Yes, I take them to be literal. This Kali Yuga is the least mystical of the yugas, so many more miraculous things have happened in the yugas past. Yogis with mystical Siddhis, men and women who have fully memorized scripture, incredibly long life spans, powerful mantras that have massive effects...
I got into Jyotish for a while but the countless debates and arguments over the exaltation of Rahu and Ketu, where the Ayanamsa is, whether the tropical chart can be used for rasis an the sidereal only for Nakshatras, etc. began to annoy me. I came to the conclusion that, because of this...
Bhaktivinoda Thakur was responsible for uncovering many Gaudiya Vaishnava truths and turning it into what it is today. Gaudiya Vaishnavism, as it is today, began with Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
At first I wondered about how authentic it was, but then again, I trust Bhaktivinoda Thakur and if He says it is a genuine upanishad, then I'll believe. Bhaktivinoda Thakur did too many great things for Gaudiya Vaishnavism, if he says this is an authentic upanishad, I'll accept. That's really...
Bhaktivinoda Thakur searched far and wide to find an original manuscript of this upanishad which had basically been lost in the sands of time. But he finally was able to find an original from Madhusudana Maharaja, who I believe was a Dvaita Vaishnava. I don't know too much more then that!
13. mantro guhyah paramo bhakti vedyah
mantoh-the Hare Krsna Maha-Mantra; guhyah-confidential; paramah-transcendental; bhakti-by bhakti-yoga; vedyah-can be known.
TRANSLATION
The Maha-Mantra is confidential, transcendental and can be understood only by devotional service, (bhakti-yoga).
Sri...
SRI CAITANYA UPANISAD
From the Atharva Veda, with the commentary of Srila Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda ThakuraSri Caitanya-Caranamrta
This Upanisad was published by the great pioneer of the Krsna Consciousness movement, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. The Thakura searched the length and breadth of...
No, sorry. The message got lost in all those words. What I mean to say is, if one day we find out that the scientific methods are incorrect, or that these scientific speculations are pointless and only manufacturing a field of theories instead of actual proofs, would you change how you viewed...
:bow:
May i ask why though? I'm not trying to pick and prod at you, just trying to understand the reasoning. I'm under the impression that most people viewed their scriptures as fully real and literal until scientific theory became popular and it become more acceptable and "rational" to view...
May I ask why some refuse to take scripture literally? Is it because you don't want to appear fundamentalist? Or afraid of science proving you wrong, or would hate to appear irrational or illogical to some folks, or super traditional?