Truths about life from the timeless wisdom of the Bhakti-yoga tradition - fun, relevant, and deep. Learn about dharma, yoga, bhakti, and how it relates to all the basic questions of life. This show is about how to live your best life, let go of the external distractions, and uncover the spiritual happiness that lies within the heart as the true nature of the soul. Raghunath and Kaustubha's connection goes back to their teens in the New York Hardcore Punk Scene of the early 80s, through servi ...
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1428: Our Unique Path of Bhakti - An Interview with JivaG
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Raghunath and Jiva G discuss hitting rock bottom, finding your higher power, uprooting anarthas, and the importance of a 12 step program. Check out Jiva's Bhakti Recovery podcast. Learn more at https://www.bhaktirecoverygroup.com *************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED…
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1427: The Externals vs the Essence - Q & A Volume 244
51:49
51:49
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As someone is not as a formal devotee, I struggle when asked to explain my spirituality. Could you offer any suggestions on how I might describe my spiritual stance to others? / If we can always pick up our spiritual life again in the next life, then what is the urgency of practicing in this lifetime? / Can you explain who is addressed as a maharaj…
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1426: Witnessing the Self Passing Through Shakespeare's 7 Ages
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All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. - William Shakespeare / infant, school boy, lover, soldier, justice, old man & infant again / we’re destined to perform a karmic role for a few days / spiritual knowledge helps one to pass through stages of life gracefully / Same substance, but More depth / appreciation sets the min…
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1425: Rethinking "Surrender" as an Active Verb
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1:00:16
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examining surrender in various contexts: military, romantic, artistic, spiritual / surrendering the ego / Kaustubha concedes that Raghu is more of a “wood guy” - but they both have to let this identity go / actively choosing to accept our fate / Krishna lets us run til we’re materially exhausted / our real bio: I’m a tiny spirit soul here for a few…
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1424: An Anemic Definition of Bhakti & the Non Dual Path
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Manu and the Devas are the universal staff in service of Vishnu / Manu is preserving the sad-dharma over the course of his age / the 8th canto illustrates what surrender looks like through 3 narrations (Gajendra, the churning of the ocean of milk & Bali Maharaja) / lets not redefine Bhakti in order to sound inclusive / we don’t object to a person's…
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1423: You're Designed for Divine Love (But You're Not Ready for it Yet)
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53:45
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“Wisdom is not knowledge, it is a realization of the scheme and of one's own part in it.” - Algernon Blackwood / THE UNIVERSAL SCHEME: you are designed to enjoy divine love (but you're not ready for it until you're free of all selfishness) / we’re doing the material world wrong / the faith of Richard Dawkins / the most fantastic creation myth is th…
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1422: Can Advaita and Bhakti Vedanta Both be Correct? / Q & A Volume 243
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Is it possible that both the Jnana and Bhakti paths are correct in their understanding of “enlightenment“? That some people are naturally inclined towards devotion and due to conditioning and past samskaras some are naturally inclined to the jnana path? And after the dissolution of ego some would experience universal, impersonal, infinite conscious…
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1421: Two Prototypes of Aging - the Sage & the Karen
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55:12
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“Asceticism is to remain pure amidst impurities.” - Guru Nanak / the yogi’s practice of austerity is like a way of establishing controlled laboratory conditions / the Bhagavad-gita on who is a true renunciate and a true mystic (Bg. 6.1) / the Bhagavad-gita on who is a poser (Bg. 3.6) / more on spiritual communism / Krishna embodies apparently contr…
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1420: With Asceticism, Wisdom Bears Fruit
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1:01:20
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Has my pursuit of comfort and pleasure clouded my perception of truth? / Why should a yogi stand on one foot? / Patanjali’s Kriya-yoga = austerity + study of the self + surrender to God / “With asceticism, wisdom bears fruit.” - Ali ibn Abi Talib / yogic regulations key in on the animalistic basics of sleeping, eating and sex / Manu’s contemplation…
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1419: Prayers for Sri Radha's Sidelong Glance
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Building up to tomorrow's festival of the appearance of Sri Radha, Raghunath and Kaustubha read from Lord Shiva’s poem, The Sri Sri Radha-Kripa-Kataksha Stava (Prayers for the Merciful Side-long Grace of Sri Radha). *************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOV…
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1418: The Subtle is the Solid & the Solid is the Subtle
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56:24
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The wisdom of Srimad Bhagavatam is the medicine for our illness and pain / Entering Canto 8 / every one of us has a crocodile glommed on our leg / we need to practice spirituality from a position of strength / every one has a back story / What are the subtle bodies on the higher planets like? / the subtle is the solid / Manu walks away from kingly …
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1417: Freedom from the Meatrix - Interview with the Makers of Christspiracy
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Raghunath talks with filmmakers Kip Anderson and Kam Waters about the making of their films - Seaspiracy, What the Health, Cowspiracy and their newest film, Christspiracy. They discuss the Dead Sea scrolls, the 'meatrix', music ministry, and the importance of eating a liberated diet. Learn more at https://www.christspiracy.com And connect with Kip …
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1416: Family, Humility, Tolerance & Setting Boundaries - Q & A Volume 242
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51:27
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How to deal with family functions which are centered around alcohol and where all the conversations are gossip and superficial? / Is it possible to be humble, tolerant and still set boundaries? *************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go …
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1415: The Blessing of Losing One's Beauty
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“The perception of beauty is a moral test.” - Henry David Thoreau / where we find beauty reveals a lot about our character / perceiving beauty from the perspective of selflessness / the immature stage of vedanta denies beauty - the mature stage sees it all in relation to Krishna / kriyādvaita: oneness in actions / dravyādvaita: oneness in objective…
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1414: Bhagavad Gita's Formula for Seeing God Everywhere
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the satisfaction found in singular focus / seeing oneness in conceptions, actions and objectives lifts one’s awareness beyond the material / Krishna is horizontal and vertical cause of the cosmic manifestation / seeing this world as nothing but God’s energy / Krishna’s message to Arjuna about the highest of all yogis / How to see God everywhere / r…
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1413: Like a Flame or a River -This World is Real and Unreal
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Educate through love / we are trying to hold onto something solid, in an ever-shifting world / the solid is the subtle and the subtle is the solid / God is the unchanging thread holding the changing world together / Don’t try to redecorate your hotel room- do the inner work and move on / there’s a way to carry god consciousness into your changing w…
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Chandogya Upanisad tells that what we meditate on we become / Sarva khalvidam brahma - what does it mean, that everything is brahman? / Bhagavad-gita 14.27 - Krishna is the basis of brahman / Bhagavad-gita 10.12 - Krishna is the Supreme Brahman / all creation is made possible by brahman’s potential power / Brahman manifests as Krishna’s multifariou…
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1411: I Can't See a Rope as a Snake Unless Snakes Really Exist
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56:09
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“We don’t see reality. We see our reality.” - Professor Mercer from The Irrational / the Dartmouth Scar Experiment, sports, and the OJ trial all illustrate how mental impressions shape our perception / Vedanta’s classic metaphor of the snake and the rope / it is impossible to superimpose one idea unto another, if the former doesn’t exist in reality…
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Kaustubha interviews S.B. Keshava Swami about his training and service as a monk, as well as some insights on America through the eyes of a monk and questions on money and careers. To learn more about HH Keshava Swami Maharaj, go to https://www.keshavaswami.com *************************************************************************** LOVE THE POD…
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1409: What is the Significance of Lineage (Sampradaya) in Bhakti Yoga? / Q & A Volume 241
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What is the significance of sampradaya? / Do you see a rise in those choosing to practice Bhakti-yoga or is consumerism too strong? / Why shouldn’t one point their feet at the altar? / Why don’t we pass the guru (or Krishna) bead when we chant on a mala? / What is the signifigance of the Tulsi beads? ************************************************…
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“True sanity entails in one way or another the dissolution of the normal ego.” - R. D. Laing / the re-establishment of the true identity as servant of the divine / the purpose of ritual is the impression it leaves in the mind / through knowing (jnana) - one naturally lets go (vairagya) / When the senses are illuminated with knowledge ritualistic sa…
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1407: The Materialistic Drive Doesn't Fit Into This World
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56:23
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materialism has no limiting principle in a world of limitations / the yogi places a limiting principle on materialistic drives / E. F. Schumacher as a brahminical voice in a materialistic boom / the flaw of democracy (no one will vote for a limiting principle) / basking in the afterglow of Prabhupada’s appearance day festival / a guru wrings out ou…
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1406: Don't Think Slave Master, Think Kung Fu Master
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56:51
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until we come under the tutelage of one who has mastered their senses, we remain a slave / resuming our spiritual identity / the promise of happiness through material enjoyment never delivers / the material energy is showing us that there is no hope on the path of material enjoyment / the blessing of regret SB 7.15.45-47 Find Bali's novel at https:…
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On the anniversary of the day of his birth, Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss the life and contribution of Srila Prabhupada, who first brought the teachings of Bhakti to the West. Sign Up for Sage Groups: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054EA4AE22A1FD0-49943294-session#/ About Sage Groups: https://www.wisdomofthesages.com/c/sagegroups/ ***********…
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1404: Sweet Baby Krishna Extravaganza - Janmastami Special with Krishna Murari Goswami
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On the occasion of Krishna's appearance, Raghunath talks with Krishna Murari Goswami about the traditions, songs and stories of Nandagram and Vrindavan. Sign Up for Sage Groups: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054EA4AE22A1FD0-49943294-session#/ About Sage Groups: https://www.wisdomofthesages.com/c/sagegroups/ ************************************…
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