Those who see in history only their own reflection can’t see the trans-historical
History is often a fiercely disputed territory. Many people see history as an extension of their present into the past. Thus, for example, two countries [...]
History is often a fiercely disputed territory. Many people see history as an extension of their present into the past. Thus, for example, two countries [...]
Some religious people are over-zealous to fight for their faith – they quickly raise arms whenever they feel that their sacred icons have been slurred, [...]
On seeing God depicted in temples, we may get the question, “Who created God?” This question arises from a fundamental misunderstanding about God’s nature. To [...]
Our reason, our rational faculty, is vital for keeping us intelligently regulated and purposefully directed in life. The use of reason has assisted in the [...]
A child who wants to become a long-jump champion needs to start by taking tiny jumps that may seem negligibly ordinary. But for that child, [...]
Based on our past ways of thinking and living, we all have developed an attitude that is optimistic or pessimistic or an unpredictable combination of [...]
The essence of bhakti is the outflow of the human heart’s love towards the divine and the inflow of the divine’s love into the human [...]
Suppose a country’s president visits a jail for inspiring prisoners to reform and be released. But suppose the prisoners ignorantly mistake the president to be [...]
People ask, “Why should we believe in invisible things such as the soul and reject realities seen with our eyes?” Actually, we don’t need to [...]
Suppose a tribal ignorant of surgery comes to a hospital and sees a surgeon cutting the patient’s body. Alarmed, he cries out, “Killer, killer, killer.” [...]
Some people seek a guru as a social ornament. If they live in a pious society, then having a guru enhances their image. They like [...]
The Gita talks repeatedly about yajna, sacrifices wherein oblations are offered to the sacred fire. We may wonder, “Does it recommend this activity literally or [...]
Success in karma refers to the attainment of worldly fruits such as prosperity, position, power, prestige and pleasure. Seeking such success, we often try to [...]
Doubt is a dangerous obstacle on the devotional path. In a heart scorched by doubt, the nectar of devotion gets evaporated and eliminated. Indeed, doubt [...]
The Sanskrit word avatar has become mainstream in English due to both a Hollywood blockbuster and computer role-playing games. In contemporary usage, avatar refers to [...]
The English word “incarnation” is derived primarily from Abrahamic theology – it describes Jesus who, Christianity holds, is God descended in flesh as a human [...]
At the start of its fourth chapter, the Bhagavad-gita features a striking question-answer round. When Krishna mentions (04.04) that he had shared the Gita’s wisdom [...]
God is the source of everything. This foundational definition of God implies that he is the source of time too, for everything includes time. This [...]
The caste system widespread in India operates on the notion that people’s caste is determined solely by their birth. However, birth didn’t define the original [...]
Among the oft-quoted verses of the Bhagavad-gita are those describing God’s periodic descent (04.07-08): Whenever adharma predominates, he descends and re-establishes dharma, cosmic order. Still, [...]
The logical worldview accepts only those things that make sense to the intelligence’s logical faculty. So, it may, for example, dismiss the notion of God [...]