Author: Chaitanya Charan

Understanding the mind of God

How should devotees see scientific research involving animal testing or organ donation?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 63 – 10.11.30-40 The extraordinary Lord gave and got joy in ordinary play

How may we be cynical in our relationship with Krishna?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 62 – 10.11.19-29 The Vrajavasis move to protect Krishna and Gokula both

How science and God go together as mechanical and personal explanations of reality

How to live at the junction of order and chaos – Learning from Dasharatha’s destiny

If we keep doing something that we had resolved to give up, what to do?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 61 – 10.11.1-9 Vrajavasis doubt Krishna’s supernatural power, but don’t disbelieve it

If we can’t go to heaven in human bodies, how do some kings like Dasharatha fight for the gods in heaven?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 60 – 10.11.10-18 By giving to Krishna, even if we appear to be losers, we are still gainers

How temptation attacks visibly and invisibly – Lessons from Indrajita’s attack on Rama-Lakshmana

For chanting, why are Tulsi beads recommended?

If Brahma is the creator of the universe, from where did the lotus on which he was born come?

Understanding difficult pastimes such as Rama’s banishing Sita

If the author is not present in the book, how is Valmiki present in Ramayana?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 59 – 10.10.36-43 The Lord grants not just physical mobility but also spiritual mobility

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 58 – 10.10.28-35 Though God has a body, he is not limited by or to his body

Why spiritual life matters – Talk to teenagers

Head in the sky, feet on the ground – balancing our aspirations with our actions

How do we realize that Krishna consciousness is like 5 million dollars and worldly things are like 5 dollars

From individualism to individuality – Are people innately good or innately bad?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 57 – 10.10.23-27 Krishna honors the promise of his devotees

Understanding the six stages of anartha nivrutti or inner purification – 2

Understanding the six stages of anartha nivrutti or inner purification – 1

Perfectionism is a serial killer in high heels

How can we work with difficult people?

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 56 – 10.10.15-22 Narada curses to cure the cause of the misbehavior, not just to punish the misbehavior

Bhagavad Gita Chapters 15-18 Overview

4 principles for improving relationships – Daksha-Sati pastime analysis

Bhagavad Gita Chapters 13-14 Overview

Relationships flourish by sharing, not by dominating – Rama Lakshmana interactions

7 purposes of ISKCON explained

How can we suffer insufferable people?

How can we be humble without appearing weak?

How can we balance between overthinking about other people’s actions and being thoughtful?

How can living in the present be reconciled with having an optimistic attitude?

How are faith and knowledge related – how is faith in the dharmic tradition differnt from faith in Christianity?

Maintaining faith on the spiritual path 1 – Bhakti is not all-or-nothing

For self-control, should we just focus on chosing our desires or should we also chose our situations?

Does sarva dharman parityajya mean that we should give up our rationality and just surrender?

Did Ravana have immense knowledge?

Can atheists and theists come together to make a better world?

The story of Vishvamitra – part 2 – Overcoming anger and arrogance

Can Abhimanyu’s getting trapped in Chakravuha be compared to our getting trapped in samsara-cakra?

TRUST acronym for strengthening relationships

Does spirituality cure depression or manage depression?

How the laws of nature work and what role Krishna plays in them

The story of Vishvamitra – Obstacles on the spiritual path – Part 1

Our worst enemy is inside us – and so is our best friend – Analyze, Confront, Empower

How strengths can become weaknesses and how weaknesses can become strengths

Why atheism requires more faith than theism – MORE acronym

Dealing with discouragement through 3 Es: Expansion, Elevation and Execution

How to become consistent – AIR acronym

3 understandings of humility for strengthening our relationships

Does emotional pain indicate something wrong that needs fixing or should it just be tolerated

How can we help those who can’t put past bad things in perspective?

How to avoid gossiping

All the people in the Malaysian airlines crash died – was it due to their own past karma?

Can we love ourselves? – HOPE acronym

Are our present sufferings because of our past karma?

Understanding papa, punya and bhakti – How the good obstructs and supports the best

Are there any brahmavadis in the world today?

Narasimha Chaturdashi – How Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada reside in our hearts

Do great devotees like Prahlad just focus on Krishna and not bother about problems at all?

Does bhakti become more and more complicated as we go into the details?

Does the upside-down tree metaphor of Gita chapter 15 imply that there’s a separate tree for each individual soul?

How can we avoid getting infected with material desires because of the triangularity of desires?

How is Paramatma realization an evolution from Brahman realization?

How can we ensure that our children follow our culture?

How can we share bhakti with Western audiences?

Hanuman in the cave – Persevering in bhakti through pleasure and trouble

Developing deeper relationships – CARE acronym

How do we balance not repressing ourselves and avoiding things unfavorable to Krishna consciousness

How do we refute secular humanism?

Curses and Choices – How to change our consciousness

If repression can’t accomplish anything – Gita 03.33 – why should we restrain our senses, Gita 03.34?

Discussion – God is not dead 2

Discussion – God is not dead 1

How obstacles become opportunities – Hanuman’s burning tail

Tap your inner power – TAB acronym with Srila Prabhupada’s example

Is Brahman the effulgence of the Absolute or is it the realization of our own eternality?

Is blaming past karma for bad things just a way to avoid blaming God?

Just as Bhishma chose the wrong side, so do we – how can we learn properly from such role models?

Think Choose Relish: 3-point essence of the first three verses of Srimad Bhagavatam

When a mother will keep mud away from a child, why does Krishna make lust so easily available in this world?

What goes around comes around – Ravana & Maya-Sita

Ravana -Ten Heads, Zero Brains – Keeping our desires in control

When analyzing issues, how do we know whether we are putting them in the right context such as material or spiritual?

When nothing works, we surrender to Krishna – how can we surrender to him in the beginning itself?

Won’t it help us spiritually if we remember our past lives?

QA on mindfulness at South Illinois University 2019 Spring

How our outer world and our inner world deludes – and how bhakti delivers

Ahalya cursed and blessed – 3 I’s for changing our consciousness

Hold your plans lightly, not tightly

Sentimentality Sensitivity Spirituality

Centering our life on Krishna – not on the intellectual, the psychological, the social or the cultural

Moving toward self-mastery through fear of dishonor and detachment – Gita 2.31.63

Nonviolence in speech – Be sensitive and sensible

How to deal with distress through devotion