It is difficult to find someone from the West that both understands and can elegantly express the theory behind an Eastern mystical tradition. It is even more difficult to find a modern mystic. In Swami Tripurari we have both: a traditional mystic who can articulate the teachings of an ancient spiritual tradition. A compelling speaker, to hear him and be in his presence is itself a spiritual experience.
Swami Tripurari met his initiating guru, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the spring of 1972. He relates that he felt as though he had met a long-lost friend, as Srila Prabhupada blessed him with his all-knowing glance.
Over the years of service that followed, Srila Prabhupada showered him with affection and repeatedly expressed his appreciation for his selfless service and ability to inspire others. In 1974 Srila Prabhupada instructed him in a widely circulated letter, “So you organize freely. You are the incarnation of book distribution. Take the leadership and do the needful.” Accordingly, Swami Tripurari has set an example of one who is independently thoughtful and capable of making an insightful literary contribution to the world.
In 1975 Swami Tripurari was initiated by Srila Prabhupada into the renounced order of sannyasa.
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Questions on today’s Swami Call: Dandavats, Guru Maharaja. What is your response to members from other sampradayas questioning the validity of ours? What is the difference between labeling a teaching as valid siddhanta for others although we do not follow it ourselves and labeling a teaching as apa-siddhanta? We have heard from you that the Kama-gayatri is a form of the Brahma-gayatri and that it is connected with the Gopala-mantra. Can you share something more about its meaning and the effects ...
Questions on today’s Swami Call: Pranams dear Guru Maharaj. I am curious if Krishna’s words “think of me” in Bhagavad-Gita 9.34 can be also understood as “be with me”? Sometimes I have moments in japa when I feel I want to just stay and be more present, rather than continue chanting at that specific moment. Jay Guru Maharaja! I have a question regarding Vaishnava aparadha. Could someone’s difficulty in committing themselves to the practice be a result of Vaishnava aparadha in a previous life? If...
Questions on today’s Swami Call: How can I improve my japa, considering that I do not have very much time for it every day? Hari bol. Pranams, Guru Maharaja. Are our fears rooted in the prospects of experiencing the opposites of the qualities of the self (sat cit ananda)? Jaya Gurudeva. Hari bol. What does the soul actually do if it takes the path of Arciradi after death? Should the jivas follow Lord Brahma’s example in purifying themselves as he represents the collective of jiva souls? How come...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 1:16 How can one control their anger? 5:50 What does it mean that an ajata-ruci raganuga sadhaka can serve Sri Krishna directly? 9:16 Can you give examples from the lila of how the stages of prema appear in different orders in sakhya- and madhurya-rasa respectively? 20:32 Can a devotee enter the lila as a well-wisher of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in terms of their union without becoming directly involved in bringing about their union? 23:56 On page 335 in C...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 Is there any benefit to practice of bhakti if the understanding of it is covered by any of the three modes of nature? 5:49 To what extent do brahmavadis understand or accept the three aspects of the absolute (Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan), particularly the form of Bhagavan? 12:26 Pranama, Maharaja. Have you had the occasion to advice devotee couples in situations where they have felt a sense of disconnect from one another with regards to practicing Krish...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 Pranama, Guru Maharaja. The Upadesamrta instructs that we should be both eager and patient. How can we keep up the eagerness when progress is slow? 12:57 On the occasion of the Panihati festival, can you please share about your experience of visiting Panihati with Srila Prabhupada? 18:40 Can we become free from the fear of death already as sadhakas? 24:14 How are we to understand the idea that some jivas will remain forever in the material world? 42:03 Could...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News 2:59 It is described that Sri Krishna and Lord Balarama changed into Vasudeva and Sankarsana when they left Vrindavan for Mathura. Did the cowherd boys also change when they went to attend the wrestling match in Mathura? 11:30 Is the change from Sridama sakha to Garuda a change in tattva? 17:00 Good morning, Maharaja. How should we understand the teaching that Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva are related to the gunas of rajas, sattva, and tamas?...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 Pranama, Guru Maharaja and assembled devotees. How does a neophyte devotee cultivate steady detachment from the material world? 13:00 Why did Lord Vishnu ask Lord Shiva to spread the mayavada doctrine? 21:09 Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura is identified with both Srila Vyasadeva and the cowherd boy Kusumapida. How does that work? 32:48 Is the Brahma-Vimohan-Lila happening once in every day of Lord Brahma? 35:19 Can you explain the word tivrena that qualifies bhakt...
