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Currently Browsing: QA Audio : 2015
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April 2021
698)
Should one take saffron only when one is convinced that Krishna is God?
November 2020
697)
How can we distribute our time between hearing and chanting?
696)
Do the modes come from Krishna or from prakriti?
June 2020
695)
When an eye for an eye will make everyone blind, why does the Gita teach that?
694)
If bhakti is the conclusion of the Vedas, shouldn;t the Vedas be filled with bhakti?
693)
How do we give up bad habits?
February 2020
692)
Are jnana and karma complementary instead of hierarchical?
December 2019
691)
What is the difference between destiny and free will?
December 2015
690)
How can scripture be understood relevantly without deviant interpretations?
689)
Why are we unable to apply what we hear?
688)
How can spiritual wisdom be introduced in academic curricula?
687)
When we understand scripture with senses and intelligence, how is the knowledge acquisition descending, not ascending?
686)
Is it because scripture’s message is spiritual that we don’t find it interesting?
685)
Does our capacity for intelligence prove the reality of our free will?
684)
If a devotee feels depressed does that mean they are not chanting properly?
683)
Which is the abode for sakhya rasa?
682)
What are the various levels of bhakti Sri Vishvanatha analyzes in the Gita?
681)
When we are speaking at some other organization’s forum, should we adjust or speak the truth?
680)
While sympathizing with outsiders, how to ensure that insiders dont become like outsiders?
679)
What were the most striking experiences of your US preaching tour?
678)
How can we be sympathetic to people whose beliefs differ from scripture?
677)
For those practicing some other religion, should KC be presented analytically or synthetically?
676)
How does the jiva fall to the material world?
675)
Is the Warkari sampradaya personalist or impersonalist?
674)
How do we understand Prabhupada’s statement about Shankaracharyas conception of Krishnas form?
673)
When Krishna disapproves premature renunciation why did Prabhupada give sannyasa to his young disciples?
672)
Is performing dandiya an undesirable imitation of Krishna-lila?
671)
The ego is higher than the intelligence – can it be controlled using the intelligence?
670)
Is Jesus a forgiving God and Krishna a punishing God?
669)
If a senior devotee states something factually wrong in a Bhagavatam class what should a junior devotee do?
668)
Why does Prabhupada differentiate between knowledge and devotion in Gita 2.14 purport?
667)
Wasn’t Hanuman’s burning Lanka excessive vandalism?
666)
Wasn’t Lakshmana’s disfiguring Shurapanakha disproportionate and cruel?
665)
When Rama descended in the Surya Vamsha why is he called Ramachandra?
664)
When the soul doesn’t feel hunger, how can the body tire the soul?
663)
Can holy places be haunted?
662)
How do parts of a plant when cut sometimes grow as separate plants?
661)
Can the soul in a grain get a human body in the next life especially if it has fallen from heaven?
660)
Are souls present in seeds – where does it go when souls remain inactive for years before germinating?
659)
Do souls move continuously from one body to another or are they inactive in between bodies?
658)
Is there one soul in all Tulsi plants?
657)
If we are getting too many doubts, should we just switch off our intellectual faculty?
656)
How to decide whether our intellectual needs are for logical study or empirical research?
655)
If we doubt Krishna’s existence, how can we have faith that he will remove our doubts in future?
654)
Is it ok to be disturbed in our bhakti when some questions don’t get answered?
653)
How did the soul enter during the birth of 100 Kauravas from Gandharis miscarriage?
652)
Aren’t renunciates who lose semen accidentally denying bodies to the souls present in their semen?
651)
During the birth of twins does the soul split into two?
650)
During conception, how do sperm, egg, soul, karma and Krishna’s will inter-relate?
649)
During conception, when and where does the soul come into the picture?
648)
What is the relation between the Ishopanishad cover picture and its content?
647)
Why are the Ishopanishad verses called mantras?
646)
How can women be encouraged to get a sense of success in their home responsibilities?
645)
Do women-devotees always have to be homemakers?
644)
Were women always housewives in Vedic culture?
643)
Does the presence of the Gayatri in the Bhagavatam mean that it should be studied only by the brahmanas?
642)
How is the Bhagavatam’s first verse correlated with the Gayatri mantra?
641)
Why does the Bhagavatam repeatedly refer to Vasudeva instead of Krishna?
640)
How does the principle of sacrifice apply in a devotee’s life?
November 2015
639)
What does distancing oneself from negative situations, relations and emotions mean?
638)
How important is truthfulness in bhakti?
637)
Should grihastha gurus also be addressed as Maharajas?
636)
Was Arjuna’s faith enhanced by seeing the Universal Form?
635)
What is the spiritual significance of the Gopinath Patnaik story?
634)
Was rain an adequate reason for Rama to delay his search for Sita?
633)
When Yashoda’s rasa is vatsalya, how is her bhakti coming from Radharani whose rasa is madhurya?
632)
Was Dhruva’s determination in passion or transcendental?
631)
Please explain varnashrama, its different types and its relevance in urban settings.
630)
Is varnashrama hierarchical with brahmanas higher and shudras lower?
629)
What does emotional distance from a principle mean?
628)
What is the significance of the different names used for Arjuna in the Gita as in 14.11 & 12?
627)
Is there any difference between attaining Krishna’s dharma mentioned in Gita 14.2 and attaining his bhava mentioned in Gita 14.19?
626)
How are Buddhism and Jainism different from Mayavada?
625)
Does Krishna guide everyone or only those his devotees?
624)
Are we apes because theres only 2% difference genetically between us and apes?
623)
Are the other 5 schools of Indian philosphy relevant for devotees – are they speculations?
622)
Are Nirvisheshavada and Mayavada two names of the same?
621)
Spiritual sound vibration sometimes feels boring – how to avoid?
620)
Whats wrong with verifying scientifically the material knowledge given in scripture?
619)
Are all the many expansions of the Lord eternal?
618)
How to understand the descriptions of material settings in scriptural pastimes?
617)
Are all of Krishnas’ associates the same in each kalpa?
