When is the Real Gītā Jayantī?
Gītā Jayantī, which is said to fall on Mokṣadā Ekādaśī, is celebrated as the appearance day of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. In this article, Swami Giri ask the timely question, “When is the real Gītā Jayantī?” The answer may be somewhat surprising.
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.
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.
In Defence of Śrī Gāyatrī Mantrārtha Dīpikā
This article, first published on VNN on July 15th 1999, was written by Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja in response to certain devotees criticising the publication of the book, 'Śrī Gāyatrī Mantrārtha Dīpikā.' Mahārāja explains that upon seeing the book, Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī was extremely pleased, referring to it as ‘gupta-ratna-prakāśa.’
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.
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and the Gītā – Part 3
In this final part of his class from 1938, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja gives the meaning of the verse ‘antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ’ by Śrīdhara Svāmī, and explains how Kṛṣṇa is impartial to all, yet also favourable to His devotees. He also gives Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda’s explanation of ‘api cet sudurācāro’.
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and the Gītā – Part 2
Continuing the translation of Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja class from 1938, in this installment, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja further discusses the position of jñāna, karma and yoga, the independence of bhakti, how ultimately Gītā only speaks of bhakti, the contribution of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and his synchronistic approach to Gītā, and the worship of different Demigods.