When the supreme soul is glorified, the small soul is purified
When we hear the Bhagavad-gita’s recommendation to practice bhakti-yoga, which centers on glorifying the object of bhakti, Krishna, we may wonder, “What do we get [...]
The mind will dissolve our resolve unless we evolve
Suppose we had a valuable object that was soluble in water. If kept in a humid environment, it will dissolve. To preserve any object, we [...]
Wrongdoing is not just the wrong we do, but also the right we don’t do
Suppose a thief robs someone – that’s a wrongdoing. Additionally, if a cop were nearby but didn’t stop the thief – that’s also a wrongdoing. [...]
Study scripture as a scuba diver, not a surface swimmer
When we swim in the ocean on its surface, we may find its vastness exciting. But if we want to find pearls, we need to [...]
The devoted shine like sapphire when they go through the sadhana fire
The soul is like a jewel. It is an effulgent spark of consciousness, being a part of the supremely effulgent ultimate reality, Krishna. Presently however, [...]
Don’t see through others; see others through
To see through others means to look for faults in others even when none are evident. To see others through means to help others manage [...]
Free will is the distance between impulse and response
On seeing addicted people relapsing despite their best intentions, we may wonder, “Do they still have free will? Can we lose our free will?” No. [...]
When we do karma-yoga for Krishna, Krishna takes the karma and gives us the yoga
For succeeding or even surviving in the world, we need to work. Simultaneously, when we become spiritually aware, we understand that worldly actions bind us [...]
Spiritual knowledge makes us far-sighted and deep-sighted
To be far-sighted means to prepare for our long-term future. To be deep-sighted means to address issues at levels deeper than the surface level. Gita [...]
To mistake the hilarious to be malicious is ridiculous
The Bhagavad-gita is spoken before a fratricidal war between the Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas. What caused cousins to fight till death? Their enmity [...]
The mind treats us badly, yet we trust it madly
Suppose an investment agent misled us into making bad investments. We wouldn’t trust them again. Our mind is like an inner agent that misleads us [...]
To bear the weight of freedom, we need big shoulders
Suppose someone has to carry a huge weight. If they don’t have shoulders big enough, they would get crushed and injured. The same applies to [...]
Seek freedom from weakness, not freedom in weakness
Freedom from weakness refers to freedom from the lower urges that weaken our determination to act constructively. Our weaknesses are self-destructive forces within us such [...]
Liberty from responsibility is not liberty – it is slavery to irresponsibility
We all long for liberty. In today’s uncommitted age, we may conceive of liberty as freedom to do whatever we feel like doing, unencumbered by [...]
Gita 10.01 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan New Prayer: Prapan Parijatayah Totraya [...]
Sensuality erodes both our tendency and our capacity for spirituality
If we are to travel from place A to place B, we need the tendency and the capacity to make the journey. Tendency refers to [...]
Spiritual knowledge is not just propositional – it is also transformational
Some people downplay spiritual knowledge, deeming it merely propositional. They hold that various teachers make various propositions about the nature of reality; none of these [...]
Krishna transforms our brokenness into wholeness when we surrender
Suppose an accident has broken our bones. To function properly, we need to first become healthy and whole. Our functioning can be impeded not just [...]
Humility is the pathway to Krishna, not the password to position in a power structure
Some people are humble and submissive in front of their seniors, but haughty and abusive with their juniors. Why are they two-faced? Because their humility [...]
Don’t be oblivious to your weaknesses, but don’t be obsessed with them either
We all have strengths and weaknesses. To be oblivious to our weaknesses is dangerous. Suppose our driving skills are not up to the mark, and [...]
The most damaging consequence of indulgence is nonchalance towards indulgence
Suppose a butcher’s child kills an animal for the first time. Initially, his hand and heart may tremble: “How can I kill?” However, if he [...]