Currently Browsing: QA Audio : 2016

: Audio   : Video   : Transcription   : Hindi Language

June 2022

• 1371) When the Gita is spoken to one specific person, how can it be universal?
• 1370) ​What is the difference between Arjuna fighting under Krishna and jehadis fighting under Allah?
• 1369) ​How can a student practice bhakti?

July 2021

• 1368) How is mantra meditation different from other forms of meditation?
• 1367) When we are in anxiety searching for a new job, how can we maintain our spiritual practices?

September 2020

• 1366) How can we serve cooperatively with devotees without aggravating mutual conflicts?

July 2020

• 1365) How can we decide the upper limit of tolerance?
• 1364) How do we reconcile Bhagavatam cosmology with scientific cosmology?

June 2020

• 1363) ​How can we overcome envy?

March 2020

• 1362) Can buddhi-yoga refer to all three yogas – karma, jnana and bhakti?
• 1361) How are jnana and karma uncovered in bhakti?

October 2019

• 1360) If the soul is complete, why is purification needed?
• 1359) Why should we focus more on satisfying the soul than on satisfying the body?

December 2016

• 1358) How can I protect my NRI-nephew from being carried away by materialism?
• 1357) How can we be friendly with equals without becoming casual?
• 1356) How can we avoid feeling burdened when we have unmanageable deadlines?
• 1355) In Gita 6.5, can both atma be translated as the mind – elevate the mind with the mind?
• 1354) When God is omniscient, doesn’t he know that some people will misuse their free will?
• 1353) When God knows everything, why doesn’t he stop bad things from happening?
• 1352) How can I do PhD in science without getting carried away by it?
• 1351) Why did Rama worship Shiva?
• 1350) When we have to choose between two good options, how do we choose?
• 1349) If our mind acts according to default settings, what is the role of our free will?
• 1348) When we face real problems, can we spiritually raise ourselves above those problems?
• 1347) When Jaya-Vijaya became demons by Krishna’s will and performed so many atrocities, what was the fault of their victims?
• 1346) How is it fair to be punished for past karma without being told what that karma was?
• 1345) Why do we say that we think with the mind and not with the soul?
• 1344) Can we say the grabbers in the marshmallow experiment are those who grab opportunities?
• 1343) Does Krishna have a plan for us even when we are not serious devotees?
• 1342) How can we make our presentation more crisp and condensed?
• 1341) Is there any relationship between telepathy and spirituality?
• 1340) When intoxication doesn’t harm others, as does meat-eating why is it considered bad?
• 1339) Why does the Gita use a battlefield setting?
• 1338) ​In Gita 17.1, do shraddha and nishtha refer to different things?
• 1337) ​How can we avoid fear after taking big decisions thoughtfully?
• 1336) ​How can I control anger when I am continuously provoked?
• 1335) ​How can we be strict in sadhana and sensitive with others?
• 1334) ​When faced with difficulty, why do we go away from Krishna?
• 1333) ​How can we practically do abhyasa for focusing the mind?
• 1332) ​How can we develop taste for chanting?
• 1331) ​If devotees have to do research involving animal testing, what should they do?
• 1330) ​When our material obligations make us too busy to practice sadhana strictly, what can we do?
• 1329) Does expertise in shabda make one expert in fields in which one may have no practical experience?
• 1328) Should we preach when we are not feeling devotionally?
• 1327) Did Shankaracharya accept Krishna’s form as transcendental?
• 1326) When Krishna disapproves renunciation as it will disturb people’s minds, how can we understand Prabhupada’s giving sannyasa to young disciples?
• 1325) Is dandiya rasa considered imitation of Krishna’s rasa-lila — is it allowed in ISKCON?
• 1324) How can spontaneous devotion be practiced in shanta-rasa?
• 1323) If the Gita is a recorded conversation reported by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, how does it contain Sanjaya’s speech?
• 1322) Did Sanjaya report the Kurukshetra war from Kurukshetra or from Hastinapura?
• 1321) If the soul gets a body through the semen what happens to it when conception doesn’t occur?
• 1320) How can atma be translated as the Supreme Lord?
• 1319) Nothing is in my control – why worry?
• 1318) What karma should we avoid so that we won’t have to suffer?
• 1317) What is the use of getting reactions for wrongdoings without knowing those wrongdoings?
• 1316) When humans kill animals for eating, is it that animal’s destiny or are humans interrupting God’s plan?
• 1315) If someone commits suicide, was it their destiny or are they interrupting God’s plan?
• 1314) If bhakti means to give up all designations then how do we see our duties to our country?
• 1313) How can we cope with enduring sadness?
• 1312) What is the difference between the mental and the spiritual?
• 1311) How can we say our thanks to God?
• 1310) Why does corruption exist in religious organisations – can it be minimized?
• 1309) What is the essence of the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1308) How can a bar waiter transform one’s occupational duty into devotional service?
• 1307) How to deal with devotees in ISKCON who criticize ISKCON?
• 1306) How can we overcome lust?
• 1305) How can we avoid distractions amidst today’s internet age?
• 1304) Is love for our parents, brothers, sisters Maya – does such love have no meaning or value?
• 1303) Are the sense and mind different – which of them drives us?

November 2016

• 1302) How can we remember while serving the Deities that they are persons?
• 1301) If we don’t have the opportunity to explore, won’t we lose our desire to learn?
• 1300) If we are in a situation where we can’t develop our talents, what can we do?
• 1299) Can pursuing our material talents help us in our spiritual life?
• 1298) How can chanting help us in our life practically?
• 1297) How can we know our most dangerous attachments?
• 1296) What if we want to preach but are given other services? – Hindi
• 1295) How can we resist temptation? – Hindi
• 1294) ​What is the relation between Valimiki Ramayana and Rama-charita-manasa?
• 1293) ​What factors determine the mental pitch we get?
• 1292) ​When chanting doesn’t feel blissful, how can we make it always blissful?
• 1291) ​What kind of mental pitch is favourable for bhakti?
• 1290) ​How did Prabhupada provide sadhana-bhakti and raganuga bhakti together?
• 1289) ​How can we overcome the tendency to overthink?
• 1288) ​How can we avoid second guessing ourselves while doing creative work?
• 1287) Before we can evaluate our desire, we end up indulging in it – what to do?
• 1286) ​What was the technology of the pollution-free Pushpaka vimana?
• 1285) How can we avoid falling repeatedly to a wrong desire?
• 1284) ​What is stillness of mind?
• 1283) If someone says the sparks of Krishna’s splendor are enough for me, how can we connect them with Krishna?
• 1282) ​Where are the mind, intelligence and ego located?
• 1281) What is the devotional reason why Rama sent Sita away?
• 1280) ​How do prioritize between our duty to our parents and to our wife and children?
• 1279) Won’t cultivating satisfaction take away our urge to improve?
• 1278) When we make choices, where does our karma fit in?
• 1277) When God knows the future, is our free will really free?
• 1276) How can we know what our prescribed duty is in today’s world?
• 1275) What is wrong with we as God’s children asking him for our material needs?
• 1274) Does scripture guide us for spiritual decisions or also for material decisions?
• 1273) Material solutions to problems lead to bigger problems – so, should we seek material solutions?
• 1272) How can we overcome the infection of karma and jnana?
• 1271) How can we know whether we are depending on our own endeavors or on Krishna?
• 1270) Does the mind tempt us because of the modes or do the modes tempt us because of the mind?
• 1269) How can we maintain our spiritual alertness amidst worldly association?
• 1268) When real problems such as recession threaten us, how can we deal with the anxiety?
• 1267) Bhakti is not about attachment or detachment but about commitment – please explain.
• 1266) Is all anxiety bad – can’t anxiety inspire us to perform better?
• 1265) How can we weaken our bad desires and strengthen our good desires?
• 1264) How can we avoid forgetting our resolutions?
• 1263) We get only temporary happiness and that too after lot of struggle – does God not want us to be happy?
• 1262) How do non-devotees without sadhana and siddhanta sometimes have better sadachara than devotees?
• 1261) How can we fix the mind on Krishna?
• 1260) Why do we get karmic reactions for one life in another life?
• 1259) What are the sizes of the soul and the mind?
• 1258) How can those unaware of scripture differentiate between the mind and the intelligence?
• 1257) How can we inculcate Krishna consciousness in our children?
• 1256) What is Maya – are women Maya?
• 1255) How can inductive-deductive-abductive reasonings be correlated with pratyaksha-anumana-shabda?
• 1254) Do our default settings come from our past karma or our association?
• 1253) If having too many commitments makes us resentful, what can we do?
• 1252) What is more powerful – the soul or the mind?
• 1251) How should we preach – gently or forcefully?
• 1250) Do the spikes of desire vanish when we become spiritually advanced?
• 1249) What is the difference between being religious and being spiritual?
• 1248) How can we attract materially comfortable people who don’t feel the need for spirituality?
• 1247) If someone is going through a bad phase astrologically, how does the mind affect their problems?
• 1246) How much does the mind affect problems in astrologically compatible relationships?
• 1245) If yajna produces rains, how did the West that did no yajna have rains?
• 1244) How can we constantly remember that we are not the doers?
• 1243) If we keep curbing most of our impulses, aren’t we living a fake life?
• 1242) How do we differentiate between the mind and the heart?
• 1241) Is passion needed while functioning in this world?
• 1240) If a devotee can’t find an astrologically compatible match, can they pursue astrologically incompatible matches where other things match?
• 1239) Is a devotee teacher cheating students by teaching them scientific theories about creation?
• 1238) How can we remove bad impressions from our mind?
• 1237) Does God want us to torture ourselves by fasting on holy days?
• 1236) How can we survive spiritually when suddenly we lose devotee association?
• 1235) How do we know that the knowledge coming through disciplic succession is authentic?
• 1234) How do we convince people that scriptures are true, not fictional?
• 1233) Why did Rama not stand by Sita when she was defamed?
• 1232) Was Ravana an ideal brother who stood by his sister at all costs?
• 1231) How can we cultivate humility in our bhakti?
• 1230) Some devotees take a vow to chant lots of rounds and keep chanting all day – is that ok?
• 1229) What is the significance getting darshan of Radharani’s lotus feet on Radhashtami day?
• 1228) Why did Balarama favor Duryodhana?
• 1227) Will you please talk something about Devi Bhagavatam?
• 1226) What are the duties of a modern woman who wants to practice bhakti?
• 1225) How can we attain true peace?
• 1224) Why is the Bhagavatam called the Amala Purana?
• 1223) If Vyasadeva wrote the Bhagavatam, how is he present in the Bhagavatam?
• 1222) Can we chant while traveling or walking?
• 1221) Who all heard the Gita – why were Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra able to hear?
• 1220) How can we chant without distractions?
• 1219) Why does Bhagavatam contains sections that don’t glorify the Lord?
• 1218) Why are we more judgemental towards equals instead of seniors?
• 1217) Why are we judgemental towards others?
• 1216) Are all commentaries on Bhagavad-gita of equal value?
• 1215) For what purpose did Krishna speak the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1214) For whom is the Bhagavad-gita spoken?
• 1213) In the Bhagavad-gita, what is the significance of the word Bhagavan?
• 1212) What is the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1211) What is the difference between humans and animals?
• 1210) How do we differentiate between which desire to accept and which to reject?
• 1209) What makes Vedic knowledge infallible and human knowledge fallible?
• 1208) Why did Krishna choose Arjuna as the recipient of Bhagavad-gita?
• 1207) Why is Vedic knowledge received through disciplic succession?
• 1206) Does existence alone go from one life to another without carrying any karma from the past?
• 1205) Can spiritual wisdom explain split personality disorder?
• 1204) How can we strengthen our faith, especially while going through mood swings?
• 1203) How can we disconnect from undesirable thoughts?
• 1202) Can the soul experience anything other than what is displayed on the mind’s screen?
• 1201) Does the level of consciousness indicate the strength of the soul?
• 1200) Can’t future science explain consciousness?
• 1199) How are the soul, mind and body brought together?
• 1198) How can we know if our intelligence is misleading us through rationalization?
• 1197) Will we ever come to a spiritual level when we understand Krishna’s plan perfectly?
• 1196) How can some people remember their past lives?
• 1195) ​Is the golden cord that goes with the soul permanent or temporary?
• 1194) ​What should we do if we have a near-death experience or a mystical experience?
• 1193) ​I saw a shining light during a vision – what does it mean?
• 1192) ​Are reports of people having gone to Yamaraja and returned true?
• 1191) ​How do medically dead people sometimes return to life?
• 1190) What is the difference between near-death experience, out-of-body experience and after-death experience?
• 1189) ​When does the soul get connected with the body?
• 1188) ​When there are different kinds of jehad, why is jehad associated with terrorism?
• 1187) Was the Sita that Viradha abducted also Maya-Sita?
• 1186) ​Do pure devotees have no worldly desires or do they have desires but no inclination to act on those desires?
• 1185) ​How can we use in bhakti the qualities we don’t know we have?
• 1184) ​Is there a difference between vairagya and virakti?
• 1183) ​How can we deal with bad thoughts that come up subconsciously?
• 1182) ​How does the Placebo effect work?
• 1181) When artificial intelligence becomes as good as our intelligence, what will our purpose be?
• 1180) How can we overcome procrastinating tendency?
• 1179) ​Should we just depend on bhakti to purify us or cultivate introspectiveness to check and change our motives?
• 1178) ​When God is omniscient and knows our suffering, why do we need to go to him to get relief?
• 1177) ​How can the presence of suffering be reconciled with God’s existence?
• 1176) ​Can we change our destiny by living according to a particular path?
• 1175) ​Every effect has a cause – why can’t this argument be applied to God?
• 1174) ​Why didn’t Rama uphold the truth of Sita’s purity?
• 1173) ​Why did Rama take people’s criticism of Sita so seriously?
• 1172) ​When the Paramatma is always in the heart, how can Krishna leave the heart?
• 1171) ​Is there any evidence that chanting or bhakti-yoga decreases stress?
• 1170) ​How do we explain the triangularity of desires to children?
• 1169) ​Isn’t it better to know our needs and be satisfied on getting them instead of trying to be satisfied with what we have?
• 1168) When bhakti provides higher pleasure than sensuality, why does the mind still crave for sense pleasure?
• 1167) If we don’t have the inclination to do some service, should we still do it just to purify ourselves?
• 1166) In our spiritual life how can we be both satisfied and ambitious?
• 1165) ​When Sita was devastated on Rama’s exiling her, how can we say that she just accepted her exile?
• 1164) When we can’t even be sure whether this world will exist tomorrow, why bother thinking about some other world that is anyway held as inconceivable?
• 1163) ​Is old age present in the spiritual world?
• 1162) ​Yoga Maya can cover Krishna – how is this different from the Mayavadi idea that we all are God covered by Maya?
• 1161) ​Can individual or group chanting promote world peace?
• 1160) ​Some devotees see social issues as irrelevant – isn’t bhakti meant to be socially relevant?
• 1159) ​How can we explain rasa-lila to new people?
• 1158) ​How can spirituality help amidst increasing social polarisation, often caused by religion?
• 1157) ​Are all svakiya relationships in this world false?
• 1156) ​How can we guide our children in their teenage years?
• 1155) ​When anxiety distracts us during chanting, should we try to counter those thoughts or just wait for those thoughts to go?
• 1154) ​Does our enthusiasm in bhakti come from our sincerity or from Krishna’s mercy?
• 1153) How can we know that God is still living?
• 1152) ​How is Hinduism different from other religions?
• 1151) ​How can we prevent our faith from going down with the passage of time?
• 1150) ​We know our likes and dislikes, but how can we know ourselves?
• 1149) Is there any way we can use procrastination positively?
• 1148) When religious conflicts cause violence, how can religious practice bring peace?
• 1147) ​Did Karna choose his fate or was he fated to die?
• 1146) When mantra meditation involves actions and changes, how does it take us from the unchanging to the changing?
• 1145) Where is the svabhava stored – is svabhava always unfavourable to bhakti?
• 1144) ​What is the difference between svabhava and conditionings?
• 1143) ​How can we avoid getting sucked into local temple politics while practicing bhakti?
• 1142) ​Is meditation on sound preferable to silent meditation?
• 1141) Does becoming spiritual involve running away from problems instead of solving them?
• 1140) ​How can we know which situations are in our control and which out of control?
• 1139) ​How are we affected by positive or negative thoughts?
• 1138) When people are diagnosed with depression, should they take medicines or practice spirituality?
• 1137) Why did Nalakuvera-Manigriva not untie Krishna before going to heaven?
• 1136) As exalted devotees don’t want liberation, should we not desire to get out of this world?
• 1135) If it is Radharani’s love that binds Krishna, then is her love greater than Yashoda’s?
• 1134) ​Terrorism threatens human life – what is the spiritual perspective on this?
• 1133) ​What is the difference between premature death due to accident and due to suicide?
• 1132) ​Is a goal-oriented approach in bhakti in the mode of passion?
• 1131) ​What is consciousness – can we attain consciousness without giving up family life?
• 1130) ​If we all are parts of God, then is God the sum total of all beings?
• 1129) ​Is knowing our weaknesses one of the results of materialism?
• 1128) ​Krishna is the basis of all being, not just the best of all beings – what does this mean?
• 1127) ​Why does Krishna descend to this world – to kill demons or to teach the Gita?
• 1126) ​Why did Krishna not stop Yudhishthira from gambling?
• 1125) ​Did everyone on the Kurukshetra battlefield see Krishna’s universal form?

