Author: Swami B.B. Vishnu

Many devotees are disqualified from understanding finer siddhantic truths by virtue of their impurities, material desires, subtle and gross deviations from the strict line of Sri Rupanuga-varga, and particularly because of their offenses to other Vaisnavas.

Our readers are invited to allow for our standpoint as first-generation members of the disciplic succession of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Where we differ from other disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami that have chosen to remain in iskcon, and of particular relevance to this article is in the claim that our disciplic line prominently includes Sridhara Goswami.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Srila Sanatana Gosvami that a most essential element of Sadhana Bhakti is guru-padasraya — one must take shelter at the feet of a qualified guru. Without this shelter one's devotional activities will not lead to pure devotional service.

Mathematics has only recently risen to attempt to usurp the throne of Godhead. Ironically, it originally came into use in human society within the context of spiritual pursuit. Spiritually advanced cultures were not ignorant of the principles of mathematics, but they saw no necessity to explore those principles beyond that which was helpful in the advancement of God realization.

The following is an excerpt from a talk given by Sripad Bhaktibhavana Visnu Maharaja on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada's Sannyasa initiation anniversary at Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura.

We are very far from the Infinite, yet the simple process of chanting His Holy Name, which is non-different from the Lord Himself, allows us to touch His essence, to experience a closeness with Him and His wonderful pastimes.

Devotional life or Bhakti-yoga is a science which follows very exact guidelines — which are both very easy to follow and at the same time difficult for many, because their feet may be firmly rooted in material desires and sinful activities. Yet the Holy Name chanted purely will pull them out of the muck and propel them into an eternal life of sat, cit and ananda — an eternal life full of knowledge and great pleasure.

The necessity for this paper arises due to the continued misunderstanding of the actual siddhanta on jiva-tattva by a section of devotees. Many illogical statements have been made in defense of the theory that we fall from the Lord's eternal lila. We will show by analysis of rasa-tattva and logic that is is completely impossible and illogical for living entities to fall from the spiritual world. 

The purpose of this presentation is to provide devotees with pertinent quotes from sastra, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and other prominent acaryas so that one may be more properly informed on the issue of the "Origin of the Jiva." These quotes are organized in a logical way in support of the eleven points that follow. It is not meant to be a complete presentation in itself, but rather to provoke further contemplation, investigation and penetrating thought.

The Sanskrit word arati literally means "before night." Ratri (night) when prefaced with the letter a indicates dusk. The waving of the lamp before the Deity thus implies the dispelling of the night of our material sojourn with the light of devotion through which God is revealed.

It is often found that scientists are not unbiased in their search for the truth, giving preference to evidence which supports their desired thesis and unscientifically rejecting alternative theories as unsuitable without proper consideration.

Following the transition from Newtonian classical physics to quantum mechanics, several scientists have explored the possibility of a connection between physics and transcendence.