Category: Articles by Dr. SATYANARAYANA DASA
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Mechanisms of Saṁskāras
We have both external and internal senses. Whatever is experienced through the senses creates an impression, or a saṁskāra, in the heart (citta). Cognition is of two types, namely fresh (anubhavātmaka) and recollective (smaraṇātmaka). Fresh experience comes from direct perception (pratyakṣa), inference (anumāna), or sound (śabda). Recollective experience arises from the saṁskāras stored in the citta. When a saṁskāra flashes into…
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The Highest Form of Love
Question: We understand that in relation to Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, everybody is female. He is the only male. How does this play out in the context of genders and the concept of masculine and feminine? Answer: This is a different concept and should not be mixed with our understanding of the words “male” and “female.” The difference between sex and gender is that sex is a…
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Kṛṣṇa – The Supreme Controller
We have heard often that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Controller—iśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇa (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1). He also proclaims this in Gītā (7.7)—mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya, “There is nothing superior to Me, O Dhanañjaya”. As a controller, He manifests Himself in the form of Paramātmā. Paramātmā is Kṛṣṇa’s controlling manifestation. Kṛṣṇa says that He is situated…
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Aropa-siddha-bhakti
In Bhakti Sandarbha (Anuccheda 217), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī divides bhakti into three categories, namely Āropa-siddhā, Saṅga-siddhā and Svarūpa-siddhā. It is easy to understand the last category but there is some confusion about the others, especially the first one. As human beings, we have the ability to act using our mind, body, and speech. These actions can be Vedic or laukika. The Vedic actions are those…
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Revenge Begets Revenge
There was a sage named Jamadagni. He and his wife Reṇukā had many sons. One of these sons was Paraśurāma who is famous for annihilating many kṣatriya kings 21 times. What impelled him to do this? And why 21 times? He did so to take revenge of the murder of his father. Kārtavīrya Arjuna was a great…
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Oh! Ahankara!
Our ahaṅkāra is relentless. It never gives up and is one-pointedly devoted to itself. It only has a single-point agenda – “I am Supreme. There is no one like me.” Unfortunately, the first part is not true and not possible even theoretically. If it were true, then everyone would be supreme. Then being supreme would become worthless…