Interestingly, the big skeptic David Hume argued that people have feelings, intuitions, attachments etc. Then they try to rationalize or justify them.

Krishna says in Bg 4.39, “One who believes attains knowledge.” The Sanskrit word for ‘belief’, ’sraddha’ is actually an action word, the act of placing ‘dhā’ one’s śrad, trust, faith, heart, in something.

The word śrad is only used in compounds such as śrad-dhā, and is ‘probably’ cognate with, for example, the Greek kardía (cardiology) ‘heart,
and the Latin cor, ‘heart,’. (cf Spanish corazon, Portuguese coração, Italian cuore, French coeur, all meaning ‘heart.’)

Thus ‘putting one’s heart’ into bhakti brings knowledge (4.39).

This should not be misunderstood to mean that bhakti is merely an emotionalism. Krishna says at 7.19 that a wise person surrenders to Him, knowing that Vāsudeva is everything. Similarly, Krishna says Bg 10.10 we come to Him by buddhi-yoga, the practice of spiritual reason or analysis.

So, bhakti is a perfect integration of head and heart. One may give priority to the heart, but I like to think that when the greatest devotees such as Radha and the Gopis give their love to Krishna, they are simultaneously realizing something infinitely extraordinary about Krishna, and their love and realization are perfectly integrated in one experience.

#feelings #bhakti #bhaktiyoga #prabhupada #shastra #iskcon #krishnawest ...

Ultimately, the real point here for me is justice. The idea that a guru suffers for a disciple’s, even when the guru is in no way responsible for that sin, is absurd in my view. I am fully committed to Lord Krishna’s justice. We enjoy and suffer for good and bad actions to the extent that we are responsible for those actions. If a parent, or a guru, does not properly teach a child or disciple, and that negligence directly leads to an offensive act, then the parent or guru suffers a reaction to the extent that they are responsible, not to the extent that they are not responsible.

The HBV is written by Sanātana Goswami and is therefore in the category of guru or sādhu, not Śāstra.

Further, we should take a closer look at this verse (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.77), which makes the following claims (I divide the words for clarity):

1. rājñi ca amātya-jā doṣāḥ. “The faults of the minister [are] in the king.” There is no mention of ‘citizens.’ Even in modern government, the public often believes that a leader is responsibile for the actions of his or her minister. A leader should make sure that the minister acts properly.

2. patnī-pāpam sva-bhartari. “A wife’s sin is in her husband.” This is true in a culture in which the wife strictly obeys the husband.

3. tathā śiṣya-arjitam pāpam guruḥ prāpnoti niścitam. “Similarly, a guru certainly acquires the sin commited by a disciple.” This non-śāstric claim makes sense in a situation where the guru lives with a disciple and is directly responsible for the disciples’s actions.

That is the most basic principle of justice, and I cannot accept that special rules assign suffering against the most common principles of justice.

#hdg #hdgoswami #shastra #gurusadhusastra #prabhupada #srimadbhagavatam #bhagavatapurana #vedas #iskcon #krishnawest #acharyadeva #parampara ...

Happy Radhastami! Live on FB and YouTube tonight at 9pm EST on CC Ādi 4.248, “Thus although I am the source of happiness for the entire world, the beauty and attributes of Śrī Rādhikā are My life and soul. ✨

#hdg #radharani #srimatiradharani #radhe #krishna #bhaktiyoga #prabhupada #iskcon #krishnawest #krsnawest #kw ...

Dear friends, H.D.Goswami’s Vyasa-Puja (lunar birthday celebration) is around the corner, and we will be accepting your written offerings until October 1st.
Please respect our volunteer’s time by not missing the deadline. You can submit it through this page (also in the IG bio) hdgoswami.com/vyasa-puja/2021-vyasa-puja-submission-form/, or by email: HDG.vpbook@gmail.com .

All languages accepted. Please check your spelling and send a high resolution photo to go along with your message. Thank you! 🙏
(photo: H.D.Goswami and his brother, on September 10th 2021) ...

We need a higher vision of ourselves as souls, and our relationship with Krishna. If we are, literally, Krishna conscious, material problems will not seem so important.
#hdg #hdgoswami #prabhupada #iskcon #selfcare #improveyourself #krishna #krishnaconsciousness #krishnawest #bhaktiyoga ...

Live today at 6pm EST

Nama Om Visnupadaya Krsnapresthaya bhutale Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin iti namine
Dear Prabhupada,
I offer my sincere obeisances at your feet. Your mission, your vision, to firmly establish the yuga-dharma, Hari-nama-sankirtana, throughout the world, is the ultimate inspiration and goal of our lives.
You taught us:

kali-kalera dharma — krsna-nama-sankirtana
krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana [CC 3.7.11]

“Sankirtana of Krsna’s names is the dharma of the Kali age. Without Krsna’s power, there is no spreading of that dharma.”

Just as Lord Krsna commanded Arjuna, “Just be My instrument” [Bg 11.33], so you urged us to try to become Krsna’s instruments. Just as Lord Krsna Himself had already slain the warriors whom He urged Arjuna to fight, so you revealed to us that Lord Caitanya has already spread His sankirtana movement around the world. Arjuna had only to fight a war already won by Krsna, and we have only to spread a sankirtana movement that Lord Krsna Himself has already spread.
“Why don’t you take the credit?” you challenged us. “Otherwise, Lord Krsna will give the credit to other devotees.”
I personally heard this from you on a morning walk in Rancho Park, Los Angeles. On this, your sacred appearence day, I pray that you may inspire and guide us to fully embrace Lord Krsna’s most generous, loving offer — to become His instrument in spreading the Hari-nama-sankirtana movement.

Your servant,

Hridayananda dasa Goswami
#prabhupada #srilaprabhupada #iskcon #vyasapuja #2021 #bhaktiyoga #krishnawest ...