How to communicate effectively – an example from the Bhagavad-gita
Suppose we are guiding someone about how to take a complicated treatment that involves various medicines at various times. In one sense, every step of [...]
The denial of free will converts God into devil
Some people say, “Everything is controlled by God – we have no free will. Whatever we do is ultimately done by God.” Though they may [...]
Artha divorced from dharma leads to anartha
Artha, wealth, and anartha, inner weakness, have a revealing relationship. Artha is vital for living, whereas anartha takes away the vitality of living. We need [...]
Gita 07.12 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Now Sri Krishna will give conclusion [...]
If we don’t double-check the mind, it will double-cross us
If we don’t double-check the mind, it will double-cross us Suppose an agent were prodding us to sign an important deal. If that dealer were [...]
On disagreements and fanaticism
Disagreement over issues is not as disruptive as disagreement over the importance of the disagreements When we see disruptive disagreements among friends who share our [...]
Read scripture and read from scripture – don’t read into scripture
For our life-journey, scripture is like a map. The Bhagavad-gita (16.24) urges us to make informed decisions based on scriptural knowledge. Let’s look at three [...]
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer Suppose we hear a discussion between a teacher and a student. If that discussion [...]
Managing our emotions – shift focus from emotions to actions
Stop trying to control how you feel, start taking control of what you do Our emotions often interfere with our purposes. We may resolve to [...]
Learn to like the things we need to do to do the things we like to do
We all have preferences (things we like to do) and obligations (things we need to do). Among our biggest obligations is our profession. Even if [...]
Those who are not humble are humbled
We often operate under the illusion that we are fully independent, that we can do whatever we want whenever we want, that we don’t need [...]
Use your intelligence to identify and rectify your conditioning, not to justify it
A prominent law-upholder such as a head of state is often protected by a security guard. But suppose such a guard is unwittingly hired by [...]
Gita 07.03 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Bg 7.3 manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati [...]
16.02 Even if people are not faultless, we can still find faults less
When we find faults with others, we are often told to not have a fault-finding mentality. In response, we may defend ourselves, “But I am [...]
Happiness is not a product of gratification, it is a byproduct of dedication
We all long for happiness. Today’s culture declares that we can become happy by gratifying our senses. The more gratification we have, the happier we [...]
We talk frequently about death without actually talking about death
“Ten things to do before you die” – such lists are often found in self-help circles. Most readers, however, focus on the things to do, [...]
We feel stressed not so much because we are over-worked as because we are over-worried
Stress is rampant in today’s society. Why? One common explanation is over-work. But is over-work the only cause? At least three points suggest otherwise: Nowadays, [...]
See Krishna not just as an object of entertainment, but as the objective of enlightenment
Many people are introduced to Krishna through his stories narrated by their grandparents or depicted in comics or movies. Such depictions often leave people with [...]
For God, no problem is too big – or too small
When we face big problems that we can’t solve on our own, we seek help from someone bigger than us. If we are religious, we [...]
What we initially indulge in casually, we eventually indulge in compulsively
When contemporary culture tempts us with addictive indulgences such as drinking, it often offers a common rationalization, “Just drink once. It’s no big deal.” However, [...]
In bhakti, we don’t just make the offering – we are ourselves the offering
To connect personally with anyone, we usually offer them something with love. The same principle applies to the process of bhakti-yoga, wherein we aspire to [...]