October 2016

• 1124) Do we need to appreciate devotees before we can appreciate Krishna?
• 1123) Does exercising that increases our breathing rate decrease our lifespan?
• 1122) Why do some people come close to death, but escape death?
• 1121) If some people are more tolerant by their nature, does that tolerance mean they are advanced devotees?
• 1120) Is bhakti the only way to higher taste – or are there other ways too?
• 1119) Is multi-tasking desirable or undesirable?
• 1118) What exactly is polymorphic monotheism?
• 1117) Is the God of different religions one or different?
• 1116) ​​​​If religion is meant to love God, what about Buddhism which doesn’t refer to God?
• 1115) ​Why does God let difficulties happen in our life – please explain based on your personal life?
• 1114) ​How do we see people who use their faith to justify their bigotry?
• 1113) Does the soul choose its parents in its next life?
• 1112) ​Do the Puranas talk about caste by birth and the Gita, caste by qualities?
• 1111) ​Why were the lower castes so abused in the caste system, though it was given by Krishna?
• 1110) Won’t saying that don’t pursue worldly pleasures demotivate students from academic performance?
• 1109) How can we control sense gratification?
• 1108) What is ISKCON doing to address the fear that terrorists may attack temples?
• 1107) ​Why would kshatriyas, especially devotees like Arjuna, hunt?
• 1106) Is bhakti meant for setting things right in our life or for liberating our soul?
• 1105) ​Why was Arjuna Krishna’s favorite among the Pandavas?
• 1104) How did Draupadi have so much devotion for Krishna, more than that of even the Pandavas?
• 1103) Among the Gita’s four varnas, what is your varna?
• 1102) Does Krishna tell Arjuna that you are a kshatriya at the level of a brahmana?
• 1101) ​If we don’t grieve at someone’s death, aren’t we devaluing them?
• 1100) Is our next body shaped by our desire or by our mind?
• 1099) Does the Gita recommend doing yajna-dana-tapa or giving it up?
• 1098) ​How does bhakti counter anxiety?
• 1097) What role does time play in differentiating between wants and needs?
• 1096) How can we regulate our material wants in our spiritual life?
• 1095) Why was Bharat Maharaja punished with a deer body for his compassion?
• 1094) ​Are all our material choices pre-determined by our past karma?
• 1093) When Krishna is in our heart and knows our desires, why do we need to pray to him?
• 1092) Can devotees ask Krishna for a material thing such as a child?
• 1091) ​Did Karna ever feel that he had made a wrong choice by fighting for Duryodhana?
• 1090) ​When did Kunti reveal to Karna that he was her son – why?
• 1089) ​When Krishna descends to destroy the miscreants, why does he try for peace with the miscreant Kauravas?
• 1088) Does Krishna ask Karna for his punya when Karna is about to die?
• 1087) ​How to share bhakti with our relatives who are addicted to materialism?
• 1086) ​How to deal with the conflict of feeling like giving charity and fearing that it may be misused?
• 1085) ​What to do if the association of some devotees makes us negative and agitated?
• 1084) ​​​​How can we use our intellectual faculty to elevate ourselves and others spiritually?
• 1083) ​QA on Science & Religion at Cambridge University
• 1082) Devotionally, we need to be humble. Professionally, we need to promote ourselves. How to reconcile?
• 1081) How can we reduce the time we spend on devices?
• 1080) ​How does the mind make decisions?
• 1079) ​How to deal with the mind if it traps us in the same behaviour repeatedly?
• 1078) ​How can we expand our resolutions from time-bound to lifelong?
• 1077) What to do if the mind acts on us even before we realize what is happening?
• 1076) ​Why are academic scholars of a tradition often derided by the tradition?
• 1075) How does scripture explain evolution?
• 1074) ​Are scientific claims of journey to other planets compatible with scripture?
• 1073) ​What happens to our accumulated karma when we surrender to Krishna?
• 1072) Why do some pious people face prolonged suffering before death?
• 1071) What is the destination of those who have died too young to have done any good or bad?
• 1070) Does the soul of those who die prematurely come back?
• 1069) ​Do all the millions who commit suicide become ghosts?
• 1068) ​How can we help the souls of those people who have committed suicide?
• 1067) How to avoid getting distracted by the mind during our idle time?
• 1066) Does the soul age?
• 1065) ​Is the form of the soul similar to our present form?
• 1064) ​Is wanting to rise in the corporate world due to the mode of passion?
• 1063) ​Why do distractions come more when we chant?
• 1062) What to do if we can’t contain our anger but expressing it will hurt others?
• 1061) ​Why is the atheistic West more prosperous than religious India?
• 1060) ​If we become too target-oriented while doing a service, should we give up that service?
• 1059) ​Initially, bhakti doesn’t give as much happiness as sensuality – how to persevere then?
• 1058) ​As the spiritual is not visible or quantifiable, how can we know that we are not pursuing something delusional?
• 1057) ​What can we learn from Yudhishthira’s gambling?
• 1056) ​Why are there contradictions among different religions?
• 1055) ​Can becoming spiritual make us lazy and unambitious?
• 1054) ​Why does Krishna in the hearts of terrorists allow them to murder people?
• 1053) ​Was the Pandavas’ killing Bhishma and Drona according to dharma?
• 1052) ​Are the varnas applicable today?
• 1051) Is dharma practical in this age?
• 1050) Do impersonalists who do jnana-tapasa attain liberation?
• 1049) How can we balance our material commitments and spiritual aspirations?
• 1048) Did Krishna feel confused about which pure devotee to support – Arjuna or Bhishma?
• 1047) ​​​​Which aspect of the universal form did Duryodhana see?
• 1046) ​How does bhakti invert social hierarchy?
• 1045) ​Is dharma the same in all ages?
• 1044) ​When we all lose everything at death, how does making better choices matter at death?
• 1043) ​If spirituality helps us make better choices, who decides which choices are better?
• 1042) How has your spirituality helped you to practically solve the world’s problems?
• 1041) ​Can’t laughter help us feel better?
• 1040) Are there any evidences that consciousness is extra-cerebral?
• 1039) ​Is becoming worried or not becoming worried a learnable habit?
• 1038) ​Why do we tend to worry about future things that haven’t even happened?
• 1037) How can we measure our progress on the path of controlling our mind?
• 1036) ​What does the Gita’s call to control the mind by practice and renunciation mean practically?
• 1035) ​If devotion is innate for all of us, why does it seem alien to some?
• 1034) How can we improve our focus?
• 1033) ​Can yogis leave their body at will?
• 1032) Do people take to spirituality only because of detachment from material life?
• 1031) ​How can we learn to serve Krishna more selflessly?
• 1030) ​How can we see problems as challenges?
• 1029) ​How is there no passage of time in the spiritual world?
• 1028) ​How can we overcome a bad habit that has been very difficult for us to give up?
• 1027) How can we train the mind to correct its bad ways?
• 1026) ​How can we protect ourselves at various stages from contemplation to degradation?
• 1025) ​Are we meant to neglect the mind or to channel it?
• 1024) How can we live in the present instead of the past or the future?
• 1023) When the mind troubles us, how can we practically control it?
• 1022) ​Will we ever attain a spiritual level beyond material desire?
• 1021) ​How can we help materialistic people recognize the need to control their thoughts?
• 1020) When does ambition become greed?
• 1019) How can we introduce new people to bhakti?
• 1018) Why does ISKCON have a more organized managerial structure than most traditional religious groups?
• 1017) ​When the soul is beyond identity, why do devotees put identification marks such as tilak?
• 1016) Should we stick to personal spiritual standards even when they imbalance our life?
• 1015) Do we need to resist a material desire that is a need?
• 1014) ​​If a devotee can see the future in dreams, what should they do?
• 1013) Are there any scriptural references that people’s caste is determined by their qualities?
• 1012) Are there any scriptural references that people’s caste is determined by their qualities?
• 1011) If a devotee can see the future in dreams, what should they do?
• 1010) Does bhakti lead to brahman, as Gita 14.26 says or does brahman lead to bhakti, as Gita 18.54 says?
• 1009) How is the soul immoveable?
• 1008) Does the Supersoul go with the soul or is the all-pervading Supersoul already there where the soul goes?
• 1007) Is the Paramatma in the heart same as the Paramatma in the atom?
• 1006) Do all those who become deviated from yoga go to heavens?
• 1005) When management affects our sadhana adversely, what can we do?
• 1004) Why do children of devotees sometimes not become devotees?
• 1003) ​What does one get by doing sva-dharma without doing bhakti?
• 1002) ​Is thinking done by the mind or by the soul?
• 1001) ​What is the difference between being selfish and thinking of oneself first?
• 1000) ​What to do when people exclude us from some social circles because of our bhakti practices?
• 999) ​How can we make right decisions when what is right is not clear and the decisions have serious consequences?
• 998) ​Should we share bhakti wisdom only after we have understood it thoroughly?
• 997) ​How much can logic be applied to scriptural study?
• 996) How can we be detached without becoming uncaring?
• 995) ​Why does the Gita say that sva-dharma shouldn’t be given up whereas Bhagavatam says sea-dharma should be given up for bhakti?
• 994) ​Is service the foundation of relationship – can’t we have relationships without any common service?
• 993) ​If some devotees keep rejecting us despite our best efforts to please them, what should we do?
• 992) Are bhakti activities transcendental to the modes or are we to engage activities in the modes in bhakti?
• 991) ​​In guna-karma mentioned in Gita 4.13, can karma be developed but not guna?
• 990) ​What exactly are the modes?
• 989) ​Why does the Gita give its essence of bhakti in its middle and not at its end?
• 988) ​Does developing our conscience and intelligence develop our bhakti?
• 987) ​What goes wrong when one person gets undue control on others’ minds?
• 986) ​If we see wrongdoers go unpunished in our movement, what should we do?
• 985) ​How can people who are conditioned to be child abusers be cured?
• 984) ​During chanting should we try to control the mind or should we pray to Krishna that he control the mind?
• 983) ​How do we differentiate between the mind’s desires and the soul’s desires?
• 982) ​Are materialists completely controlled by the modes or can they make choices?
• 981) ​Why did Prabhupada not encourage devotees to consult astrologers?
• 980) ​If I can invest one hour daily for bhakti, which bhakti practices should I do?
• 979) ​How has the momentum of bhakti helped you to face problems in your own life?
• 978) ​What is dharma, especially for householders?
• 977) What are the characteristics of those who are spiritually healed?
• 976) ​Is the Gita’s statement that all endeavors are covered by faults applicable to a butcher’s profession?
• 975) In bhakti, how do we decide which aspects are matters of principle and which, matters of preference?
• 974) ​How do we explain the concept of achintya to scientific people?
• 973) ​How do we address the conflict between the mind and the heart?
• 972) ​How could omniscient Krishna not locate his abducted son Pradyumna for many years?
• 971) ​Does science offer real knowledge – can we live today without scientific knowledge?
• 970) ​Why do scientists criticize spirituality and spiritualists criticize science?
• 969) ​Does bhakti cause increase in our problems or does increase in problems intensify our bhakti?
• 968) ​What is the bigger reality that spiritualists talk about?
• 967) ​How important is it to have a goshala with a temple?
• 966) ​If Bhagavan and Brahman are non-different, are a gulab jamun and its fragrance non-different?
• 965) Does our past karma determine our present actions?
• 964) ​How to know whether our inner decisions come from the mind or the intelligence?
• 963) ​How can we reciprocate with the many people who have helped us?
• 962) ​Is it healthy to feel distressed whenever we remember how we have hurt others in the past?
• 961) ​Is thinking negative about some devotee an offence?
• 960) ​While sharing bhakti, how can we overcome the tendency to be intellectually aggressive?
• 959) ​Why are some people not inquisitive about life’s big picture?
• 958) ​How can we encourage devotee-kids to explore bhakti and not worldly pleasures?
• 957) How do we balance between respecting followers of all religions and acknowledging the violence that some of them do?
• 956) Does spiritual life begin only after initiation
• 955) ​How can we share bhakti with atheists who are nature-conscious and are relatively in the mode of goodness?
• 954) ​When Krishna is the protector of cows, how are so many cows being slaughtered?
• 953) ​How is rationality correlated with the mode of goodness?
• 952) ​How to respond to people who say their religion is the only way?
• 951) When thoughts distract us while chanting, how to respond?
• 950) ​When bad thoughts trouble us during our bhakti practice, how to respond?
• 949) ​Does scripture say that spiritual life doesn’t begin till we are initiated?
• 948) ​​​​If we have terrible pain, how can bhakti help us tolerate that pain?
• 947) ​How does the food offered to Krishna purify us?
• 946) ​If we feel worried the same way as we felt before practicing bhakti, is something wrong with our bhakti practice?
• 945) ​How can we stay self-aware while living in a materialistic culture?
• 944) ​How do we know when we have become self-aware?
• 943) ​If hearing krishna-lila makes me envious, does that mean I am demoniac?
• 942) ​If someone keeps misunderstanding us repeatedly, how to respond?
• 941) ​When people think that we are wrong when we are not, how to respond?
• 940) ​Are people around us benefited by our being Krishna conscious even when we can’t share our devotion with them?
• 939) ​What differentiates bhakti-yoga from other forms of yoga?
• 938) ​How to respond when our becoming spiritual is deemed socially unacceptable?
• 937) ​How can we keep our mind clear between meditation sessions?
• 936) ​What is the best way for a beginner to start with mantra meditation?
• 935) ​How can we keep our heart open when the mind is hostile?
• 934) If our mind’s software is very corrupted, how can we handle it?
• 933) ​Should we worry about spiritual problems such as inattentive chanting?
• 932) ​Can’t worrying about a problem help us better deal with it?
• 931) ​What is the most effective way to avoid getting mentally caught in problems?
• 930) ​Can Maya stop us from achieving our goals?
• 929) ​Are we born with our modes – can we change them?
• 928) ​How can we prevent our past conditionings from disturbing our present?
• 927) ​How can we avoid becoming depressed because of people who are regularly troublesome?
• 926) ​How can we not worry about people who create trouble for us?
• 925) ​Is sadachara as a sign of spiritual advancement relative – eg. some serious devotees find anger difficult to control?
• 924) ​Does Krishna’s call to Arjuna to rise beyond the three modes imply that we all can transcend our nature born from the modes?
• 923) Doesn’t Valmiki’s transformation demonstrate that spirituality can change nature?
• 922) Will a person with vaishya nature transcend that nature by spiritual growth?
• 921) ​Does siddhanta refer to philosophy or principle?
• 920) ​Do our present natures reflect our soul’s nature or our upbringing?
• 919) ​If devotees don’t do a service because they don’t feel inspired, are they being offensive?
• 918) If devotees repeatedly back out of services they have committed to, how to respond without becoming irritated?
• 917) ​Can happiness come from some higher work such as social service?
• 916) ​How can we stay positive when the mind is pessimistic?
• 915) ​If we are unable to avoid negative emotions, how can we deal with them?
• 914) What is the flow of the from Gita 6.20 to 6.23?
• 913) How can we draw the line about how much material things we can use in Krishna’s service?
• 912) ​If we commit mistakes while preaching, should we stop preaching?
• 911) Can some people be so scarred as to be incapable of practicing spiritual life?

