Gita 03.15 explained
Bg 3.15 karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi brahmākṣara-samudbhavam tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam Word for word: karma — work; brahma — from the Vedas; udbhavam — [...]
Counter temptation not just at the level of activity but at the level of identity
When we are tempted by some pleasure that we know we should resist, we often fight it at the level of physical indulgence – we [...]
Focus not on where the inner voice is coming from, but on where it is taking
We often hear different voices within us. Some voices prompt us to act foolishly, some to act wisely, some to actions in between. Gita wisdom [...]
We need liberation from the compulsion for self-destruction
We all have an inbuilt self-destruction button. For example, in sports such as cricket, an in-form batsman who is leading his team to a comfortable [...]
Use intelligence to see beyond appearance
Some people argue, “Seeing is believing.” They deride as unintelligent those who believe in invisible things such as the soul or God. However, the defining [...]
For changing internals, changing externals is almost always necessary and almost never sufficient
Consider an alcoholic who wishes to give up alcoholism. Breaking free from the addiction is ultimately an inner resolution that they need to make and [...]
Sensuality is the rust that blunts the axe of our consciousness
Woodcutters who try to cut trees with a blunt axe waste their time. Taking time out to sharpen the axe is prudent. How can we [...]
Culture is meant to instill values, not instigate cravings
We all are shaped by the culture of our times. In today’s world, the culture is extremely sensual and materialistic. Consider, for example, the contemporary [...]
Let introspection be for fact-finding, not fault-finding
While striving to live according to principles, if we falter, we become disheartened. Even if we introspect to find out why we fell, that introspection [...]
The cunning combination of complacency, complicity and carnality consumes our conscience
Our conscience is our inner guard – it cautions us whenever we feel tempted to do anything unworthy. However, just as a carnivorous predator may [...]
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 [...]
We are all playing on different surfaces – don’t compare
Suppose two batsmen are batting in two different matches on two different pitches, with one pitch being a batsman’s paradise and the other a batsman’s [...]
If people don’t walk in, don’t slam the door on their face
When we start practicing spiritual life, our life becomes enriched with deep meaning and sublime joy. Naturally, we desire that others become similarly enriched. So, [...]
Stay aware of your triggers – and stay away from them
Recovering alcoholics are warned to stay away from things that trigger their desire for alcohol. If, for example, between their office and home lies a [...]
Outreach requires that we speak in the conceptual language that our audience understands
Suppose a speaker delivers an eloquent talk, but in a language that the audience doesn’t understand. The speaker’s effort gets wasted. Just as speaking to [...]
Aversion is as much a temptation as is attachment
On the spiritual path, we understand that attachments are temptations. When we are too attached to someone, we are always thinking about that person and [...]
Prohibition can be a support for purification, not a substitute
Some governments recognize that alcoholism leads to various problems such as disease, domestic abuse and driving under intoxication. To curb such problems, they prohibit alcohol. [...]
The inconsiderate can be as injurious as the incorrect
A doctor who prescribes incorrectly hurts the patient. But so does a doctor who prescribes inconsiderately, who doesn’t consider the patient’s case history and prescribes [...]
Let satisfaction be the basis of success, not success the basis of satisfaction
We all want success and we all want satisfaction. Unfortunately, these two sometimes seem mutually exclusive. The more we struggle for success, the more we [...]
Think with our sense, not our senses
Thinking with our sense means using our good sense to differentiate between the desirable and the undesirable. By such thoughtfulness, we see as undesirable the [...]
What someone is not telling can be telling
Suppose India is rocked by a war of global significance. If an Indian newspaper barely reports that war, that silence is telling – it highlights [...]