Putting Out the Forest Fire

In this piercing and poetic class, Rasikananda Swami (affectionally known as Rasik Maharaja) explores the inner house of the soul—our body—and the sacred Guest who dwells within. Drawing from the teachings of Lord Caitanya and the story of the saintly prostitute Pingalā, he unveils how kīrtan extinguishes the forest fire of material suffering by revealing the ever-present Supersoul in the heart. With vivid analogies, heartfelt humor, and mystical depth, he dissects the traps of external pleasure, the five ‘prostitutes’ of the senses, and the fate of our false attachments. The result is an intimate call to redirect our longing from outward entanglement to the divine relationship within, where the true Beloved awaits. This class was recorded at Bhaktabandhav Dham in Ellenville, NY on July 22, 2025.