616)
What to do if one feels inspired to be a brahmacari but doesnt have a suitable nature?
615)
How to understand Chaitanya Charitamrita descriptions that Lord Chaitanya flooded the whole world with ecstasy?
614)
Where are the pastimes of the countless incarnations described?
613)
What happened to Radharani after Krishna left for Mathura?
612)
Are some Sanskrit words not translatable?
611)
Why do the scriptures while narrating pastimes describe the beauty of the female form?
610)
Does selfless devotion mean that we shouldnt be getting any happiness ourselves in it?
609)
Is feeling grateful to Krishna for saving us from material sufferings self-centered – what should we be grateful for?
608)
Does serving for Krishna’s pleasure mean that we should not even consider what give us pleasure?
607)
Is trying to determine how we can serve according to our nature against the principle of following the spiritual master’s instruction?
606)
When problems overwhelm us, how can we take shelter of Krishna?
605)
How much can we adjust right or wrong actions according to their consequences?
604)
Should we help materially those who make a business out of asking for charity?
603)
Is detachment not included in 64 items of bhakti because it makes one hardhearted?
602)
How can we keep our mind genuine during our daily activities?
601)
When Bhagavatam talks about karma as a cause, shouldnt we see karma causally?
600)
If someone’s child has cancer should we not offer charity to avoid interfering with karma?
599)
What is the difference between detachment and carelessness?
598)
If suffering is not because of karma then what is its cause?
597)
Does the guru literally come back lifetime after lifetime till the disciple is delivered?
596)
Isn’t faultfinding necessary for correcting and benefiting others?
595)
How can we cultivate humility without becoming negatively self-centered?
594)
If our mantra shouldn’t be “I am fallen” why do we sing daily trnad api sunicena?
593)
What does the Pandavas didn’t deserve to live mean in Bhagavatam in 1.9.12?
592)
What is the difference between repentence and self-blame?
October 2015
591)
Is serving according to our nature lower than serving as per instruction?
590)
Can lack of intellectual nourishment stop or slow our bhakti?
589)
As consciousness in lower species is too covered to perceive suffering, what is the problem with falling to lower species?
588)
Why did Krishna not inform Karna initially that he was Kunti’s son?
587)
Does study of philosophy in Prabhupada’s books automatically awaken rasa?
586)
How can we develop creative skills for writing?
585)
Are devotees living in farm communities better situated than those living in cities?
584)
If our profession indirectly contributes to breaking the regulative principles, what can we do?
583)
If some new devotees want to donate organs, what should we tell them?
582)
If different strategies work in outreach with different people, how can we know in advance how best to share bhakti?
581)
How can we resist temptations?
580)
How to preach to people who want to speak their own ideas and not hear?
579)
Why did Krishna manifest four arms while teasing Rukmini?
578)
Why did Barbarika’s mother tell him to fight on the weaker side instead of on the Pandavas’ side?
577)
Was the solar eclipse a predicted event or created by the Lord to help Arjuna?
576)
When our chanting is not good what can we do?
575)
How can we increase our concentration in chanting?
574)
How can we study scripture systematically?
573)
How can a devotee coming from impersonalist background give up those leanings?
572)
Should we hear Mayavadis submissively as Lord Chaitanya heard Sarvabhauma?
571)
Can devotee-couples avoid having kids to avoid distraction in bhakti?
570)
How can we reconcile being sensitive with Prabhupada’s being rigid?
569)
What is the difference between zonal division present in ISKCON and zonal acharya system?
568)
How to understand statistics that indicate the world is more peaceful than in the past?
567)
When the mind becomes our friend, does it become the same as the intelligence?
566)
When Buddha and Kalki appear in Kali-yuga, why is Vishnu called Tri-yugi?
565)
When Sarvabhauma was an impersonalist how could he appreciate symptoms of love of God in Lord Chaitanya?
564)
If I don’t have enough sattva to study sabda constantly, should I not become a brahmachari?
563)
When staying silent amidst injustice is wrong, why did Yudhishthira passively accept the Kauravas’ atrocities?
562)
Is dissatisfaction because of not being able to read scripture regularly good?
561)
What does worshiping the Lord through our work mean?
560)
What is meditation?
559)
All our problems aren’t mental – how to deal with real problems?
558)
Is it necessary to research our nature?
557)
Is resentment caused by outer events or inner mentality?
556)
How to cooperate joyfully with devotees of radically different natures?
555)
Does demoniac goodness become divine goodness by bhakti?
554)
Can we transcend goodness without coming to goodness?
553)
Does our nature change as become purified?
552)
How is consciousness carried through food?
551)
Is being over-intellectual dangerous for devotion?
550)
Should we not do service if we are not pure?
549)
Why is sleepiness during chanting sometimes resistible and sometimes not?
548)
Why does the mind suddenly get agitated sometimes?
547)
Why does the sound of mantras produce purification whereas other sound doesn’t?
546)
How does hearing a pastime produce an entirely unrelated result?
545)
How to understand scriptural promises about result of hearing pastimes?
544)
Does the soul go closer to God during sleep?
543)
If everything has a cause, why should God not have a cause?
542)
How are optimism and pessimism related to the modes?
541)
If scripture gives knowledge in goodness, how can it help us know what is beyond goodness?
540)
Why does the Supersoul sanction our unhealthy choices?
539)
How do the soul, Supersoul and nature contribute to action?
538)
How can we convince the mind of truths that are beyond science?
537)
How is the soul full of knowledge?
536)
How can we focus on Krishna without imagining or speculating?
535)
Is absorption in Krishna a combination of all the four levels of consciousness?
534)
How do our actions leave impressions on the mind?
533)
How is the body sustained when the soul leaves the body?
532)
Does the soul leave the body during dreams?
531)
Why don’t we have consciousness during sleep?
530)
How do we understand that Krishna is the cause of all causes?
529)
Why do mathematical concepts correlate with things in nature?
528)
How does the sound of the holy name penetrate beyond the universe – and other sounds don’t?
527)
How does the subtle body interact with the physical body?
526)
Good jobs in crative fields are difficult – what should creatively gifted devotees do?
