Shastra · Kirtan · Sadhana
Articles
On the soul and suffering, the guru and the Vaishnavas, practice and scripture — in plain words, grounded in the shastras.
- Dialogue of traditions · 9 min read
Jesus and Animals: A Look at Vegetarianism in Christianity
What the Bible says was humanity’s original food, what Jesus was really protesting in the Temple, and why the monks of Mount Athos still eat no meat.
- Philosophy · 6 min read
The Four Defects Every Person Has
Mistakes, inattentiveness, a tendency to deceive, and imperfect senses: the four defects the Vedas see in every person, and where to look for the truth.
- Guru and Vaishnavas · 6 min read
Who Are the Vaishnavas? Description and Signs
A Vaishnava is defined not by dress or denomination but by a level of consciousness. Why wealth and poverty say nothing about a devotee, and how a true Vaishnava is known.
- Philosophy · 6 min read
Reincarnation: Fact or Fiction?
Every religion accepts that the soul is eternal, yet only some scriptures explain reincarnation in detail. What the Vedas say, and what psychiatrist Ian Stevenson found.
- Practice · 17 min read
Ekadashi: How to Fast Properly to Receive the Greatest Benefit
The three levels of the Ekadashi fast, how to begin and end the vow, and what the scriptures really say about Pandava Ekadashi—in the light of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
- Practice · 4 min read
The Basics of Sound Meditation for Beginning Yogis
Eight practical rules for beginners: why the best meditation is on the sound of God’s name, when to practice it and what helps keep the mind focused.
- Scripture · 9 min read
Bhagavad-gita: 10 Life-Changing Lessons
The essence of the Bhagavad-gita in ten lessons: how Krishna’s conversation with Arjuna begins and what it says about the soul, duty, karma, the three modes and love of God.
- Philosophy · 9 min read
Who Am I? Learning to Know Yourself
Who am I, really? The Vedas distinguish the eternal soul, the atma, from its changing roles, the ahankara, and explain why this knowledge frees us from suffering.
- Guru and Vaishnavas · 10 min read
The Qualities of a Spiritual Master
What the shastras say a genuine guru must be like, what disqualifies a teacher, and why the search for a spiritual master must never become an excuse for one’s own pride.
- Philosophy · 6 min read
Why Do We Suffer? The Vedic View of Hardship
Why do even the righteous suffer? Queen Kunti’s meeting with her brother Vasudeva in the Srimad-Bhagavatam opens up the Vedic view of destiny and hardship.