September 2016

• 910) Does God exists beyond the world mean that he doesn’t depend on this world?
• 909) In the Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam, Krishna refers to himself inclusively, not exclusively – what does this mean?
• 908) ​How to respond when devotees start campaigning against some mundane problem?
• 907) ​The soul is always happy – what does this mean?
• 906) ​Is there a time when the soul says – I don’t want any more bodies?
• 905) ​On leaving the body, does the soul retain its identity or merge with the cosmic whole?
• 904) ​Can the soul exist without the body?
• 903) ​What about the Buddhist concept of no-self, anattavada?
• 902) ​Where is the soul located in the body?
• 901) Are all types of meditation equally beneficial?
• 900) ​If intention is more important than action, why was Nriga punished despite his charitable intention?
• 899) Does Draupadi not know that Krishna protected her from disrobing?
• 898) Why is spiritual reality not easily accessible?
• 897) Why are we not born with spiritual consciousness?
• 896) We are what we eat – how to understand this in terms of the three-level model of the self?
• 895) When cows are being brutally slaughtered why does Krishna not intervene?
• 894) Can inattentive chanting cause mental problems?
• 893) How to respond when problems overwhelm us?
• 892) Is not being disturbed amidst problems indicative of apathy or of bhakti?
• 891) Parikshit was ready to slay a cow-killer – should we follow in his footsteps?
• 890) ​Why is cow protection recommended in one religion and cow killing in another religion?
• 889) If chanting Hare Krishna is the only way, what will be the destination of people from other paths who chant other prayers?
• 888) Why does every religion claim that it is the best?
• 887) When caring for our small children takes a lot of time, how can we enhance our spirituality?
• 886) ​If problems help people to grow, does that mean we shouldn’t help others when they have problems?
• 885) ​If I don’t feel disturbed when my loved ones face problems, am I becoming heartless?
• 884) When Christians don’t have much knowledge of God, how can they develop love of God?
• 883) ​Will Christians who accept Jesus as their saviour but don’t live purely attain God’s kingdom?
• 882) If I am destined to meet an accident, can I do anything to avoid it?
• 881) Is it better to chant in the morning and do very simple Deity worship or to do nice Deity worship and chant later in the day?
• 880) ​Is it self-centered to call out to Krishna only when we have problems and not at other times?
• 879) ​How can we attract people who don’t find ISKCON adequately traditional in its cultural aspect?
• 878) ​Is mentally retaliating at devotees who have hurt us an offence?
• 877) ​How can we train ourselves to pause when impulses hit us?
• 876) Can the soul be conscious of itself?
• 875) If something makes us go away from Krishna, how can we return towards him?
• 874) ​How can we balance our studies and our bhakti?
• 873) ​If bhakti is the art of becoming happy, why are we bhaktas not happy?
• 872) ​How can we increase our appreciation for bhakti?
• 871) Were Prabhupada’s early followers the eternal associates of Lord Chaitanya?
• 870) ​Are physical handicaps in this life the scars of sins from previous lives?
• 869) ​Is our intelligence enough for making right choices or do we need Krishna’s mercy?
• 868) ​How can we respond positively after committing mistakes?
• 867) ​How can we control the mind in professional settings where we can’t do devotional activities?
• 866) Is meat an essential source of proteins?
• 865) ​Who is a sthita–prajna?
• 864) Does personality come from the brain or the mind?
• 863) ​Is the mind living or dead?
• 862) Can we change a habit in two weeks, as some surveys suggest?
• 861) Are we taking a cow’s blood in the form of her milk?
• 860) ​What happens to Krishna’s queens after he departs from the world?
• 859) ​In what mood can we recite the later Shikshashtakam verses that describe exalted devotion?
• 858) ​How do some people get the power to die at will?
• 857) ​Does detachment from the body and mind come only after full spiritual realization?
• 856) ​How is the soul’s consciousness transmitted at the liberated stage?
• 855) ​How can we become more selfless?
• 854) ​What is the weight and the size of the soul?
• 853) ​What does sarvatma snapanam in Shikshashtakam mean?
• 852) ​How can the awareness of our sinfulness enhance our devotion?
• 851) ​When Krishna said that the Kauravas were doomed because of offending Draupadi, why did he go to them as a peace envoy?
• 850) ​Sometimes we say Krishna is acting and sometimes karma is acting – what is it really?
• 849) Why does Krishna send problems that take devotees away from him?
• 848) Why do devotees sometimes suffer and don’t get relief despite praying?
• 847) ​How is the mind like a mirror?
• 846) ​When Krishna had vowed not to lift weapons during the Kurukshetra war, why did he lift up a wheel?
• 845) ​How could the Narayana sena agree to fight against Krishna?
• 844) ​Separation from Krishna is like a yuga for the gopis but like twelve years for Lord Chaitanya – why the difference?
• 843) How can we differentiate between emotional experiences and transcendental experiences?
• 842) Do spiritual memories ever come automatically, as material memories do presently?
• 841) ​Why should esoteric memories of spiritual experiences not be shared?
• 840) ​Should we share our devotional memories when such memories are considered Krishna’s private gifts to us?
• 839) ​After Uddhav sees the gopis’ exalted love for Krishna, why does he still speak about Krishna to them?
• 838) When the management gives services to one person and not another, isn’t that discrimination?
• 837) ​Isn’t life all about discriminating – how can we be nonjudgmental?
• 836) What is the difference between judging and discriminating?
• 835) How is Krishna impartial if he offers kripa-siddhi to some and asks for sadhana from others?
• 834) Aren’t both sadhana-siddha and kripa-siddha ultimately dependent on kripa?
• 833) Is na dhanam na janam na sundarim applicable to householder life?
• 832) If we are never disqualified in bhakti, why did Lord Chaitanya reject Kala Krishnadas for just one mistake?
• 831) Is Krishna partial because he responds only those who call out?
• 830) How does guilt practically help increase our bhakti?
• 829) ​How can guilt manifest in a way favourable for bhakti?
• 828) Is praying for the removal of our material desires a selfish prayer?
• 827) ​Does chanting purely itself give rise to virtues or should we strive to develop virtues?
• 826) ​What is the difference between remorse and atonement?
• 825) ​If we surrender to Krishna, won’t he help in taking care of our needs?
• 824) ​Does Gita 09.22 imply that we needn’t care for our material needs?
• 823) ​Are the material needs of pure devotees automatically provided for by Krishna?
• 822) When plants too have life, how is killing plants different from killing animals?
• 821) Are the humble taken for a ride by others?
• 820) Chanting is yuga dharma – does this mean it is recommended way, the best way or the only way?
• 819) How can we tolerate provoking situations?
• 818) Is the tendency to not chant more than sixteen rounds good?
• 817) How can we dissolve the false ego?
• 816) Did the songs of Narottam Das Thakura and others not protect the popular Gaudiya tradition?
• 815) Did the Goswami’s books not help preserve the Gaudiya tradition after their departure?
• 814) What exactly is the false ego – where is it located?
• 813) How did the Gaudiya tradition become deviated by the time of Bhaktivinoda Thakura?
• 812) Is the pronunciation of the mahamantra important or is intent alone important?
• 811) How important is initiation in the process of assimilating spiritual knowledge?
• 810) How do we understand that demons like Ravana were expert mantra chanters?
• 809) When we chant, does Krishna come from inside outside or from outside inside?
• 808) Are varnavada and sphotavada studied in academic circles?
• 807) Can feeling angry when insulted instead of tolerating insults spur us towards Krishna, as happened with Dhruva?
• 806) In the light of Gita 2.47, how can we understand the Gita’s call to see action in inaction and action in inaction?
• 805) If a butcher has no alternative way to earn, will Krishna accept the fruits of their work?
• 804) Should we not give suggestions to others because of the fear that the suggestions will be rejected?
• 803) Why did Krishna first tell the Pandavas to fight and then to renounce the world because of their sins?
• 802) Is the way of working in bhakti different from the way of working in material life?
• 801) Is it better to be inspired with the work itself instead of by its goal?
• 800) Does the Gita tell us what kind of goals should we set for ourselves?
• 799) Why do we label the good inner side as the intelligence and the bad inner side as the mind?
• 798) In Shikshashtakam 1, why does knowledge come after emotion?
• 797) Is the intelligence that takes us towards Krishna different from ordinary intelligence?
• 796) What to do if devotees avoid services saying that they are not according to my nature?
• 795) ​As sadhakas, what emotions can we experience in relationship with Krishna?
• 794) ​How can a leader be benefited by the Gita’s leadership sutras?
• 793) ​How can we bring goodness into our passionate services?
• 792) Is service done in passion service or is it just self-gratification?
• 791) Which wrong default programs can sabotage people who start business?
• 790) What does self-mastery mean?
• 789) For knowing God, is there any basis other than the Bhagavad-gita?
• 788) What is the cause of wars fought in the name of religion?
• 787) Does change adopted because of frustration induce growth?
• 786) Just as scientific truths are proven, can spiritual truths be proven?
• 785) Can abuse of power occur in spiritual organisations?
• 784) ​How does scientific curiosity lead to theories like Darwinian evolution?
• 783) ​Science is based on curiosity to know – where does faith come in?
• 782) ​How can the Gita help us in change management?
• 781) ​What is the spiritual motivation for becoming a leader?
• 780) ​Should we differentiate between pre-Gita leadership and post-Gita leadership?
• 779) ​Why did Arjuna need to hear the Gita – did he as a leader not have that spiritual knowledge earlier?
• 778) ​How is Krishna the enjoyer of the sacrifices done without knowing his supremacy?
• 777) ​Does Krishna accept service done passionately?
• 776) ​What is the meaning of Gita 2.47 – don’t think of yourself as the cause of the result?
• 775) ​While practicing bhakti, how can we avoid losing interest in our work?
• 774) ​How are the attached the cause of the fruit and the detached not?
• 773) If we are to be detached from results, how can we motivate ourselves for our work?
• 772) ​How can we know when we are ready for taking vanaprastha?
