Issues of Krishna Talk [Set default browser RSS prefs before clicking]

Faith Confirms the Absolute - Krishna Talk 106 — In his illumination on the eighth verse of Sri Upadesamrta, Srila Sridhara Maharaja discusses faith in relation to what faith is and what it is not. This is the Vedic process of learning. When you learn about something you must also understand what it is not. Take gold for example – when you learn what are the qualities of gold, you must also learn what is not gold. Learning what is not gold is sometimes more important than learning what gold is, because you must also be able to identify imitation gold.

Yamuna Bridge Construction - Krishna Talk 105 — As many of you may already know, there is a very unsightly bypass bridge being built over the Yamuna River in Vrindavana in the area of Kesighat. This government undertaking is disturbing the beauty and sanctity of Kesighat. Furthermore it seems that the construction is actually illegal but the government officials concerned have taken up the project anyway.

Modern Education or Mass Execution - Krishna Talk 104 — In today’s world, education can be defined as the systematic distribution or the reception of knowledge in society, which is viewed from various perspectives based upon cultural values, language, people and religion. In periods of social transition, education becomes central to our future well-being. Therefore, the shaping of education is the shaping of generations and society

Saranagati - Krishna Talk 103 — Saranagati to the spiritual master is a prerequisite for any devotee aspiring for spiritual progress. Srila Sridhara Maharaja says, "In my study I found that saranagati alone is sufficient to produce all sorts of development in bhakti." 

Definition of Faith - Krishna Talk 102 —Faith is the basis of all things and as we advance spiritually then our faith also develops and grows. In Vedic philosophy faith is not an abstract or impersonal concept, it is not a state of mind but an energy that stimulates the heart and confirms the spiritual path for the devotee. Faith in its purest form is the halo of Srimati Radharani, by the light of which we may understand Krsna. 

Devotional Principles - Krishna Talk 101 — After wandering in this material world for many lifetimes, by the mercy of guru and Krsna, the seed of devotion is awakened within our heart. The process starts with a little faith (adau sraddha) and this faith leads us to seek answers (pariprasna) and the association of devotees (sadhu-sanga), those who are practitioners of the devotional process. The cultivation of this seed of the creeper of devotion is the substance of our devotional life.

Religion and Philosophy - Krsna Talk 100
From time immemorial the human race has acknowledged some form of higher presence or being than themselves. Clans, tribes or individuals all had their own idea. Some believe in a particular God, personalized or not. Some people follow nature. Others ascribe to the moon, the sun, the stars, or other things unseen.

Master and Servant - Krsna Talk 99
We are encouraged to search for Krsna, yet we should never forget that on our own we can never find Him. It is He that must come to us. The path of bhakti is a descending process. It is super-subjective – it always has been and always will be. In the words of the German philosopher Hegel, “He is for Himself and by Himself”.

The Gift - Krsna Talk 98
Having attained this gift of human life if one does not utilize it to understand the self, the Supreme, the way to go back to Godhead and with determination practice it under the guidance of a real guru, this life is simply wasted. Wealth comes and goes like a dream. Youth withers like a flower. Old age waits like a tiger.  Diseases thrash like enemies.

On Knowledge and Pure Devotion - Krsna Talk 97
In the famous talks between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ramananda Raya (Ramananda Samvada), Ramananda Raya gives Mahaprabhu several propositions on what actually is the ultimate goal of life beginning from varnasrama-dharma, leading up to the ultimate conception.

Radha-pada Darsana - Krsna Talk 96
This year, on October 31^st, on the Sukla-paksa Trayodasi during the month of Karttika, devotees celebrated the day that Srimati Radharani dressed in Subala-vesa – the dress of the cowherd boy Subala.

The Literalist - Krsna Talk 95
A literal understanding of sastra, as it seems to be regarded in some sections of the greater Vaishnava community, is looked down upon as being neophyte or simply not intellectually satisfying. Some even consider the literal understanding of sastra to be the great enemy of progressive Krsna consciousness.

Conqueror of All Quarters - Krsna Talk 94
What is necessary for this material world? The prime necessity is to change our outlook on this temporary world. The greatest example was shown for the contemporary generation by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The Appearance of Radha-kunda - Krsna Talk 93
Thousands of devotees from across India and from around the world recently gathered in Vrndavana for Karttika and on the evening of October 11th the appearance of Radha-kunda was celebrated. In the days leading up to October 11th many devotees made their way to Radha-kunda and took a holy dip in the kunda that is considered as non-different from Srimati Radharani. The 11th evening saw the greatest crowds as devotees [especially Vraja-bhasi women] bathed in Radha-kunda throughout the night.

Modern Science and the Vedas - Krsna Talk 92
The Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded for the discovery of the antiproton, demostrated that matter exists as particles and antiparticles. According to one of the fundamental assumptions of the new theory, there may exist another world, or an anti-world, built up of anti-matter.

Who Ruled India? - Krsna Talk 91
“Who Ruled India?” is an interesting question. The history of rule in India goes back to great antiquity, back and back to the days of the Mahabharata (emperors such as Yudhisthira and Pariksit Maharaja) and before that to the days of the Ramayana when Sri Ramacandra sat on the throne of Ayodhya.

In Search of Truth - Krsna Talk 90
Scientists have made great strides with their speculations, postulations, hypothesis and analysis of the creation or the universe we live in. Yet we see that the latest theories always seem to have some imperfections and exceptions.

