvel at the transcendental forests of Vṛndāvana and the changing seasons. His example teaches us the importance of stepping away from our busy schedules to appreciate the world around us—to marvel at the beautyContinue reading “SB 10.20.21-31: The Rainy Season, Part Three”

Hare Krsna, There are many practical applications from this lesson (SB 10.20.9-20). SB 10.20.9: The frogs, who had all along been lying silent, suddenly began croaking when they heard the rumbling of the rain clouds, in the same way that brāhmaṇa students, who perform their morning duties in silence begin reciting their lessons when calledContinue reading “SB 10.20.9-20: The Rainy Season, Part Two”

Hare Krsna, Metaphorically the sky, sun, cloud, earth and the evening darkness can apply aptly to the spiritual master. Just as the sky is covered by dense clouds accompanied by lightning and thunder, the conditioned spirit soul is covered by ignorance caused by entanglement with the three modes of material nature. He suffers the three-foldContinue reading “SB 10.20.1-8: The Rainy Season, Part One”

Hare Krsna, As I was studying and meditating on this lesson, I was trying to find the correlation between the pastime and the anartha it represented. According to the anartha chart shared by our teachers, this (and second) forest fire represents ‘disturbance of religious principles and interference with religious people who are atheist’.  But nowhereContinue reading “SB 10.19.1-16: Kṛṣṇa Always Protects His Devotees”