Beginning a new blog

Well, here it is, my first blog post. After receiving kind and encouraging suggestions from several well wishers, I’ve decided to start my own blog here.

I intend to use this blog as a forum within which I can contribute my views on a range of issues/topics dealing with Chaitanya Vaishnava theology and practice. I may, on occasion (and given my nature) stray from my intended area of focus but, all in all, this blog will make most sense to those with at least some degree of familiarity with Hinduism and (Chaitanya) Vaishnavism.

I want this blog to facilitate my desire to express myself devotionally, without abandon. In this sense, I'm looking to write on any issue that piques my interest. This should result in a rather discursive feel to my blog but I don't necessarily see this as a flaw; In so far as it guarantees my ability to ramble on all things that interest me, it renders the blog genuinely representative of my views and thoughts. In other words, an overemphasis on structure will probably end up stifling my originality and creativity and so, for the large part, I'm dispensing with it. 


Notwithstanding what I've just said, there will be some method in my madness. I do intend to organise some of my material thematically and will therefore expend greater time on certain books/issues/controversies. One project that I'm looking to start in the next few days involves comparing two commentaries on the Bhagavatam. In addition to Srila Prabhupada's commentary on the Bhagavatam, I also have in my possession Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur's commentary on the text and my intention is to try and reveal some of the similarities and differences that emerge from the juxtaposition of the two sets of commentaries. In addition to this comparative element to the project, I will try to supplement these posts by including, where possible, my own observations and realisations of the text.


For some odd reason, I’ve always felt that writing enables me to articulate that which I find difficult to articulate orally; in other words, while conversing with others on issues of theology, more often than not, I find myself constrained in what I can say. I’m not shy of controversy, especially theological controversy, and as with any religious tradition/institution, institutional considerations no doubt hinder one’s ability to express themselves openly and candidly on myriad issues. All of this, I assure you, will become clearer in the next few blogs. 

Srila Prabhupada

There isn’t much that I need to say, by way of introduction. Just so that everybody knows, I do encourage you all to participate in this ‘forum’ of mine and the easiest way, of course, for you to do that is to comment on my piece. Please be generous with your comments and criticisms since I’m sure they’ll help to enrich my own contributions. I don’t intend to respond individually to comments but will endeavor to address such comments in successive blogs. 


Vaisnava etiquette stipulates that the commencement of any project remains incomplete without a mangalarcana or the practice of invoking auspiciousness. Praying to the purva acharayas (previous teachers) and gurus of my tradition, I ask for their blessings and hope that by their grace and inspiration, this blog can act as my offering to the Chaitanya Vaishnava sampradaya: 

sri chaitanya mano 'bhistam stapitam yena bhutale

swayam rupa kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam 

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca

sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

namo om vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale

srimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine