Does an Employer take the Employee’s Karma? - A devotee grapples with the weighty concerns of karma and how it burdens employers through their employees' actions. His anxiety reflects a larger existential dilemma: can sincere devotion offset the negative karma from associates who resist spiritual growth? Replies from spiritual leaders emphasize that true surrender to Krishna liberates one from such burdens. However, they also underscore personal accountability in leadership roles, balancing professionalism and compassion. Ultimately, the discourse reveals a timeless struggle: navigating spiritual principles in the cutthroat world of business while striving to uplift those around you.
How does the consciousness of the cook enter the food? And why should we avoid onions? - A thoughtful discussion about the impact of a cook’s consciousness on food, emphasizing the importance of Vedic principles in spiritual practice. They discuss why for tamasic foods like onions should be avoided, and how sincere prayer and love can influence family and promote a cuisine conducive to spiritual growth and devotion.
Why do we put our hands up when we say “Haribol”? - A devotee inquires about the significance of raising hands during the chant "Hari bol." Another devotee explains that this gesture represents voluntary surrender, drawing inspiration from Lord Chaitanya. It enhances one's connection to Krishna, fostering sincerity and devotion. Ultimately, this practice brings individuals closer to their spiritual goals with heartfelt prayer.
Can Anyone Engage in Devotional Service? Is Good Karma required? Key Insights - Is spiritual advancement not possible for someone who has not done good deeds before? The discussion emphasizes that devotional service is accessible to everyone, regardless of past karma. The mercy of a pure devotee is crucial for spiritual growth, allowing even those with sinful backgrounds to engage in devotion. Ultimately, faith and appreciation can be cultivated through this divine grace, inspiring a hopeful journey toward Krishna Consciousness. Won't you try? Hare Krishna!
Understanding Buddhi Yoga and Jnana-Mishra-Bhakti - If Buddhi means intelligence, and Jnana means knowledge, then to use one's intelligence, does it means to speculate on the knowledge?
What does Krishna mean by "Buddi Yoga"?
Buddhi-Yoga is not just mundane intelligence! It's the ultimate key to true devotion and liberation. Mixed with speculative knowledge however, Jnana dilutes pure bhakti, making it a distant dream. Real progress in spiritual pursuits demands a focus on Krishna alone, stripping away distractions, and achieving clarity in devotion. Are you ready to commit to the pursuit of spiritual perfection?
Why Do Spiritual Practitioners Face Illness and Pain? - If someone practices spiritual practices, then should their karmic reactions not get destroyed? Why do they suffer? Though the spiritual path can lead through suffering, it's seen as a test of devotion rather than a punishment. Suffering serves to deepen one's faith and understanding. Embracing challenges as divine mercy can transform experiences, encouraging resilience and growth. Ultimately, the journey fosters strength, love, and connection to God.
Any Harm in attending Laxmi Puja? - Lakshmi Puja is an essential aspect of Hindu Ritualistic practices, especially during Diwali or Deepavali. Lakshmidevi is worshipped as the Goddess of Fortune, and prayers are made to bestow wealth upon the worshippers. However, Lakshmidevi is also the wife of Lord Narayana. Should we attend, or should we avoid as a materialistic practice?
What is “reflective” chanting? - What are the stages in chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra? Especially, what is reflecting chanting? What are the benefits experienced by someone at the various levels of chanting?
Why did Krishna help Kunti and the Pandavas? Why do devotees suffer? Why do conditioned souls suffer? - Why did Krishna help Kunti and the Pandavas? Was it because Kunti was Krishna's aunt and the Pandavas were His cousins? Or is Krishna always impartial?
Also, why do devotees suffer?
And what is the purpose of the suffering of conditioned souls?
Why does Maya try so hard to take us away from Krsna? - Maya, the illusory energy, is also an energy of God. So then, why does Maya test us so hard? Why does the illusory energy try so hard take us away from God, even if we are trying to get closer to God? This doesn't seem to make sense! Please explain!
The 26 Qualities of a Devotee of Krishna - The devotee of Krishna, or Lord Ramachandra, or any other expansion of Krishna, referred to as "Vaishnava" manifests 26 wonderful qualities. What are they?
Why did Krishna blow His conchshell before the start of the battle of Kurukshetra even though He was not a general? - In the battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna acts as the charioteer of Arjuna. He was not a general in the Pandava Army. So why was Krishna among the first ones to blow His conch, even though He was not a combatant?
What does it mean to over endeavor? How do I know if I’m over endeavoring? - What does it mean to overdo effort? What does it mean to over endeavor? How do we know if we are putting our effort in the wrong direction? What is the antidote to this tendency?
Efforts bring Results, right? - So, if I work very hard, results are sure, right? Wrong, so many people work so very hard, but get no results... on the contrary their results are the opposite of what they were hoping to achieve! So what determines success? Should we just stop working altogether? How to understand all this?
