The Writings and Realizations of Srila Dhanurdhara Swami
Misconception I: You Cannot Act for Mercy Mercy is undeserved kindness. Therefore, some conclude that we cannot do anything to receive mercy, because the moment we act for it, it is no longer undeserved. We have done something to obtain it. But is that conclusion correct? If bhakti is the path of... Continue reading
I like this definition of culture: those qualities of a society that make a favorable impression on the mind to enable people to relate, communicate, and learn effectively. A person who embodies these qualities is cultured. I think of Śrīla Prabhupāda as a cultured person. One story comes to mind: In 1979, ISKCON... Continue reading
Today’s question: If one s essential nature is fixed, isn t it unfair that some souls — those whose intrinsic nature resembles the gopīs of Vrindavan — are destined for a higher, more pleasurable eternal existence than others? If so, doesn t that make God partial, or incapable (or unwilling) of giving everyone unsurpassed fulfillment in their... Continue reading
Sometimes we see very senior Vaiṣṇavas — devotees who go back to the roots of ISKCON, with decades of steady service, and sādhana — still struggling in various ways in their twilight years of Krishna consciousness. They sometimes even question their taste for the holy name, or struggle, and temporarily fall. The doubt then naturally... Continue reading
The title comes from an interview someone sent to me from the Easy Bhakti podcast by Chandrashekar Acharya dasa.[1] He was interviewing Yasodeva dasa, a successful preacher at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. In the interview Yasodeva coined the term that I have used for the title of this post. Yasodeva’s presentation... Continue reading
It was Thursday. I didn’t have a clue what I could write about for this Monday. I then saw a clip of fans cheering wildly when their team scored and won a World Cup game. They then broke out in song and danced wildly. They seemed to be so euphoric, but were they? I... Continue reading
I hope most of you read my last post “My Association with the Gambino Crime Family”.[1] When I grew up in Brooklyn, my brother’s best friend until they were ten years old was Dominick Montiglio whom we recently found grew up to be a hitman for the Gambino crime family. We were shocked that... Continue reading
You can’t make this up! I was checking out a documentary called The Lynchpin of Bensonhurst.[1] It’s a long story why, but I was brought up in that neighborhood. It was the story of Dominick Santamaria aka Dominick Montiglio, an important member of the Gambino crime family who was brought up by his uncle... Continue reading
During my Deity sevā this morning, along with the bhoga offering, I wanted to offer something more. I began to mentally offer a feast. So, I naturally imagined offering the best things out of devotion. Then a thought came: If I didn’t enjoy or wasn’t attached to certain foods, then how could I value... Continue reading
Our Decisions Determine Our Fate[1] What we are now has been determined by the decisions we made in the past. If that is true, what we will be in the future will be determined by the decisions we make now. It’s so crucial we make the right choices. But how to do it? ... Continue reading