Wisdom of the Sages
Raghunath Cappo & Kaustubha Das
Truths about life from the timeless wisdom of the Bhakti-yoga tradition - fun, relevant, and deep. Learn about dharma, yoga, bhakti, and how it relates to all the basic questions of life. This show is about how to live your best life, let go of the external distractions, and uncover the spiritual happiness that lies within the heart as the true nature of the soul.
Raghunath and Kaustubha's connection goes back to their teens in the New York Hardcore Punk Scene of the early 80s, through serving together as Bhakti-yogi monks in the 90's, to sharing their experiences in the world of yoga in the 21st century.
Raghunath and Kaustubha's connection goes back to their teens in the New York Hardcore Punk Scene of the early 80s, through serving together as Bhakti-yogi monks in the 90's, to sharing their experiences in the world of yoga in the 21st century.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 19, 2022 • 57min
711: Your Mind is a Pond, Your Feelings are the Fish
think of your mind like a pond and your feelings as fish / Bhagavad-gita begins with - you're not your body, you're not your mind / tolerating the feelings without being disturbed / Vedic genetics /your watermelon seed can't become a cantaloupe / free speech, but with respect / the Devas boycott Anga's ritual / evil Vena / if you can't change the circumstance, change how you view them / Anga cuts out SB 4.13.19-49
Apr 18, 2022 • 55min
710: Seeing the Soul in the Beggar
"Those who crusade not for God in themselves, but against the devil in others, never succeed in making the world better" / first, seek to understand / work on getting rid of your personal hate / back to sage level 1 / pāñcarātrika-vidhi vs bhāgavata-mārga / Utkala's apparent madness / bhajanānandī vs goṣṭhy-ānandī / stories of the devas coming in disguise / we'll all be tested on the depth of our sama darshana / seeing the soul in the beggar / where is your heart and mind when you're dealing with "crazies"? SB 4.13.1-18
Apr 16, 2022 • 1h 5min
709: Q & A - Volume 103
Did Sri Chaitanya have a favorite kirtan melody? / When can one become a teacher? / I can't stop feeing bodily ecstasies in relation to Bhakti - Is this some amazing mercy or is there something potentially wrong or wrong with me?
Apr 15, 2022 • 55min
708: Stepping on the Head of Death
he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity's sunrise / one undisturbed by happiness & distress & who is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation / the nature of spiritual happiness is that it is always increasing / Dhruva steps on the head of death / we're here to learn that this life is for giving and not taking / we catch Krishna with love / be friendly to all, but be careful who you let in your heart / seeing everything in connection with God / Raghu was a closet Rush fan SB 4.12.29-52
Apr 14, 2022 • 55min
707: Seeing God Beyond the Temple
noticing sensation without giving it meaning / Emily Dickinson - Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church / instead of getting to Heaven, at last – I'm going, all along / temple ritual can be empty - or it can give one eyes to see God beyond the temple / the depth of concentration required for Astanga-yoga / samadhi as trance - samadhi as incessant directed thought / in Bhakti, the means and the end are the same SB 4.12.17-28
Apr 13, 2022 • 55min
706: What Reflections Tell Us About Reality
what does it mean, that we are living in an illusion? / time reveals this world as illusion / when we realize it's a dream, we're about to wake up / reflections are both real and illusory / a reflection always indicates the existence of the substance it reflects / reflections appear exactly like the substance they reflect, and yet are the exact opposite / the qualities we need to perceive reality / from within, keep your mind aloof, externally execute the material duties perfectly SB 4.12.15-16
Apr 12, 2022 • 53min
705: Are Our Dreams Less Real than "Reality"?
is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream? / are our dreams less real than "reality"? / there's always anxiety when we're in disguise / we're tiny and fragile & the world doesn't revolve around us / how Dhruva lived - engaged in sacrifice, seeing God in everyone, respectful & kind / a devotee is not interested in enjoyment or affected by distress / Dhruva hands off his relative power so he can engage his mind more fully in the absolute / divine or demoniac qualities / use the dream to escape the dream SB 4.12.10-15
Apr 11, 2022 • 54min
704: We Own Nothing
we own nothing / when we think of ourselves as the owner, we're placing ourselves at odds with nature / the test is how to love everything around us, but not try to possess it / going deeper means understanding that even our bodies, words and minds belong to Krishna / with or without merit, we cling to our justification tightly / do not remove, but improve / if we aren't feeling the connection between us, we're in illusion / we're here to learn tolerance and humility / a repeating theme in Bhagavatam - what benediction to choose SB 4.11.30-4.12.9
Apr 10, 2022 • 53min
703: Interview with Harley Flanagan
Raghunath & Kaustubha interview their longtime friend Harley Flanagan, founder of New York hardcore band Cro-Mags and the person that introduced them to Bhakti in their youth. Follow Harley on IG @harleyfflanagan
Apr 9, 2022 • 1h 1min
702: Q & A - Volume 102
Is it my duty to care for my parents? / How to bring the mind to Krishna in meditation, when the mind always goes toward business? / How we can do our best to not judge others? / How much importance is placed on chanting 16 rounds of daily japa meditation? / Krishna book or Bhagavad-gita, which should I start with? / Is there a proper "grace" prayer that Bhakti-yogis can offer prior to eating a meal?
