Category: Articles

Moksha: The Ultimate Goal of Life in Hinduism

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 19, 2023

moksha release from birth and death

The word “Moksha” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Mukti,” which essentially means freedom. Moksha alludes to freedom from this material world and its painful bondages. This material world is characterized by four defects – birth, disease, old age, and death. All of these four conditions, coupled with the sufferings inflicted by natural disasters, other living beings, and the fear and anxiety of one’s mind, torment man throughout his life. According to Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma), Moksha is the condition where one is released from this cycle of birth and death and is happily united with God. Hence, Moksha is considered the ultimate goal of human life, and it is attained through discipline and spiritual practice. Moksha is a state of eternal bliss, devoid of any anxiety, where one realizes their spiritual identity and relationship with the Supreme Lord.

esa brahmi sthitih partha
nainam prapya vimuhyati
sthitvasyam anta-kale ‘pi
brahma nirvanam rcchati
(Bhagavad Gita 2.72)
–
This is the path of a spiritual and divine existence, upon achieving which one is not confused. By being situated in this way, even at the time of death, one can enter the realm of God.

There are five kinds of salvation (Moksha) that a spiritual practitioner can obtain at the end of his life in order to be released from the bondages of birth and death :

Radha Krishna

80 sons of Krishna – Names, Remarkable abilities & Pastimes

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 18, 2023

Krishna’s marriage to 16,108 wives is a fascinating fact, with each wife purportedly giving birth to 10 children, each bearing some resemblance to Lord Krishna. However, despite the large number of wives, there were only 8 queens among them. This prompts the question of how many sons Lord Krishna actually had. This discussion will revolve around the 80 sons that were born to the 8 queens. Lord Krishna had 8 queens, namely Rukmini, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Lakshmana, Bhadra, Nagnajiti, Jambavati, and Mitravinda. In this article we shall discuss the names of the 80 sons of Krishna that were born to them.

Krishna is also referred to as ‘Bhagavan Swayam’ in Srimad Bhagavatam, thereby implying that He is the source of all avatars (incarnations) of Godhead. Krishna is ‘Svayam rupa’ or the original supreme personality of Godhead, and is also referred to as ‘puskala’ or the most complete. He has innumerable names, describing His various qualities, pastimes and incarnations.

Ete camsa kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
Indrari vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28)
–
All these incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of the Supreme Lord, but Lord Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. All of His incarnations appear whenever there is a disturbance created by atheists. These incarnations appear to protect the theists.

Isvarah paramah krishna sac cid ananda vigrahah
Anadir adir govindah sarva karana karanam
(Brahma Samhita 5.1)
–
Krishna, who is also known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has a transcendental form of eternal bliss and knowledge. He is the origin of all and the prime cause of all causes.

Radha Krishna

Krishna and Sudama – Lessons on Immortal Friendship and True Bonding

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 17, 2023

krishna sudama

Krishna, who descends from His eternal abode in the spiritual world to this mundane world, interacts with others as if He were an ordinary human being. Although He is born as God, He appears to have a mother and father while playing as a cowherd boy in the village of Vrindavana. Krishna performs these pastimes to experience transcendental pleasure and attract suffering entities back home to Godhead. Sudama, who was one of His childhood friends, was a brahmana living as a spiritual guide. Lord Krishna and Sudama had been close childhood friends and classmates at Gurukul, where they received education under the guidance of Guru Sandipani. Although they eventually parted ways after their studies were completed, the bond of their divine friendship remained unbroken in their hearts.

Gaudiya Vaishnavism Srila Prabhupada Vaishnava acharyas

Srila and Prabhupada: Spiritual Meaning Behind These Sacred Titles

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 13, 2023

chaitanya pancha tattva srila prabhupada

The term ‘Srila’ is made up of two words, ‘Sri’ and ‘La’. ‘Sri’ means beauty and knowledge, and is also used as a term of respect. ‘La’ means ‘Lila’ or the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Consequently, ‘Srila’ is a title of reverence bestowed upon spiritual personalities who possess the capacity to grasp and admire Lord Krishna’s exalted pastimes, and their hearts are enriched with this ability.

