See discipline as a fight for freedom
If someone were to externally impose restraints on us, preventing us from doing something that is important to us, we would vigorously fight to regain [...]
Gita 03.37 explained
Bg 3.37 śrī-bhagavān uvāca kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam Word for word: śri-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead [...]
What’s wrong with unrestrained sexual activity?
Today’s culture glamorizes lust as the source of immediate and immense pleasure. However, such glamorization impoverishes our existence, depleting three of its vital dimensions: Spirituality: [...]
Raised fists or linked arms don’t transform as effectively as folded hands
Suppose we see something terribly wrong in the world around us. It may impel us to raise our fists in shocked protest. Or it may [...]
More dangerous than the enemies that threaten are the enemies that tempt
Suppose we are fighting a war. We will be on guard against those who threaten to destroy us. But suppose someone allures us with pleasure. [...]
Impurity needs to be feared before it can be found, found before it can be fought and fought before it can be finished
Suppose a person has a treasure kept in a high-security area. But if a thief sneaks in and if the owner is not vigilant, the [...]
The love that leads us to evil is evil masquerading as love
Suppose in a war, an enemy soldier dresses like a defending soldier and enters into the defending army. If the defenders aren’t alert enough to [...]
Never lose faith in your potential to improve, or you will court cowardice and malice
Suppose a patient loses faith in the potential of any treatment to cure them. They will become sicker, suffer more and soon die. What applies [...]
Those who fight their inner devils are the ultimate daredevils
Many people like to be daredevils. Wanting a sense of adventure and achievement, they dive into extreme sports. While those living on the edge may [...]
The most damaging consequence of indulgence is nonchalance towards indulgence
Suppose a butcher’s child kills an animal for the first time. Initially, his hand and heart may tremble: “How can I kill?” However, if he [...]
The enemy that is not recognized can’t be resisted
During a war, a spy who penetrates into a defending army can wreak havoc from within, for the defenders won’t even know whom to fight [...]
To succumb to temptation is not just immoral – it is also irresponsible
Suppose a pilot drinks, and drinks excessively, before flying a plane. Even if some people don’t consider drinking immoral, it is irresponsible, especially when doing [...]
Addictive desires feed themselves through us and then they starve us
Suppose someone came to our house, ate our food, became strong, took over our house and started starving us. That would be outrageous. However, that’s [...]
The biggest battle is not around us; it is inside us
We are often enmeshed in various battles around us – political battles in our countries, corporate battles in our offices, and domestic battles in our [...]
No enemy is as dangerous as the one we are blind to
An army would be endangered by an invading enemy, but it would be far more endangered by a spy in its own ranks, for the [...]
Defamation of character is not as damaging as deformation of character
Suppose someone defames us by spreading false rumors or making baseless accusations. We would be infuriated and may even sue them. But far more damaging [...]
Even when a big enemy is out there, the bigger enemy is in here
The Bhagavad-gita is a discussion on a battlefield between a warrior and his charioteer-turned-counselor. Since this conversation occurs just moments before the start of the [...]
Listen to your Lord, not to your lust
Within all of us lies an evil voice that lies. By promising pleasure, this voice prompts us to pander to our senses. But sensual pleasure [...]
Lust de-spiritualizes the subject and dehumanizes the object
When the culture depicts lust as the expressway to enjoyment, how can we understand the Bhagavad-gita’s declaration (03.37) that lust is the enemy of the [...]
Lust is not just vicious but also voracious
“What makes a person do something as terrible as that?” This universal question about human behavior is echoed by Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita (03.36). The [...]
One who rides a tiger into its lair becomes its dinner
Riding something that moves fast can be exhilarating. To get that thrill, many people drive bikes or horses at high speed. But suppose a person [...]