Questions on today's Swami Call: 0:00 Dandavats, Gurudeva. What is the best prayer to Lord Narasimhadeva? 6:04 Can you elaborate on how Giriraja Govardhana appears in different ways to different devotees? 20:29 Do chapters 82-84 in the tenth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam correspond with the Ramananda Samvad and Brhad-Bhagavatamrta with regards to bhakti-tattva? 28:38 Can you explain Srila Jiva Goswami's statement that jivas sometimes play the role of Narada Muni? 41:23 What does it mean exactly...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 0:38 What’s the difference between sastra-yukti and sastra-nipuna? 10:05 Can you expand on the teaching that most jivas in the spiritual world are nitya-siddha tatastha-sakti-jivas? 35:37 How can we speak our truth to worshippers of the devas and devis without offending or discouraging them? 51:59 It is said that we should not disturb people with jnana if they are not eligible, whereas bhakti can be shared with anyone. But it seems that bhakti has a fa...
Questions on today’s Swami call: Is it correct that one should only attend to the sound of the holy names during japa, or could one also engage in visualization? Do priya-narma-sakhas engage in play fighting with Sri Krishna? How do the stages of bhakti from sraddha to prema correspond to the levels of adhikara from kanistha to uttama? Dandavat pranams and good morning, Guru Maharaja. In Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.3.54, Srila Rupa Goswami says that by a slight offense to a devotee of the Lord one’...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 In Circle of Friends, you wrote that the devotees never cease to be amazed at seeing demons in the disguise of devotees. Can you explain this? 13:44 Why is the relationship between Sri Gadadhara Pandit and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu described in terms of friendship rather than romantic love? 21:52 Dandavats Maharaja. Do you think we can dissipate our shadow sides simply by shedding the light of our own awareness on them? 28:59 What do you mean when you describe...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 0:20 Bhakti is ever-fresh and will naturally express itself in newer and newer ways through acaryas. At the same time, the desire to share bhakti in new ways could be an anartha, and so could the desire to hear about bhakti in new ways. Can you help me understand the distinction? 5:09 Srila Rupa Goswami writes that an uttama-adhikari is sastra-nipuna, a scriptural genius. How can we differentiate such a devotee from someone who is merely interested in ...
Questions on today's Swami Call: Dandavat pranama, dear Guru Maharaj. In circle of friends, during the first meeting of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna, Subal Sakha instructs Rupa Manjari to fan Krishna. Kindly reveal more about how Krishna’s sakhas also act as leaders to manjaris. Is the fact that the manjaris have dasya for Srimati Radharani the reason that dasya is so prominent in Gaura-lila? It appears that in Gaudiya Vaishnavism there is a broad range of views on many topics of our philosophy, Da...
Questions on today's Swami call: 0:00 News. 2:29 Dandavats, Maharaja. A friend from a traditional Vaishnava lineage shared with me one of their teachings, saying that a devotee will keep reincarnating in this tradition due to the particular contributions it provides to the development of bhakti. What is your opinion on this? 19:40 My dandavats, Maharaja. Is an aspiring devotee obligated to believe in the cosmology as presented in our scriptures? Would it be an offense to the Vedas not to believe...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 1:16 Why did Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu show himself as Lord Vishnu to Sri Raghava Pandit? 4:27 What is the difference between prema-bhakti and vishrambha-bhakti? 11:48 What is the role of Lord Shiva in Krishna-lila and Gaura-lila? 17:32 Is mount Nandisvara related to Lord Shiva? 21:03 There is an ashtakam dedicated to Lord Shiva attributed to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Can you comment on this? 25:40 I’m attached to the idea of God protecting the helpless. ...
Questions on today’s Swami call: It is said that if we have the right intention, our bhakti practice will please Sri Krishna even if we happen to make technical mistakes? Pranama, Guru Maharaja and the assembled devotees. Is there any scope within Gaudiya Vaishnavism to see God as one’s father, like in Christianity and other faith traditions? How does the moods cultivated in saranagati, seeing God as one’s protector and maintainer, compare to seeing God as the father? (Comment from Gurunistha da...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 It is said that the role of the guru is to correct us, but a guru should also be free from the propensity to criticize. Is this a contradiction? 35:06 (Comment from Sajjan das regarding affection and criticism) 37:36 Do you think that it should be specified at initiation what the format will be for further instruction from the guru? 40:27 (Comment from Gokulacandra das regarding sweet and bitter medicine) 43:38 Is the story of Srila Rupa Goswami chastising S...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 What’s the difference between when sthayi-bhavas are mixed and when they are bundled? 7:30 Dear Guru Maharaja; some pure devotees set the example of not speaking or hearing negative things about other devotees even when those things are true. Others set the example of criticizing the misbehavior of other devotees to show the correct path. Which example are we to follow? 15:20 Dandavat, Guru Maharaja. Sometimes we are disillusioned about material life, but th...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 Nityananda Trayodashi 12:43 Is a vrtti something like a samskara? 14:09 Dandavats pranama, Guru Maharaja. How did Subala-sakha manage to save Srimati Radharani from being caught by Jatila? 17:36 Pranama, Gurudeva. On this special day of Sri Nityananda Trayodasi, can you speak something about how Lord Nityananda reflects the light of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu? Do we need this reflective light as the direct light of Sri Caitanya would be too strong? 29:42 Is Had...