The term ‘Prabhupada’ is used to describe an esteemed devotee who is a saint among saints. ‘Prabhu’ means master, and it is customary for Vaishnavas to address each other as ‘Prabhu.’ ‘Prabhupada’ refers to someone who is the shelter of many such ‘Prabhus.’ When numerous Prabhus seek refuge under the lotus feet of another Prabhu, the term ‘Prabhupada’ is used. In Vedic religious communities, ‘Prabhupada’ is a term of great respect.

Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) Kali Yuga

Concepts of Hindu Time (Kala) | Brahma’s Life span | Timespan of Yugas in Hinduism

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 11, 2023

four yugas hindu time brahma's lifespan

The Hindu worldview is centered on the idea of eternal and cyclical time, which is closely linked to the concept of the soul (atman). Hindus believe that the true self exists forever, not only in the future but also in the past. Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma does not have a beginning or an end, and the end of one phase leads to the start of another. The destruction of the universe is only a sign of its rebirth. As a result, the material world is believed to undergo perpetual cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction. We are currently believed to be in the Kali Yuga, with approximately 5000 human years already passed and an estimated 427,000 years remaining until its conclusion.

According to Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma), there are four Yugas – Satya, Treta, Dvarapara, and Kali. A thousand cycles of these 4 Yugas are said to comprise a ‘Kalpa’ or a single day of Brahma. The same (a thousand cycles of 4 Yugas) is the duration of Brahma’s night. At the beginning of Brahma’s day, the universal entities come into being and life becomes manifest. When Brahma sleeps during his night, the water of the causal ocean floods the universal planetary systems sparing only the abode of Brahma and a few higher planets. Brahma lives for 100 years and at the end of his lifespan, a complete universal dissolution occurs causing the universe to unmanifest itself. Therefore the universe suffers partial destruction at the end of Brahma’s day and a complete dissolution at the end of his lifetime. The Vedic scriptures explain that the concept of time differs in various planetary systems. For example, 1 day of Brahma equals a 1000 cycle of four Yugas. Similarly, 1 celestial day (a day in the heavenly planets where demigods reside) equals 6 months by human calculation. Also, 1 celestial night equals 6 human months. In the next section, we shall illustrate the time span of the four Yugas.

sahasra yuga paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga sahasrantam te ho ratra vido janah
(Bhagavad Gita 8.17)
–
A thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahma’s day. Same is the duration of his night.

Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) Radha Krishna

Radha Krishna : Eternal love story of the Divine Couple

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 9, 2023

iskcon vrindavan krishna balaram temple radha krishna

Yatha radha priya visnos-tasyah kundam priyam tatha
Sarva gopisu saivaika visnor atyanta vallabha
(Laghu Bhagavatamrita, 45)
–
Srimati Radharani is dear to Krishna, and her Kunda, known as Radha Kunda, is also similarly dear to Him. It is the favorite place of Krishna. Of all the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the dearest to Krishna.

Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate enjoyer and the ruler of all. He is ‘Isvara’ and the cause of all causes. Srimati Radharani embodies His Hladini shakti (internal potency) and is the most remarkable of all His devotees and the most intimate servant of the Lord. Despite Krishna being the supreme enjoyer, Radharani experiences a higher level of ecstasy through serving Sri Krishna, which even baffles the Supreme Lord, who longs to experience it first-hand. Thus, taking on the mood and golden complexion of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna descended as Lord Chaitanya in the age of Kali. The heart of Sri Chaitanya was a mirror of Srimati Radhika’s emotions, overflowing with feelings of union and separation from Krishna. It is said that there is no difference between Lord Chaitanya and the union of Radha and Krishna (Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Radha Krishna Nahe anya). Sri Radhika loves and worships Krishna as a simple cowherd boy of Vrindavana, ignoring His status as the mighty king of the Yadus or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She is consumed by Krishna’s sweetness and is willing to sacrifice anything, even her existence, to please Him. Her love for Krishna defies conventional logic, the limits of sacrifice, and the depths of emotional intensity.

Lord Nityananda Sheshashayi and Shergarh

Rama Ghat, Aicha Dauji temple – Oba Bangar | Balarama’s Rasa Lila

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 2, 2023

rama ghat aicha dauji oba bangar

Rama Ghat, situated about 5 Kilometers east of Shergarh, is the sacred place of Lord Balarama’s Rasa Lila. The residents of Vraja Bhumi had been living in the pain of separation from Krishna and Balarama after the two brothers left for Dwarka. Their distress was so critical that Balarama had to come over to Vrajabhumi to comfort them. It is said that Vasudeva and Devaki did not send Krishna to Vrindavan as they feared that He would never return. Instead, they sent Balarama. Balarama spent the months of Chaitra and Baisakha at Vrajabhumi reassuring His parents, friends, relatives, and the gopis.