Of Devotion & Devotional Service - What is the difference between devotion and devotional service? Is it possible to perform devotional service without devotion? Is it possible to have devotion without performing devotional service?
How much sin does Chanting Hare Krishna eliminate, and Why is material advancement a disqualification? - How powerful is the chanting of Hare Krishna? And why is advancement in material progress a disqualification? After all the whole world is trying to advance materially? And hardly anyone chants Hare Krishna?
Where can I find some great spiritual audio? - Want to listen to some great spiritual audio? Look no further!
What is the difference between a Brahmavadi and Mayavadi? - What is the difference between a Brahmavaadi and a Mayavadi? Is one better than the other? Should we interact with one but leave the other alone? How to know which is which?
2020.31-43 Downtown Toronto Harinam, Street Distribution, Work Sankirtan, Temple Distribution, Work & Professional Outreach. Online - It is marathon month! Sharing Sankirtan stories from 2020 with you... it was another memorable time, and right now, its another memorable time. I feel fortunate to be able to go out, and to share with you. Thank you for your kind support!
2020.21-30 Sankirtan Adventures – Old City Hall, Online Sankirtan, and Chinese Old Age Home - December is celebrated as marathon month all over the world, where the followers of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada go out to distribute spiritual literature profusely... this is from 2020. But I'm out again in 2022, and it feels like it all happened yesterday. Please help us by going out, or supporting those who are out, in harsh weather, to benefit the world by adding more spirituality to the collective consciousness of the world. Thank you!
Did Arjuna always know that Krishna is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead? - Arjuna addressed Krishna as Madhusudana in BG 1.35, before Krishan revealed Himself as The Supreme Personality of Godhead. So how did Arjuna know that Krishna was Hayagriva before?
Did Arjuna disobey Krishna’s orders in regards to Ashwatthama? - Ashwatthama murdered little children in their sleep. Krishna ordered him killed. But Arjuna spared his life. So did Arjuna disobey Krishna?
Why not eat flesh, if vegetables have life too? - If vegetables have life and vegetarians eat them, then what's the harm in eating flesh of birds and animals?
No reason for hopelessness, despair, and negativity - Sometimes there is hopelessness, despair, negativity in our life. Sometimes we don't understand what's going on and why. But spiritual life is a scientific process. A scientific process produces a repeatable results each time. So, always remember Krishna (GOD) and never forget Krishna (GOD). But how practically?
Sankirtan Adventures – Old City Hall, Guelph, Online, Janmashtami - Sankirtan during the Pandemic, a look back at 2020...
How George Harrison found complete satisfaction - Why can we not find satisfaction? A poor person, middle class person, and rich person all are dissatisfied. Even the richest person sometimes wants a carefree life of the poor... how to get satisfaction in life?
Sankirtan Adventures 2019.77-78 MARATHON! Old City Hall, New Ocean Supermarket - What is it that makes Srila Prabhupada book marathon so enlivening, so energizing, so inspiring and empowering? Here are some Sankirtan stories!
Why do I fail in my studies even though I work so hard? - Some students work so hard, but they don't achieve success? Why is it that hard work alone is not an indicator of success?
What is the final destination of the Yogi who sees the Supersoul? - If the goal of the Yogi is to see the Supersoul, then how can they end up at the Impersonal Effulgence instead? Is it possible to attain perfection with devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
2019.61-71 Old City Hall, Vaishnava Sanga, Janmashtami, Trinity Bellwoods, Cabbagetown, Travel - 2019 Summer Sankirtan Adventures. Krishna is Adventure. When you go out on Sankirtan, your life becomes an adventure too! Sankirtan is life. Live it!
If Krishna is self satisfied, then how can Radharani satisfy Krishna? - Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is self-satisfied. So how can Srimati Radharani's touch satisfy Krishna? How can any devotee's service satisfy someone who is already self-satisfied? Why words like "lust" used in connection with Krishna?
What does it mean “uttama sloka vartaya”? What is Sloka? - What is the meaning of "uttama-sloka-vartaya"? What does "sloka" mean?
Krishna – Duality Confusion – One And Many? - Is the Supreme Absolute Truth One or Many? Is Krishna One or Many? How is it that Krishna is One without a Second? How about Love? How about Relationships? How to understand this?
The Milk Controversy – should we give it up? - Should spiritualists consume milk or should they be vegan? The Vedic texts enjoin us to develop solid intelligence through milk consumption, but yet modern milk production is fraught with violence. So what is the spiritualist to do?
Bhakti Philosophy for the mind and Krishna’s Pastimes for the Heart? - How does Bhakti/Devotional Service deal with the intellectual / logical / analytical side of us as well as the emotional/feeling side of us? Does catering to one mean neglecting the other?
