How can grievous wrongdoing be reconciled with devotion?
The Bhagavad-gita (09.30) raises a serious question: How can grievous wrongdoing and devotion go together? To address this question, consider the ocean-anchor metaphor. We all [...]
Gita 07.19 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya In this 7th chapter now we [...]
Holding on to the Krishna anchor
Suppose someone is lost in an ocean and is being tossed around by the waves. If they are fortunate enough to find an anchor that [...]
Seeing Krishna’s love for us and showing our love for him
Many of us turn toward God after we have tried everything else in our quest to be happy and it all has left us disappointed. [...]
Why we may relapse into unhealthy behaviors
When we succeed in giving up some unhealthy behavior, we usually feel encouraged, even delighted. But then seemingly out of the blue, we relapse. When [...]
When self-talk is counterproductive and when productive
Self-talk can refer to two broad things: Something inside us talks to us: We all have a voice inside us that keeps commenting about the [...]
Beyond pat explanations for our unhealthy behaviors
Suppose an airplane crashes, leading to huge casualties and damages. When questioned about the cause of the crash, suppose the airline company reports, “The plane [...]
Gita 18.66 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.66 sarva-dharmān parityajya mām [...]
How to better manage our emotions
Our emotions are an essential part of who we are; without them, we would be reduced to a flavorless, robotic existence. Though they add value [...]
How curiosity can increase our self-awareness
We all are naturally curious: the many breaking news are just one among hundreds of things that cater to our curiosity. That universally present faculty [...]
Gita 09.29 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan We will continue the glory [...]
Gita 03.26 explained
So now Krishna will talk about that you should not disturb the mind of others Bg 3.26 na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān [...]
Why equal treatment can sometimes seem unequal
Suppose a parent has two children, one younger and the other older. Suppose the younger sibling is just learning to eat from a plate and [...]
Two ways of surrendering to God’s will
In the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion, Arjuna responds to Krishna’s call to surrender (18.66) by resolving to do Krishna’s will (18.73). To understand what his declaration means, [...]
The difference between compassion and compromise
Suppose we are building a staircase to a scenic spot on a hilltop. Suppose we make the steps so big that people have to pull [...]
Gita 02.58 explained
Now Krishna starting to describe in next verse how such a person sits. Kim Asita (seating, how he restrain his senses 58 to 63) [...]
Gita 12.15 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.15 yasmān nodvijate loko [...]
How to deal with fear of failure
Whenever we try to improve ourselves by doing something challenging, such as giving up a long-held unhealthy habit or developing a long-sought healthy habit, a [...]
Gita 16.24 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.24 tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ [...]
Creating safe zones in our war against temptation
Soldiers in a war zone can get burned out due to the stress of always being on high alert. To reduce such burnout, they need [...]
Two aspects of compassion as seen through our speech
Suppose a doctor sees a sick person and decides to offer free treatment in the form of an injection. Suppose further that the patient has [...]