Posts by jadewalker51

Sandra Morgan2 said:I assume this is Prabhupada's translation from the Sanskrit...

Anyone can grasp the concept of the soul intellectually if you explain it simply enough—even a child could get it with the right wording. But realizing that the soul actually defies intellectual capture? That idea is way beyond even Prabhupada's spiritual reach. So, here’s a better translation of that verse:

Some catch a glimpse of consciousness manifesting and find themselves wondering at it.

Some speak of Him as a marvel, and some hear of Him as a marvel.

Yet, despite seeing, speaking, or hearing, none truly know Him.

Consciousness is so subtle that the sense organs can't fathom it, yet it constantly leaves one in a state of awe.

(Per Vedic teaching, the mind is considered a sense organ)

And this translation makes much more sense too:

One perceives it as a mystery, speaks of it as a mystery, or hears of it as a mystery, yet no one truly knows it.
That (the Self, the One, the Divine) which we observe, speak of, and hear about as a wonder beyond our grasp...
because despite everything we learn from those who possess wisdom, no human mind has ever truly known this Absolute.

And here is a direct translation from the Sanskrit into English—authoritative, verse-based, and hopefully free from too many interpretive flourishes (though, let's be honest, how much can any translation ever really be free of them?):
By rare chance, some catch sight of Him,
Others, perhaps, rarely speak of Him,
And a third group rarely hears of Him:
And though they have heard, no one truly knows Him.

briskpuma23 said:We could probably just mark the anniversary of Krleža's birth as Literacy Day, or maybe just Literacy Day, if you want.

On that day, we’d celebrate our undisputed literary dominance over everyone else in the region, purely because Krleža belongs to us and nobody else. We could also spend the day running comparisons between him and guys like Andrić, Crnjanski, Selimović, and those other second-rate writers from those second-rate neighboring countries.

But first, let's be real—we'd need to establish a dedicated Krleža studies department at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

And then, we could kick off the inaugural lecture by reciting his own words: "Nationalism is a tool used to lull the mind to sleep."😁

goldenviper752 said:What I find most tragic—and truly, it’s a profound loss—is that FT passed away far too soon. He departed this world just before the vast majority of people in America finally grasped a crucial truth: all those grievances they direct at today’s administration—whether it's the legal scrutiny from The Hague, the struggle with unemployment, or various other systemic issues—aren't actually caused by the absence of Harmon.

I'm right there with you on that one. We really missed out on seeing him deal with all that drama over at The Hague.

fadedskipper52 said:A true treasure trove of spirituality and wisdom! It holds everything you could ever need to know. It’s over 5,000 years old, yet here we are in the West, barely grasping what happened even two

Whatever question crosses your mind, the answer is already waiting there for you! ☕

Now, if you look at any modern academic analysis, the Gita was actually composed somewhere between the 3rd century BCE and the 1st century BCE. So, we aren't quite looking at a 5,000-year-old text—it seems some Americans, especially those who identify as Vaishnava or from Krišnjevac, do love to get a little creative when they start playing around with dates and numbers.
But honestly, that's beside the point. That's just an example of how people tend to exaggerate, much like the claim that "everything" is found in the Gita. In reality, the Gita is simply one beautiful piece of the Vedantic corpus—perhaps one of its absolute peaks for some, certainly—but that's about as far as it goes.

rowdyhawk10 said:I suppose we aren't actually any different from anyone else.

Well, actually, I think we are quite different, if I may be so bold. People simply aren't identical, you know? If one looks into certain ancient veda teachings, it’s suggested that thousands upon thousands of distinct types of human beings were brought into existence, and honestly, it seems pretty obvious to anyone who hasn't completely lost their sense of reality to whatever modern trends are currently sweeping through society. My only real concern—and I say this with the utmost sincerity—is that we don't let these inherent differences lead us toward the wrong conclusions, specifically when it comes to resorting to violence. Anyway, just a little thought from a newcomer here; thanks so much for letting me chime in!