• 771) ​How to respond when our family members get spikes of desires?
• 770) Should we feel guilty about some immoral desires that are unconnected with our waking desires?
• 769) ​What is conscience – and what is the subconscious?
• 768) If we have to go against our family members to practice bhakti, is the inner bad feeling conscience or pseudo-conscience?
• 767) If we tolerate the spikes of desires, won’t those repressed desires return more forcefully in future?
• 766) Do we experience higher spiritual states through the intelligence?
• 765) ​Is cessation of misery not stable without bhakti?
• 764) ​What can we do if we can’t serve in a selfless mood?
• 763) ​What is intuition?
• 762) Chanting frees us from suffering – is this a conceptualisation or an experience?
• 761) ​What is the relationship between studying exalted devotional states and experiencing those states?
• 760) Does meditating on Krishna’s pastime while chanting comprise inattentive chanting?
• 759) Are the acharyas’ names also non-different from them?
• 758) If we are not doers, why are we held responsible for our actions?
• 757) ​Should we avoid worrying or should we take anxieties for Krishna’s service?
• 756) ​Should we see that our sufferings are arranged by Krishna?
• 755) What does “our inner desires are not me” mean?

August 2016

• 754) What is special about kala in the Gita not present in other books?
• 753) How to reconcile Gita bhogaishvarya prasaktanam and Bhagavatam akamah sarva kamo va?
• 752) How do we know everything when we know Krishna?
• 751) Are the material problems of a devotee solved automatically?
• 750) Can material problems have spiritual solutions or do they need material solutions?
• 749) Can wanting to know more about Krishna distract us from bhakti especially from chanting?
• 748) How to avoid thinking about eating food while offering bhoga?
• 747) Is the goal of commitment to please Krishna or to penetrate through the initial poison?
• 746) How to understand the contradictions between modern cosmology and Bhagavatam cosmology?
• 745) How can we know whether our resolutions are based on our mind or our intelligence?
• 744) Should we stick to commitments even if doing so makes our life unbalanced?
• 743) Is bhakti centered on commitment to Krishna or on attachment to him?
• 742) Does knowledge of Krishna’s supremacy come before sankhya study or after it?
• 741) Is the initial poison in spiritual life same for everyone?
• 740) ​Can hypnosis be used to help us better focus our mind in bhakti?
• 739) ​If the husband practices bhakti, does the wife automatically get the benefit even if she doesn’t practice?
• 738) ​While doing anything, isn’t it better to have plans B and C instead of closing the doors to all options?
• 737) In the conflict between the mind and the intelligence, who decides?
• 736) ​Where do our intuitions come from?
• 735) ​How to persevere when humility feels very difficult to achieve?
• 734) ​If we are purpose-centered, aren’t we still self-centered?
• 733) ​How to deal with the feeling that the class is meant for others?
• 732) ​How to understand statements of extreme humility in saints?
• 731) ​Does humility mean complete surrender to Krishna?
• 730) ​Is humility practical in the professional world?
• 729) ​How can we avoid pride while using our talents in Krishna’s service?
• 728) ​What is the stage between self-pity and ego?
• 727) ​Does chanting with humility mean to think I am doing this for Krishna?
• 726) ​Why do we talk only about mind control and not about intelligence control?
• 725) ​Is begetting children a duty to one’s ancestors?
• 724) ​How can we balance humility with self-confidence?
• 723) ​What is the destination of spiritualists who don’t follow scripture properly?
• 722) ​Are brahmanas allowed to eat meat?
• 721) ​Where is the soul present in plants?
• 720) ​Is it right to kill large quantity of grass to cultivate one plant or grain?
• 719) ​Should we improve the material skills needed for service or improve our consciousness?
• 718) Can not desiring perfection lead to a casual attitude in service?
• 717) Why are only services done in the temple, and not activities done in the home temple, considered as seva?
• 716) How is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s example of practicing bhakti applicable today?
• 715) How can we do our best in both spiritual and material life?
• 714) ​When a person is possessed by a ghost, where are the two souls situated?
• 713) Is meat-eating sinful or is it just to be avoided for spiritual progress?
• 712) ​What happens to Krishna when his deity is desecrated?
• 711) ​Does the seekers’ consciousness make the deities divine or are they actually divine?
• 710) ​What to do if I don’t feel emotions for Krishna naturally, but only after contemplation?
• 709) ​Can we present scripture according to our understanding?
• 708) ​When intellectual level is higher than sensual, why are intellectual devotees still attracted to sensual pleasure?
• 707) ​How can an intellectual practice bhakti without becoming intellectually deviated?
• 706) Can the guru take back to godhead even disciples who are still works in progress?
• 705) ​Should devotees rigidly force people to take to Krishna consciousness?
• 704) Why is the message of God so different in different religions?
• 703) ​Are terrorists like snakes who deserve to be killed without trial and who don’t deserve last rites?
• 702) What is the destination of terrorists who blow themselves up while chanting Allah?
• 701) How should we behave with non-religious people?
• 700) ​​How is a terrorist different from a freedom fighter?
• 699) ​Are people without avenues for democratic expression justified in resorting to terrorism?
• 698) Who can be affected by black magic?
• 697) What is tantra – is it material or spiritual?
• 696) How can we draw lessons from scripture – should we stick only to lessons given by acharyas?
• 695) ​How can Vishvanatha Chakravarti say that scriptural verses are grammatically inaccurate?
• 694) ​Do we need different teachers for different areas of life?
• 693) ​Is deity worship meant for the less intelligent?
• 692) How to respond to scholars who consider abstract principles more important than bhakti specifics?
• 691) ​What does “Yamadutas are afraid to approach devotees” mean?
• 690) Why doesn’t Lord Shiva guide his devotees to Vishnu?
• 689) Can there be pure devotion to Lord Shiva?
• 688) Can Lord Shiva also grant liberation?
• 687) How can we guide people who find chanting 16 rounds impossible?
• 686) Was Yudhishtira’s gambling Draupadi after he had lost himself dharmic or adharmic?
• 685) Isn’t the idea that everyone can’t understand dharma elitist?
• 684) How can the Gita’s spiritual knowledge be compared to nuclear weapons knowledge?
• 683) When Bhishma comes after Ajamila pastime, how does that pastime list him as a mahajan?
• 682) ​Do we need to combat social threats to dharma to preserve an environment conducive for practicing dharma in future?
• 681) How can we understand which qualities are good and which bad?
• 680) How to avoid becoming indecisive when encountering different advices from different people?
• 679) How can we avoid being misled by people who are confident but wrong?
• 678) Why don’t we like the good and dislike the bad?
• 677) How can we live in the present alone without learning from the past or preparing for the future?
• 676) How to respond when things go wrong?
• 675) How can we know ourselves well enough to make wise choices with lifelong consequences?
• 674) How can we better execute our plans?
• 673) How to persevere despite our failures in following standards?
• 672) Is the mind alone the link between the gross body and the soul – or are the intelligence and false ego also included?
• 671) How can one practice bhakti without going through other yogas?
• 670) How can knowledge of other yogas help in practicing bhakti?
• 669) How can we differentiate between the mind’s voice and the Supersoul’s voice?
• 668) Is citta a part of the subtle body?
• 667) How can we harmonize our inclination with higher instruction while serving?
• 666) How can we develop the mood of serving Krishna in everything we do?
• 665) ​How can we avoid ego while doing what we like to do?
• 664) How can we avoid indulging in a thing while thinking negatively about avoiding it?
• 663) How can we give bhakti to beggars and other poor people?
• 662) Can enterprising devotees open devotional schools for offering both material and spiritual welfare?
• 661) ​Why is Krishna not revealed in the Vedas – why was Bhagavatam needed to reveal him?
• 660) Does a culture of free mixing among genders make bhakti impossible to practice?
• 659) Why is Lord Chaitanya considered supremely merciful?
• 658) ​Why are ISKCON programs in the West attended mostly by Indians?
• 657) ​How can we avoid pride while giving spiritual knowledge to others?
• 656) ​How can we cultivate gravity for controlling the mind, as told in the Gita 17.16?
• 655) ​Why does Rupa Goswami talk about vaco-vega and jihva-vega separately?
• 654) ​How can we know when we have endeavoured enough and should now wait for mercy?
• 653) ​How is the whole world full of question-answers?
• 652) How are Krishna’s self-contradictory statements in Gita 9.4 and 9.5 to be understood?
• 651) Should we strive for perfection in our service?
• 650) Won’t doing service in contaminated consciousness license the contaminating influences?
• 649) If we do a service in contaminated consciousness, will that service contaminate others too?
• 648) ​Why is the Paramatma considered impersonal?
• 647) ​If I don’t have much time to write, how can I write?
• 646) Do different people perceive Krishna’s mercy differently?
• 645) ​Can we extend our life by medicines?
• 644) What is the Vedic perspective on Islam?
• 643) Should we study scripture deeply and slowly or rapidly to get an overview?
• 642) ​Can we use self-help books that give techniques that help us in our bhakti?
• 641) How do we see the joy of living in the present from the bhakti perspective?
• 640) ​Should we always seek devotional stimuli with the mind?
• 639) ​Should we chant while feeling separated from Krishna or while feeling that they are in front of us as the Deities?
• 638) ​When we perceive that we are different from our thoughts, how do we infer who we really are?
• 637) ​How can we balance brahmana and kshatriya roles?
• 636) ​How can we connect to people’s emotional concerns without diluting our message?
• 635) What does the regulative principle no illicit sex mean?
• 634) Can we chant slowly if we find that absorbing?
• 633) Does chanting progress from uttering to hearing to visualizing Krishna’s form?
• 632) ​What spiritual bliss can we have as sadhakas – how is it different from sattvika happiness?
• 631) ​How can we share our realisations without coming off as proud?
• 630) ​When all forms of God exist eternally, what does Krishna is the source of all those forms means?
• 629) Should we make ​​blanket statements first and then teach nuances?