Are there millions of souls living in my body? - How many souls live in a body? For example, there are millions of sperm in an average healthy man's body, do they all contain souls? If there are millions of souls but only one or two get a chance then what happens to all the others?
Supreme Conviction and Supreme Reciprocation – a Poem by Saritha Devi - A poem written by a devotee for Bhakta Prahlada & Lord Narasimha
Is there Sex in the Spiritual world? - Is there sex in the spiritual world? Everyone in the spiritual realm is just perfect, so do they get attracted to each other and have sex?
What does it mean to ignore your mind? - What does it mean to "ignore the mind"? Is this even possible? Why would I do that? And how can it be done?
Is Vedic geography and Cosmology limited to India alone? - Do the Vedic texts only refer to India? Is the Vedic view that the earth is flat? What is the truth here?
Who or what is Vishnu Tattva? - Who or what is Vishnu Tattva? Since Lord Shiva is an expansion of Lord Vishnu, is Lord Shiva also Vishnu Tattva?
How Popular is Krishna? - Krishna is mentioned as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. So why is it that apparently more people worship Ganesha, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Shiva, etc. than Krishna?
What should we pray to God for? - What should we pray to God for? Bread? Comfort? What is the best prayer to offer to God?
How to go deep into meditation - How to go deep into meditation? How to overcome the tyranny of the mind? What can we do to improve the quality of our meditation?
Understanding Lord Rama - Why was He exiled for 14 years? Why did Lord Rama act the way He did? Why did He kill Vali like a hunter kills a wild animal? Why did Lord Rama send Sita to the forest?
Marriage and Celibacy - What is Celibacy? Is it mutually exclusive with Marriage? What is Celibacy in Marriage? Is there something higher than sex pleasure?
Did we or did we not land on the Moon? - Some say humans landed on the moon, saw that it was a barren world, collected some rocks, took some pictures and videos, and then returned. But Srila Prabhupada, a spiritually enlightened person says that this was a collosal hoax... and he is no conspiracy theorist? How to understand this? What is the relationship between the Mind and Intelligence? - What is the difference between mind and intelligence? What is the relationship? Does the mind live in the brain?
How To Get Association Of Devotees If They Are Far - How to get association of devotees when living far from a temple?
Coming out of our comfort zone to advance spiritually? - How can we come out of our comfort zone? What does it mean? How can we make rapid spiritual advancement by coming out of our comfort zone?
How to feel the need to get serious about spiritual life? - How to avoid getting distracted from the spiritual journey? How to develop the desire to get serious? How to do what I know is the right thing to do? Are there many Gods? Who is Krishna? Who is Vishnu? Who is Shiva? And who are the others? - How are they all related? Who should we worship?
How to practically cook and offer food to Krishna? - For a working family, how to arrange for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as Krishna Prasadam? How to do this practically? The Sun, The Moon, Distances, and The Universal Arrangement - How is it that the statements of the Vedic Scriptures in the matter of dimensions of the sun, moon, and the distances between them don't match with the modern scientific theories? Questions On Nature Of Soul, and should we accept everything we hear? - What is the home of the soul? Why does it need to have a form? What is the evidence for the information we get from the scriptures?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven - What does it mean to say "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."?
Finally Kicked the Tea and Coffee Habit! - Tea and Coffee are injurious to health. Anything with caffeine is actually in the same category. and anything with caffeine is in the same category. Here is how to kick the nasty habit!
What is Self Realization and how to achieve it? - Tapas Chakraborty, 20 September 2019 Hare Krishna Q. What is Self Realisation and how to achieve the same? How Self Realisation is related to absolute perfection in the path of spiritual journey for transcendental knowledge, hence blessed by infinite peace ecstasy and wisdom? Request the enlightened group members who have achieved the state to express … Continue reading "What is Self Realization and how to achieve it?"
Is there life on the Moon? - IS there life on the Moon? The Vedic scriptures talk about the Moon as a heavenly realm with celestial beings and soma drink, etc., we have had so many missions, why did they not find anyone there?
What is the position of the Impersonalist in the spiritual world? - What is the position of the impersonalist in the material world? Is their position impermanent? Why can they not enter the spiritual world? Do we need to perform various Pujas and Kriyas? - Is it necessary to perform the various ritualistic performances of sacrifice mentioned in the Vedas? How To Control the Mind? - How can one control the mind? A perennial question that was asked even 5,000 years ago. Those answers are still relevant! Would you like to learn more? Eating or Drinking water in front of the Deity - Is it OK to eat or drink water in front of the Deity?
Where can I hear “Bhagavad-Gita As It Is”? - Where can classes on the Bhagavad Gita be found online?
