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It is difficult to find someone from the West that both understands and can elegantly express the theory behind an Eastern mystical tradition. It is even more difficult to find a modern mystic. In Swami Tripurari we have both: a traditional mystic who can articulate the teachings of an ancient spiritual tradition. A compelling speaker, to hear him and be in his presence is itself a spiritual experience.

Swami Tripurari met his initiating guru, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the spring of 1972. He relates that he felt as though he had met a long-lost friend, as Srila Prabhupada blessed him with his all-knowing glance.

Over the years of service that followed, Srila Prabhupada showered him with affection and repeatedly expressed his appreciation for his selfless service and ability to inspire others. In 1974 Srila Prabhupada instructed him in a widely circulated letter, “So you organize freely. You are the incarnation of book distribution. Take the leadership and do the needful.” Accordingly, Swami Tripurari has set an example of one who is independently thoughtful and capable of making an insightful literary contribution to the world.

In 1975 Swami Tripurari was initiated by Srila Prabhupada into the renounced order of sannyasa.

Swami B. V. Tripurari Swami B. V. Tripurari

    • Religion & Spirituality

It is difficult to find someone from the West that both understands and can elegantly express the theory behind an Eastern mystical tradition. It is even more difficult to find a modern mystic. In Swami Tripurari we have both: a traditional mystic who can articulate the teachings of an ancient spiritual tradition. A compelling speaker, to hear him and be in his presence is itself a spiritual experience.

Swami Tripurari met his initiating guru, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the spring of 1972. He relates that he felt as though he had met a long-lost friend, as Srila Prabhupada blessed him with his all-knowing glance.

Over the years of service that followed, Srila Prabhupada showered him with affection and repeatedly expressed his appreciation for his selfless service and ability to inspire others. In 1974 Srila Prabhupada instructed him in a widely circulated letter, “So you organize freely. You are the incarnation of book distribution. Take the leadership and do the needful.” Accordingly, Swami Tripurari has set an example of one who is independently thoughtful and capable of making an insightful literary contribution to the world.

In 1975 Swami Tripurari was initiated by Srila Prabhupada into the renounced order of sannyasa.

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; June 9, 2024: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Inner and Outer Pursuits

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; June 9, 2024: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Inner and Outer Pursuits

    Questions on today's Swami call:
    Thank you for your kind mercy. Can you share something about the moods and bhavas of the wives of Sri Caitanya's associates?
    Is the Haridas Goswami you mentioned the same person that founded the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan? Is it possible that what Haridas Goswami taught was about Sri Gauranga's relationship with his wives before taking sannyasa?
    In the madhya-lila of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, there is an instance where Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya offers food to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu then comments that he hopes the food has been offered to Sri Krishna, as there are Tulasi flowers on it. If we are to worship our deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nityananada in the mood that they are pursuing, when we offer them food, would they prefer it to have been offered to Sri Krishna first?
    Is there a significance to the sequence of how the deities are placed on the altars at Srila Prabhupada's temple of Sri Sri Krishna-Balarama in Vrindavana?
    Do you think that people like Martin Luther would have heard about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and been inspired by him in their work?
    It is said that Sri Gauranga appears in other Kali-yugas as Gaura Narayana rather than Gaura Krishna. What would be the purpose of such avataras?
    Do you have any thoughts on accepting money for religious services?

    • 1 hr
    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; June 2, 2024: In Memory of Sriman Jagadananda Prabhu

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; June 2, 2024: In Memory of Sriman Jagadananda Prabhu

    Would you like to say something in memory of Sriman Jagadananda Prabhu, who passed away this week?
    There is a verse in the Padyavali that describes Mother Yashoda telling Sri Krishna about Lord Narasimhadeva. Did this event take place in the spiritual world or in the lila here on Earth?
    Could you recommend any Gaudiya Vaishnava or Vaishnavi who has explained madhurya-rasa in the same way that you have explained sakhya-rasa?
    How can one maintain the commitment of a beginner (kanistha) devotee while striving to become open-minded like an intermediate (madhyama) devotee?
    Is the maha-mantra a Vedic mantra or not, and what difference would that make?
    When you read the Bhagavad-Gita, should it be taken more as allegorical and interpreted or as an actual eventa

    • 1 hr 12 min
    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 26, 2024: The Contrast Between Hiranyakasipu and Prahlada

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 26, 2024: The Contrast Between Hiranyakasipu and Prahlada

    Questions on today's Swami call:
    When the sadhana-siddha enters the spiritual world, do they forget the baddha-jivas of this world?
    Once when asked about why there are so many religions in the world, Srila Sridhara Maharaja answered, "There must be religious differences, but one who can catch the real internal meaning of the truth will be saved." Can you help me understand this statement?
    Srila Sridhara Maharaja also said that since people are so fallen in Kali-yuga, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had to bring the highest conception of the Godhead to save them. Is it then ultimately to our advantage that we are so fallen?
    Is it also an advantage that things like cheating and parakiya is not so foreign to us and therefore we can better relate to Sri Krishna?
    When Sri Nimai Pandit was disturbed about unqualified people having entered the kirtana at Srivasa Angan, was his ecstasy actually diminished, or was that something he said to create a teachable moment?
    When chanting the maha-mantra, should we focus on something particular such as the syllables or the spirit of service?
    When we receive diksa, is it the nature of the maha-mantra that changes to give us a deeper experience or is it our body changing into a sadhaka deha that makes us more receptive to what is already there in the mantra?
    The Bhagavatam's contrast between the highly demoniac father, Hiranyakasipu, and his most saintly son, Prahlada is considerable. What is the text seeking to convey to its readers by this contrast?
    Why do we refer to Srila Sridhara Maharaja with the title Deva?

