The freedom offered by ignorance of freedom is the tightest bondage
Whenever people are enslaved, they sooner or later try to break free. They get motivation for their freedom struggle by seeing the privileges enjoyed by [...]
Don’t think things to death; think of the thing called death
Thinking things to death refers to spending so much time analyzing a problem that the time for applying any solution runs out before one decides [...]
Peace bought at the cost of justice can be the worst violence
Some people ask, “The Bhagavad-gita is said to be a spiritual book, yet it endorses violence. Isn’t that anti-spiritual?” No, because the Gita is a [...]
Envy is degrading; esteem is ennobling
Envy is a typical human response on seeing others better than us. But it’s not the only possible response – esteem is a healthier alternative. [...]
When generic envy becomes specific envy, it becomes doubly dangerous
Generic envy refers to the general negativity that one class of people feel towards another better-endowed class, say, the lower class towards the middle class [...]
Envy and devotion are both levelers – envy levels downwards; devotion, upwards
We like to have a level playing field. Yet the world hardly ever offers a level playing field. Some people have more wealth, better looks [...]
Be conscious that what you are conscious of is Krishna
The Bhagavad-gita (07.06) explains philosophically how everything in existence is a manifestation of the energies of Krishna. As his energies are non-different from him, everything [...]
Work on mind control enthusiastically while Krishna works on mind conversion expertly
We all have first-hand experience how the mind impels us to self-defeating actions. So when the Bhagavad-gita (06.05) warns us that the mind can be [...]
Bhakti transforms our solitary struggle with the mind into a cooperative conquest
“What is the best way to control the mind?” To this universal question of all spiritual seekers, the Bhagavad-gita answers: bhakti-yoga. Let’s see how and [...]
It takes great intelligence to recognize that intelligence is not great enough
Some people feel that the path of bhakti is too simplistic: “If we just do what Krishna tells, then how are we doing justice to [...]
The assumption of responsibility in our inner life begins with challenging our assumption about our inner life
Our spiritual advancement centers on our taking greater responsibility for our inner life. This assumption of responsibility begins with challenging a core assumption about our [...]
Temptation induces the pretender’s mask to fall and the seeker’s guard to rise
As spiritual seekers, we aspire to follow the principles of moral and spiritual integrity given in the scriptures. But due to our past conditionings we [...]
Faith generated by miracles is not as consequential as the miracle generated by faith
Some religions call for faith based on the miracles that happened at their inception, say, the resurrection of their founder from the dead. Atheists contest [...]
As a basis of faith, miracles may supplement, but not supplant, philosophy
Miracles are integral to the lore of the world’s religions. God’s miraculous interventions to protect his beleaguered devotees bolster the faith of not just those [...]
Those who base their faith on miracles confuse the supernatural with the Supreme
Some people feel that their faith in God will be boosted if they see miracles performed by him. In fact, many people accept some godmen [...]
Philosophy should expand our human sensitivity, not shrink it
In the Bhagavad-gita (02.11), Krishna chides Arjuna for lamenting the imminent death of his relatives in the impending war. Yet, when Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was [...]
Let intelligence guard the path from impulse to intent
Impulse is an urge that comes to us, sometimes without our conscious bidding. Intent is a decision that comes out of us, with at least some level of conscious [...]
Indulgence makes our bonds thicker, rougher and tighter
When anti-devotional worldly pleasures tempt and torment us repeatedly, we may feel that indulging in them will bring relief, getting them out of our way. [...]
The purpose of establishing dharma in the world is to establish us in dharma
One of the Gita’s most-quoted verses (04.08) describes how Krishna descends to establish dharma. Less quoted, but no less significant is the next verse declaring [...]
See the sufferings of the attached with compassion, not condescension
Some spiritualists equate spiritual advancement with apathy towards all human emotions. When they see others afflicted by emotions such as agony at the loss of loved [...]
Feel-good without think-good and act-good is no good
Some people, especially those influenced by new-age notions, equate spirituality with a feel-good laissez-faire: “Whatever makes you feel good is spiritual – no need to bother [...]