Why can we not offer meat, fish, and eggs to God? - In the Bhagavad Gita, only leaves, flowers, fruits, and water are mentioned - so why do we offer other things like roots and stems and beans and nuts? Why not offer meat, fish, and eggs to Krishna then?
How to be detached without being callous? - Spiritual Knowledge often stresses Detachment. How can a Mother be detached from her children? Is there something wrong with this instruction? What is the proper understanding?
Studying the Vedas - Do you want to study the Vedas? Do you want to get a firm understanding of the essence of all Vedic wisdom?
What does a foetus feel in the womb? - What does a foetus in the womb feel? Are the descriptions in the Scripture confirmed by Science?
What is the colour of God - In some traditions, God could be seen as nameless, formless... How could God be lacking in something at all? The Vedic scriptures provide very detailed information about God, for example, "Krishna" means "The all-attractive one". What is the colour of Krishna? One colour or many colours?
Importance of Ramayan in the Hare Krishna movement - What is the Importance of the Ramayana to the Hare Krishnas? To the Christians? To the Muslims? To the Sikhs? The Jains? The Buddhists? The Atheists?
Vishnu & Shiva, who is the Supreme? - Who is Supreme, Shiva or Vishnu/Krishna? The discussion rages on, and some will never accept. But what do the authoritative sources say?
Seeing Krishna face to face sounds like a strange idea! - Here we are in the material world... the promise is that we will see Krishna face to face when we are spiritually perfect. How to trust that? How to overcome the doubts of the mind?
When did the Kali Yuga start? - When exactly did the current age we live in, kaliyuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy begin?
How Krishna reveals Himself - How Krishna reveals Himself! Get out of your Comfort Zone! Or at least expand it. Learn to get comfortable outside your comfort zone...
Coming out of our comfort zone for Krishna’s mercy - What is it about leaving our comfort zone? What does it entail? Why is it so rewarding?
Difference between a pure devotee and a sincere devotee. - Who is a pure devotee? And who is a sincere devotee? What is the difference between the two?
Science vs Scriptures - Is it science vs. scripture? Could ancient scripture be so advanced that modern science cannot yet understand it?
The Dark Well of the Material World - Material existence is compared to a dark well... why such a dark analogy? Well read on!
Lord Shiva’s statement about Lord Vishnu - Who is the giver of Liberation? What does Lord Shiva say about this?
Celibacy – what is it exactly? - What is celibacy? Why is it important? Is it possible to be happily married and celibate?
Prayer not answered - A person faithful to God will sometimes pray, and sometimes that prayer may not be answered in the way we expect. What gives?
What is the Vedic Significance of New Years’ eve? - Bhakta Sunil, 9th January 2017 Hare Krishna Is there a significance of staying awake till midnight of 31st December , as i understand that this is factually English new year?so is it necessary to stay awake till midnight of 31st December? Regards, Sunil Deepak,9th Jan 2017 As far as i understand there is no significance … Continue reading "What is the Vedic Significance of New Years’ eve?"
Is Krishna Govardhana or Meru? One or the other, or both? - Krishna says He is Meru. Krishna also says He is Govardhan? And in some places it is mentioned that Govardhan is a devotee of Krishna. How is all this possible?
Sri Guru and Gauranga – what does this mean? - If you have ever been to a Hare Krishna program, there is this time when one person begins to chant some prayers, and everyone else drops to the floor and offers obeisances periodically saying "jay", "jay". This can be confusing to someone who doesn't know what's going on, this article describes what they are doing... quite profound.
Are Krishna and Rama mentioned in the Vedas? - Are Krishna and Rama even mentioned in the Vedas? Is this worship of Rama and Krishna somehow new and concocted by modern religious teachers? What about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? Is this just a case of a man masquerading as God?
The Hare Krishnas are not pessimistic, optimistic, or realistic – we are simply joyful! - Are the Hare Krishnas pessmistic? Are they realistic? Why do they keep talking about death and the futility of the material pursuit? Could it be, could they be, simply... joyful?
Bible and Bhagavad-gita - A discussion on the similarities and differences between the Bhagavad Gita and the Holy Bible... God and The Absolute Truth - Who is God? What is the Absolute Truth? Does all God do is work to keep us all in line? What gives?
Ikigai – What keeps you going in Krishna Consciousness? - What is your ikigai, your raison-de-etre, your reason for being? Especially when you are following a spiritual path, why are you on the path? Why are you (trying to be) in Krishna Consciousness?
What is the difference between occupational duty and prescribed duty? - What is the duty of a human being? What is prescribed? What about our ability? How to ensure that we can do what's most important, what's most urgent, and what's most urgent and important? How to prioritize?
How do I become pure and sinless? - How do I become pure and sinless? Do I fear God? What do I do to be pure and sinless? How do I avoid doing things that are sinful?
Freedom through Genuine Spiritual Progress 