Why discipline is important — and not just for self-improvement
We often presume that discipline is something we need to adopt if we want to improve ourselves: say, become fitter, more well-read or more skilled. [...]
Whose respect are we trying to earn?
We all have a need to be respected. At a basic level, when we enter a room, we would like to be noticed, greeted, and [...]
Healthy and unhealthy foundations for self-respect
Some people treat self-respect as the most important thing in their life. When they feel that others are disrespecting or mistreating them, that becomes for [...]
When our conscience speaks ….
We all have inside us an inner guiding voice: the voice of conscience that guides us to act in ways that are worthwhile, ennobling and [...]
How Krishna’s pastimes reveal him to be the ultimate hero
How Krishna catches our attention: While watching an action movie, our attention is often caught by the hero’s spectacular action sequences. When Krishna descends to [...]
Why does the Gita emphasize yoga more than dharma?
In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna’s driving question is about dharma, the right thing to do. Yet Krishna’s response contains far more references to yoga than to [...]
Are Krishna’s Gita teachings exclusivist?
Not at all. What makes a path exclusivist is its claim that it alone has exclusive rights to God. What makes an exclusivist path bad [...]
Does the eternality of the soul license the killing of people?
Some people say, “The Gita teaches that because the soul is eternal and the body is perishable, there’s nothing wrong for Arjuna to kill in [...]
The tension that tore Arjuna apart
When we read in the Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter how Arjuna experienced an emotional breakdown, we may wonder: why was he so overwhelmed? To understand, we [...]
How the Krishna-Arjuna duo demonstrates the dynamics of divine empowerment
In the Bhagavad-gita (11.33), Krishna essentially assures Arjuna that he will be empowered by divine arrangement. To understand the dynamics of such divine empowerment, let’s [...]
How could Krishna and Arjuna have had their entire discussion on a battlefield?
Some people ask, “What was everyone else in the two armies doing all that time when Krishna-Arjuna were deep in discussion?” They were waiting for [...]
How Krishna’s teachings in the Gita go far beyond the peace-war polarity
Given that Krishna speaks the Gita on a battlefield, we would expect it to discuss quite a bit about the two binaries: war or peace. [...]
Arjuna’s strong comeback to Krishna’s rebuke
When Krishna rebukes Arjuna for giving in to weakness (02.02-03), Arjuna’s response is not at all weak. He lets it be known that he is [...]
How surrender to Krishna protects Arjuna from wrong actions
In Krishna’s last instructive words in the Gita, he assures Arjuna protection from all ‘papa,’ which is usually translated as sinful reactions. Additionally, another standard [...]
Does Krishna teach Arjuna that all paths lead to the same goal? – part 2
As discussed in the first part of this series, the idea that all paths lead to the same goal doesn’t hold true for Arjuna’s different [...]
How Krishna uses the same truth to prompt Arjuna to do opposite things
When Arjuna puts aside his bow (01.46) at the start of the Kurukshetra war, one way that Krishna urges Arjuna to pick up his bow [...]
Was Arjuna a pacifist?
Some people allege that Arjuna was a pacifist who was incited to fight by Krishna through the Gita’s message. Was Arjuna a pacifist? Yes, in [...]
Was Krishna a warmonger?
Some people allege that Krishna was a warmonger who goaded Arjuna into fighting. If Krishna had been a warmonger, why would he have personally gone [...]
Does Krishna teach Arjuna that all paths lead to the same goal? – part 1
[This is now the first part of what was previously written as a single article. On the request of readers for greater elaboration of the [...]
Two ways the Gita refers to the modes of material nature
One of the Bhagavad-gita’s most intriguing teachings centers on the modes of material nature (gunas). The modes are threefold: sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas [...]
The Gita’s two approaches to oneness
Oneness is a common theme associated with spirituality. Let’s consider two ways the Gita approaches oneness: As a spiritual foundation (09.15): The Gita lists oneness [...]