Krishna's Mercy

"All glories to Kunja-vihari, who playfully announces Madanotsava (Cupid's festival) with the melodies from His colorfully decorated flute, and whose pastimes are praised by a multitude of male and female parrots." (Shrila Rupa Gosvami, Shri Kunja-vihary-ashtakam, 4) "Praised by Parrots" is a collection of twenty-two essays discussing the Kunja-vihary-ashtakam of Shrila Rupa Gosvami.

"Did Krishna really descend to earth? How do we know that He's not just an elevated yogi as opposed to the Supreme Lord Himself? Did He really hold up a massive hill with His finger? Did He really kill so many nefarious characters while in the form of a small child? If so, what was the purpose to His advent? When and where does He make His appearances? If God can incarnate in human form, does that mean that we are all incarnations of God? Can we perform the same miracles? Why did Krishna play like an ordinary child in Vrindavana? What is so special about Vrindavana?" "The Delight of Vrindavana" is a collection of nineteen essays that discuss these issues and more through delving into many of Shri Krishna's most famous pastimes and understanding them within the context of the ancient teachings of the Vedas and their foremost authorities.

"Driven by a virtuous or evil purpose, each living entity performs some work, which has consequences associated with it. After death, the same person steadily reaps all those auspicious and inauspicious results." (Hanuman speaking to Tara, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 21.2) "While karma leads to the future development of the body, associating with God enables one to transcend karma. This was the example set by Hanuman, who dedicated all his activities towards pleasing the Supreme Lord. He easily can get liberation whenever he wants, but he chooses to remain on this earth for as long as Lord Rama's story continues to be told. In this way, Hanuman is already liberated without even having to quit his body." "Free From Karma" is a collection of eleven essays describing karma, or fruitive activity, and how to transcend it through applied methods in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service.

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." "Chanting the Holy Names" is a collection of nineteen essays discussing the method of bhakti-yoga known as kirtanam, or chanting, whose modern incarnation is the sankirtana-yajna, or the congregational chanting of the holy names, "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare".

"What is yoga? Is it about meditation? Is it strictly for health benefits? Is it for making the mind blank? Is it something from the Hindu tradition? What are the different kinds of yoga? Do they strive for the same goal? What should I concentrate on? Do I need to retreat to the mountains or can I stay at home? Is Krishna the object of yoga? Is He God? How can I think about Him? Why should I meditate on Krishna instead of others? Who are some of the notable personalities who have attained yoga, and how did they do it?" These questions and more are the subject matter of the nineteen essays that comprise "Attaining Yoga".

"The situation has come to this and I am at an impasse. What course of action is appropriate and timely for achieving my objective' Thus Hanuman thought the matter over and over again in his mind." (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.19) "Who Else But Hanuman" is a collection of thirty-five essays discussing the verses in the Ramayana which describe Hanuman's mental deliberation in Lanka during a time of doubt in his search for Sita Devi, Lord Rama's wife.