Wisdom of the Sages

Einstein called it an "optical delusion of consciousness." The yogis call it forgetfulness of the Self. In this episode, the illusion of separateness gets dismantled—from modern physics to the sacred Bhakti texts—revealing how the love of enlightened people doesn't shrink to "me and mine," but expands to everyone. Traveling from Japan to the banks of the Gaṅgā in Rishikesh, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack radical teachings on love and life. Listen to explore the idea of expanding the sense of self as the key to freedom from fear, loneliness, and the prison of "me and mine." ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

In this deeply personal Q&A Volume 292, Raghunath and Kaustubha respond to a listener struggling with inferiority, comparison, trauma, and the fear of being left behind in love and life—unpacking how bhakti can reframe self-worth, karma, and the hunger for validation at the root. Along the way, they touch on how ancient rituals adapt in the modern world, and what it actually feels like to carry the responsibility of being a guru. Honest, raw, and spiritually sharp, this episode exposes why no amount of external success can heal the soul—and where real shelter is actually found. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Watch and support the interview given by our dear Gaby-Capu @CapuYoga on Venezuelan TV about Spirituality and Religion here: https://youtu.be/3jZJlaR69cg?si=FNIKjVarDe2YwYTL

Psychedelics can shoot you to the summit, but they can't make you a mountain climber. You may get a glimpse of the view, but the glimpse doesn't change you — you didn't build the muscles, you didn't shed the weight, and you didn't face the inner terrain that actually transforms a person. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the difference between quick-hit "insight" culture and the steady, muscle-building path of Bhakti, drawing powerful lessons from Lord Brahmā's humility in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It's an honest, humorous dive into why real growth means doing the inner work — not looking for shortcuts. From psychedelic detours to Facebook flame wars, from ego trips to genuine surrender, this episode blends ancient wisdom with modern mischief in the signature WOTS style. Key Highlights * Raghunath's mushroom story is back. * Brahmā: four heads, cosmic mastery, still doing the uncomfortable inner work… one apology at a time. * Why psychedelics may give you the view — but Bhakti builds the muscles to actually live there. 🌟 Subscribe for daily wisdom and join thousands on the journey of Bhakti yoga. 🎧 Tune in now! #Bhagavatam #BhaktiYoga #PsychedelicsAndSpirituality #NoShortcuts #DoTheInnerWork ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R Join Kaustubha's Whatsapp channel here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j  

Simone Weil's razor-sharp insight cracks open this episode: we glamorize imaginary evil and underestimate how powerful real goodness actually is. Raghunath and Kaustubha reflect on goth culture, mob movies, Nagababas, and kirtan festivals as they contrast the "cool darkness" our minds romanticize with the deep, surprising joy of a life given to Krishna. Along the way, Lord Brahmā's prayers in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14 expose how our homes, families, and attachments can either imprison us—or become our path to liberation. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

Wonders flood our lives every moment, yet we sleepwalk past them—missing the hints pointing us toward their Source. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore GK Chesterton's insight on wonder and unravel how awakening a sense of awe can transform the way we see the world. Through humor, philosophy, and the lens of Bhakti Vedānta, they reveal how the ordinary becomes extraordinary the moment we allow wonder to guide us back to life's deeper meaning. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

Carl Sagan's apple-pie insight becomes a launchpad for a sweeping journey from kitchens to cosmos, as Raghunath and Kaustubha explore why nothing we "create" is truly from scratch, why everything we touch is on loan, and how embracing our smallness opens the door to spiritual freedom. From the caves and rivers of Rishikesh to the wheel of saṁsāra and Lord Brahma's realization of Kṛṣṇa's supremacy, this episode dismantles the illusion of independence and invites us into a more grounded—and liberating—vision of reality. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

The limits of material analysis end long before the limits of the Absolute. In this landmark episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore Lord Brahma's profound realization in the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—where even the universe's greatest intellect confronts the impossibility of measuring Krishna's limitless nature. Weaving insights from contemporary voices like Alex O'Connor, Dawkins, Hawking, Planck, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, they reflect on why science can dissect the universe yet still miss the Person behind it, how pride blinds us to the divine, and how humility, devotion, and sincere acceptance of life's challenges reveal the immeasurable beauty of Bhakti. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

Gratitude isn't feel-good fluff—it's a full-on rebellion against illusion. In this episode, Raghunath and Mara weave together Charles Dickens, modern cognitive science, and Brahmā's prayers to Krishna to show how redirecting the mind toward blessings transforms your entire inner landscape. From frequency illusion and "Kia consciousness" to humility, appreciation, and seeing God's hand everywhere, this is a bhakti-centric reset of how to live, perceive, and move forward. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

Life has a way of popping our ego bubble exactly when we need it most. In this episode, Raghunath and Mera explore the mercy hidden inside humiliation, using stories from pilgrimage, personal experience, and the Brahmā-vimohana-līlā of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. From the cave at Vashistha Guha to Lord Brahmā bowing before a cowherd boy, the conversation unpacks why pride blocks us from deeper spiritual connection—and why humility opens the heart to grace. Along the way, expect humor, honesty, and reminders that we may be insignificant, but we are never unloved. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join Raghu's Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb704tt9WtC02KPwhc1R