Swami B. V. Tripurari addresses a range of spiritual inquiries, beginning with how perfect knowledge maintains God's happiness and the delicate balance of speaking truth in various contexts. He then delves into harmonizing everyday work with spiritual practice, emphasizing the importance of intention over action. The discussion further explores how one might misuse Krishna's friendship, particularly through a lack of concerted effort in chanting, and clarifies the true goal of yoga beyond mystic powers. The episode concludes with insights into devotional sacrifice, the nature of advanced spiritual descriptions, and the perpetual existence of Krishna's pastimes and associates.
Questions on today's Swami call: 0:00 News. 1:06 There are scriptural statements that can be taken to mean that everyone is encouraged to become gurus. But it seems that many people are unqualified for that task. Is it then okay to not become a guru? 35:49 What does it mean when it is said that in the stage of ruci one is more attached to bhakti than to Sri Krishna, whereas in a sakti one becomes more attached to Sri Krishna directly? 45:27 Hare Krsna, Maharaja. What is the difference between th...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 1:34 Sometimes it is said that one can simply practice surrender (saranagati) if one is not able to practice the limbs of bhakti. Other times it is said that surrender is practiced by practicing the limbs of bhakti. Can you resolve this apparent contradiction? 11:02 What does Sri Krishna wear in the winter season? 17:44 Hare Krishna, Maharaja. My cat passed away recently, and it felt like it had a truly Krishna conscious passing. Is that possible? 22:5...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 Among the nine processes of bhakti listed by Sri Prahlad Maharaja, what does ‘sakhyam’ refer to? 0:05:40 Can you comment on the position of Madhumangala, as he is curiously both a brahmana and a priya-narma sakha? 0:10:33 Would failure to follow the regulative principles and chant 16 rounds of japan prevent one from delving into deeper topics of Krishna consciousness, and does following these practices indicate that one is not taking Krishna consciousness ch...
Questions on today’s Swami call: 0:00 News. 0:00:28 It appears that narrations of Sri Krishna’s sakhya-rasa pastimes are easier to digest for beginners than the madhurya-rasa pastimes. Is this true? 0:12:13 Is the belief that one has to be psychologically balanced to enter Krishna-lila tantamount to karma-misra bhakti or the belief that one has to be accomplished in karma and jnana before practicing bhakti? 0:15:24 If a madhurya-rasa bhakta is preaching the glories of other rasas, might that sou...
0:00 News. 00:40 Guru Maharaja, I’m wondering why Srila Prabhupada chose Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s Gurvastakam for mandala arati. I also wonder why in Iskcon the last verse of the song is not sung. And why is there a song for Sri Guru during the morning arati and a song for Sri Gauranga during the evening arati? 09:10 Who’s song is Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Gaura-arati based on? 11:05 Does Navadvipa dhama exist eternally on earth? Is there a Navadvipa planet in the spiritual sky? 14...
0:00 Could you recommend poetic works dealing with Krishna lila? 04:15 Should we direct our prayers to Sri Krishna or to Lord Caitanya, or Sri Radha or to different appearances of the absolute according to the circumstance or level of advancement? 27:57 Do you have any advice for dealing with stress and anxiety in the moment as it is affecting one? 34:00 Is Yoga-maya present in Vraja-lila? 36:06 In what rasa is the Kaliya serpent with Sri Krishna? 38:20 How is the Kama-gayatri understood from a ...
0:00 News. 00:00:59 You sometimes make the point that 'I' is the smallest, most used, and least understood word in the English language. Have you read that somewhere? 00:01:30 Was Lord Brahma really able to overpower the cowherd boys in the Brahma vimohana lila? 00:07:11 Did Sri Krishna experience sakhya-rasa during the year that he took the form of the other cowherd boys? 00:09:15 Is selfless love in this world akin to the prema of the spiritual world? 00:13:08 As sadhakas we try to see Krishna...
0:00 News. 00:02:56 Is chanting Sri Krishna’s names a service to Krishna? 00:33:52 What is lila-kirtana? 00:40:39 Do other angas of bhakti depend on kirtan? 00:45:46 Is Sri Haridas Thakura’s threefold practice of kirtan something that can be followed by anyone? 00:54:18 Why does Sri Krishna not speak directly about bhakti in the Vedas?
0:00 News. 00:00:25 Can you say something about the elaborations on the maha-mantra by our acaryas? 00:10:12 I have heard about one way of seeing the maha-mantra as being names of Sri Krishna chanted for the pleasure of Sri Radha. Is this bona fide? 00:18:48 One of the offenses to the holy name is to give interpretations. How should we understand this offense, given that our acaryas have given elaborations of the maha-mantra? 00:21:00 Some people say that since even Lord Shiva is affected by lus...
