"When the greed of a rāgānugā aspirant leads him down the road of rāga, keeping his beloved object at the center, then a special taste awakens for the forms and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His associates. At first, an aspirant's greed will be scattered over many different subject matters and cannot focus on the … Continue reading The Path of Sacred Greed: How Rāgānugā-bhakti Purifies Our Hearts and Deepens Our Love

Today, we're diving into an exciting topic that often causes confusion but is very important for understanding your personal path in devotion: the difference between Vaidhī-Bhakti and Rāgānugā-Bhakti. Don't worry, the terms sound more complicated than they are. By the end, you'll have a much clearer picture!What is Bhakti Anyway? A Quick RefreshBefore we get … Continue reading Vaidhī vs. Rāgānugā-Bhakti: Understanding Your Path to God’s Love

Stepping into the world of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy reveals a universe of love, ecstasy, and unimaginable spiritual heights. At the heart of this cosmic love story are Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the King of all enjoyers of rasa (Rasarāja), and Śrī Rādhikā, the personification of the highest love (Mahābhāva). Today's blog post dives into a particularly intimate … Continue reading A Secret of Govardhana: When Love Brings Back the Senses (inspired by the tika of verse 89 of Sri Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali)

Radhe Radhe, dear readers. Today, let us reflect on a truly wonderful image found in our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition: the shine or effulgence (prakāśa) of Śrī Rādhikā’s toenails. Our ācāryas have again and again sung of the moonlike glow of Śrī Rādhikā’s lotus feet and toenails. They describe how this light dispels the darkness of … Continue reading The Light Of Rādhikā’s Toenails: A Meditation For The Aspiring Sevā-dāsī

In the heart of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta lies a truth as humbling as it is liberating: Bhakti is not inherent in the jīva. This may surprise many who have embraced a poetic vision of the soul’s eternal relationship with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but the deeper we dive into the ocean of Gauḍīya tattva, especially through the … Continue reading To Live Is To Receive

“rādhā-pakṣa-vāsī jan milī yāhāre - vāhāre hari nā diyā kabhu nāhi yāya re”- Wherever one finds a person who dwells under the shelter of Śrī Rādhikā’s side, Mahāprabhu bestows His mercy unfailingly. (Vasudeva Gosha) In the ocean of bhakti-rasa, there flows a golden stream so rare and so intoxicating that it could only descend with … Continue reading The Joy Of Her Joy – Bhāvollāsā Rati

Based on the teachings of my beloved Gurudeva Śrīla Ananta Dās Bābājī Mahārāja In the sacred groves of Vṛndāvana, there flows a kind of love so selfless, so potent, and so irresistible that even Śrī Kṛṣṇa—the almighty, the all-attractive—is bound by it. This love is known as samarthā rati. 1. What is Samarthā Rati? According … Continue reading Samarthā Rati – The Crown Jewel of Divine Love

From śraddhā to bhāva, the sādhaka has walked a long road—marked by longing, discipline, ecstasy, and surrender. But now, in the stage of prema, he arrives at his eternal home: the embrace of love itself.In Mādhurya Kādambinī, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda describes prema as the culmination of bhakti’s journey—the flowering of the soul into its svarūpa, … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti — Part IX: Prema

Question: Hare Krishna! Dear Tarun Govinda das, in your nice blog I oftentimes read that your tradition (Nityananda parivar) recommends to meditate or contemplate on Sri Sri Radha Krishna´s lila during the chanting of the Maha-Mantra after having heard about these lilas or read about them in the books of our acaryas.In our tradition (ISKCON), … Continue reading Nāma as Gateway to Līlā: A Tradition Honoring Inner Experience

The Budding of Love: The First Ray of the Moon Named PremaAfter āsakti, where the soul is helplessly attached to Kṛṣṇa, comes the blessed arrival of bhāva—the stage where pure love begins to awaken in the sādhaka’s heart. It is like the very first tide of prema, gentle yet overwhelmingly transformative. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda describes … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti— Part VIII: Bhāva