What characterizes civilization is not the presence of comforts, but the purification of consciousness
Many people consider as civilized societies that have comforts such as cars, cellphones and computers. Societies without these are deemed primitive, backward and uncivilized. Such [...]
To shift our emotional center of gravity, we need gravity much more than emotionality
Spiritual growth essentially means shifting our emotional center of gravity. The center of gravity is the point at which all the mass of an object [...]
Don’t let disagreement degenerate into disrespect
“How can we best deal with our disagreers?” The Bhagavad-gita (18.03) offers a healthy model. Here Krishna states the position of those who recommend renunciation [...]
The perfection of devotional learning is not just learning but also learning to keep learning
Learning can refer to both the process and the product: the process of learning, and its product, becoming a person with learning. In learning about [...]
Krishna lights the world without and the world within
When we are caught in darkness and are struggling to find our way, if someone provides light to show the way, we naturally want to [...]
The key to offering ourselves to Krishna is offering our mind and intelligence to him
“How can we remember Krishna while doing our duties in the world?” This question often perplexes devotees. Let’s look closely at the Bhagavad-gita verse (08.07) [...]
The soul is indestructible in constitution but destructible in cognition
The Bhagavad-gita in its second chapter repeatedly stresses the indestructibility of the soul. Yet the same Gita in its sixteenth chapter talks twice (16.09; 16.21) [...]
Fanatical materialism banishes materialists to the Siberia of hallucination
Materialism is today’s prominent worldview. Most people may not consciously choose it, but they adopt it subconsciously. Why? Because the contemporary culture aggressively glamorizes material [...]
Knowledge in ignorance is tiny, at best vastly tiny
‘Knowledge in ignorance’ is an oxymoron, the placing of contradictory words next to each other to convey a deeper meaning. To understand this oxymoron, let’s [...]
The mind’s feelings are frequently the soul’s failings
We are sometimes led astray by the mind’s feelings. For example, we may eat a lot because it feels good, but later it spoils our [...]
Life may not be logical but it is teleological
Teleology refers to ‘the perception of purposeful development towards an end.’ (American Heritage Dictionary) ‘Life is teleological’ means that whatever happens in our life is [...]
Focus not on breaking free from illusion; focus on holding on to reality
A person who is bound usually focuses on breaking free by, say, untying or cutting the binding ropes. That kind of focus is not the [...]
The soul is wise, but lust makes it otherwise
“What makes good people do bad things?” This is a question that has vexed thinking people throughout history. We all have probably witnessed acquaintances suddenly [...]
We have to sit in the city of nine gates, but we don’t have to be stuck in it
“You are not the body” is a basic teaching of the Bhagavad-gita. Even if we understand it, we can’t wish away our bodily incarceration – [...]
Determination is a function of not just intention but also purification
Suppose a public speaker while giving a talk is troubled by a persistent cough. Can the speaker deal with it merely by a resolute intention, [...]
Don’t read so much between the lines as to miss the lines
Erudite Gita commentators throughout history have unpacked its wisdom-filled verses in multiple ways. By examining the context, tone, word usage and similar details, they reveal [...]
Krishna’s mercy enables us to find him – and to find him fulfilling
The world we live in is like a maze. It offers us so many alternatives of what we can do, so many promises of what [...]
Far more important than the book cover is what the book covers
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is almost a truism. Yet it has special relevance for the Bhagavad-gita because its cover can intrigue as well as beguile, for it [...]
Misery is not the cause of enlightenment – mercy is
Some seekers ask, “When afflicted with a deadly disease, some devotees take intense shelter of Krishna and make phenomenal spiritual advancement. If similar misery came [...]
We help ourselves best by remembering that we are helpless without Krishna
“Help!” That’s how a person fallen in an ocean calls out for rescue. But suppose that person is intoxicated and so doesn’t even realize the [...]
To put first things first, stop putting things first
“Put first things first” is a sensible self-help slogan that urges us to prioritize important things. It, however, leaves unanswered some key questions: What things [...]