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
Oct 9, 2020 • 52min
262: Ya Got Your Red Pill & Your Blue Pill
The Purusha Shukta describes the totality of creation as 1/4 illusion & 3/4 spiritual reality / our choice the red pill or the blue pill / the fine print on the material blue pill - "users may experience death, fear and old age" / some gastrointestinal advice from Raghu / materialism is the blue pill - jnana is the red / bhakti synthesizes everything - you can maintain your material life while still moving from illusion to reality SB 2.6.17 - 20
Oct 8, 2020 • 56min
261: Matter is Generated out of Spirit (Purusha Shukta Confirmed)
the mantras of the Vedas are echoed & expanded on in Srimad Bhagavatam / what do we pray for? / virtual reality is generated out of reality / the universe didn't appear by chance, it is designed to facilitate our desires / we are given the virtual equipment (senses & sense objects) to experiment with separate enjoyment / Bhakti Yoga means we reconnect the senses to their original source SB 2.6.1-16
Oct 7, 2020 • 59min
260: Pleasure of the Ego Always Leads to Pain
our depression, anger, etc. are not us, they are equipment not functioning well / pleasure of the ego always leads to pain / Sankhya - counting the material elements and knowing that I am something else / sattvic happiness turns from poison into nectar, rajasic happiness turns from nectar into poison / monk life strips away everything you've got / our little bit of freedom / sattvic living loosens the noose of the material energy / Vishnu is the soul of the universe SB 2.5.32 - 42
Oct 6, 2020 • 55min
259: Making the Micro-Macro Connections
wisdom means making the micro - macro connections / universal creation is like baking bread / adding the elements of time, karma, and individual nature to the dough / the world is moving for our purification / Groundhog Day / our life is one thin page / Lord Vishnu on 3 levels / the ingredient of false ego facilitates the illusion we desire / earth, water, fire, air & ether / the 11 senses / for every "thou shalt not" we should have a good reason SB 2.5.21-31
Oct 5, 2020 • 57min
258: Raghu & Mara's Experimentations in Sense Control
Raghu's tamari almond binge & subsequent 90's girl band binge / there's either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret / behind the world we perceive is a director we don't perceive / studying the psychic effects of thinking, feeling and willing / God is never covered - we are / the bird and the hole in the wall / the false premise that everything real can be perceived empirically / ultimately, everything is revealed through love SB 2.5.17-20
Oct 4, 2020 • 1h 2min
257: An Interview with Visakha Dasi-- A Photojournalist's Journey to Bhakti
a hollowness inside myself / India - an atmosphere of faith / inspiration from the widows of Vrindavan / getting past the immaturity of early followers / understanding Srila Prabhupada's intention / quaint, gleeful Vrindavan / the realization that I'm meant to serve with love / the journey from immature to mature spirituality Check out her book, Five Years, Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Unexpected Love, and her film Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All
Oct 3, 2020 • 1h 10min
256: Questions & Answers - Volume 29
who is your favorite character from Mahabharata & why? / how do Kaustubha and Raghu practice japa? / how to not become discouraged when our progress seems slow? / how to find community when isolated in a lonely part of the world? / how does one become initiated in a bhakti lineage? / how can we start letting go of these habits like pornography and masturbation?
Oct 2, 2020 • 53min
255: Illusory Conceptions of I & Mine
illusory I & Mine conceptions of the self in the center / Brahma's clarification - everything is seen in relation to Narayana / to say "there is no Absolute Truth" is an absolute statement / with no spiritual foundation there is no basis for ethics / Kaustubha's Satanic friend / the understanding that consciousness in non-material leads to recognizing that all life is sacred / yoga & tapas are meant for connecting to Narayana / the beautiful verses of the Bhagavad-gita SB 2.5.14-16
Oct 1, 2020 • 54min
254: The Cause of All Causes
levels 1,2 & 3 of the Bhagavatam / where is the school that studies the nature of the soul? / I'm not God - my significance comes from my contribution / we are made up of mercy / if Brahma is God why does he perform austerities? / sampradaya - lineage / a good question is as important as a good answer / "gurus" who let their followers think they are God / I meditate on Vasudeva / the illusion of I & mine SB 2.5.1 - 13
Sep 30, 2020 • 58min
253: Permeated & Vitalized by Spiritual Sound
respects to Vyasadeva who compiled the Vedic teachings / one becomes enlivened through spiritual sound / drawing from the works of the previous teachers / exoteric and esoteric understandings / Krishna pastimes are transcendental, and so we meditate on them / Rasalila>10th Canto>Srimad Bhagavatam>Vedic literature / the words of the gopis at the Rasalila is the pinnacle of all the yoga teachings / the gopis are empowered in all the arts because they are pure / Vyāsadeva compiled the Vedic literatures to revive our lost memory SB 2.4.24 - 25
