Jagat

A friend sent me a few comments that were made about me over on Nitai's Chaitanya Symposium . Nitai (Neal Delmonico) is an old friend, with whom I unfortunately do not keep in very close contact. Our approaches to bhakti and spiritual life differ somewhat, particularly where mood is concerned. For some reason, Nitai finds it necessary to find nothing positive in the Vaishnava movement that brought him to "Chaitanya Vaishnavism" and I do not agree with this, as I feel it impacts negatively on our sādhanā when we do that kind of thing. But that is his business. He has a good brain and is well read, so I hope the best for him and his spiritual ambitions. And whether I agree with him or not is irrelevant to the fact that he is one of the foremost scholars of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the world and deserves respect for that fact alone. Here are some of the things that were said: Nitai : What can I say about Jagat? He at present prefers sahaja-dharma to Vaishnava dharma. His ...

As a consequence of the latest scandal regarding Rajendra Sharma, formerly known as Bhagwat Acharya and now being portrayed in the media as “Porn Swami,” general damage seems to be being inflicted on all who are connected to religious activities, worship or preaching. Videos Sharma took with his wife of sexual activities with backdrops of Vrindavan’s scenery and mythological themes from Krishna’s life have now made the media tour of all of India, with the most lurid and sensationalistic coverage since last March and April, when Tamil Swami Nithyananda was filmed in flagrante delicto with an actress. . The Indian media has learned the lesson of tabloid journalism enthusiastically, and the obvious lesson is that it sells. Even here on this humble and fledgling website, where we are trying to serve Vrindavan Dham, its residents and lovers from around the world, we have seen a spike in hits and visits since we published articles on the subject. But it is not those articles that are ...