1671: We Become What We Behold: Choosing the Spiritual Tools That Shape Us
Wisdom of the Sages
What you hold in your mind shapes you. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore Marshall McLuhan’s famous line—“We become what we behold”—and connect it with Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Do we let random media and impulses shape us, or do we consciously adopt tools that align with who we want to become? From the media-is-the-message to Bhāgavatam 10.12, we enter Aghāsura’s cavernous “cave,” watch Krishna rescue His friends, liberate the demon, and trigger a celestial celebration. Along the way: fearlessness vs. recklessness,...
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1670: Why We Can’t Stand Others’ Happiness: A Bhakti Perspective
Wisdom of the Sages
How is it that we can feel unhappy when we see someone else happy? And what does that reveal about the condition of our mind and heart? In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore envy through Shakespeare’s words, Patrick Henry’s warning, and Aghāsura’s jealousy in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.12. They discuss why resentment is a form of spiritual self-sabotage, how bhakti transforms envy into empathy, and why the cowherd boys’ simple joy surpasses even the achievements of the greatest yogis. Highlights include: • Shakespeare on envy: “O, how bitter…” • Patrick...
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1669: Debate Without Hate: Some Thoughts After the Charlie Kirk Shooting
Wisdom of the Sages
When debate turnsviolent, yogis reach for higher tools—not more gasoline. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha reflect on the rising culture of outrage and political violence, using the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk as a moment to pause and ask: how can we disagree without dehumanizing? Drawing from Śrī Caitanya’s example of gentle but powerful debate, and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam’s accounts of Krishna’s childhood pastimes, they explore practical bhakti principles that can steady the heart even when the world feels unstable. Key Highlights * The provocateur trap: why...
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1668: Small Acts, Infinite Meaning | The Pinnacle of Vedānta in Simple Love
Wisdom of the Sages
Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how the pinnacle of Vedānta and yoga is revealed in the simplest exchange: Mother Yaśodā calling little Kṛṣṇa home for dinner. They unpack why quality of love matters more than quantity of achievement, and why “do small things with great love” isn’t just a sweet saying—it’s the key to real growth. Drawing from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.11), Mother Teresa, Lord Rāma’s squirrel story, and reflections from Scottie Scheffler, the world’s #1-ranked golfer, they reveal how fleeting victories fade while love endures. From cows and calves to the...
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1667: Born to Give: How the Universe Trains the Soul
Wisdom of the Sages
Anne Frank once wrote, “No one has ever become poor from giving.” In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how the universe itself is designed to train us to give—first through external acts of sacrifice and service, and ultimately by offering the heart. Through the lens of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā’s peace formula (5.29), they unpack why we are born to give, not to possess, and how life’s tapas transforms into joy when directed as seva. Key Highlights * Born to Give (not to hoard): generosity as the soul’s natural state. * The Peace Formula (BG...
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1666: Modern Minds Stuck in Outrage Cycles — The Bhakti Exit Strategy
Wisdom of the Sages
Hate shrinks the soul, but devotion expands it. This episode weaves together Booker T. Washington’s timeless wisdom with the Bhakti-yoga path of love and transformation. From Washington’s refusal to let hatred narrow his soul to Nārada’s “curse that cures” and Baby Krishna’s Dāmodara pastime, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how bhakti disarms resentment, envy, and bitterness—and replaces them with clarity, compassion, and joy. Discover why contempt is spiritual quicksand, how outrage has become the new addiction, and why love is the only effective recovery plan. With humor,...
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1665: War & Peace & Bhakti: When Tolstoy’s Insight Meets Baby Krishna
Wisdom of the Sages
Pierre Bezukhov’s captivity in War and Peace leads him to a discovery straight out of yogic wisdom: happiness is within, suffering can transform into blessing, and the company of a saintly soul changes everything. Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack Tolstoy’s descriptions of Pierre’s awakening through Platon Karataev and connect them with the bhakti truths of the Bhagavad-Gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. From Pierre’s realization that “Life is everything. Life is God” to baby Krishna’s playful liberation of two fallen demigods, the timeless message shines through—what looks like...
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1664: The Price of Wealth and the Vision of the Yogi
Wisdom of the Sages
The Sage Nārada’s tough-love blueprint takes center stage as Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how losing comfort—or choosing austerity—acts like “ointment for the eyes,” restoring humility, compassion, and spiritual clarity. Along the way, a striking line from Benjamin Franklin sheds light on the danger of being possessed by wealth, while the timeless wisdom of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reveals why voluntary simplicity has always been the yogi’s path to deeper vision. Key Highlights * Franklin’s insight: wealth often ends up possessing us. * How wealth dulls empathy and blinds...
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1663: Not Me, Not Mine: Walt Whitman & the Yogis Agree—Our Bodies Are On Loan
Wisdom of the Sages
Walt Whitman’s startling line—“every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you”—meets the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, where Nārada Muni confronts two proud sons of Kubera and forces them to consider: who really owns the body? From Whitman’s atoms to the yogic teaching “not me, not mine,” we uncover the liberating truth that the body is a vehicle on loan, entrusted for a higher purpose. Along the way we also explore how sages wield the power to curse—and why those curses are often hidden blessings. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.1-12 ...
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1662: Krishna: Unlimited Brahman or Adorable Baby? A Paradox at the Heart of Vedānta
Wisdom of the Sages
This episode dives into one of Vedānta’s deepest paradoxes: how the all-pervading, unlimited Brahman appears as a child and is bound by a rope. With reflections from physicist Niels Bohr and insights from the Bhāgavatam, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack how truth, when probed deeply, transcends logic—and how love alone can bind the infinite. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.15-23 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to WATCH ON YOUTUBE: LISTEN ON ITUNES: CONNECT ON...
info_outline“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.” - St. Augustine / in fighting over inessential details we miss the essence / Bhagavatam is sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ - the essence of all the Vedic literature / if the inessential details aren’t bringing us to the essence, we can drop them / the mind unburdened by material concerns can appreciate the mercy of Vishnu / even anger and thievery can bring you closer to God / the paw or the claw
SB 7.8.54 - 7.9.3