Gita 02.61 explained
Now Krishna will describe in next verse how one can practice spiritual life, how can one get higher taste, till now He said that [...]
Why does Krishna glorify himself throughout the Gita?
Some readers of the Bhagavad-gita ask, “Why does Krishna speak of his own glories so much throughout the Gita?” Actually, Krishna does not glorify himself [...]
Krishna’s first indirect self-revelation (Exploring Gita chapter 2 series – 5)
The Bhagavad-gita develops its message gradually and systematically. It starts by stressing our spiritual identity (02.13) and concludes by proclaiming Krishna’s all-pervading, all-embracing divinity, thereby [...]
Does devotion result in renunciation?
The bhakti tradition features sterling examples of great saints who became so devoted to Krishna as to completely renounce the world. Simultaneously, bhakti-yoga is celebrated [...]
How can we become immune to temptation?
Suppose someone is living in a pandemic area. If they have developed immunity to that disease, they may think they are safe. However, if they [...]
Why do small desires exert a big pull on us?
We all sometimes get caught in small desires that delude and distract us. These desires are small in the sense that they are about trivial [...]
Why bad habits don’t go away easily
If we leave our house empty while we go elsewhere, some squatters may occupy it. When we return, they refuse to go or even let [...]
Don’t fight against your bad habits — cultivate good habits and let them fight against your bad habits
When we have some bad habits, we often strive to get rid of them. If we fail repeatedly, we may become disheartened and quit. Why [...]
Stop struggling to turn off the inner darkness, start striving to turn on the inner light
Suppose we are lost in a dark room. We stumble over various things, hurting ourselves. To avoid such trouble, do we try to turn off [...]
Don’t bolt from temptation, bolt the door to temptation
When a horse hears a sudden loud sound, like that of a gunshot or a thunderclap, it bolts from that sound. Struck with fear, it [...]
Stop worrying about avoiding temptation, start working on cultivating absorption
When we resolve to resist some harmful temptation, we may fear, “The world is filled with tempting objects. How can I avoid all those objects [...]
Don’t be oblivious to your weaknesses, but don’t be obsessed with them either
We all have strengths and weaknesses. To be oblivious to our weaknesses is dangerous. Suppose our driving skills are not up to the mark, and [...]
Purification reveals the healthier choice to be also the tastier choice
Suppose we have to choose between candies and carrots. Even if we understand that carrots are healthier, we will still crave the candies because they [...]
Seek strength not just in conviction but also in connection
When we strive to grow spiritually, we need strength to resist worldly temptations. How do we gain such strength? We might seek it through the [...]
Be not just discerning and determined – be devoted
When we decide to do something right or give up something wrong, we need discernment. Why? Because the forces of illusion distort our perception. Illusion [...]
Change is easier when we focus on starting something positive, not on stopping something negative
We often become discouraged when we resolve to give up something negative but fail. However, we need to be prepared for such failure, knowing that [...]
Renunciation is not for deprivation but for connection and satisfaction
Many people see renunciation negatively, as deprivation of enjoyable things. However, a dramatically different picture emerges if we shift our focus from the practice of [...]
Focus on your steps, not your sidesteps
While walking on a road, suppose we keep worrying about all the slippery spots that we will have to sidestep. The resulting fear that we [...]
Focus not on avoiding entanglement – focus on seeking engagement
When a person is traveling on a boat, they need to be aware of the dangers, but they needn’t become paranoid – otherwise, they will [...]
The best way to deal with temptation is to not deal with it
Temptation is unavoidable as long as we exist in material existence, just as salespeople are unavoidable when we live in a commercialized economy. When [...]
All noes are not created equal
We often instinctively resent whenever we are told no to something that we wish to do. Such resentment is understandable because we equate the no [...]