The best time to win the battle against temptation is before it begins
To practice spiritual life means to enter into a war against temptation, the temptation for enjoying matter. The arena of battle is our own consciousness, [...]
Gita 18.29 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Here we are discussing Gyana [...]
Bhakti redefines desires as doorways to the divine
Desires are recognized in spiritual circles as dangerous – they can drag seekers into the darkness of illusion in the vain pursuit of worldly pleasures [...]
The source of misery is not frustration of desire, but domination by desire
When we don’t get something that we want and feel miserable, we attribute that misery to the frustration of our desire. But might such an [...]
Gita 18.27 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan After that Krishna will describe [...]
Krishna is not a dictator, but a benefactor
When we hear from scripture that we are meant to serve Krishna, we may resent, “Why should I serve him? Is he like a dictator [...]
Gita 18.26 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan In 18.26 to 18.28 Krishna [...]
Materialism makes us spoiled children
When spoiled children get infatuated with a toy, they demand it from their parents. Even if they have been given many other things, they evaluate [...]
Krishna’s love for us is based not on who we are, but on who he is
Some devotee-seekers ask, “I am so fallen. Does Krishna love a person like me too?” Yes, definitely. Krishna’s love for us comes from not who [...]
God we cannot be, but godly we can be
Some spiritualists claim that we, as eternal spiritual beings, are God, or will become God on attaining liberation. But the Bhagavad-gita (15.07) declares that we [...]
Gita 18.23 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.23 niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ [...]
The threat in here is much bigger than the threat out there
In a war, the threat from the enemies out there is big. But much bigger is the threat from the enemies in here – the [...]
The more we give up palliatives, the more we seek curatives
Palliatives are medicines that alleviate pain without treating its root cause, whereas curatives address the root cause. Patients who take palliatives don’t feel the need [...]
Don’t just give up fallible shelters – seek the infallible shelter
Some people hesitate to take up spiritual life because they think that it requires them to renounce things such as worldly possessions, activities and relationships. [...]
Understand scripture through devotional dedication, not linguistic specialization
Some people think that learning the language of scripture is vital for understanding it. Thus, they feel that only Sanskrit scholars can understand the Bhagavad-gita. [...]
Psychological techniques are a subset of philosophical insights, not their substitute
Many people treat psychological techniques as a substitute for philosophical insights. If a technique calms their mind, which they believe is the purpose of psychology, [...]
Gita 18.18 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna will go in [...]
When karma runs its course, karmic flyers crash down to earth by force
When a plane flies high in the sky, its flight is due to not just the expertise of the pilot but also the fuel put [...]
Gita 18.17 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna goes further and [...]
We can’t undo, but we can rebuild
There is a grim finality to life. Once a moment has passed, it has passed forever. Once an action has been done, it can’t be [...]
Let intelligence take from the poison phase to the nectar phase
When we practice spiritual life, our mind holds us back by making us feel that the effort is too much and the reward too little. [...]