Lust doesn’t need a hideout – it has a hide-in
When soldiers near their target, they often look for a hideout. But if those soldiers have already penetrated into the enemy ranks and have therein [...]
The unlikeliness of the Gita’s setting underscores the urgency of its message
Suppose a cricket World Cup final match is about to start. Thousands of spectators have assembled and are cheering; the fielders are in place; and [...]
In bhakti, to talk is also to walk the talk
When people just speak about lofty principles of living without exhibiting any tangible improvement in character or behavior, others may chide them, “Don’t just talk [...]
Don’t overthink yourself into paralysis
Our mind often makes us go to extremes in whatever we do, even in the basic activity of thinking. Sometimes, it makes us impulsive, whereby [...]
Bhakti is pragmatic, not dogmatic
The essence of bhakti is the outflow of the human heart’s love towards the divine and the inflow of the divine’s love into the human [...]
Great gifts don’t guarantee greatness
We may sometimes feel sorry for ourselves because of not having any great gifts as some others have. We may feel, “If only I had [...]
Be too intelligent to fall for the hero business
Becoming a hero is the business of most people’s lives. And they frequently pursue this business by trying to become better than others, by becoming [...]
Don’t look over temptation – overlook it
Our eyes hunger for alluring sense objects. On seeing such objects, we look over them, sometimes again and again. Wanting to extract as much pleasure [...]
Remission is not elimination
Suppose a patient’s serious disease such as cancer goes into remission, that is, decreases in severity. But if the patient imagines themselves healed and stop [...]
Longing is the test of taste
Suppose during our childhood we had regularly visited an enjoyable place, but during our ensuing life’s many activities, have forgotten how wonderful that place was. [...]
Let intelligence be the inspector of impulse, not its incubator
In a cricket match, a well-set batsman sometimes hits a rash shot and gets out, triggering a collapse that causes the team to lose from [...]
We are defined by what we stand for, not what we stand against
Some people are perpetual agitators. They agitate against the government, against the police, against the corporate world, against the religious orthodoxy, against the cultural norms. [...]
Refuel your love tank with bhakti
If while traveling, our car tank starts drying up, we need to refuel, lest we get stranded. Our heart is like a tank that runs [...]
Getting opportunities is providence, grabbing them is diligencef
Some underachievers explain away their rivals’ success by saying, “They were lucky; they got the opportunities that others (like me) didn’t.” Such arguments underrate the [...]
Don’t give the mind monopoly over your inner conversation
Our mind carries on a continuous one-way conversation inside us. It allures, grumbles, distracts. Using subtle suggestions or imperious instructions or anything in between, it [...]
To grow in humility, stay rooted in reality
Most of us have met egomaniacs who think that others have nothing better to do than hear them expound their glories. Such hubris stems from [...]
Focus on your steps, not your sidesteps
While walking on a road, suppose we keep worrying about all the slippery spots that we will have to sidestep. The resulting fear that we [...]
The more we comprehend Krishna’s transcendence, the more we cherish his munificence
Suppose a country’s president visits a jail for inspiring prisoners to reform and be released. But suppose the prisoners ignorantly mistake the president to be [...]
To not consider our capacity is to cripple our capacity
Suppose a child, on seeing an adult lift a heavy weight, tries to lift a similar weight. That child will end up injured, unable to [...]
Be faithful, but be watchful too
People ask, “Why should we believe in invisible things such as the soul and reject realities seen with our eyes?” Actually, we don’t need to [...]
Physical sensations cheat us of spiritual emotions
Suppose we are going to a place where a feast is on the menu, but someone takes us elsewhere, promising an even better feast. But [...]