525)
Is going deep in any creative field desirable for devotees?
524)
Are our present spiritual emotions real or just mental?
523)
How can we avoid getting carried away by worldly things?
522)
How can we avoid being over-concerned about others’ feelings?
521)
How is the Gita’s detachment different from Mayavadi detachment?
520)
If we look for some easy work, are we running away from hard work in the name of finding a work according to our nature?
519)
Are we karmically responsible for work that later leads to unknowing harmful consequence?
518)
If my boss tells me to do something wrong, who gets the karma – my boss or me?
517)
Does improperly performed work in the Gita shreyan sva-dharmo vigunah refer to incompetence in work?
516)
Is it wrong to get intellectual pleasure in our academic studies?
515)
If charity is a mentality to be cultivated, is automatic monthly donation from ones bank account undesirable?
514)
Are direct bhakti in brahmachari life and indirect bhakti in grihastha life equivalent?
513)
When Bhagavatam focuses on devotion through renunciation, how do we understand Lord Chaitanya’s having grihastha followers and stressing Bhagavatam both?
512)
What to do when the mind overpowers the intelligence?
511)
What does the Gita verse karmany evadhikaraste mean?
510)
While making choices how to decide which are important and which aren’t?
509)
If senior devotees ask us to renounce everything, should we do that?
508)
How much should sadhaka discriminate between matter and spirit while practicing bhakti?
507)
How did you scientifically come to the conclusion of bhakti?
506)
Is sadhaka’s suffering because of past karma or Krishna’s arrangement?
505)
Amidst life’s storms, does our relationship with Krishna shelter us automatically or do we need to do something special?
504)
Can we live without expectation in relationships?
503)
Is our relationship with guru a vertical relationship or a horizontal relationship?
502)
When many spiritual paths say they are the best, how to choose our path?
501)
Can we be enthusiastic without being passionate?
500)
How to deal with people who don’t want to clarify misunderstandings?
499)
How can we control anger?
498)
How to connect Vedic mathematics to Krishna consciousness?
497)
What spiritual principles can inspire devotees to live cooperatively?
496)
How exactly did Krishna depart from the world?
495)
How can we dovetail attraction to fiction in bhakti?
494)
Do we need to hear true spiritual sound to be elevated?
493)
Is there any formula to always appreciate devotees?
492)
Why does scriptural knowledge differ from modern anthropological knowledge?
491)
How can we know whether our emotions are spiritual or sahajiyaic?
490)
How can we practically redirect our emotions towards Krishna?
489)
When Nectar of Devotion is the lawbook for ISKCON, why is it not stressed enough?
488)
Do those who die fighting against Krishna attain the spiritual world earlier than those who fight for him?
487)
How did Duryodhana win Balaram over to his side?
486)
How does Krishna take away the karma of his devotees?
485)
How can we understand that God is a person?
484)
How can we develop a taste for bhakti and chanting?
483)
Does destiny determine how we respond to situations?
482)
How is destiny related to karma?
481)
Why do people in goodness sometimes not take up bhakti?
480)
How to spiritually reach people who aren’t receptive to hearing Krishna’s glories?
479)
Why is Krishna selectively merciful in inspiring some people to take to bhakti and not others?
478)
How can we help reluctant people to become spiritually elevated?
477)
How to reconcile Krishna’s omniscience with our having free will?
476)
If God is the explanation for everything, what is the explanation for God?
475)
How to deal with doubts about God’s existence coming from the study of science?
474)
How to understand that there is life after death?
473)
How to see death of a loved one philosophically without becoming hardhearted?
472)
How are trust and expectation related? Can we love without trust?
471)
Should criminals who go on murderous sprees be forgiven?
470)
How to deal with anger when others hurt us?
469)
How can I write a book?
468)
Is thinking that we may not attain Krishna in one life being realistic or being lethargic?
467)
How can we avoid losing enthusiasm as we keep practicing bhakti over the years?
466)
How do our relationships in this world relate with our relationship with Krishna?
465)
Why does the Bhagavatam end with impersonal knowledge?
464)
When prasad is so purifying, why don’t those who take prasad regularly get fully purified?
463)
What is the source of desire?
462)
How can we know that God exists?
461)
How can we connect with God to get positive energy?
460)
If destiny is supreme, how do we have free will?
459)
How do we deal with negativity coming from reading bad news?
458)
What is the best way to get positive thoughts regularly?
457)
Why are we suffering in this world?
456)
How can we decide when pursuing material things is enough?
455)
How do impersonalists derive impersonal conclusions from the Gita?
454)
What are the destinations of those who realize Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan?
453)
How do we balance serving according to our nature with asssiting our guru’s mission?
452)
How can we find like-minded association?
451)
How can we do akarma practically?
450)
How are thoughts generated?
449)
How does association lead to spiritual advancement?
448)
How can we avoid taking steps forward and then backward in our spiritual life?
447)
How can we differentiate between Krishna and Maya in subtle situations?
446)
How can we cultivate the disposition of surrender?
445)
How does the existence of the finite point to the existence of the infinite?
September 2015
444)
Can’t judging be a means of self-defense?
443)
If we correct with good intention, isn’t that good enough?
442)
How can we practice bhakti-yoga on a daily basis?
441)
How can we control the unstable mind?
440)
How can we set spiritual goals that harmonize with our material goals?
439)
How to find our true nature?
438)
How is the worship of devatas inclusive within worship of Krishna?
437)
Why does Krishna say the devatas are different from him in chp 7 and same with him in chp 10?
436)
Does karshati in Gita 15.07 refer to attraction or struggle?
435)
Why does the Gita 15.1 compare the Vedas to leaves?
434)
How much should we discipline our children in practical things such as watching TV?
433)
How do we develop the qualities the Gita recommends?
432)
How can devotee-parents deal with children who don’t practice bhakti seriously?
431)
How can I overcome sleepiness when studying the Gita?
430)
How can bhakti help our children in their careers?
429)
Can science by its progress gain spiritual knowledge?
428)
Why is the soul’s connection with the Supreme established only through sound – and a specific mantra at that?