July 2016

• 628) ​Did Bhima hate Duryodhana and not follow hate the sin, not the sinner?
• 627) ​How can we sustain our resolutions?
• 626) ​God did it – is this scripture’s only explanation for all material phenomena?
• 625) ​Don’t let astonishment over mystical or technological marvels distract from bhakti
• 624) ​How does Krishna decide when to protect and when to not protect?
• 623) ​Can we just take shelter of bhakti when nothing solves our problems?
• 622) ​Can phala-shrutis be used to attract people looking for material benefits?
• 621) ​When even after chanting we still have problems should we tell others chant and be happy?
• 620) ​Should we preach about the material benefits of bhakti given in scripture?
• 619) ​Are we meant to reject the mind or to engage it?
• 618) ​If we shouldn’t identify with feelings, why are we told to identify with devotional feelings?
• 617) ​Are a laptop and a rainbow both brain signals and are so equally real?
• 616) ​Does matter acquire form only when there is observing consciousness?
• 615) Should wives conduct themselves in a way that their husbands don’t look elsewhere?
• 614) When children don’t have intention to practice bhakti, does giving them devotional samskaras help?
• 613) ​Do the Yamadutas know about bhakti?
• 612) ​If dharma is about principles, how does it differ from belief system?
• 611) Are both people who chant simply out of piety and those who chant as sadhana at namabhasa level?
• 610) Did Ajamila by caring for his son develop bhakti?
• 609) If the soul immovable, how do the Yamadutas drag the soul?
• 608) ​Does Krishna sometimes violate the other three legs of dharma but never violate mercy?
• 607) ​Does Krishna intervene in the system of karma or lets it act even on devotees?
• 606) ​What exactly are the modes? How does raja guna give rise to lust?
• 605) ​If lust is present in our own senses, why does proximity to sense objects make us lusty?
• 604) When the mind beats us for doing wrong, how is that different from repentance?
• 603) ​When the mind simply does sankalpa and vikalpa, what does the mind understanding something mean?
• 602) ​How do we invest emotions in whatever we do?
• 601) ​Why do we feel enthusiastic initially in bhakti, but later that enthusiasm goes away?
• 600) How can we increase our commitment to Krishna?
• 599) ​Why did Drona ask for Ekalavya’s thumb?
• 598) ​Why did Draupadi not protest when she was told to marry five husbands instead of one?
• 597) Why did Krishna’s protecting Draupadi’s honor not change the Kauravas’s evil intention?
• 596) What is the best thing a mother can do for her deceased son?
• 595) ​Why did the Pandavas tolerate poisoning and arson, but not Draupadi’s dishonoring?
• 594) ​Why did Duryodhana put the clause of incognito stay in the Pandavas’ exile?
• 593) ​Why was Duryodhana so envious of the Pandavas?
• 592) Did Draupadi dishonor Duryodhana, thereby causing him to dishonor her?
• 591) Was Draupadi the cause of the Kurukshetra war?
• 590) Were the Pandavas not legitimate heirs to the Kuru kingdom?
• 589) ​Was the Kurukshetra war fought over a property dispute?
• 588) Why did Krishna break his vow by attacking Bhishma?
• 587) ​Why did Drona fight against the Pandavas?
• 586) Why did Bhishma fight against the Pandavas?
• 585) ​After Bhishma, why was Drona, not Karna, made the Kauravas’ commander?
• 584) ​Wasn’t Krishna’s covering the sun to deceive Jayadratha wrong?
• 583) ​Why did Arjuna target Jayadratha when Abhimanyu was killed by Durjaya?
• 582) ​Why did Bhima kill Duryodhana unfairly?
• 581) ​How could Bhima drink Dusshasana’s blood?
• 580) ​Why did the Pandavas conspire to kill Drona?
• 579) ​Why did Arjuna kill Bhishma from behind Shikhandi?
• 578) ​Why did Bhishma not stop the disrobing of Draupadi?
• 577) Despite being virtuous, why did Yudhishthira gamble?
• 576) ​Did Draupadi love Karna?
• 575) ​Was destiny against Karna?
• 574) ​When Karna was virtuous, why did he suggest that Draupadi be disrobed?
• 573) ​Did Kunti do the right thing by abandoning Karna?
• 572) ​Why did Krishna say that Karna is equal, or even superior, to Arjuna in archery?
• 571) ​Did Kunti emotionally weaken Karna by revealing that the Pandavas were his brothers?
• 570) ​Why did Draupadi dishonor Karna by rejecting him as a suitor?
• 569) ​Was Karna not discriminated against by being labeled a charioteer’s son?
• 568) ​Was Karna unfairly disadvantaged by the curses of Parashurama and the brahmana?
• 567) ​Was Karna a glorious example of faithful friendship to Duryodhana?
• 566) ​Was Karna a virtuous hero?
• 565) ​Did Indra unfairly weaken Karna by taking away his armor?
• 564) ​Was Karna the second best archer after Arjuna?
• 563) Did Karna conquer the world, but Arjuna couldn’t?
• 562) Was Karna a better archer than Arjuna?
• 561) ​Why did Arjuna kill Karna unfairly?
• 560) How can infinity minus infinity give infinite results?
• 559) ​Does Krishna go through childhood, boyhood and youth stages in the spiritual world?
• 558) ​Can the sadhya become the sadhana and the sadhana the sadhya?
• 557) ​Why did Krishna close his eyes on seeing Putana?
• 556) As a householder what rules did Krishna follow?
• 555) How do reconcile the contradiction between Gita 14.20 – we can transcend the modes – and 18.40 – everyone is under the modes?
• 554) When the Gita talks about karma, jnana and bhakti equally, why emphasize bhakti unduly?
• 553) If Dharmaraja could expand as Vidura and Yudhisthira, why did Aryama need to officiate in his place?
• 552) ​Why do some people get facilities for bhakti practice and some don’t?
• 551) ​Is mercy proportionate to our endeavor?
• 550) ​How can we overcome undesirable emotions?
• 549) ​How can we be confident about our ability to do a service without becoming proud?
• 548) ​Is brahmanas’ feeling hurt at just a harsh glance due to their sensitivity or their ego?
• 547) ​Did Uttama die because of his mother’s offense to Dhruva?
• 546) Can slowing down help in developing clarity of thought?
• 545) ​Are there many Gitas other than the Bhagavad-gita?
• 544) ​How can we overcome the tendency to over-analyze?
• 543) Is worshipping some devata while practicing bhakti a dilution of bhakti?
• 542) ​What to do if our conviction doesn’t increase after studying scripture?

