"Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down … a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune." - Carl Jung / "Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying." St. Vincent de Paul / pride is a costume / it hurts if you lead with your ego / pride brings anxiety / the pauper is proud of his penny / you can't humiliate the humble / the truth will set us free / Who am I really?! / humble Lord Shiva remains unagitated and unashamed / Shiva meditates of Vishn...
Nov 25, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1474
Can we be fully committed Vaishnavas without initiation? / Can I have a guru without the initiation process? / Is keeping long hair offensive or should we shave our heads? / How do we minimize sex life when we are married to a person who is not on board with the philosophy? / If Krishna is the 8th avatar of Vishnu, then how is He also "The Supreme Personality of Godhead"? Does that mean He's above Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva? ********************************************************************* LO...
Nov 23, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1473
Kaustubha speaks with Recording Artist Jahnavi Harrison about her brand new record "Into the Forest" which drops today! Find her album at https://open.spotify.com/album/4rS61VN26x28jONi3U0UWG?si=zJDRq3UWRWyoP9yO9vtBWg ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple...
Nov 22, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1472
Seeing partial truths in different spiritual traditions / we're trying to find absolute truth with subjective lenses / knowing the one Absolute Truth as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān / as Krishna enters the wrestling arena he is seen in 10 different ways according to various rasas / how varieties of philosophers see Krishna through the lens of their philosophy / Shiva asks to see Vishnu's form of Mohini / Vishnu completely bewilders Shiva with His feminine beauty SB 8.12.9-37 ******************...
Nov 21, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1471
Saint Teresa of Avila on making a garden of our heart / in the spiritual world there's just Bhakti-yoga / we're preparing our minds and hearts for selfless love / Lord Shiva shares a comprehensive exposition on the supremely divine status of Lord Vishnu / Vishnu as Supreme Controller / Vishnu as Supreme Inexhaustible / Shiva on the elevated purity of Vishnu's devotees SB 8.12.1-8 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AN...
Nov 20, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1470
Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called 'Ego'. - Friedrich Nietzsche / self realization - not sense gratification - is the goal of life / the ego bonds our sense of self to the body / the the apps on the computer of the mind / the Goddess Sawaswati in Sri Chaitanya's pastimes / Bali tells Indra that the sadhus pity him for his ignorance / bewildered by the influence of false ego we think that we are the doers / the Bhagavad-gita's 5 factors of action / Joan of Arcs pity for the souls of t...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 1469
everyone is shining after completing their Kartik vows / 3 different vows for 3 different Bhakti-yogis - personal ways to deepen Bhakti / Kaustubha finally get's it - Narada loves the Demons too / daily Bhagavatam reflection matures knowledge into realization / Bali lectures Indra on even-mindedness / how do devotees feel always protected? - regardless of externals, they know their constitutional well being is always preserved by Krishna / both jubilation and moroseness are bliss in Bhakti LOVE ...
Nov 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1468
A Himalayan shopkeeper gives Raghu some shilas / Jatipur lassi saves Kaustubha's stomach / visiting the little hermitage of Krishnadas Kaviraja / Raghu and Mara - hiking and listening together / more glories of Yamuna Devi / Radhanath Swami dismisses Kaustubha / appreciating Lokasaranga Swami aka Paravat Maharaja / It takes a settled mind to live in seclusion / The passing away of Sarath Jois / Kaustubha cooks mind-blowing Halava for Patabbhi Jois / Raghu is almost too Krishna Conscious / Raghu ...
Nov 15, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1467
We're not interested in going to higher planets / If we think we can find out everything with our limited senses- we can't / Take what resonates and apply it/ Have reasonable faith and healthy doubt and Take a little step forward / Are our choices upgrading or degrading our life? / Refine what you let into your life / Great sages reveal the imperceptible / We need qualifications for higher planets / Even if we went to the moon, could we see anything? / Our Sadhana helps us see the world differen...
