Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī has taught that living in Vraja is one of the five most powerful items of devotion which will grant love to the lotus feet of the Lord (the others being: Associating with the devotees, worshipping the deity, hearing the Śrīmad Bhāgavata and chanting the Holy Name), because: anyeṣu puṇya tīrtheṣu muktir eva … Continue reading Attachment to living in Vraja

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, māyā’s conditioning of the jīva has no beginning; it is anādi. Although statements such as, “she covers the real nature of the jīva” seemingly imply a beginning, in fact there is no beginning to the jīva’s bondage. Śrī Kṛṣṇa confirms this:  prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva viddhy anādi ubhav api vikārāṁś ca … Continue reading Māyā’s conditioning of the jīva has no beginning

The main helper in bhajana-sādhana is the mind, the Lord of the senses. The mind of a materialistic person is by nature restless and attached to the sense-objects. In the Bhagavad Gītā (6.34) Arjuna tells the Lord: cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram "O Kṛṣṇa! The mind is … Continue reading The main helper in bhajana-sādhana is the mind

We should not associate with each and every devotee. We should be very careful with whom we associate. Most worshiped Srimad Rupa Goswami has mentioned - how we should associate (Sri Upadesamrita, verse 5): kṛṣṇeti yasya giri taṁ manasādriyeta dīkṣāsti cet praṇatibhiś ca bhajantam īśam śuśrūṣayā bhajana-vijñam ananyam anya- nindādi-śūnya-hṛdam īpsita-saṅga-labdhyā One should mentally offer respects to … Continue reading The glories of like-minded association (sajati-sadhu-sanga)