    • 1 hr 4 min
    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 19, 2024: The Unconscious, the Brain, and Krishna Consciousness

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 19, 2024: The Unconscious, the Brain, and Krishna Consciousness

    Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi was at one point critical of the pujaris in Jagannatha Puri for covering the deities in new cloth without washing out the starch. In response to this, Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balarama appeared to him in a dream an slapped him on his cheeks. Can you explain the significance of this pastime?

    Earlier in Gaura-lila, Sri Gadadhara Pandit criticized Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi which he later realized was a grave mistake. Here Pundarika Vidyanidhi is critical. This makes me wonder, who is Pundarika Vidyanidhi in Krishna-lila?

    What is the role of the unconscious in Krishna consciousness?

    What is the relationship between the mind and the brain, and what is the function of the brain?

    Why do we refer to Srila Sridhara Maharaja with the title Deva?

    If Sri Ramananda Raya is identified with Pandava Arjuna, and Arjuna is identified with Nara-Narayana, who is VIshnu-tattva, might this be the reason that Ramananda Raya is also identified with many other personalities, as Vishnu-tattva may have several sthayi-bhavas simultaneously while jivas do not?

    • 1 hr 6 min
    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 12, 2024: We Are Atomic Units of Eternity, Knowledge, and Bliss

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; May 12, 2024: We Are Atomic Units of Eternity, Knowledge, and Bliss

    00:01:03 Dandavats, dear Guru Maharaja. In the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krishna instructs us to fix not only our mind but also our intelligence on him. In verse 2.41, is “fixed intelligence” (vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha) the same as the Vedantic practice of reflective contemplation (mananam)?

    00:13:33 How important is it for us as sadhakas to know that we are units of eternity, consciousness and bliss (sat-cit-ananda)? When we are unaware of this fact, we are vulnerable, and perhaps this vulnerability is conducive to surrender (saranagati), for example, seeing Sri Krishna as our only maintainer and protector.

    00:30:43 Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri Jiva Goswami present slightly different perspectives on whether sakhya-rasa or vatsalya-rasa affords greater intimacy with Sri Krishna. What might be Sri Krishna’s perspective?

    00:39:13 Is there any connection between the vanara-monkeys in Rama-lila and the monkeys to whom Sri Krishna feeds butter in Krishna-lila? I have heard thet the vanara monkeys endeared themselves so much to Lord Rama that they were given birth in Krishna-lila to continue associate with him there.

    00:47:42 You mentioned in an answer to an earlier question that while we speak in this world about a hierarchy in the spiritual world, in the spiritual world it is not perceived as such. Would this principle extend outside of the different rasas of Vraja to, for example, Mathura, Dwaraka, Ayodhya, and Vaikuntha?

    00:49:19 Considering that there may be different valid spiritual perspectives pointing to different abodes in the spiritual world, do you think there is room for a religious tradition to present its truths as universal/absolute even if they do not align with the truths present in other traditions?

    • 58 min
    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; April 21, 2024: The Atmosphere Created Through In-Person Hari-Katha

    Swami B. V. Tripurari Live Q&A; April 21, 2024: The Atmosphere Created Through In-Person Hari-Katha

    0:00 News

    00:00:41 Dandavats pranam, Guru Maharaja. Why is it that Sri Krishna sometimes refers to himself in third person in the Bhagavad-Gita?

    00:01:59 Should we always refer to Sri Krishna himself or should we sometimes use terms like Paramatma?

    00:11:18 Is Bhaktivedanta a title given to devotees who have studied at a high level?

    00:18:45 Would you like to share about what the difference was between the version of the sannyasa-mantra you received from Srila Prabhupada and the one you received from Srila Sridhara Maharaja?

    00:24:20 Sometimes it is taught that we should worship Sri Krishna because the spiritual world is the only place where we will be happy, whereas the material world only brings suffering. In my case, I worship Sri Krishna because I am interested in who he is and what he wants from me. At the same time, I want my material situation to be good, including relationships. Does this mean I have not yet let go of the thought that one can find happiness in this world?

    00:37:19 Some devotees say that Lord Jagannatha is Srimati Radharani in the mood of Sri Krishna, whereas Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Sri Krishna in the mood of Srimati Radharani. Have you heard anything about this?

    00:42:51 Devotees in higher stages feel themselves fallen whereas beginners may want recognition for being good devotees. Is this an obstacle for the beginner devotees?

    00:55:03 Is something lacking in hearing the guru speak on the Srimad Bhagavatam online that is there if one attends in person?

    • 59 min

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