June 2016

• 541) ​How can we reconcile the Vedic geocentric and scientific heliocentric models of the universe?
• 540) ​How can we develop faith in the acharyas’ commentaries on scripture?
• 539) ​Why do we need to read purports while reading scripture?
• 538) ​How can we balance between understanding God as a principle and loving him as a person?
• 537) How can we avoid becoming distracted by the uncontrolled mind?
• 536) How can we present scripture without compromising its truth?
• 535) ​Is truth different for people in different modes?
• 534) ​How is Vaishnava classification of scripture different from Advaitic classification of paramarthika and vyavaharika?
• 533) ​Can we pray to get the ecstatic symptoms of bhakti?
• 532) ​When Krishna married so many queens, why is his marriage with Tulsi alone celebrated?
• 531) ​Isn’t the Tulsi-Shalagrama vivaha rooted in an immoral pastime?
• 530) Was Krishna only eight years old when he performed rasa-lila?
• 529) ​Did Jayadeva Goswami introduce eroticism is krishna-bhakti?
• 528) ​Can devotee children become sensually agitated by reading some pastimes from Krishna book?
• 527) ​How to avoid becoming obsessed with our talents? (Hindi)
• 526) ​Doesn’t thinking that we have talents make us proud? (Hindi)
• 525) How can we examine our emotions? (Hindi)
• 524) ​When someone corrects us, why do we feel angry? (Hindi)
• 523) ​When we take a decision does the soul or the mind take the decision?
• 522) Aren’t our emotions just mental – how can we cultivate them in bhakti?
• 521) ​How can we make our intelligence like a mother for discipling the childish mind?
• 520) ​Can ghosts practice devotional service?
• 519) ​Can dogs see subtle things such as Yamadutas?
• 518) ​Do superstitious people believe in ghosts?
• 517) ​Can ghosts see past and future?
• 516) ​Does karma exist for ghosts?
• 515) ​How are some people able to see the forms of ghosts?
• 514) ​What is the difference between us and ghosts – why are they afraid of the holy name?
• 513) ​Why do scriptures give mathematical knowledge – is it needed to go back to godhead?
• 512) ​Why are only engineering students attracted to ISKCON?
• 511) ​Why is day sleep not good?
• 510) ​Isn’t saying that everything came from a four-headed being’s navel’s lotus more absurd than saying it came from a bang?
• 509) How many dimensions actually exist?
• 508) ​Why do devotees use things like laptops that are made by people with materialistic consciousness?
• 507) ​What is voodoo magic?
• 506) ​If Krishna is the supreme cause, how is our destiny in our hands?
• 505) ​Do non-living things have covered consciousness – why?
• 504) ​How can material sound vibrations be used to access spirit?
• 503) ​When science keeps changing, why do we use scientific analogies to explain scriptural teachings?
• 502) If objects are made of waves, how does consciousness come into objects?
• 501) What do scriptures say about UFOs?
• 500) ​Are we on the real earth or on a projection of the earth?
• 499) ​Does Rahu cover the sun to cause eclipses?
• 498) How do souls get different bodies right at the beginning?
• 497) ​Why are scriptural figures not absolutely precise?
• 496) ​If science doesn’t have authority to explain life, why does scripture have that authority?
• 495) ​Are scientists hiding the secrets behind their inventions?
• 494) ​Should we try to develop distaste for worldly things?
• 493) ​If desires are rising while chanting, how can we say to Krishna?
• 492) ​How do we reconcile differences between academic and traditional dating of the Vedas?
• 491) Are all the holy places in dhamas with Krishna’s footprints authentic?
• 490) Do science and scripture see things from different perspectives?
• 489) Did Prabhupada’s servant bloop because he couldn’t deal with the moon issue?
• 488) ​How do we deal with contradictions in scripture’s spiritual information?
• 487) ​Is choosing not to fight some battles like Bhishma-Drona’s silence in the Kuru silence?
• 486) Should we stress materially accurate information in the Vedas to boost their faith?
• 485) When austerity is to be implemented, our resolve weakens – how to counter?
• 484) ​How can we increase our austerities as did Dhruva?
• 483) Are we bound by the modes like a cow bound by a rope?
• 482) ​Is our temperament determined by the modes?
• 481) ​When certain services are considered higher than others, should we choose the higher or the natural for us?
• 480) When we focus on one area of our life, other areas get neglected – how to balance?
• 479) ​Can doing PhD help devotees in their outreach?
• 478) ​How do we counter the many misconceptions about dharma in today’s mainstream society? (Hindi)
• 477) ​How do we see philosophical differences among acharyas of different sampradayas? (Hindi)
• 476) How do we understand which section of scripture is literal and which poetic?​ (Hindi)
• 475) When the soul is liberated, is the subtle body spiritualized or abandoned? (Hindi)
• 474) ​How can we help those who are sincerely following an unauthorized spiritual path?
• 473) ​Why doesn’t ISKCON distribute books free?
• 472) ​Does spiritual advancement make one materially lethargic?
• 471) ​If spiritual advancement removes our worldly cravings, does that mean spiritualists can’t progress materially?
• 470) ​Can people change their habits without practicing bhakti-yoga?
• 469) ​Does our conditioning from human body carry on to a future nonhuman body?
• 468) ​Should we strive for qualities that are not according to our nature?
• 467) Can transcendentalists act passionately like kshatriyas?
• 466) ​How do we determine when to treat life like a program and when like a manual?
• 465) ​Do we need to fight with those who misbehave with us?
• 464) Why did Parashurama destroy kshatriyas and not their greed?
• 463) ​If we are to act according to our nature, why did Parashurama appear as brahmana and then act as kshatriya?
• 462) When Arjuna repeatedly defeated Karna, why are they considered equals?
• 461) ​What is the Vedic perspective of modern asymmetric warfare?
• 460) ​Why were the kshatriya codes violated during the Kurukshetra war?
• 459) ​Why does definition of kshatriya not refer to protection of dharma?

May 2016

• 458) How do we draw the line between self-pity and humility and assertiveness?
• 457) Do non-devotees have no good qualities?
• 456) Why did Rama worship Shiva?
• 455) When we have pressure to get a new job, can we adjust our spiritual commitments to focus on our career?
• 454) Does Krishna care for us even when we are not practicing spiritual life seriously and have messed up our material life?
• 453) How to understand Prabhupada’s statement that planets move because of cosmic air, not gravity?
• 452) How can we make our communication more crisp and clear?
• 451) ​How can a devotee pursue a PhD in science without getting carried away by science?
• 450) ​When we talk about Krishna, do we refer to the universe?
• 449) How to overcome fear of what comes after death?
• 448) Does surrendering to Krishna means not caring for our material responsibilities?
• 447) Does bathing in sacred rivers free one from all sins?
• 446) ​Are our intuitions more likely to be coming from God when we are calm than when we are agitated?
• 445) ​Does forgiving someone end all associated karmic consequences?
• 444) ​Do fate and destiny refer to the same thing?
• 443) ​Does goodness take away the competitive spirit needed for succeeding in today’s world?
• 442) ​Was Karna destined to be defeated?
• 441) Can devotion cure psychological disorders?
• 440) ​Is the inner voice God’s voice?
• 439) Should we pursue our career as per our education or as per our inspiration?
• 438) How to control revengeful thoughts?
• 437) ​How can we share Krishna through our profession?
• 436) ​Do we always have to eat what we cook – does bhakti change our karma?
• 435) Does depending on Krishna mean using our analytical framework in his service or giving up that framework?
• 434) Does the Gita recommend different yogas for different people?
• 433) ​Why should we follow rules and give up our freedom?
• 432) Can some foods or medicines change our destiny?
• 431) ​How do our conditionings shape our behavior without determining it?
• 430) ​How is daiva different from destiny?
• 429) ​How to understand when some sages feel greater bliss in impersonal realization than in personal realization?
• 428) ​Do pure devotees always experience themselves as different from the body?
• 427) ​As yogis see Paramatma within, do bhaktas see Bhagavan within?
• 426) How is the mind converted by bhakti?
• 425) ​Do we control the mind first or do we situate ourselves in our svarupa first?
• 424) During chanting, can we experience the holy name touching the soul?
• 423) ​How can we understand the intelligence and ego to be different from the mind and the soul?
• 422) How does the holy name penetrate beyond the mind, intelligence and ego?
• 421) ​Should we strive to change those things that require a lot of effort to change?
• 420) Can some people get things without endeavoring?
• 419) ​How does endeavor figure in people who get good things easily?
• 418) Is our duty towards others unlimited, irrespective of how they behave?
• 417) ​What role do star signs play in our destiny?
• 416) If scripture is eternal, are all pastimes given in scripture destined?
• 415) While choosing a spouse, is matching astrological charts essential?
• 414) ​Does the precision of astrological predictions imply that we don’t have free will?
• 413) Can developing our talents obstruct us in bhakti?
• 412) ​Are we forced to act according to our nature?
• 411) ​When the modes control us, how do we have free will?
• 410) ​When the modes control us, how do we have free will?
• 409) What is the spiritual perspective on organ donation?
• 408) When modern civilization collapses in future, should devotees have a Vedic alternative ready?
• 407) What does Prabhupada’s statement about 50% of his mission being incomplete mean​?
• 406) Why is the corporate world turning towards conscious entrepreneurship?
• 405) Do we need problems to grow internally?

