Posts Tagged ‘vaishnavism’



Foreword to A Theological Perspective

  In Universalist Radha-Krishnaism: A Theological Perspective, Steve Bohlert offers a rigorous theology to satisfy the needs of many of us, especially Westerners, who are looking for an eclectic perspective that also offers real intellectual rigor. Why read this book? In the twenty-first century, we are presented with an unprecedented diversity of worldviews and perspectives. […]


The Bhagavat 4: New Revelations

In this conclusion to my comments on “The Bhagavat,” I reiterate the need for new revelation constantly. My Universalist Radha-Krishnaism is a contemporary update of Bhaktivinode Thakur’s teachings.


The Bhagavat 3: Spiritual Ideas

Bhaktivinode Thakur said, “Material examples are absolutely necessary for the explanation of spiritual ideas.” “Nature as it is before our eyes must explain the spirit, or else the truth will ever remain concealed.” “All spiritual ideas are similarly pictures from the material world, because matter is the dictionary of the spirit.” There is an “unfailing […]


Natural Devotion Trailer

This Natural Devotion Trailer touches on some key points from the playlist. Lalita Prasad Thakur initiated Steve Bohlert into this practice of meditating on becoming a girlfriend of Radha, the Supreme Goddess, which is the goal of Chaitanya Vaishnavism. He uses contemporary western language to explain traditional concepts. A non-dual, panentheistic perspective and self-surrender to […]


The Bhagavat 1

In 1869, Bhaktivinode Thakur addressed an audience of Bengali intellectuals with an attitude of religious freedom and reform. He embraced universalism, rationalism, and cosmopolitanism with an emphasis on free thinking, liberty, and truth. He presented a synthesis of modern thought and traditional Vaishnavism. He began by asserting that readers should read to create in the […]


The Tastes of Love

Shloka 2. Bhagavad Gita 4:11: In whatever way one worships me, I honor him in that same way, for in all their various ways men do follow my path, Partha. 19 [Saying] ‘My son, my friend, the lord of my heart’–he who has pure bhakti toward me in these bhavas, 20 who feels himself superior, […]


A Review of Universalist Radha-Krishnaism by Daniel Cooper Clark

Daniel Cooper Clark is one of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s original New York disciples. We met at the 26 Second Avenue temple in January 1968 when I visited there from my Santa Fe temple. We later worked together closely at Back to Godhead and the New Age Caucus. I sent him a pdf manuscript of my new book […]


Universalist Radha-Krishnaism a review by Jagadananda Das

This book is sufficiently important that its wide dissemination amongst devotees is a desideratum. . . . old beliefs are given apparently radical new interpretations that widen their scope and potential for meaning. . . . Subal [Steve Bohlert] has done a great service by introducing or naming the Vaishnava concept of deity as panentheism. . . . I favor rāgānugā [natural devotion], as it seems does Subal, precisely because it . . . is about reforming the id-controlled ego into a love-permeated ego. . . . There is no doubt that Subal’s is an important brick in the wall of religious discourse . . . His great contribution . . . is that he has gone out on a limb and attempted to make a coherent and systematic presentation of Radha-Krishna according to his vision. This means of course that he has set himself up for criticism, but that kind of courage is what is needed to push the discourse further. — Jagadananda Das/Jan Brzezinski, translator and annotator of Mystic Poetry: Rupa Gosvamin’s Uddhava-sandeÅ›a & HamsadÅ«ta.


Stock market of purity

Everything we do is better to do with love, no matter how small, or how insignificant we think it is. We cannot measure love. Loving attitude is better than purity of any kind, no matter how big the latter one is. Love is a higher principle than purity. Purity is a serious impediment and becomes a goal in itself, which is a sad truth in all spiritual practices today and of antiquity …