Real spirituality begins the moment you do something for someone who can never repay you. In this solo episode, Raghunath and co-host Prana Priya take John Bunyan's famous line—"You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you"—and hold it up to the light of Bhakti Yoga. From music-industry schmoozing to Vrindavan's envy-free culture, from 12-step wisdom to deathbed courage, this conversation explores what happens when relationships shift from "What can I get?" to "How can I serve?" ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

Rage at a racist, a double middle-finger "protest," and a bhakti yogi wondering, "Did I actually help… or just lose it?" From there, this episode dives into how good ethics—when cut loose from wisdom traditions—can quietly mutate into the very hatred they're meant to oppose. Broadcasting this Q&A epeisode from a quiet village in India,  Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how yogi can confront injustice, racism, and toxic ideology without being swallowed by anger, tribalism, or self-righteousness. Then the conversation widens: why do so many cultures have elaborate "Books of the Dead" while the Bhagavad-gītā boils it all down to the essense of "just remember Kṛṣṇa"? ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

Depth and play intertwine as Raghunath and Kaustubha riff on Gillian Anderson's reincarnation quote, Krishna's "Grand Theft Butter" pastims in vrindavan, and the modern obsession with empiric evidence. From debates with the "new atheists" to analogies of murder investigations and reasonable doubt, they explore what kinds of proof actually convince the heart. The conversation tracks the soul's journey from jñāna to bhakti—from intellectual knowing to loving understanding—where genuine realization always expresses itself as compassion, never condescension. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

Nature, humility, and spiritual vision can still the spinning of the mind and burn away the karmic illusion that we're the center of it all. From redwood awe to the Annapurna skyline, this episode explores how moments of stillness awaken spiritual clarity—and how the same truth unfolds on a cosmic scale when Lord Brahmā stands dumbstruck before Krishna's countless Viṣṇu forms (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.13). Along the way, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack some of the philosophical differences between Bhaktivedānta and Advaita Vedānta—divine personality and impersonal oneness. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

Recorded live in Jaipur, this Q&A episode dives into real beginner questions on the path of bhakti—with Raghunath and Kaustubha responding with both insight and humor. What exactly is bhakti? How do you know if you're practicing it right? Can other forms of yoga or breathwork support your devotion? What's the deal with chanting "16 rounds"—and what if you're not there yet? Through conversations with first-time pilgrims and new practitioners, this episode reveals what genuine spiritual growth looks like: personal, flexible, joyful, and deeply human. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

From the sacred city of Jaipur, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore what it means to take the next step in Bhakti—moving from faith to steady practice and learning under a teacher. They discuss how one can deepen Bhakti while still appreciating the devotion and love of Christ, and how to live the principle of yukta-vairāgya—using one's resources and influence in divine service without losing focus on the goal of love for God. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

From the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh, this pilgrim Q&A with Raghunath and Kaustubha explores how to respond to visible suffering without emotional collapse, how being "more tolerant than a tree" coexists with healthy boundaries, and how to start a simple, welcoming satsang at home. They also respond to questions about balancing the eagerness to advance with patience, perspective, and the value of living and serving in the moment. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

Live from Devprayag, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how to perceive Paramātmā—the Supersoul within—and how Bhakti transforms the mind's shadows of resentment, fear, and greed into clarity and love. Drawing from the Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam, they offer tools for re-entry after spiritual retreats, insights for chanting with true attention and intention, and practical ways to carry holy-place consciousness into everyday life. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

Much of modern science, as well as impersonalist Vedānta, drains the universe of relationship—one by reducing consciousness to brain chemistry, the other by dissolving all individuality into a single awareness that fears "the Other." In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha unpack Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.13.54 to reveal a living, personal cosmos where consciousness, choice, and grace are real. Along the way they tackle the "no free will" debate, revisit C. S. Lewis's vision of a haunted but living world, and show how seeing personhood behind everything restores meaning, ethics, and wonder to our lives. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 ********************************************************************* Join the Gita Collective Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAxNYgJuyAJR8SHhy2j

When cramming facts hits a ceiling, yogic practice opens the window. In this conversation, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how Einstein's relativity and Vedic ideas of time echo a truth from the Bhagavad Gītā—that spiritual realization isn't conquered by intellect but received through receptivity. Drawing on the Gītā, the Yoga Sutras, and insights from Terryl Givens, they unpack the yogic disciplines that transform perception: humility, sattva, service, and devotion. The episode bridges science and spirituality to show how the mind studies, but the heart sees. ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************  

Diwali is the perfect moment to upgrade your relationship with desire. In this episode, we contrast the material formula—"if the world gives me what I want, I'll be happy"—with the yogic move to become the observer of desire, calm it with clear knowledge, and outgrow it through devotion. As love deepens, the craving mind quiets and new, service-shaped desires appear. Expect festival-of-lights reflections, Bhakti insights on detachment and fulfillment, a Bob-Dylan-approved reminder that we all serve something, and a few laughs about Raghu's gym heroics and MRI adventures—because even on the path of devotion, humor helps the medicine go down. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.50-51 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************