God’s transcendence means that he is free from taking sides – and free for taking sides
Some people ask, “Is God impartial? If so, then why does Krishna take the Pandavas’ side in Mahabharata?” Yes, God is impartial. He is transcendental [...]
Individuality breeds creativity and spirituality, individualism breeds self-obsession and self-destruction
We live in an individualistic culture. To understand its positives and negatives, let’s differentiate between two terms: individualism and individuality. Individualism refers to the mindset [...]
Condescension looks down at others while laughing at them; compassion lifts others up while laughing with them
Suppose someone walking on a road slips and falls into a manhole. If onlookers laugh without helping, that would be terrible. To laugh at others [...]
Gita 18.28 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.28 ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ [...]
Showing others how they are wrong is not compassion, seeing how they can help themselves become more right is
If we see someone in trouble, we may naturally want to help them. And if they are in trouble because of something that they are [...]
Sincerity can show the path to ability; it can’t substitute for ability
Suppose a loved one is terribly sick and needs surgery. We sincerely want to help them, but if we don’t know the ABC of surgery, [...]
The world doesn’t need people with answers as much as it needs people who are the answers
Stress. Joblessness. Loneliness. Sectarianism. Climate change. Many such grave problems afflict the world. Thoughtful people everywhere are looking for answers. Some people believe they have [...]
Gita 06.16 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya 10-32: From practice to perfection in [...]
Overlords are meant not to lord it over others, but to lead others over to the Lord
Whenever we get any leadership position, we gain the power to control others. And our ego may impel us to misuse that power to dominate [...]
If we gauge how good we are solely by how good we feel about ourselves, we rob ourselves of our goodness
We all want to feel good about ourselves. And wanting to feel good is in itself not a bad thing. It becomes bad when it [...]
The essence of renunciation is not giving up worldly things, it is giving up worldly thoughts
Some people define spiritual advancement in terms of renunciation: the more one physically renounces worldly things, the more spiritually advanced one is. Significantly, the Bhagavad-gita [...]
The less we identify with our thoughts, the less we act thoughtlessly
Whenever we do something regrettable, we wonder, “Why did I act so thoughtlessly?” First, we are never literally thoughtless, for we are never without thoughts. [...]
If Krishna takes away the things that can take us away from him, don’t go away from him
We usually approach God when we need something. If we get it by praying to him, we feel our faith vindicated. But suppose the opposite [...]
The stronger the hold of problems on our mind, the weaker becomes our hold on ourselves
Suppose we see a friend getting rattled when facing problems. We may tell them, “Get a hold on yourself.” This common usage suggests that we [...]
The Gita equips the thoughtful to become more faithful and the faithful to become more thoughtful
Some people say, “Thoughtfulness and faithfulness don’t go well together. If someone thinks too deeply, many of the things they are called to believe will [...]
The mind makes the uncomfortable seem unbearable and then makes us do the unconscionable
Suppose someone lives in a place with uncomfortably hot weather. If they accept their situation, they will gradually get used to it. But suppose they [...]
Don’t be so afraid of the irrational as to deny the possibility of the transrational
We live in an age that prides itself on its rationality. Few put-downs anger thinking people as much as being called irrational. As today’s mainstream [...]
God focuses not on what wrongs we have committed, but on where our heart is committed
Suppose we strive to practice bhakti and live purely, but fail — and fail repeatedly. We may feel disheartened: “When I am so impure, how [...]
Manifesting our individuality should fill our heart, not empty our pocket
“Be yourself.” This is an oft-repeated mantra nowadays. While the call to be true to oneself is enriching, the path to self-expression, as charted by [...]
Just because it’s not up to you doesn’t mean that you are not up to it
When we are asked to do something challenging, especially something whose results depend on factors beyond our control, we may back off, saying, “It’s not [...]
Gita 09.06 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now after describing this Krishna [...]