427)
Where does our longing for love come from?
426)
What to do when our vertical and horizontal relationships are not symbiotic?
425)
What is the highest form of love?
424)
Should one love oneself to be happy?
423)
How can killing for one’s country be considered love?
422)
Happiness lies inside, not outside – is this a spiritual and scriptural principle?
421)
Prabhupada encouraged competition but that sometimes led to ego and power struggle – how to understand?
420)
Why did Balaram favor Duryodhana?
419)
If a thief after praying to Krishna robs a devotee, whom is Krishna merciful to?
418)
How to recover from harsh words of some devotees?
417)
When Krishna is so loving, why is loving him so difficult?
416)
How can we practically experience Krishna’s love for us?
415)
What to do if the mind gets caught in the sector of disagreement between science and scripture?
414)
How do we differentiate between scriptural principle and detail?
413)
How to reconcile science and religion?
412)
How to be selective in our association without becoming judgmental?
411)
What does beating the mind with broom and shoe mean?
410)
How do we reconcile the mind’s coming from goodness with goodness giving rise to knowledge?
409)
How can we prevent the mind from obsessing over negative things that shouldn’t happen?
408)
How can we spiritualize the willing function of the mind?
407)
Is the mind or a source of desires or just a channel of the soul’s desires?
406)
Does the working of the mind match with our desires?
405)
How to fight against the minds self-sabotaging inner dialogue?
404)
Does Krishna not help us when we are not his pure devotees?
403)
Does the Gita contain verses against meat-eating?
402)
How to deal with relatives who hurt us by their ego and negativity?
401)
Philosophy seems abstract – how can we undestand that Krishna tangibly helps us?
400)
What does the Gita say about attachment, detachment and rupture in relationships?
399)
How exactly is work worship – is bad work also worship?
398)
How can we go beyond suppressing desire to becoming free from even the urge?
397)
How to sustain our bhakti when we have to live in materialistic association
396)
Do aliens exist?
395)
Why do great devotees die due to painful dieases or terrible accidents?
394)
Akbar built temples and Aurangzeb destroyed temples – why the difference?
393)
Did man go to the moon or not?
392)
What is our approach to the theory of evolution?
391)
Are dreams about Krishna factual or just imaginary?
390)
Why do Abrahamic religions call Deity Worship as Devil Worship?
389)
Do our dreams reflect our anarthas?
388)
How to respond when a devotee is criticized by a devotee or a nondevotee?
August 2015
387)
Is bhakti as rasa a contemporary presentation at Lord Chaitanya’s times or an eternal truth?
386)
Can a devotee do karma-kandi rituals for earning a living?
385)
Did the presentation of bhakti evolve or even its definition evolve over time?
384)
How can we reconcile “act according to your nature” and “do what Krishna wants you to do, not what you want to do”?
383)
How can we avoid comparing ourselves with others while living in a comparing culture?
382)
How can we avoid moroseness caused by repeatedly falling for sense gratification?
381)
How can we serve according to our nature within an institutional setup?
380)
Why did Vasudeva not allow Krishna to return to Vrindavana?
379)
How can we understand that Krishna’s form is transcendental?
378)
How are the Bhagavatam’s cantos named?
377)
How can we reconcile “Krishna provides for devotees” and “Krishna takes everything from devotees”?
376)
How can we make our heart into a temple?
375)
Animals threaten each other the way humans do – how are humans more threatened?
374)
What is pushti-bhakti and pushti and tushti in bhakti?
373)
When Narasimha had promised Prahlad that his descendents would be protected, why did Krishna kill Putana?
372)
Are Krishna bhaktas outside ISKCON at the neophyte stage?
371)
How does fasting on Ekadashi increase our love for Krishna?
370)
How can knowledge alone free us from karmic bondage, as Gita 4.14 says?
369)
Is a person in Krishna consciousness transcendental to varnashrama?
368)
How can we develop the contradictory qualities of enthusiasm and patience?
367)
When Arjuna had enough mind control to perform great austerities, why does he say that he can’t control the mind?
366)
How has surrender in Gita 2.7 changed Arjuna’s consciousness when he expresses the same sentiment in 1.35 and 2.8?
365)
When Krishna calls as divine the vision for seeing the Universal Form, why does Vishvanatha Chakravarti call it a downgrade of vision?
364)
When Arjuna was already able to see Krishna’s intimate form why did Krishna have to give him divine vision to see the Universal Form?
363)
How was Sanjay able to see the Universal Form without being given special eyes by Krishna?
362)
Does the fact that religious knowledge doesn’t grow like scientific knowledge prove its irrelevance?
361)
Do the differences in various religions’ conceptions of God prove his non-existence?
360)
Should the Bhagavad-gita be made India’s national book?
359)
Should we love ourselves or hate ourselves?
358)
When cities were present in scriptural times too, why does ISKCON criticize urbanization?
357)
Isnt fear of entanglement in grihastha life desirable?
356)
Should one not become an IAS officer because one will get the karma of the people under one’s jurisdiction?
355)
Is the quote about Macaulay systematically planning to destroy Indias glorious education and culture false?
354)
If a devotee commits suicide, will he become a ghost? What can his relatives do for him?
353)
Doesn’t ISKCON’s rule to glorify Srila Prabhupada and not one’s guru go against Vedic culture of glorifying one’s guru?
352)
Why did Yudhisthira while gambling Draupadi describe her physical beauty publicly?
351)
Why did Arjuna to avenge Abhimanyu kill the weaker Jayadratha and not a stronger opponent like Karna?
350)
Lord Chaitanya gives special mercy – does that mean souls before his descent were deprived of mercy?
349)
Why dont the Vedas talk only about bhakti – how are they the authority for bhakti?
348)
Is Krishna’s coming only once in Brahma’s day mean that he is partial?
347)
How can we ensure that we apply what we learn?
346)
After completing brahmachari training, how to overcome fear of entanglement while entering grihastha ashrama?
345)
Should we pray for Krishna’s help for dealing with some problem in our profession even when such problem is material?
