Happiness is not a product of gratification, it is a byproduct of dedication
We all long for happiness. Today’s culture declares that we can become happy by gratifying our senses. The more gratification we have, the happier we [...]
We talk frequently about death without actually talking about death
“Ten things to do before you die” – such lists are often found in self-help circles. Most readers, however, focus on the things to do, [...]
We feel stressed not so much because we are over-worked as because we are over-worried
Stress is rampant in today’s society. Why? One common explanation is over-work. But is over-work the only cause? At least three points suggest otherwise: Nowadays, [...]
See Krishna not just as an object of entertainment, but as the objective of enlightenment
Many people are introduced to Krishna through his stories narrated by their grandparents or depicted in comics or movies. Such depictions often leave people with [...]
For God, no problem is too big – or too small
When we face big problems that we can’t solve on our own, we seek help from someone bigger than us. If we are religious, we [...]
What we initially indulge in casually, we eventually indulge in compulsively
When contemporary culture tempts us with addictive indulgences such as drinking, it often offers a common rationalization, “Just drink once. It’s no big deal.” However, [...]
In bhakti, we don’t just make the offering – we are ourselves the offering
To connect personally with anyone, we usually offer them something with love. The same principle applies to the process of bhakti-yoga, wherein we aspire to [...]
Failure is a bump on the road, not the end of the road
When we fail at anything, we feel disheartened. Some people, however, become so disheartened as to become chronically depressed. Some youths, on failing in an [...]
The world points to Krishna and often misses the point of Krishna
The world features many attractive things that we clamor and labor to enjoy. Yet their beauty doesn’t last for long. Even while it lasts, their [...]
The world is a resource to take us to the source
During our reflective moments, we may wonder, “What is the purpose of this world?” Materialists answer that the world is a place for our enjoyment. [...]
If we think humbly, we won’t have to act dumbly
Suppose we are driving a car and come to an intersection. If we don’t know which way to turn, we would ask someone reliable for [...]
We can’t deprive others of their right to be wrong, but we can empower them to use that right rightly
If we see someone ignorantly walking towards the edge of a dangerous cliff, we will naturally warn them, “Don’t go there.” Usually, they will heed [...]
The mind doesn’t know what it wants – and is ready to fight against the world to get it
When children become infatuated with a toy, they throw a tantrum till they get it. But on getting it, they play with it for some [...]
It’s not because we are special that we are loved; it’s because we are loved that we are special
We all need a sense of self-worth. And we frequently seek it in horizontal terms. That is, we look at the people around us to [...]
There is no scientific proof that you exist, but scientific proof exists because you exist
Suppose someone said in English, “I don’t know a single word of English.” Their statement would be a blatant self-contradiction. A similar self-contradiction results when [...]
To have ability is a gift, to realize that we have ability is a greater gift, to realize that our ability is a gift is the greatest gift
To have ability is a gift: If we have some ability, it helps us not only to survive in a competitive world, but also to [...]
Love is the limiter of freedom – and its fulfiller too
We long to be free. And we long for love. Yet love and freedom don’t seem to go together. Why? Because love apparently restricts freedom. [...]
Just because something is not our fault doesn’t mean it is not our responsibility
Suppose a father who owns a firearm keeps it accessible to his teenage son. If the son injures someone with that gun, the son is [...]
Treat the mind like a child – don’t let the mind treat you like a child
Children are fickle. If we tell a child to study, he may do so for a few minutes and may then want to play. If [...]
When nothing is worth fighting for, anything can provoke a fight
If we see two people fighting over something trivial, we would naturally wonder: Why are they making such a big issue of this? People fight [...]
Humility learns even from success; pride, not even from failure
We often learn much more from our failures than from our successes. When we succeed, we may become so full of ourselves as to think, [...]