Jiva Gosvami

Jiva Gosvami teaching to Narottam, Srinivas and Syamananda at Radha Damodar temple, Vrindavan Jiva Institute of Vedic Studies has undertaken the project of presenting the immense literature of Vaisnava religion to the Western world. This requires not only mastery of Sanskrit, but a firm knowledge of the literature itself. Founder and director of Jiva Institute, Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa, a great scholar in Sanskrit and Indian philosophy, is engaged in translating, interpreting, and publishing a series of important Vaisnava works, especially those belonging to the Gaudiya Sampradaya. His aim is to spread the teachings of Jiva Gosvami all over the world.

About Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa

Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa founded Jiva Institute of Vedic Studies to promote Vedic culture, philosophy and Ayurveda through education. He regularly gives classes on Sanskrit language, and Gaudiya Vaisnava literature, and has authored many books on the subject. He has contributed to the twenty five volume work brought out by the project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture.

No wonder Dr. Satya Naryana Dasa was honored for his outstanding contribution to spiritual learning when the IIT Delhi Alumni Association conferred on him the Outstanding Contribution Award for National Development.

Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa is also listed as a famous personality in the ‘Contemporary Who’s Who’ published by the Governing Board of Editors of the American Biographical Institute.He is a member of the Editorial Board for Bilingual Sanskrit Series to be brought out by Global Scholary Publications, U.S.A.

The Research and Advisory Board of the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England has selected Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa as one of a very limited number of individuals to receive the international accolade “International Educator of the Year 2004”.

He regularly gives video-conferences and consultancy to international student and professors in their research works.

Dr. Satyanarayana Dasa's message to humankind is to be in the flow of things with simplicity, but without becoming an impediment to the ways of nature. He emphasizes attaining Knowledge of the Absolute Reality by pursuing ways that lead to the harmonious development of the collective human consciousness.

He works and resides in Vrindavan, Mathura, UP, at Jiva's Sheetal Chhaya campus.

Articles on philosophy written by Dr Satya Narayana Dasa

A different view
by
Dr Satya Narayana Dasa

Nobody likes to be put into trouble. At least I do not know anyone who would relish being faced with misery. After the trouble is over, we may see that problematic event as an occasion for learning, though while undergoing the experience, we wish it would end as quickly as possible. Even in the midst of an unpleasant experience, we may maintain a philosophical outlook–hardships make us strong and wise, failures are stepping-stones to success, and so on. But the fact remains that we are relieved when the hardship is over.

Keeping this in view, we would not expect anyone to ask for trouble in a normal state of mind. If someone is praying for misery we would think him or her to be insane. However, there is an example in history of a perfectly sane person asking for trouble. In her prayers to Lord Krsna, Queen Kunti very explicitly wanted calamities without any break. She prayed: ‘O teacher of the universe (Krsna), let calamities befall on us forever.’ Usually people pray for health, wealth, and prosperity, which is understandable. But how to comprehend the prayer for calamities and that too for unending calamities. What must she have in her mind? She thinks that calamities are her prosperity.

Kunti Devi reveals her intention behind such a prayer. She says that whenever she has faced hardships, Krsna came to help her. Therefore she equates calamity with the visit of Krsna. And if she can see Krsna, she is most prosperous. There is no other prosperity that she would like to possess. She has experienced that when she has good times, Krsna does not come to visit her. And that is real misery for her. Her concept of happiness and distress is different from the concept of an ordinary person. Normally we call a situation that is favourable to our senses “happiness”, and a situation that is unfavourable to our senses “misery” or “distress”. But a devotee’s concept is different. A devotee is happy when he or she can do favourable service to the Lord, and he or she is miserable when he or she cannot do favourable service to the Lord. He or she is not concerned about his or her personal happiness independent of the Lord’s pleasure.

Whenever Kunti or the Pandavas, her sons, faced difficulties, the Lord came to their rescue. This granted them an opportunity to be with the Lord and serve Him. They relished being with the Lord and the so-called miserable condition turned into bliss. What is abhorred by people in general became a festival for Kunti.

It is seen that people usually remember God when they are in difficulty. They usually visit a temple, church or mosque. But when they are in a happy situation, they forget God. They go for a picnic. For a devotee, remembrance of God is the most important principle in life. His happiness is based on the remembrance of God, which is the essence of all scriptures. If that remembrance comes when faced with a calamity, then a devotee prefers calamity to a happy situation. A devotee may seem miserable externally, but internally he may be in bliss.

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