344)
Should we pray for going BTG or pray for serving Krishna in this world?
343)
While praying how can we cultivate emotions without becoming sahajiyaic?
342)
What does it mean to remember Krishna while chanting?
341)
Why don’t devotees discuss the eight stages of jnana?
340)
When we are in tears, we need self-confidence to deal with it practically – what is the use of chanting?
339)
If a famous person is dying and people pray for his longevity what is the Vedic perspective on it?
338)
If something is destined, then will it not happen even if we don’t endeavor?
337)
Can devotees perform Satyna-Narayan puja?
336)
When later never comes, why tell people to postpone spiritual life for material life?
335)
Shouldn’t we teach the highest standard, otherwise people will rationalize their materialism?
July 2015
334)
Is it hypocrisy to kill animals for getting yoga-seat while claiming to be a vegetarian?
333)
Is the idea of focusing on material life instead of spiritual life a deviation from Prabhupadas teachings?
332)
In Bhagavatam canto 2, what is the relation between Parikshitas question and Brahmas listing various avataras?
331)
In yugas when Krishna doesnt descend which avatar descend?
330)
In Gita 13.24 why does Krishna say that he has spoken about the modes when he hasn’t spoken about them?
329)
What to when the mind despite our devotional practices gets caught in something?
328)
Are ISKCON devotees CIA agents?
327)
Are the nine items of devotional service progressive?
326)
What is the Vedic perspective on panpsychism?
325)
Are sakhyam from nine items of devotional service and sakhya from the five rasas related?
324)
How can we avoid blaming our spiritual life for our not being fast enough or ambitious enough in our material life?
323)
What is the role of creativity in goodness?
322)
How can we remember Krishna constantly in a passionate company environment?
321)
The Deity has form but the holy name doesn’t – isn’t worshiping both together contradictory?
320)
Does humility mean dishonestly blaming ourselves for things we haven’t done?
319)
What is the difference between humility and inferiority complex?
318)
How do the sages’ austerities produce fire?
317)
Why is Dattatreya described so briefly in the Bhagavatam – what is the significance?
316)
How was Kunti ever truthful when she lied to conceal Bhima’s identity?
315)
Why was there ajnata vasa in Mahabharata, but not in Ramayana?
314)
Isn’t it material conception of Deity to offer fan or candana when we feel hot in summer?
313)
Is the bead bag to be worshiped like Krishna?
312)
How much is the jurisdiction of our free will?
June 2015
311)
Are there some Deities that are jagruta?
310)
Is it good to practice bhakti because it teaches us good values?
309)
Is it good to practice bhakti due to our cultural upbringing?
308)
Krishna went to Kubja to satisfy her desires – how to understand?
307)
Is KC also exclusivist because those who don’t accept Krishna’s form are said to be doomed?
306)
How does bhakti compare with vipashana?
305)
How does KC take us inwards when it involves many external activities?
304)
When thinking is done by the soul, how can our thoughts be material?
303)
When infinity is an attribute of Bhagavan, how can he manifest in a finite form?
302)
When matter is indestructible what’s wrong with attraction to material forms?
301)
Why are we attracted towards forms and not attracted towards Krishna’s forms?
300)
Aren’t those who doubt whether Deities can perform miracles faithless skeptics?
299)
Does seeing natural laws instead of Deities’ reciprocation amount to shallow Krishna consciousness?
298)
Why are personalists better than impersonalists? What is the destination of impersonalist?
297)
Why did the Pandavas blindly follow Kunti’s uninformed words to share Draupadi?
296)
What are ISKCON’s views on adoption, in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy?
295)
Should a devotee cardiac surgeon avoid doing angioplasty because it uses an animal product injection?
294)
If soul doesn’t need food, why is cooking needed in the spiritual world?
293)
Should we be humble with nondevotees who may exploit us?
292)
Do mental, emotional and psychological refer to the same thing?
291)
How do we understand the statement that women are less intelligent?
290)
Even after practicing bhakti why do we still have worldly desires?
289)
When a ghost possesses a person, how do two souls function in the same body?
288)
Does a science student need to give up all faith in science for practicing bhakti?
287)
How can we overcome loneliness?
286)
Does God play dice with the universe?
285)
How can I serve with someone who doesn’t like me?
284)
If science just uses pre-existing mechanisms how does that apply to computer codes and programs?
283)
Does scripture have mathematical equation for relativity?
282)
Can yoga be copyrighted?
281)
Is yoga a cure-all?
280)
Can there be something called Christian yoga?
279)
Is yoga Hindu or not?
278)
World Yoga Day – Let’s Go Beyond Political and Physical Posturing
277)
If God’s will is the universal cause for everything, why do some events such as quakes that happen only at specific places?
276)
When heavenly residents have subtle bodies dont all bodies contain all elements?
275)
When doctors find treatments nature endows germs with resistance to medicies – why?
274)
When likings are relative to species, what’s wrong with a hog’s attraction to stool?
273)
How do we differentiate between the mind and the intelligence when the mind can also speak good things?
272)
How do we know which is our voice, the minds voice and the Supersoul’s voice?
271)
How can we use emotional intelligence to manage our relationships?
270)
As we will become attached to services we like should we also take services we dont like?
269)
Does the soul’s composition change from the material world to the spiritual world?
268)
How can the soul carry subtle elements from one body to another?
267)
When the Supersoul is with the soul how can it be covered by the material energy?
266)
Do elderly people in the spiritual world remain eternally elderly?
265)
Should we seek financial security first so that we can focus more on bhakti later?
264)
In Gita 6.35 what does abhyasa and vairagya mean?
263)
How do we differentiate between sentimental practice of bhakti and sentiments coming from bhakti?
262)
How can following rules lead to developing of spontaneous love?
261)
Should we seek satisfaction by serving according to our nature of sacrifice by doing whatever we are told to do?
260)
Are Prabhupada’s standards being diluted by, say, singing mahamantra in Bollywood song tune?
259)
How can I overcome confusion about which spiritual master to choose?
258)
Is work worship?
257)
What is the relationship between intelligence and consciousness?