Nov 14, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1466
Bali attacks the Deva's with illusory weapons / "When the naked carnivorous demons show up with tridents ...... well, that's kinda where I draw the line." / as the dangers of a dream cease when the dreamer awakens, simply by remembrance of Krishna one becomes free from all dangers SB 8.10.38-57 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: ...
Nov 14, 2024•39 min•Ep. 1465
In this captivating interview Kaustubha speaks with Dravida Das, a Sanskrit editor and reciter of Sanskrit Bhakti poetry. Dravida Das also adapts Sanskrit verses into English poetry, and composes English Bhakti poems of his own as well. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: htt...
Nov 10, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1464
How to get over sadness? / How to support my friend was diagnosed with a life altering disease? / Why does Raghunath recommended chanting at least one round of japa while on pilgrimage? / Is it ok to drink tulsi tea? ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple....
Nov 09, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1463
great souls hook your heart - and then tug on it / Bhakti is charming / bringing back story telling / just accept there's things we can't perceive / stretching the imagination / Never fight on the back of a duck / the appearance of Bali Maharaja / Demigods and the Demons battle SB: 8.10.1-37 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: htt...
Nov 08, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1462
Indra let's go at Govinda Kund / Braja Roaming with Krishna's devotees / singing about how Krishna wakes up / the girls' excuses to see Krishna / hearts heavy with love for Krishna / "This Divine love is what life is really all about." / This yoga is very different - it's nothing but love / Bhagavatam's cinematic battle scenes introduce an important character - the demon Bali Maharaja / Vishnu is an expansion of little Krishna / Krishna's games / the gopis joyfully sing of Krishna, who had so de...
Nov 07, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1461
Testimony from the Pūjārī from Śrī Advaita Ācārya's house in Śāntipura, West Bengal / Prabhupada's tears and prayers for mercy and empowerment in service / testimony from Śrīpāda Hṛdayānanda Bābājī Mahārāja "Never have I seen anyone do sādhana like he did." / Testimony from Śrīman Kishanlal Sharma Paṇḍita - "his glance was so deep with feeling and mercy" / Please don't worry about the scorpion. Don't disturb. He is also a devotee / Testimony from Acharya Nirmal Chandra Goswāmī - "After getting i...
Nov 05, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1460
Something I struggle with is seeing Krishna in everyone, even those that have deeply wounded us with no desire to change. How can I make peace with this? / What does chanting japa do for you? ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-...
Nov 04, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1459
the Sun the Moon and Rahu / experiments in Vedic astrology / do you want to be connected or amputated? / Kaustubha's Rahu period ends / Raghu's Rahu period ends / trying to carve out a place of comfort for me and mine vs recognizing our shared connection to the root / leaning into the Bhagavatam / When Raghu thought he was going to die / from materialistic activity, no one benefits / can we learn to operate on the eternal level? SB 8.9.20-29 ******************************************************...
Nov 03, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1458
Raghu's "secret sadhana" / seeing the ornate, devotional, beauty of Bhakti in "bombed out" Vrindavan / the authentic Bengali Bhakti experience / knowledge of self-realization, devoid of the Divine personal love, has no beauty / winding up at Prabhupada's feet / sometimes the world will put us through a crazy mind game / conflict is eating us up / lack of faith in the greater plan / Krishna works through His energies / sidestepping the hurricane of hate / Mohini Murti bewilders the demons *******...
Nov 01, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1457
Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss their thoughts and feels upon arriving in Vrindavan / being greeted like members of the family / connecting with the Bengali pilgrims through kirtan / moving rituals at the sacred pond, Radha Kunda / Radha Kund is messy but pure / going deep / 3 rules for a deeper experience in Vrindavan / Vrindavan has frequencies we can't perceive / seeing past the thin material layer / we're living in a Bhakti renaissance ********************************************************...
