Raja-vidya


Book Description

The King of Knowledge We may be proud of our academic education, but if asked what we are, we are not able to say. Everyone is under the conception that this body is the self, but we learn from Vedic sources that this is not so. Only after realizing that we are not these bodies can we enter into real knowledge and understand what we actually are. “This knowledge is the king of all education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting and it is joyfully performed.” —Bhagavad-gita 9.2




Rāja-vidyā


Book Description

In this little jewel of a book, based on the Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada explains that the king of knowledge is knowledge of God, his creation, and ourselves -- and the relationships between these. He explains that the way to attain this knowledge is through bhakti-yoga, devotional service to the Lord, beginning with the chanting of the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.




Dharma, the Way of Transcendence


Book Description

The word dharma, originally from the Sanskrit, refers to the inherent, unchanging nature of something – sugar’s dharma is to be sweet, water’s dharma is to be wet, and fire’s dharma is to emit heat and light. Dharma also refers to our natural duty. We humans have ordinary dharma and an ultimate dharma that relates to who we are at soul level. That dharma requires that we ask existential questions and then seek ultimate answers – questions such as Who am I? Why am I here? and What is my ultimate purpose? Dharma, the Way of Transcendence is a compilation of lectures on human dharma given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1972 as he toured India. Here he teaches that the dharma of all humans and every other living embodied soul – is service. No one can exist for a moment without serving someone or something else, even if it’s only the mind and senses. So the question is, whom or what can we serve if we want to be truest to ourselves?




The Journey of Self-Discovery


Book Description

Srila Prabhupada declares, "We don't say that this scientific knowledge is useless. Mechanics, electronics – this is also knowledge. But the central point is atma-jnana – self-knowledge, knowledge of the soul." In these thirty-one essays, talks, and informal conversations, Srila Prabhupada reveals the central point of essential self-knowledge – a knowledge that makes all other knowledge and activities pale in comparison. Brighten your life with the light of self-knowledge and gain a world perspective usually reserved for ascetics and saints.




Raja-Vidya


Book Description




Elevation to Krsna Consciousness


Book Description

The quality of our consciousness can go up or down based on how we see the world and act in it. When we act like the eternal spiritual beings that we are – small parts of a supreme whole – makes us happy. But if we focus our attempts at happiness on the temporary body and mind – on matter – and make those our life's priority, our consciousness will shrink and we’ll be miserable. Spiritual elevation – raising our consciousness to higher levels – happens quickly when we revive our God consciousness. In this compact book, Srila Prabhupada recommends seeing the world as it is – a temporary place full of anxiety – and then taking the road to higher consciousness by rediscovering our relationship with the Supreme Person, Krishna. Anyone can become elevated; the journey begins with a single step up.




India Through the Lens


Book Description

Here, in more than 250 extraordinary photographs, is a showcase of the fabled days of the British Raj. India was at the vanguard of the explosion of photography and the early photographers, both Indian and foreign, mainly British, who strove to document and reveal the landscapes, peoples, cultures, and architecture of the subcontinent. India Through the Lens reveals the history and importance of photography in India, from the appeal of the panorama to the documentation of people, places, and princes. The early Indian photographer, Lala Deen Dayal for example, was unique in being embraced by both worlds- that of the British and the world of Indian Maharajahs. This book appeals to specialists and non-specialists alike- all those who love early photography, British India and the romance of the Raj.




Teachings of Lord Kapila


Book Description

Complete with original Sanskrit, translations, and purports, Teachings of Lord Kapila discusses the significance of the guru, the psychology of consciousness, the characteristics of a self-realized person, the nature of transcendental knowledge, and the process of ultimate liberation from material existence.




Rajavidya


Book Description

Whereas material knowledge often leads to pride, spiritual knowledge culminates in humility and appreciation for the personal feature of the Absolute Truth, or Krishna, "the all-attractive one." The greater we think we are, the less we'll be attracted to Krishna; and the Bhagavad-gita won't even make sense to us.




Coming Back


Book Description

What makes it different from other books on the subject is the input from ancient Vedic sources, and the writings of Swami Prabhupada who gives a highly clear and complete description of the entire phenomena.