256)
If even sinful devotees are considered saintly should we not look for trustworthiness in relating with devotees?
255)
If descending to lower species is the greatest fear why does Bhaktivinoda T not fear an insect birth?
254)
If morality can be developed without religion, will religion become redundant?
253)
How does the reconditioning of the soul from one body to another happen?
252)
Can working devotee-mothers send their children to child care?
251)
Do the Vedas already contain a Theory of Everything?
250)
Hasn’t Stephen Hawking already come up with a Theory of Everything?
249)
Can’t scientists experiment about origins using Large Hadron Collider?
248)
Are abnormal behaviors caused by nervous breakdowns or by ghosts?
247)
If the soul is eternal why does it need food?
246)
Should we work without worrying about result or work for Krishna?
245)
Why does Prabhupada give Sanskrit word-to-word translations that aren not found in Sanskrit dictionaries?
244)
Is it ok to savor the good feelings we get while practicing bhakti?
243)
If the number of our breaths is fixed do exercises that accelerate our breathing decrease our lifespan?
242)
How can we stay busy in Krishna consciousness?
241)
How to avoid boredom while hearing the same points being repeated in classes?
240)
In Gita 3.1 what does intelligence and fruitive work refer to?
239)
How should we pray in front of the Deities?
238)
How do we know whether we are accepting and rejecting while surrendering based on the mind or the intelligence?
237)
Why are the Bhagavatam’s and science’s conceptions of the universe so different?
236)
If time is an independent reality why do different people perceive it differently?
235)
If time moves only forward how do we explain hypnotic regression?
234)
How important are close relationships with devotees?
233)
How can we prevent ability from making us proud?
232)
How can brahmacharis avoid feeling superior to grihasthas?
231)
Is mathematics a source of absolute knowledge as its concepts are not dependent on imperfect senses?
230)
Is science not needed to help people see the truth of Vedas as people want practical proofs that science can offer?
229)
Is thinking only about God and not at all about the world not a restriction of the mind?
228)
Is scripture inferior to science because scriptural knowledge is not verifiable by experiments?
227)
In the name of not worrying, how can we avoid becoming irresponsible?
226)
Can we program our mind for achieving success?
225)
Why is pleasure easily accessible in material life but not in spiritual life?
224)
How can we avoid becoming proud on getting a position of power?
223)
Science proves its faith as factual by experiment – so isn’t it a preferable way of gaining knowledge?
222)
How do we deal with faultfinding mentality wrt uncleanliness among our loved ones?
221)
Despite having so many time-saving devices, why do we not have time?
220)
How can we manage our relations with nondevotee family members?
219)
Do all paths lead to the same goal?
218)
How do we get rid of the propensity to want to prove our greatness to the world?
217)
Why not accept nature as God and do social service without becoming religious?
216)
How do we know there is life after death?
215)
How can we give up addictions so that we can practice bhakti?
214)
How do the modes affect our intelligence’s capacity to choose our emotions?
213)
When our professional and family responsibilities already fill our schedule, why should we take the additional burden of practicing bhakti?
212)
How do we deal with emotions of others – friends, relatives and devotees?
211)
How do we deal with the inner conflict created by having within us both dharmic knowledge and worldly emotions?
210)
If someone doesn’t have a photographic memory, is that injustice or does it mean he is meant to excel in some field that doesn’t require such a memory?
209)
If someone doesnt have a photographic memory is that injustice or does it mean he is meant to excel in some field that doesnt require such a memory?
208)
How can we increase nama-ruchi?
207)
How can we serve according to our nature when knowing our nature takes time?
206)
Why does the world offer more wrong options than right options?
205)
Should we force our teenage children to take to bhakti or leave it to Krishna’s will?
204)
When people say we don’t care about next life karmic consequences how should we preach to them?
203)
Why did God give us free will when he knew we could misuse it?
202)
How do we reconcile science and spirituality when they are contradictory?
May 2015
201)
How can we continue in bhakti when our faith in devotees is shaken?
200)
How can we avoid pride while doing service?
199)
We feel more eager to read news than scripture – what to do?
198)
How can we strengthen our faith in Krishna amidst difficulties?
197)
Why do both Krishna and Lord Chaitanya appear in Vaivasvata Manu’s period?
196)
Do those who live in Vrindavan live on the lap of Krishna?
195)
Why does mantra chanting calm the dying?
194)
Is there a relationship between mantra chanting and physical healing?
193)
Can mantra chanting help us to access all the knowledge that was known to humanity in the past?
192)
How does mantra singing help in emotional healing?
191)
As qualities in goodness are favorable to bhakti should devotees try to cultivate them?
190)
Have all devotees already practiced yoga, jnana, tapa and all such processes for transcendence?
189)
What is the effect of hearing rasa-lila pastimes with mundane intentions?
188)
Will accepting reincarnation make people more lazy or more responsible?
187)
Can an OBE be repeated and experimented upon?
186)
Are there any scientifically verified cases of past-life memories?
185)
Are there any NDEs that conclusively prove the existence of the soul?
184)
How do we counter the explanation of NDEs as mind-body split?
183)
What are the proofs for reincarnation accepted by mainstream scientists?
182)
Cant past-life memories be coincidences among the earth’s eight billion people’s stories?
181)
Why do people consider the Bhagavatam’s history to be mythological?
180)
How do we deal with the material-spiritual conflict in our heart?
179)
How can we make the effect of hearing last for long?
178)
Do devotees have to give up humor?
177)
How can we face problems caused by others without falling for the blame game?
176)
Does Krishna’s not being able to remember the Gita later in the Mahabharata prove that some higher being spoke the Gita through him?
175)
When chanting is so simple why do we feel so lazy – how can we chant constantly?
174)
How should we see unbrahminical behavior of brahman-initiated devotees?
173)
As advanced spiritualists have no material desires, do they get no dreams while sleeping?
172)
If tamasic people are attracted to ghastly worshipable forms, then are those who worship Narasimha tamasic?
171)
Why is Rama Navmi fast broken in some temples with grains and in others without grains?