April 2016

• 404) ​How can one act with love without the feeling of love?
• 403) Does devotional life begin only when material life is finished?
• 402) ​Should we give due attention to our material side or should we spiritualize it?
• 401) ​Does thought become matter – can thought enable us to achieve everything?
• 400) ​Why does God not give everyone equal capacity to understand right and wrong?
• 399) ​Do we need peace externally to find peace internally?
• 398) ​Do we commit mistakes because of Krishna’s plan?
• 397) ​If Krishna is merciful, why do we get karmic reactions?
• 396) When others trouble us, should we just tolerate things?
• 395) ​Is harmony possible among various religions?
• 394) How can knowledge of God be understood in scientifically acceptable terms?
• 393) When something inspires us devotionally, how to know whether it is self-centered or Krishna-centered?
• 392) ​How can a visually challenged person practice bhakti?
• 391) Does consciousness necessitate the existence of personality?
• 390) When God is one, how can the one manifest as the divine couple?
• 389) Does worshiping different forms of God for different purposes not limit God?
• 388) ​How do we stay committed in our devotional relationships when devotees don’t seem inspiring?
• 387) ​If I serve my mother because of my bhakti, am I serving her or serving Krishna?
• 386) Why did Nityananda Prabhu curse Shivananda Sena’s son to die?
• 385) ​How does Shivananda Sena exemplify the three great strengths in bhakti?
• 384) ​How can we overcome the desire for appreciation from others?
• 383) Do our realizations arise because of our past karma?
• 382) How can we avoid taking things for granted in bhakti?
• 381) When Krishna talks about various yogas progressively, why does Prabhupada focus on bhakti alone?
• 380) Why is Arjuna’s renunciation disapproved and the Goswamis’ renunciation appreciated?
• 379) Is serving according to our nature selfishness?
• 378) ​Krishna’s beauty brings unity amidst diversity – Meditation on Venkatesh Stotram 6
• 377) Facilitate devotional creativity – Address at Children’s Ratha Yatra in Singapore
• 376) How can we gain clarity in our philosophical understanding?
• 375) If Krishna loves us unconditionally, why has he created bad things such as alcohol?
• 374) Why has Krishna created this miserable world?
• 373) Is karma always bound to happen – what makes it happen?
• 372) ​How can we smile at those who hurt us?
• 371) Do transcendentalists go beyond the body’s need for sleep?
• 370) Why do people blame women – Draupadi and Sita – for the epic’s wars?
• 369) Can we be sensitive and detached both?
• 368) ​How can we avoid doing bhakti for external gains like prestige?
• 367) ​Should we counterpush against circumstances or tolerate them?
• 366) How important is convincing people about Rama’s historicity?
• 365) ​If something works for us but doesn’t work for others should we apologize for misguiding them?
• 364) Should devotees be desensitized from social causes or involved in them?
• 363) ​​​​Is attribution error while dealing with devotees a Vaishnava apradha?
• 362) Should we not tell others that they have hurt us so that they don’t feel hurt?
• 361) ​How do we avoid passion while working as leaders in the corporate world?
• 360) Mad people seem happy in their own world – are they really happy?
• 359) ​If someone has hurt us, how can we forgive them?
• 358) Does doing good make the heart into a temple?
• 357) ​How can we avoid judging others?
• 356) ​How can we turn on our inner compass while living in the world?
• 355) ​If Draupadi can have five husbands, what’s wrong with Muslims having many wives?
• 354) ​Why did Dashratha distribute the ambrosia differently among his wives?
• 353) ​How can I understand the mysterious things I saw in my out-of-body-experience?
• 352) ​Can two souls be present in the same body?
• 351) ​Can people’s intelligence be improved by giving external inputs?
• 350) ​Can two souls swap their bodies?
• 349) Are our decisions taken by the soul or the mind?
• 348) ​​​​Is there any information in the universe other than that available through the senses?
• 347) ​Can the soul see and have all sense perceptions without the body?
• 346) Is memory stored in the brain or the soul?
• 345) ​During out-of-body experiences how does the soul stay connected with the body?
• 344) ​How can we know for sure that the soul exists?
• 343) Which service is ideal – service according to our nature or service that is the need of the hour?
• 342) When Brahma is a brahmana, why does he make and provide weapons to others?
• 341) Is association of nondevotees like the kissing of a snake?
• 340) How can we change our default settings that we don’t know about? – Hindi
• 339) What does everything will be achieved by chanting mean? – Hindi
• 338) Why does Uddhava say that remembering Krishna’s pastimes causes him distress?
• 337) When Pandu knew about his curse, why did he take his wives with him to the forest?
• 336) Are unconsciously committed offenses also counted as offenses?
• 335) Should devotees who like each other but have incompatible horoscopes get married?
• 334) ​Does the guru always speak the will of God perfectly?
• 333) ​Are gurukulas the best way for education for devotees’ children?
• 332) ​Why does Krishna perform pastimes that are misunderstandable?
• 331) ​While acting in our worldly relationships, how can we avoid attachment and stay surrendered to Krishna?
• 330) ​As devotees, how do we choose among our various material roles?
• 329) ​Rama disregarded Ayodhya citizens when going to exile himself, but not when exiling Sita – Why?
• 328) ​Can women study scripture when their body is in an unclean state?
• 327) Why does ISKCON practice double standards by allowing donors, not others, to do deity abhisheka on festivals?
• 326) ​How can Krishna’s loving nature be reconciled with the sufferings of hell?
• 325) ​What chemistry is needed for having intimate Vaishnava relationships?
• 324) ​Why do we give more importance to our material relationships than our devotee relationships?
• 323) Should women be allowed to enter Shani temple?
• 322) ​To minimize their material entanglement, should devotees try to give their children the cheapest education?
• 321) Do women have the same rights as men in ISKCON?
• 320) ​​​​How does Bhaktisiddhanta S statement about institution being evil apply to ISKCON?
• 319) ​How does destiny affect our life’s ups and downs – how is it affected by our spiritual practice?
• 318) ​Does devotion need to be exhibited?
• 317) Some Jains say that Krishna is still living in hell – is this true?
• 316) ​Was scripture written by the powerful to keep others in control?
• 315) ​Should we try to seek clarification to all our doubts?
• 314) ​How can a community avoid guru groupism?
• 313) ​What values can senior devotees impart to other devotees?
• 312) What is the importance of Ekadashi and of visiting temple on Ekadashi?
• 311) ​Though I want to be a serious devotee, why do I remain so short-tempered?
• 310) ​What qualities should leaders have – how can leaders inspire others?
• 309) How can we establish the authenticity of scripture?
• 308) ​How important is applying shastra in our life?
• 307) ​How can we connect with Krishna when we have to work eight hrs daily in office?
• 306) ​When the senses, mind and intelligence do wrong, why does the soul suffer consequences?
• 305) ​How do we understand Krishna’s disappearance?
• 304) Why did Shalya fight on Duryodhana’s side just because of getting good reception?
• 303) If we don’t even realize when we do wrong, how can we correct it?
• 302) Who is Vishnu – who is Krishna – what is their relationship?
• 301) ​Why did Rama not consult Vashishtha when sending Sita away?
• 300) ​How can we infer that we are advancing spiritually?
• 299) If Krishna is reciprocal, why does Shikshashtakam call for loving Krishna even if he neglects us?
• 298) ​Do we need diksha guru – is shiksha guru enough?
• 297) ​How to continue bhakti when we don’t have devotee association?
• 296) ​Why did Rama not obey Vashishtha when asked to return to Ayodhya?
• 295) ​If all devotees will go to Krishna, what benefit do more dedicated devotees get?
• 294) ​Is there a purpose for punishment?
• 293) How do we know the difference between what feels good and what is actually spiritual?
• 292) When everyone is ultimately a devotee, what does avoiding nondevotee association mean?
• 291) Why do I feel satisfaction on feeding a beggar but not on feeding the Deities?
• 290) How can we avoid taking Krishna’s forgiveness as a license for our sinfulness?
• 289) ​What is atma-nirikshana or soul-searching?
• 288) ​Did Krishna’s lifting a wheel to attack Bhishma not break his vow?
• 287) ​Didn’t Krishna protecting Arjuna from the Vaishnava astra break his vow?
• 286) ​Are tolerance and surrender directly proportional to each other?
• 285) How can we become determined in our bhakti?
• 284) When Krishna controls our karma, do we really have free will?
• 283) Won’t thinking only about our relationship with Krishna make us insensitive in other relationships?
• 282) ​Why did the Kauravas and the Pandavas have to involve the whole world in their mutual fight?
• 281) When multiple dharmas call us, how do we decide which dharma to practice?
• 280) ​When different people have natures of different varnas, what is the purpose of brahman initiation?
• 279) ​How is liberation Krishna’s mercy when its pleasure is insignificant in comparison with bhakti?
• 278) How can demons killed by the Lord get the same destination as the devotees?
• 277) ​Isn’t “dishonor is worse than death” an egoistic calculation?
• 276) If we are disappointed by our spiritual leaders, how can we continue in our bhakti?
• 275) ​Why didn’t the Pandavas forgive the Kauravas – why did they have to fight?
• 274) ​Is the spiritual bliss we experience real or sentimental?
• 273) Does any literature declare that the devatas are supreme?
• 272) ​Is worshiping the devatas a means to Krishna consciousness?
• 271) How can we control the mind when we are away from devotee association?
• 270) ​What is the difference between the atman and the mana?
• 269) ​What can help us develop faith?
• 268) How are faith and trust correlated?
• 267) ​When offering obeisances physically is not practical because there are too many senior devotees, is that offensive?
• 266) ​How can we sharpen our remembrance of Krishna?
• 265) ​Are forms like Narasimha eternal in the spiritual world?
• 264) What should we do when we are unsure about what to do?
• 263) Why did Mahadeva give the empowering sword to Ashwatthama?
• 262) Why didn’t Krishna stop Dhristadyumna from killing Drona?
• 261) ​Did Yudhishthira sin by not lying as per Krishna’s instruction?
• 260) Why did Karna fight on the Kauravas’ side?
• 259) Was Ashwatthama gambled – how authentic is the TV Mahabharata?
• 258) ​When we are sinful, does Krishna still protect us?
• 257) ​How do we understand lilas that appear immoral?
• 256) ​Should we see adversities in material life as impetuses for practicing karmany va dhikaraste?
• 255) ​Do madhyama devotees have one leg in the material world and one in the spiritual?
• 254) ​Can we progress in both spiritual life and material life?
• 253) ​Does devotees’ taking monetary benefits for their services spoil the selfless mood?
• 252) ​Does Krishna enjoy being a master and forcing us to serve him?
• 251) ​How can we be humble without developing inferiority complex?
• 250) Is expectation the cause of unhappiness?
• 249) ​Which is better – staying in a devotee community or going away to earn more so that later we can practice bhakti more?
• 248) ​How to stay positive in our fight against material nature?
• 247) When our anarthas continue despite our bhakti practice, how can we stay enthusiastic?
• 246) ​What to do when the mind overpowers the intelligence?
• 245) ​I​​s a mad human higher than a mad animal?
• 244) ​What to do when the mind obstructs us in understanding the siddhanta that helps us to focus the mind on Krishna?
• 243) Does total surrender mean that there is no need to use one’s discretion?
• 242) ​What determines our mind’s default settings?
• 241) ​How can we overcome anxiety?
• 240) ​Who exactly imagines – the mind or the intelligence?
• 239) Are we the supreme power or are we part of that power?
• 238) How does spirituality relate with animal rights?
• 237) ​What is raj-vidya and raj-guhya in Gita 9.2?
• 236) ​If no one can be free from the modes, is it really possible to be free from material desires?
• 235) How can we avoid being dragged down by the mind’s sine wave?
• 234) ​Are realizations permanent or do we need to get the same realizations again and again?
• 233) ​What is the subconscious mind – is it related with karana sharira?
• 232) ​How to stay mentally healthy without succumbing to temptation?
• 231) ​When our life is so busy how can we make time for introspection and journaling?
• 230) ​Why does Radharani not wear tilaka?
• 229) ​Can our past-life karma force us to do sins in this life?
• 228) ​What to do when spikes of desires keep coming despite our practice of bhakti?
• 227) How important is it to be aware of our thoughts?
• 226) Isn’t criticism good because it makes us humble?
• 225) How can we insulate ourselves from being discouraged by criticism?
• 224) Is dreaming about Krishna also remembrance of Krishna?
• 223) How can we think of Krishna constantly?
• 222) Why is gratitude important in bhakti – how can we develop gratitude?
• 221) ​How is daiva related to karma?
• 220) ​If we feel closer to our nondevotee friends than our devotee friends, what should we do?
• 219) When we make mistakes, does Krishna take care of things?
• 218) We can realize the mind, but how can we realize the intelligence?
• 217) How important is apara dharma for devotees?
• 216) When there is so much to hear, how to choose?
• 215) Do the six stages of anartha-nivrtti come one after the other?
• 214) Shouldn’t we lament for our mistakes?
• 213) How does the intelligence control the mind?
• 212) Is the mind just a repository of past impressions?
• 211) How are multiple personality disorders related with the mind?
• 210) When our consciousness is low, how do we continue spiritually?