Prabhupada's Place of Bhajan - Krsna Talk 89 – Shortly after taking sannyasa in 1959, His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada took residence at the most important temple in Vrndavana, the Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira at Seva Kunja. Sri Nirmal Candra Gosvami, the present Sevaite-acarya of Radha-Damodara Mandira, who was a young man at the time, remembers when Srila Prabhupada first came to reside at Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira.

Timingila - Krsna Talk 88 – The Srimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Vedic literatures often speak of fantastic places and of creatures that may have once lived on this planet. One such creature was the Timingila fish. The Timingila is said to have been the most formidable predator in the oceans. It was enormous in size and its favorite food was said to have been whales.

Tridandi - Krsna Talk 87 – To conquer the urge of the tongue and genitals is called dhrti. Those who have become tridandis have conquered their body, mind and words. News found in periodicals is full of mundane talks. It is impossible for tridandis to read such newspapers that report topics of the illusory world (maya-katha).  By reading them the consciousness no longer cooperates and becomes an enemy to us. “So-and-so did this, so-and-so did that” –  by reading such things, adversity and material desires are created

Ujjvala-nilamani - Krsna Talk 86 — We did not venture to enter the details of madhurya-rasa. Our Guru Maharaja did not like it. But it will come irresistibly within you, you go on, sravana kirtana. Pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. It is so high. When it will come it will awaken within you. It won’t be awakened by any other person.

Dawn of the Age of Love? Krsna Talk 85 — Numerous opinions abound about there being or not being an advent of Kalki-avatara at the end of Kali-yuga. Although Srimad Bhagavatam has mentioned the appearance of Kalki-avatara at the end of this Kali-yuga, some preachers are of the opinion that due to ‘the dawn of the age of love’ there will be no appearance of Kalki-avatara at the end of this Kali-yuga.

Star of David or Star of Goloka? - Krishna Talk 84 — The Star of David [in Hebrew, the Magen David or Shield of David] is renowned as the sacred symbol of the Jewish faith. Indeed, the Star of David is the distinguishing feature on the Israeli flag and as an ornament of jewelry the Star of David is proudly worn by millions of devout Jews worldwide. Yes, the Star of David is purely Jewish. Or is it?

The Worship of Sri-Murti and Idolatry - Krishna Talk 83 —There is a great misunderstanding in the secular and religious world and especially within the Abrahamic traditions, (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) on the question of Deity worship. The English word 'idol' is usually used when describing any worship that concentrates on likenesses of demons, gods, goddesses, Visnu or Krsna. The term 'idol' has a very bad connotation in the west and conjures up images of pagans, heathens and other wild uncultured persons ...

Devotional Principles - Krishna Talk 82 — After wandering in this material world for many lifetimes, by the mercy of guru and Krsna, the seed of devotion is awakened within our heart. The process starts with a little faith (adau sraddha) and this faith leads us to seek answers (pariprasna) and the association of devotees (sadhu-sanga), those who are practitioners of the devotional process. The cultivation of this seed of the creeper of devotion is the substance of our devotional life.

The Ultimate Encouragement - Krishna Talk 81 — "Don’t feel discouraged, Krsna and His devotees are reaching out to you. They are reaching to embrace you. Their causeless mercy is our greatest fortune. For some reason unbeknownst to us, we have this opportunity. We are being canvased into that sankirtana , as He has appeared as Mahaprabhu."

Swastika & Cross - Krishna Talk 80 — In popular western thinking, no two symbols could possibly be more at odds with each other than the swastika and the cross. The swastika is the symbol of Nazi war crimes against humanity and the cross is the symbol of goodness, mercy and divine grace.

But what if this isn’t true?

The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra - Krishna Talk 79 — The Gaudiya conception of the maha-mantra is exclusive and stands distinct from all other sampradayas. The Gaudiya conception is exclusive in that it surpasses even the greatest expectations of the Vedas (liberation) and affords one the highest fulfillment of the ultimate goal of life. This is not simply party spirit propaganda or sampradaya jingoism, but an ontological fact.

Prabodhananda & Prakasananda - Krishna Talk 78 —Some scholars of Gaudiya Vaisnavism claim that the associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Prabodhananda Sarasvati and the Mayavadi sannyasi Prakasananda Sarasvati are one and the same person. From the historical and sastrika perspective it is clear that Prabodhananda was never a Mayavadi sannyasi.

The Raga-patha is Above All - Krishna Talk 77 — Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura composed the verse, matala hari-jana visaya range pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange, in 1930 on the occasion of moving the Deities of Sri Gaurasundara and Sri Sri Vinoda-Anandajiu from the old house at Ultadanga Junction Road to the new temple in Bagh Bazaar, Kolkata.
  

Sampradayaka Sannyasa - Krishna Talk 76 — Real renunciation means to engage everything in the service of the Lord and to fix one's aspiration to serve Him with great determination -- not just simply renouncing for the sake of renouncing. If one does so, he is not actually a sannyasi.

Jesus as a Perfect Christian - Krishna Talk 75 — Question: Do you think that Jesus was the example of a perfect Christian?
Narasingha Maharaja: Historically and ontologically speaking, Jesus was a Jew and not a Christian. Jesus was a Jewish rabbi who studied  the Jewish scriptures [the Torah] and taught Halakha, or