170)
Is Christianity Mayavada because many Christians consider Jesus to be God?
April 2015
169)
How can karma such as fighting in army be spiritualized?
168)
What does “avyakta” mean in the Gita’s eighth chapter?
167)
How can we work for Krishna and avoid contaminating association in our workplaces?
166)
When Upadeshamrita is for seekers, why does it start by telling who can become a guru?
165)
How are other rasas higher than shanta rasa?
164)
In what sense is the Brihad Aranyaka Upansihad before the Ishopanishad?
163)
How can the finite soul experience infinite happiness?
162)
Which is the best way to read scripture?
161)
Why is the irreligious West prosperous and religious India poor?
160)
Is pain is caused by bodily attachment, how can painkillers stop the pain?
159)
Is anand present in the cit aspect of the Absolute Truth too?
158)
How is Krishna attained by doing duty – doesn’t one need to rise to love for him?
157)
How does mastery in yajna lead to Krishna consciousness?
156)
As Krishna is the ultimate beneficiary, is devata prasad also Krishna-prasad?
155)
If yajnas are not done will there be no rains?
154)
What is the destination of those who take devatas’ prasad?
153)
If brahmajyoti is nondifferent from Krishna, as is his holy name, what’s wrong with meditating on brahmajyoti?
152)
Why do Hindus worship ghastly gods with skulls?
151)
Is Jesus the only way to God and Hinduism the lie of the Devil?
150)
If Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth, why are Hindus so poor?
149)
Is God too big to be contained in a picture?
148)
Does the system of karma and rebirth imply that there is no forgiveness?
147)
Is super-consciousness the same as Krishna consciousness?
146)
If Krishna acts exemplarily why did he perform rasa-lila?
145)
Why did Dhirtarashtra ask for eyes to see the universal form but refuse the eyes to see the Kurukshetra war?
144)
Why are Krishna and Arjuna both referred by the name Jishnu?
143)
Are the names Ramayana and Narayana related?
142)
When Lord Shiva is the destroyer why is he considered auspicious?
141)
Was Drona a pure devotee? Was he a spiritual teacher?
140)
Why are the Gita’s first and last chapters of Krishna’s instructions its longest chapters?
139)
What do the terms karya karana kartrtva adhyatma adhibhuta and adhiyajna in SB 2.5.19 mean?
138)
Why does Prabhupada say in Gita 2.38p that sankhya doesn’t refer to and does refer to the Bhagavatam’s sankhya?
137)
Whose Sankhya is the authorized Sankhya – the sage Kapila’s or of the avatara Kapila’s?
136)
How is internal cleanliness a bodily austerity?
135)
What is the difference between austerity and penance?
134)
How can we ensure that our words of correction act as scalpels, not axes?
133)
How can devotees avoid getting deviated to the heavenly planets?
132)
How could a brahmana be so illiterate as to to not be able to read the Gita?
131)
Which are the important commentaries on the Gita?
130)
Why are there so many commentaries on the Gita?
129)
What does “our senses are meant for Krishna’s satisfaction” mean?
128)
What is the difference between doubt and curiosity?
127)
What can we do in a relationship when the other person doesn’t want clarification?
126)
When we don’t get any reciprocation despite calling Krishna earnestly for long, what can we do?
125)
What is the difference between goodness and pure goodness?
124)
How does marriage change sex from wrong to right?
123)
What exactly was Bharata Maharaj’s mistake?
122)
How could Bharata Maharaj have become attached to a deer after renouncing the world?
121)
How can we overcome our ego?
120)
What does it mean to not take credit for the things we do?
119)
When neither yajnik-brahmanis nor their husbands get Krishna’s shelter, what is the point of that pastime?
118)
Why is Vritrasura portrayed as a demon in the Rig-Veda and as a devotee in the Bhagavatam?
117)
Why does Jiva Goswami deem Bhagavatam 2.2.37 the book’s phala-shruti?
116)
How can we avoid getting lost in the many conversations in the Bhagavatam?
115)
Which are the important commentaries on the Bhagavatam?
114)
What is the difference between energies in Gita chp 7 and potencies in chp 9?
113)
Are the Vedas actually ambiguous or just nonspecific about ultimate purpose?
112)
What is the difference between giving up action and renunciation in Gita 3.4?
111)
If we have devotional intention do we still get karmic reactions for incidental sins?
110)
Did others apart from Arjuna see Krishna’s universal form?
109)
How does the material body become spiritualized by bhakti?
108)
Is it hypocritical to criticize others for faults we ourselves have?
107)
Is the notion of time – of past, present, future – an illusion?
106)
What is the rasa-abhasa in chanting “nitai gaur radhe shyam” mantra?
105)
What is the position of bhakti teachers not connected with the four sampradayas?
104)
Is doing sadhana bhakti in vatsalya bhava sahajiyaism?
103)
Is Vallbha Bhatta of CC same as Vallabhacharya?
102)
Is Vallabhacharya Krishna or devotee of Krishna?
101)
What is time – Is there no time in the spiritual world?
100)
What exactly is humility – how do we develop it in bhakti?
99)
Why did Hanuman not defeat Vali?
98)
Is the Sakshi-Gopal pastime mundane with a brahmana using God to futher his marriage?
March 2015
97)
Should I postpone my sadhana bhakti to focus on college studies?
96)
How can I protect my bhakti from bad association in college?
95)
How was sati meant for spiritual cultivation?
94)
Should devotees read news?
93)
Was sati suicide or murder?
92)
When the world is Maya, why not just renounce it?
91)
Why do serious devotees sometimes die prematurely?
90)
Which is more helpful on the spiritual path – intelligence or inclination?
89)
Should we eat as less as possible or eat to stay healthy for serving Krishna?
88)
Can only those who don’t break brahmchari-vrata attain the kingdom of God?
87)
Why is Bhagavatam 2.6 called the Purusha-Sukta confirmed?
86)
Are dharma, artha, kama and moksha to be pursued sequentially or simultaneously?
85)
Is time travel into the past possible?
84)
On seeing the Pandavas forces why does Duryodhana approach Drona not Bhishma?