Oct 29, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1456
I understand that suffering is part of this material world and may be Krishna's will but it saddens and disturbs me to see so much senseless suffering. How can I reconcile this? / Upon returning from a pilgrimage to India, how to carry this high vibe home and maintain it? / Please explain the sacred stones (shilas). ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages....
Oct 27, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1455
What is the key to forgiveness, if we're trying to forgive to move forward what's the process? It doesn't make the trauma go away, so how is forgiveness supposed to help you? / Why does Krsna Balaram Temple in Vrindavan sing a different song in the morning than all the other temples? / How to bring the right attitude into my morning practices? / How to help someone new to Bhakti ease into the practice without becoming overwhelmed? *****************************************************************...
Oct 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1454
disconnected from our roots, we create a "theater of the absurd" / the eternal dharma that we all share - we're all designed to serve with love / if you don't feel shame when doing shameful things - something's wrong with us / wandering up to the Himalayas to die / "Now, I'm meant to let go." / we churn, we work, we sweat, we suffer - and then we learn that we just need to let go / Divine love prevails all trauma / we're gonna keep hurting each other until we evolve
Oct 24, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1453
The Goddess Laxmi appears from the ocean of milk / Laxmi's discernment in giving her self entirely to Visnu / Laxmi's devotional mood brings all good fortune / the coronation of Laxmi / the female energy of God is personified good fortune / be blessed by Laxmi or deal with Durga / Laxmi chooses Vishnu / neglect of lax results in depression, bewilderment and frustration SB 8.8.9-29 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED A...
Oct 23, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1452
The party is in Udaipur and its ever-fresh / Raghu confirms Kaustubha's Krishna Miracle / Unconditional love is our innate operating system / things never go as smoothly as you want- even for the devas / the Goddess of Fortune lives to be enjoyed - does that trigger us? / the idea that we exist for the pleasure of another is triggering - but LOVE REQUIRES IT! / Krishna is waiting for us to come to his level of unconditional love / What's your peace formula, Smarty pants? / the Goddess Laxmi's go...
Oct 22, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1451
Bhakti is caught more than taught / You just gotta ask (for Krishna prasad) / tenderness of heart towards Kṛṣṇa is bhakti - tenderness of heart towards everyone is compassion / You play the bhakti game there's no bad luck / Krishna pleased = Shiva pleased = everyone pleased / the highest method of worshiping God, in the heart of everyone, is to accept voluntary suffering to relieve the suffering of others SB 8.7.1-46 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE ...
Oct 21, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1450
Kaustubha interviews his old friend Eddie Stern, a yoga teacher, author, and researcher based in New York City. Eddie has a multi-disciplinary approach to yoga which includes studying traditional texts and combining the application of the practices contained within them to science, research, technology, and collaboration. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthe...
Oct 20, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1449
What are some practical steps for finding teachers and gurus to give practical advice if one lives far from a temple / How should one prepare their mind for physical austerities on the path of Bhakti? / How can I better share Bhakti teachings in my own voice, rather than just parroting what others say? ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON Y...
Oct 19, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1448
The effulgent, beautiful vision of Lord Vishnu melts anxiety / nothing can touch Vishnu's hear, but devotion / Lord Brahma speaks from that higher level / when Vishnu asks you to be patient, take the high road and cooperate with your enemies / with any great service, the first thing to appear from the churning / the demons agree to a truce SB 8.6.1-39 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN!...
Oct 17, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1447
"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." - J. R. R. Tolkien / the difference between material & spiritual / spiritual endeavors come with rollover credits / Krishna is willing to meet you where you are at / Krishna is the root of all existence, and we are all the leaves / when you love Krishna you love everyone, every dog, even every cockroach / you can't see the root, but it's the...
Oct 14, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1446
How should I navigate differences of opinions regarding important decisions on my Bhakti path? / How do we balance our material/human reactions & necessities with our spiritual aspirations? / Why don't we chant over the 'guru' bead? ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: htt...
Oct 12, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1445