Barsana, Yavat, Nandgaon Rupa Goswami

Ter Kadamba, Nandgaon – History and Pastimes

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 10, 2023

Ter Kadamba nandgaon

Ter Kadamba, situated midway between Yavat and Nandgaon, is one of the most notable sites of Vraja Mandala. Here, a small temple has been constructed in the midst of a group of Kadamba trees (burflower trees). This is also a place of Krishna’s rasa Leela and hence a platform has been constructed to commemorate this pastime. It is believed that Krishna used to bring His cows to graze at this place. Later when it was time to return home, He used to climb up on the Kadamba tree and play on His flute. Hearing Him play, the cows would immediately return. Krishna would then count each cow on His jeweled necklace before departing for Nandgaon. Sometimes, under the gentle light of a full moon, Krishna would climb this tree and play upon His flute to call upon His sakhis. Radha and the other gopis would then leave their homes to respond to the call of their beloved. The surrendered Gopis would then engage in Rasa dance with Krishna. Since Krishna climbed upon the Kadamba tree and played His flute to call (ter) the cows and gopis, this place is known as Ter-Kadamba.

Barsana, Yavat, Nandgaon Gaudiya Vaishnavism - An overview

Vrinda Devi Temple and Vrinda Kunda, Nandgaon – History

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 7, 2023

vrinda devi temple kunda nandgaon

The forest of Vrindavan derives its name from Srimati Vrinda devi. Tulasi is an expansion of Vrinda devi. Tulasi, Govardhan, and Yamuna are eternally present in the spiritual world. They manifest themselves in this material world only to purify the living entities and bestow upon them the pure love of God. In a previous age, Vrinda, born as the daughter of King Kedera, had executed severe austerities in the forest of Vrindavan. She had performed penances for sixty thousand years. After sanctifying Vrindavan, she attained the spiritual abode. Being pleased with her, Lord Vishnu had granted the boon that any austerities performed in Vrindavan would fructify quickly and beget excellent results. Tulasi, an expansion of Vrinda devi, later appeared as the daughter of King Kusadhvaja and also perfected herself after executing severe penances in Vrindavan. Tulasi, who always serves Lord Krishna’s lotus feet, is very dear to Him. Krishna does not accept any offering without a Tulasi leaf. Vrinda devi perpetually resides in Vrindavan and is also a friend of Radharani. She possesses a beautiful molten gold complexion, wears bluish garments, and adorns herself with pearls and flowers. Her father is Chandrabhanu and her mother is Phullara devi. She is married to Mahipala Gopa and her sister’s name is Manjari. On the instructions of Paurnamasi (Yogmaya devi), Vrinda devi always yearns to arrange meetings between Radha and Krishna.

Gaudiya Vaishnavism - An overview Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma)

How many Years in One Yuga | Yuga Cycle | Timespan of Hindu Yugas

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 30, 2022

How many Years in One Yuga Timespan of Yugas

According to Sanatan Dharma, there are four Yugas – Satya, Treta, Dvarapara, and Kali. A thousand cycles of these 4 Yugas are said to comprise a ‘Kalpa’ or a single day of Brahma. The same (a thousand cycles of 4 Yugas) is the duration of Brahma’s night. At the beginning of Brahma’s day, the universal entities come into being and life becomes manifest. When Brahma sleeps during his night, the water of the causal ocean floods the universal planetary systems sparing only the abode of Brahma and a few higher planets. Brahma lives for 100 years and at the end of his lifespan, a complete universal dissolution occurs causing the universe to unmanifest itself. Therefore the universe suffers partial destruction at the end of Brahma’s day and a complete dissolution at the end of his lifetime. The Vedic scriptures explain that the concept of time differs in various planetary systems. For example, 1 day of Brahma equals a 1000 cycle of four Yugas. Similarly, 1 celestial day (a day in the heavenly planets where demigods reside) equals 6 months by human calculation. Also, 1 celestial night equals 6 human months. In the next section, we shall illustrate the time span of the four Yugas.