83)
How do we understand Srila Prabhupada’s statements on rape?
82)
Is diversity the DNA of Hinduism?
81)
How can devotees face anxieties caused by worldly threats like crimes?
80)
Why does Krishnadas KG in CC offer obeisances to his readers?
79)
Why does the Gita say that Krishna can’t be attained by worship?
78)
Is surrendering to God fatalistic?
77)
Did Arjuna know Krishna’s supreme position in the Gita’s first chapter?
76)
Why did Lord Chaitanya perform shraddha?
75)
Could Krishna not convince Arjuna with philosophy alone and so he displayed the Universal Form?
74)
How does Schrodinger’s cat paradox point to consciousness’ reality?
73)
How could Bhima drink Dushashana’s blood?
72)
Is the religionist’s God different from the philosopher’s God?
71)
Did Bhima kill Duryodhana or just wound him?
70)
Do sadhaka-devotees also become free all worldly obligations?
69)
How does the Vedic rule of “no reactions in killing aggressors” apply today?
68)
Is identifying according to our nature false ego?
67)
Is sex pleasure due to hormones or mental imagination?
66)
What does om mean?
65)
If we do someone else’s work well, then is that work is our nature?
64)
Is Prabhupada’s usage of “Thou shall not kill” to meat-eating an out-of-context application?
63)
What causes inferiority complex?
62)
Will banning beef lead to economic problems?
February 2015
61)
Is applying material science to spiritual things wrong?
60)
Do devotees who commit suicide become ghosts?
59)
Are all attractive things good for devotees of the all-attractive?
58)
Doesn’t population growth disprove reincarnation?
57)
How do we understand different devotees interpreting the moisture on the Pancha Tattva Deities differently?
56)
Who created God?
55)
Can’t all miracles be ascribed to natural causes?
54)
How do we understand contradictions in scriptures?
53)
How is shabda-pramana free from four defects?
52)
How can we best present the Gita to intellectuals who feel Prabhupada’s Gita is too devotional?
51)
Why does Prabhupada say that Haridasa Thakura is superior to Lord Shiva?
50)
What exactly is false ego and true ego?
49)
Did the Pancha Tattva Deities shed tears of ecstasy due to the ecstatic kirtan mela?
48)
Why does God let some people be atheists?
47)
Will soldiers who fight in today’s wars be doing vikarma?
46)
Is simplicity and non-duplicity the same as humility or truthfulness?
45)
Do sampradayas other than 4 Vaishnava sampradayas also have divine origin?
44)
Did the Gita originally have 745 verses?
43)
Why do ISKCON devotees pronounce Sanskrit words differently from traditional pronunciations?
42)
Ishopanishad says God’s body has no veins, whereas SB says rivers are the veins of Virat rupa – how to reconcile?
41)
Does Krishna consider Arjuna’s concerns about destruction of family meaningless?
40)
What is the Vedic perspective on organ donation?
39)
Does the Gita offer spiritual solution to spiritual problem or to material problem?
38)
Krishna rewards according to surrender, but Lord Chaitanya sees no qualification. How to reconcile?
January 2015
37)
How can we know which things increase our doubt and which increase our faith?
36)
Do neophyte devotees also represent Krishna? How?
35)
Is the mind always our enemy?
34)
When we get answers to doubts about which we pray, should we see those answers as Krishna’s reciprocation?
33)
Is the Absolute Truth just a stream of consciousness for jnanis and a Person for bhaktas?
32)
If smriti is compiled by sages, how can we know that it is free from the four defects?
31)
When Ajamila chanted with the wrong conception, why did Vishnutas come?
30)
What is the result of chanting the names of godmen who have the name of God?
29)
Does upasana kanda contain things other than bhakti?
28)
Are Gita and Bhagavatam meant for less intelligent people because they are parts of smriti?
27)
When Vedas are said to be superior to pratyaksha and anumana, which meaning of Veda is used?
26)
Can you give an example of unnecessarily provocative presentation of apara-vidya that we should avoid?
25)
How can we give people initial faith so that they can practice para-vidya and experience its potency?
24)
Why did Bhishma in his previous life as Vasu steal Vashistha’s cow?
23)
Why does Arjuna brag that he is greater than Dwarkavasis in the brahmana son’s stealing pastime?
22)
Why is the same story told differently in different scriptures?
21)
If sensory knowledge is defective, why do we use it to refute atheistic theories?
20)
In the three scopes of meanings of the word Veda, which meaning is used by the Vedas themselves?
19)
When Bhagavatam is the commentary on Vedanta-sutra, why do Advaitins still study Vedanta-sutra
18)
Does achintyabhedabheda harmonize dvaita & advaita – or fall in the dvaita category?
17)
Is Krishna’s reference to Arjuna as Bharata spiritual because the Bharata dynasty is filled with liberated souls?
16)
If Krishna addresses Arjuna as per the bodily conception, does it mean that Krishna is in the bodily conception?
15)
If a senior devotee asks me to take up a major service that he himself is not good at, should I follow him?
14)
As varna means color, is varnashrama based on bodily color?
13)
How can we help a dying relative attain emotional closure with an unforgiving relative?
12)
Does fear take people towards God or away from him?
11)
Is speaking to new people about Krishna the ninth offense to the holy name?
10)
Does the improbability of extra-terrestrial life support more the Christian conception of God than the Vedic conception?
9)
How can we best help a relative who is near death?
8)
As neophytes can’t understand tattva and rasa accurately, isn’t it better to consider Krishna-lila depictions as literal and not artistic?
7)
Won’t atheists use the concept of artistic license in depciting Krishna-lila to say that his supernatural pastimes are poetic exaggerations?
6)
Should conversions be banned in India?
5)
What is the difference between faith and blind faith? (PK answered 27)
4)
Are different religions like different companies with their gods as their product? (PK answered 26)
3)
Are the gods of different religions different? (PK answered 25)
2)
How can God who is unlimited appear as a limited stone image? (PK answered 24)
1)
Does a stone smeared with turmeric become God? (PK answered 23)