Krishna’s first indirect self-revelation - The Bhagavad-gita develops its message gradually and systematically. It starts by stressing our spiritual identity (02.13) and concludes by proclaiming [...]
Krishna’s first words reveal the Gita’s purpose - Krishna’s first instructive words to Arjuna are: don’t lament for that which is not worthy of lamentation [...]
Arjuna’s heart-wrenching dilemma - At the Bhagavad-gita’s start, Arjuna faces a paralyzing dilemma (02.06). To better sense his agony, consider some parallels. Suppose something terrible [...]
Krishna’s verbal slaps to Arjuna - The Gita’s second chapter begins with Arjuna in tears (02.01). Till this point, Arjuna has treated Krishna as a [...]
Krishna’s puzzling smile - The Bhagavad-gita’s second chapter begins with Arjuna’s plight: he is emotionally afflicted (02.01) and ethically conflicted (02.06). Finally, he surrenders to [...]
From honor-culture to honorable action - The Bhagavad-gita’s call for honorable action (02.34) reflects a characteristic of most traditional cultures: a concern for honor. People [...]
The difference between honor and pride - Synonyms aren’t always interchangeable. They can have connotations that may lead to meanings that are differing or even [...]
Does how others perceive us matter? - The Bhagavad-gita (01.34) states that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse [...]
How fear of dishonor can motivate us - Dishonor or shame can motivate us to desist from a wrong choice or persist in a right [...]
Is dishonor really worse than death? - The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for respectable people, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises the question: [...]
Why be bothered by dishonor? - The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises [...]
Thoughtfulness amid crisis - Suppose the CEO of a company loses their job because their company goes bankrupt due to a recession. The CEO will [...]
How sorrow points us toward spirituality - Loss and the resulting sorrow are unpalatable yet unavoidable experiences during our life-journey. When we lose something desirable, [...]
No time to think? - The Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter describes its setting: a battlefield where two huge armies were assembled, ready to fight. Wars are [...]
From the specific to the universal - We learn best by an expert combination of the specific and the universal. Specifics catch our attention as [...]
When our inner map fails - Suppose we are driving on an important journey using a digital map, but suddenly our map stops working. That [...]
The QUEST acronym - The Bhagavad-gita is widely known as a book of profound philosophy. Why does such a book start with an entire chapter [...]
10.11 How knowledge relates with devotion - The Chatur-Shloki Gita offers a nuanced understanding of the relationship between knowledge and devotion. Let’s try to understand [...]
10.11 How knowledge manifests in devotion - Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya “Move from darkness to light.” This well-known saying from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad succinctly conveys [...]
How devotion leads to dynamic intelligence - Our destiny is determined by our decisions; the choices we make can radically alter our life’s trajectories. Unfortunately, [...]
Why our mood matters in our bhakti practice - Suppose we meet someone whose words or gestures convey that they don’t want to be with [...]
