Articles by Swami B.V. Giri
Kena Upaniṣad – Knowing the Unknowable (Introduction and Invocation)
Among the ten principal Upaniṣads, the Kena Upaniṣad holds a place of great importance. It discusses three central themes — that the Supreme is the controller of all, that He is superior to all, and that He is ultimately unknowable. This commentary by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri, drawing upon the Vaiṣṇava interpretations of Madhva, Raṅga Rāmānuja, and the writings of the Gauḍīya ācāryas, seeks to reclaim the Kena Upaniṣad from the grasp of the monists, demonstrating that the Brahman of the Upaniṣads is ultimately a theistic, personal Reality endowed with distinctive transcendental qualities.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 12
In this final section of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, the transcendental state of Vāsudeva/Turīya is described, along with the connection between oṁkāra and Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān, culminating in the highest plane, Turīyātīta, the realm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which can be attained only through complete surrender.
Śrī Śrī Bhakti Gaurava Vilāsa – The Pastimes of Swami Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha (Chapter 1)
Today being the auspicious appearance day of Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, we present the first chapter of Śrī Bhakti Gaurava Vilāsa (The Pastimes of Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha) - a summary of the life of Narasiṅgha Mahārāja rendered in Sanskrit poetry along with Bengali verse translations. This first chapter begins with a maṅgalācaraṇa (auspicious invocation), Namaskāra (offering of obeisance), and Vastu-nirdeśa (an indication of the subject matter of the work, then proceeds with a narration of the early life of Swami Narasiṅgha up to his initiation by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Subsequent chapters will be posted later.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 9-11
This section of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad explains how the syllables A, U, and M represent Vaiśvānara, Taijasa, and Prājña – the forms of the Lord in the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. Realising each of these leads to the fulfilment of desires, continuous knowledge, and freedom from sorrow.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 7 & 8
In Texts 7 and 8 of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, the three aforementioned states of consciousness are analysed from the scientific perspective, and the fourth state of tūriya, or super consciousness presided over by Vāsudeva, is described.
The Real Mango Līlā of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
This article examines the well-known story of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and his lifelong vow to abstain from eating mangoes. But is this the complete story? A rare letter written by Sarasvatī Ṭhākura himself, along with an insightful explanation by Śrīla B.P. Keśava Mahārāja, sheds further light on this incident and reveals a different story.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 5 & 6
Continuing with the commentary on Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, Texts 5 and 6 delves into the state of deep sleep (suṣupti) as the third aspect of the Supreme, Saṅkarṣaṇa/Prājña, where one experiences pure bliss and is united with the mass of consciousness. The commentary further explores how this state reflects the Lord's transcendental sleep and the root of ignorance in the conditioned jīva.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 3 & 4
Continuing the commentary on the Māṇḍukya Upaniṣad, texts 3 and 4 explore the waking and sleeping states of the jīvātmā, governed by Aniruddha and Pradyumna, respectively, while delving into the phenomena of astral travel and lucid dreaming.
Śrī Ārati-Kīrtana Vivaraṇa – A Commentary on Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja’s Ārati Kīrtana
Today, being the fifth anniversary of the disappearance of Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, we present this commentary to Mahārāja's ārati-kīrtana by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri. This commentary provides a philosophical interpretation of each verse, accompanied by personal anecdotes from the life of Narasiṅgha Mahārāja.
Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Text 2
In this commentary on Text 2 of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, the impersonal concept of 'big Brahman and little Brahman' is examined, as well as the Mahā-Vākyas of the māyāvādīs. Finally, the Catur-vyuha and their connection to the four states of consciousness are described.
