What we see depends on what we want to see
Suppose an alcoholic visits a new city. Though the city may have many attractive sights, the alcoholic will look for bars. Similarly, when we function [...]
Gita 12.17 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.17 yo na hṛṣyati [...]
The mind tends to do what we don’t intend to do
We may resolve to do some things, say regulate our eating or sleeping, but find ourselves doing the opposite, or at least feeling impelled to [...]
Act it till you achieve it
When we practice bhakti-yoga, we sometimes feel bored, apathetic, unconnected. We may wonder, “Am I being a hypocrite by practicing devotion when I don’t feel [...]
Devotion is sustained not by tribulation or emotion but by conviction
When we practice bhakti, we need to understand what factors can stimulate our bhakti steadily and what intermittently. Let’s analyze three common stimulators. Tribulation: We [...]
The consequence of indulgence is not the only problem – the indulgence itself is
Some smokers hope, “We can smoke unlimitedly if medicine could find some way to prevent the harmful effects of smoking.” Fueled by such hopes, they [...]
Fear not the loss of sensual pleasure – fear the loss of spiritual pleasure
We don’t like to lose things. If a choice entails some loss, we recoil from it. Such recoiling can make us miss out on choices [...]
Don’t work for or against the body – work with it for Krishna
If we were given a car, we would learn how it functions so as to smoothly drive it to our destination. At birth, we all [...]
What we fear reflects what we hold dear
When we feel fearful, our fear points to something we hold immensely dear, something whose possible loss terrifies us. The Bhagavad-gita (16.11) indicates that as [...]
To not feel bad on doing bad is bestially bad
Suppose we accidentally step on someone’s foot. We would naturally apologize, ask if they are ok, and do what we can to help. Overall, we [...]
Our conditionings need cautioning and cushioning
Suppose we are driving in a car that is prone to jerks and jolts. We have to drive cautiously, and our seats have to be [...]
We may have scars, but we don’t have to be scarred
To have scars means to have some physical marks. To be scarred means to feel insecure and inferior because we let those marks define us. [...]
We may have a great vehicle, but we won’t get anywhere unless we get into it
Suppose we want to go to a particular destination and have an efficient vehicle for getting there. Still, we need to get into it and [...]
If the truth makes us flee, it can’t make us free
Suppose we are diabetic, eat too many sweets and face a major health crisis. To be cured, we need to understand and accept the unpalatable [...]
Seeking satisfaction through accumulation increases accumulation, not satisfaction
We all want to be happy. However, where we seek happiness determines whether we will become happy or not. Frequently, we look for happiness through [...]
Gita 12.02 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.2 śrī-bhagavān uvāca mayy [...]
If we don’t ask “What am I doing?” we will end up asking “What have I done?”
While driving, if we don’t conscientiously keep the car on track, it will by default go off track. And we may find ourselves in a [...]
Go beyond the shelter of the intelligence to the shelter of Krishna with your intelligence
Intelligence is vital for our spiritual growth. The Gita’s flow reveals how the role of the intelligence evolves with the evolution of our spiritual understanding. [...]
The Gita’s setting reflects not logical absurdity but metaphysical urgency
Some people ask, “In the Mahabharata, when both armies were about to fight a war, how could they all have waited for so long while [...]
Piety when boosted by purity paves the way to spirituality
Many people do some pious activities regularly, thinking that it will provide them both material happiness in this world and better material happiness in the [...]
To know people’s backgrounds means to know what’s on their back and what’s under their ground
If we see someone walking with drooped shoulders, we might judge them as lethargic – till we notice that they are carrying a huge burden [...]