The Dawn of Taste: When Devotion Becomes Sweet After the stage of niṣṭhā, where devotion is firm but dry, the soul is gifted with ruci—genuine taste for devotional practices. If niṣṭhā is like walking toward the sun with determination, ruci is when the sun finally begins to warm the heart. In this stage, bhakti is … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti — Part VI: Ruci —

In these modern times, much is demanded of us. Not every soul has the opportunity to dedicate the entire day exclusively to sādhana-bhakti—chanting, hearing, reading, worshiping, and so on. Most of us have regular jobs where we need to perform at our best. Many are in relationships, have children, or carry other worldly responsibilities.So—are we … Continue reading Work, World, and the Whisper of Vraja

Some time ago, a devotee asked me quite directly: “This mañjarī-bhāva you are writing about… is it even bona fide?” I paused. Not because I doubted the path, but because I could feel the sincere confusion behind the question. The devotee continued: “Where in our śāstra is it clearly written that one should follow mañjarī-bhāva? … Continue reading Mañjarī-bhāva and its authenticity

I had always read about it in books, heard stories in talks, and imagined what it might feel like:Receiving siddha-pranali—the revelation of one’s eternal identity in Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s divine play. And then it happened... My Gurudeva, a jewel among Rādhārānī’s maidservants, revealed to me my siddha-deha—my spiritual name, my age, my service, my dress, my residence … Continue reading Caught Between Two Worlds?

The Lotus Feet of the Guru – A Jewel from the Heart of Narottama In the infinite waves of pure devotion emanating from the mahājanas of the Gauḍīya Sampradāya, the song “Śrī Guru Caraṇa Padma” by Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura shines like an eternal jewel. These verses are not mere poetic lines – they are … Continue reading My favourite songs of our mahajanas

The Diamond of Steadiness: When Bhakti Becomes the Backbone of Life Having endured the storm of anartha-nivṛtti, the sādhaka emerges on steadier ground in the stage known as niṣṭhā, or unshakeable firmness in bhakti.Here, the sun of the Holy Name begins to shine unobstructed, and the heart becomes a stable seat for Kṛṣṇa. Though the … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti — Part V: Niṣṭhā

The Inner Earthquake: When Devotion Confronts Darkness After entering bhajana-kriyā and sincerely practicing the limbs of bhakti under the guidance of guru and sādhu-saṅga, the sādhaka inevitably confronts a critical and tumultuous stage: anartha-nivṛtti, or the removal of the unwanted. This phase is not peripheral—it is central to the development of pure devotion. The heart … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti According to Mādhurya Kādambinī — Part IV: Anartha-nivṛtti

From Longing to Living: The Beginning of Deliberate Devotional Life Once śraddhā has awakened and the soul has come under the loving influence of sādhu-saṅga, the natural progression is into the realm of bhajana-kriyā—the formal and structured engagement in the practices of bhakti. In this stage, the soul takes her first real steps toward Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti According to Mādhurya Kādambinī— Part III: Bhajana-kriyā

The Heart Awakens: From Śraddhā to Living Faith through the Association of Saints If śraddhā is the seed of the creeper of devotion (bhakti-latā-bīja), then sādhu-saṅga is the fertile soil in which it grows. Śraddhā alone is like a spark; it needs nurturing. That nurturing takes form in the company of sādhus—devotees who live and … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti According to Mādhurya Kādambinī — Part II: Sādhu-saṅga

With Commentary by Śrī Ananta Dās Bābājī Mahārāja — Part I: Śraddhā — Introduction to Śraddhā: The Seed of Transcendence In Mādhurya Kādambinī, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda paints the divine ascent of a jīva through the path of bhakti as a gentle yet powerful unfolding of clouds—each stage a “shower” from the cloudbank of Mahāprabhu’s causeless … Continue reading The Ascent of the Soul: A Journey through the Stages of Bhakti – part I (Śraddhā)