Pramanas for Deputing Ritviks

June 4, 2025Posted inResearch, TranslationsNo Comments
These śāstra vidhis (regulations) are very important, because they specify that the use of ritviks is only in the case of a departed guru who is unable to complete the initiation or sacrifice started. New proceedings on behalf of a departed ācārya may not be conducted by ritviks. To interpret this as extending to not merely completion but the performance of new proceedings has the fault of ativyāpti, an overly broad application of a rule or definition, including things that are not supposed to be included.
Srila Prabhupada with Books

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Authority in his Books and Other Contexts

July 31, 2023Posted inEssays, ISKCON, Research8 Comments
The intuition that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words are perfect, without defect, even when not explicitly backed by śāstra is definitely the correct understanding. When a devotee is perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, like Śrīla Prabhupāda, he not only perfectly sees Kṛṣṇa, but also perfectly sees Kṛṣṇa’s material energies as well. A pure devotee has none of the four defects of conditioned souls. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says: bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā, karaṇāpāṭava, ārṣa-vijña-vākye nāhi doṣa ei saba, “Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages.”
The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

August 25, 2022Posted inBlog, Research1 Comment
Is the scientific basis of the ISKCON Child Protection Office compatible with Krishna Consciousness? This article explores this question from the perspective of modern science. Simpson's Paradox, Confounded Variables, and Theoretical Perspectives are discussed, and the theoretical perspective of the CPO is compared with the fundamental tenets of Gaudiya Vaishnava Siddhanta.
Schism in the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya

Schism in the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya

January 18, 2022Posted inEssays, Research7 Comments
The Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya has two major sects, one is called Vaḍagalai and the other Teṅkalai. The two sects have existed for more than 350 years and arose on account of a bitter schism. The foundation of this schism is based on eighteen ideological differences on the topic of mokṣa-dharma propounded by post Rāmānujācārya-era ācāryas