March 2016

• 209) What was Prabhupada’s mood when going through reversals?
• 208) How can we practically understand that shaking an apple tree may lead to the falling of mangoes?
• 207) Does surrender mean seeing problems as Krishna’s mercy?
• 206) To ask guidance from visiting devotees and to not follow it – is that offensive?
• 205) If some devotees deal insensitively with us in our in our early days, how can we overcome the scars?
• 204) Eating can be spiritualized, but how can mating be spiritualized?
• 203) How do sages like Kardama Muni enjoy material things despite being great spiritualists?
• 202) How authentic are the Dwarka arcahaeological findings about Krishna?
• 201) How did ordinary people see Lord Chaitanya’s ecstatic trances?
• 200) How are the Gita and the Bhagavatam related?
• 199) Should new people be told strongly to give up meat-eating?
• 198) How can we apply the mood of “Krishna, I am yours”?
• 197) If the devotees who introduced us to bhakti don’t inspire us later, what should we do?
• 196) When Vibhishana went over to the side of virtue, why didn’t Vidura do the same?
• 195) When Lakshmana left Sita unguarded because of her harsh words, whose mistake was it?
• 194) How do I know which type of surrender is suitable for us?
• 193) How do avoid depression caused by the mistakes we make and by thinking about past bad karma?
• 192) Is black magic real – what should devotees targetted by it do?
• 191) How much does Krishna intervene in the lives of good people, if they are not devotees?
• 190) What is the relationship between astrology and karma, especially for devotees?
• 189) Why does Bhaktivinoda Thakura refer to temporary duties as anitya-dharma?
• 188) How does our material varna relate with our spiritual svarupa?
• 187) Should we stabilize our material life before practicing spiritual life?
• 186) Why is tamo-guna needed at all?
• 185) How can we know that we have done our best in our services or relationships?
• 184) How can we find our svabhava and change our career accordingly?
• 183) If people are nasty to us, should we as devotees just be detached from it?
• 182) How can we take shelter of a devotee practically?
• 181) Can association through electronic media be the same as personal association?
• 180) Is asking lots of questions a sign of a jnani, not a bhakta?
• 179) Can Krishna’s exalted pastimes be understood without philosophically understanding his greatness?
• 178) Can we relish the same level of love for Krishna that Radharani relishes?
• 177) Is Radharani attracted to Krishna because he is handsome?
• 176) Is Lord Chaitanya’s lila too elevated for general people?
• 175) As devotees, how can we deal with our relatives sensitively?
• 174) If one devotee serves Krishna as a brahmachari and another, as a grihastha, who is better?
• 173) Is untimely death of a son the will of God – how is this to be explained to grieving parents?
• 172) Why does science treat mental problems medically, not spiritually?
• 171) How can we raise our children so that they become devotees?
• 170) What is a preferred career for devotees?
• 169) Why are things that we hear and accept still difficult to apply?
• 168) If our relatives are enquiring about spirituality but aren’t submissive, how should we respond?
• 167) Is our sampradaya’s credibility weakened because of having shiksha links instead of diksha links?
• 166) When milk is nowadays extracted violently from cows, should devotees take milk?
• 165) When there are so many scriptures how is the essential scriptural message to be understood?
• 164) If someone dies because of drunken driving, was the death due to destiny or drunkenness?
• 163) When our sampradaya is of shiksha, why are diksha-gurus deemed so important and shiksha-gurus deemed unimportant?
• 162) Are ghastly rituals such as animal sacrifices given in scriptures?
• 161) Aren’t the problems we face due to our past karma?
• 160) How can we feel connected with Krishna when we have problems and our prayers are not answered?
• 159) What is the significance of Lord Chaitanya’s chastising Balabhdara Bhattacharya?
• 158) What is the relationship between our intelligence and our desires?
• 157) What is wrong with aversion to sense objects?
• 156) How can we cultivate sentiments without becoming sentimental?
• 155) Do the modes determine our moods or our modes determine the modes?
• 154) When Prabhupada speaks so strongly against Mayavadis, how can we avoid becoming judgmental?
• 153) Why does the Bhagavatam 11.28.1 ask us to not praise others?
• 152) Can we engage in any desire without being bound by it?
• 151) How can we know that we are conscious while tables are not conscious?
• 150) How can we prepare for giving classes?
• 149) How can we teach our children right and wrong without coming off as judgmental?
• 148) Why focus on sound alone for raising our consciousness – why not exercise, food etc?
• 147) What is the channel by which the soul gives signals to the brain?
• 146) How can we infuse our scriptural study with devotional emotion?
• 145) Can we apologize to Krishna?
• 144) How can we know what is Krishna’s plan and what is Maya’s action?
• 143) When we are unable to focus on chanting, what can we do?
• 142) How do the Vedas correlate with the Gita?
• 141) How can we focus on the present while serving Krishna?
• 140) When we use our imagination in devotional service, will whatever we imagine come true?
• 139) How is sense pleasure not imaginary but a product of imagination?
• 138) Do brahmavadis know that something exists beyond brahman?
• 137) How can we deal with the doubts that obstruct us in our relationships with others?
• 136) How can we maintain our principles in a materialistic corporate environment?
• 135) How can we act intelligently when adolescence impels us to act rebelliously?
• 134) How can we guide others when different people want different levels of instruction?
• 133) Do animals have souls – if yes, then how are humans different from animals?
• 132) What is happiness – how can we achieve it?
• 131) What is a human being’s purpose on earth?
• 130) What is the soul – is it real?
• 129) What is the relationship between science and Krishna consciousness?
• 128) Will becoming spiritually advanced automatically resolve our relationship problems?
• 127) How does fear enhance our relationship with Krishna?
• 126) Why couldn’t Krishna have killed miscreants without leaving Vrindavan?
• 125) How do we balance between our spiritual and material lives?
• 124) How to respond to people who say that they are satisfied with their mental maps?
• 123) Is humanity more important or is spirituality more important?
• 122) If my child is very sick, how can my spirituality help me?
• 121) When we have material problems, should we just focus on spiritual advancement or try to solve it materially?
• 120) When Karna was already killed by destiny, why did Krishna invite Karna to the Pandavas side?
• 119) If our feelings come from the soul, how does brain chemical deficiency cause depression?
• 118) If Karna chose wrongly because of attachment, didn’t Bhishma do the same?
• 117) Does prolonged expectation for a thing make us value it more- does this apply to the gopis separation from Krishna?
• 116) Are the gopis separated from Krishna even in the spiritual world?
• 115) If even the gopis’ lost hope in separation from Krishna, what is the hope for us?
• 114) Why is the Bhagavatam’s tenth canto divided into chapters according to the location of pastimes?
• 113) Why does God send different teachers who teach different paths?
• 112) Why is the Gaudiya sampradaya a branch of the Brahma-Madhva sampradaya and not its straight continuation?
• 111) How are spiritual experiences different from chemically-induced experiences?
• 110) Who damaged bhakti culture more – Muslims or Britishers?
• 109) Is the spiritual an energy like material energies such as thermal or electrical energies?
• 108) How did Nimai Pandit’s name become Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
• 107) Why did Lord Chaitanya first become a scholar and then a devotee?
• 106) Can any pastime be analyzed metaphorically for some moral instruction?
• 105) Is Gandhiji’s commentary on the Gita ok?
• 104) How do we explain the authenticity of the Lord’s pastimes to skeptics who doubt Vyasadeva’s saintly authority?
• 103) How do we explain the authenticity of the Lord’s pastimes to skeptics who doubt Vyasadeva’s saintly authority?
• 102) What were the sources based on which the sages who wrote the Lord’s pastimes?
• 101) How do laws of nature invalidate design – don’t laws require a designer?
• 100) When problems distract us from bhakti, isn’t it better to solve the problems and then focus on bhakti?
• 99) How can we know the balance between the painkiller of material things and the cure of spirituality?
• 98) When scientists criticize intelligent design, how can we establish that God is the explanation for explainability?
• 97) If everything unconnected with Krishna is Maya, then are all systems for valuing different things differently also Maya?
• 96) When Maya is so powerful, what is our hope for being delivered?
• 95) When the Paramatma is present everywhere, how is he undivided?
• 94) Are there any practicing brahmavadis today or are all impersonalists mayavadis?
• 93) How to avoid becoming discouraged when we are unable to pronounce the mahamantra clearly and correcting it takes too much time?
• 92) Is there any correlation between the Dashavataras and the four yugas?
• 91) Does the sequence of the Dashavatars reflect the theory of evolution?
• 90) What are the differences between plenary portions, expansions and incarnations?
• 89) What is the exact difference between brahmavadis and mayavadis?
• 88) When Krishna can free us from illusion, can’t he free us from pride too?
• 87) If Bhagavatam and Bible come from different frames of reference, does that mean everything is relative?
• 86) Is the soul is eternal, how is Krishna the cause of the soul?
• 85) Is the Biblical Adam-Eve story of creation reconcilable with the Bhagavatam’s description of narration?
• 84) If everything coming from Krishna is also Krishna, then is everyone God?
• 83) If our outreach services require us to go away from devotees how can we get their association?
• 82) Is it appropriate to speak directly on the Bhagavatam to new people?
• 81) When people are alienated by ISKCON’s high standards, how can we attract them?
• 80) How can we present shastra in a contemporary way?
• 79) Which Krishna pastimes can we meditate on?
• 78) How can we attract people who are connected with other spiritual organizations?
• 77) Doesn’t ISKCON’s managerial structure sometimes impede its spiritual outreach?
• 76) Why don’t we spontaneously act according to our svabhava?
• 75) How can we accommodate those who can’t practice bhakti with high standards?
• 74) What is the Gaudiya Vaishnava understanding of Manu Smriti?
• 73) Do the Vedas teach that only brahmanas by birth can become brahmanas?
• 72) How can we explain that Krishna’s pastimes are not mythological?
• 71) Why are the same pastimes described differently in different scriptures?
• 70) How can we tune our consciousness so that Krishna manifests therein?
• 69) How can I celebrate my birthday spiritually?

February 2016

• 68) Are there any scriptural examples of those indifferent to the modes?
• 67) Why does Krishna do certain things for maintaining people’s faith in paths other than bhakti?
• 66) Why does the Gita refer to people following scripture (17.11) while describing people without scriptural faith?
• 65) Does one need to know one’s svarupa to be liberated?
• 64) Does pure devotion mean expecting no reciprocation from Krishna?
• 63) Can we have a relationship with someone without reciprocation from them?
• 62) How can we explain Krishna’s conspiracies in the Mahabharata?
• 61) How can we correlate shastra with our daily life?
• 60) Why do senior devotees sometimes join apasampradayas?
• 59) What makes Indians convert to Islam or Christianity?
• 58) Isn’t it better to be a stable grihastha than a bewildered brahmachari?
• 57) How can we be inspired when we don’t get much association of senior devotees?
• 56) Should we associate with like-minded devotees or devotees who have the qualities we don’t have?
• 55) Why has God given us such a troublesome mind?
• 54) Does spirituality choke our scientific enquiry?
• 53) How can we choose among various services that we can do?
• 52) When we want to serve Krishna, why do we get tempted?
• 51) If people commit murder in the name of religion, what is their destination?
• 50) What is the difference between shunyavada, mayavada and nirvisheshavada?
• 49) How do impersonalists interpret the Gita’s clearly personalist verses?
• 48) Does ISKCON brainwash people?
• 47) When the Vedas talk about so many gods, isn’t that confusing?
• 46) How do we see devotees who dont complete their japa in the morning?
• 45) How does the hladini shakti entering our consciousness please Krishna?
• 44) How to respond to the Buddhist argument that the universe is eternal?
• 43) What does the Absolute Truth being one in synthesis and separate in analysis mean?
• 42) Just as Christians adopt local cultural forms while converting Indians, can devotees do the same in their outreach?
• 41) What is the scientific evidence for incarnations other than Krishna?
• 40) What is the difference between knowledge in the three modes and intelligence in the three modes?
• 39) If human will is strengthened by connection with divine will, how do nondevotees sometimes have great determination?
• 38) If Indra got the reaction of brahma-hatya for killing Vritrasura, why didnt Rama, for killing Ravana?

January 2016

• 37) Why is there the conservative-liberal divide everywhere, including even in spiritual organizations?
• 36) Both Narada and Shakuni incited others – what is the difference?
• 35) Can superstitions be used in bhakti?
• 34) How can we raise our remembrance of Krishna from intellectual recollection to devotional redirection?
• 33) Is anger always bad?
• 32) Does spiritualist refer to a practitioner of spiritualism, not spirituality?
• 31) If everything comes from Krishna why doesn’t everything take us to Krishna?
• 30) QA with Christian students 4 – Is the Christian incarnation similar to Vedic avatar?
• 29) QA with Christian students 3 – Does the Prodigal Son parable correlate with the fall of the soul?
• 28) QA with Christian students 2 – Is there any bhakti equivalent to the Trinity?
• 27) QA with Christian students 1 – Is Yashoda similar to Virgin Mary?
• 26) If the soul is marginal energy, how can it never fall after attaining Krishna?
• 25) From moksha one falls back, from svarga one can be elevated – is kama better than moksha?
• 24) Wasn’t Hanuman’s anger in burning Lanka excessive?
• 23) How could Arjuna ask Krishna to become his charioteer?
• 22) Is Tulsi-Ramayana more biased against Ravana than Valmiki-Ramayan?
• 21) When Hanuman was a monkey, why did Sita see him as a man and decline to be carried by him?
• 20) Did Vibhishana betray his brother by defecting to Rama’s side?
• 19) If Arjuna being a kshatriya was anyway going to fight, why did Krishna speak the Gita?
• 18) Why did Arjuna kill Bhishma unfairly?
• 17) Was Arjuna a better archer than Karna because he got better training facilities?
• 16) Why did Dasharatha not go with Rama to the forest when he felt separation from him?
• 15) When Vasudeva and Devakis son was going to kill him, why did Kamsa keep them in the same prison cell?
• 14) Was Ravana virtuous because he didn’t violate Sita forcibly?
• 13) What should I do if my bhakti is damaged after coming from ISKCON?
• 12) How does spiritual sound stimulate and facilitate meditation?
• 11) When the Lord’s pastimes are transcendental, should they be analyzed?
• 10) Why do jnanis need many lives to become jnanavan?
• 9) Why are the eka-bhakti jnanis of Gita 7.17 considered jnana-mishra?
• 8) Can we use freewriting in bhakti-yoga?
• 7) How can I go about writing in Krishna’s service?
• 6) When the Vedas also talk about transcendence, why does Gita 2.45 ask us to go beyond the Vedas?
• 5) Does the Gita flow from 2.58 to 2.61 reflect rise from karma-yoga through jnana-yoga and dhyana-yoga to bhakti yoga?
• 4) Does Gita 2.12 actually counter impersonalism?
• 3) Does Gita 2.11 refer to the life-air or to the soul?
• 2) What is the difference between kula dharma and jati dharma?
• 1) Does the well-river example of Gita 2.46 illustrate transcending the Vedas recommended in Gita 2.45?