Humility empowers when certainty doesn’t
We live in an uncertain world where perplexities and adversities can befall us at any moment. Naturally, we seek certainty, sometimes by turning to God [...]
The more we consider others’ need the more we can free ourselves from our greed
Suppose we come to our home and are starving. We see some food in our fridge and devour it all, even though it is more [...]
Gita 5.22 explained
Now Sri Krishna will talk about on what basis a person will become bāhya-sparśeṣv asaktātmā. Why one should give up outer pleasures Sri Krishna says [...]
Gita 5.9 explained
BG 5.8 Bg 5.8-9 naiva kiñcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu [...]
Equality that is imposed leads inevitably to inequality
We live in an egalitarian society, where inequality and discrimination are considered reproachable, even reprehensible. Significantly however, equality is not a materially self-evident fact. Whatever [...]
Even if we can’t drive away inner impurities, we can still drive away from inner impurities
Suppose an obscene billboard comes up in our neighborhood. If we want our locality to be family-friendly, we will want that image removed. But if [...]
There is a purpose for everything we experience, even the things we don’t want to experience
Suppose we are forced to go through certain experiences that we just didn’t want to go through. When such things happen, it’s natural to feel [...]
Happiness is found not in collecting and consuming, but in connecting and contributing
Today’s corporate-controlled consumerist culture makes us believe that our success and happiness are defined by how much we collect and how much we consume: how [...]
Obscenity is objectionable not because it shows too much of a person, but because it shows too little and obsesses people with the too little
Obscenity is objectionable not because it shows too much of a person but because it shows too little and obsesses people with the too little [...]
Our loudest desires won’t lead us to happiness – our deepest desires will
Our loudest desires won’t lead us to happiness – our deepest desires will In a conversation, suppose one person speaks the loudest. That doesn’t make [...]
Be not self-seeking be seekers of the self
Be not self-seeking be seekers of the self Self-seeking people care for their own pleasures, without caring for anyone else. Such people can’t be seekers [...]
Even if we can’t stop feeling sensual urges we can stop feeding sensual urges
Even if we can’t stop feeling sensual urges we can stop feeding sensual urges Suppose we live in a forest cabin. We may not be [...]
To free yourself from the burden of self-consciousness, become conscious of a purpose bigger than the self
Self-consciousness can be a big burden for many people. When they interact with others, especially in public settings, they are choked by their self-consciousness: “I [...]
Pleasure and pain are both life’s ringtones – don’t keep hearing the tone start picking up the phone
Pleasure and pain are both life’s ringtones - don’t keep hearing the tone start picking up the phone Suppose our phone rings. Some ringtones are [...]
The body reacts mechanically – don’t take its reactions personally
The body reacts mechanically - don’t take its reactions personally Suppose we had a machine that was programmed to behave in a particular way, to [...]
Turning away is not running away if we are turning toward something better
Turning away is not running away if we are turning toward something better Suppose we see a person who constantly agitates us. Not wanting to [...]
We don’t have to outweigh our urges; we just have to out-wait them
We don’t have to outweigh our urges; we just have to out-wait them Suppose a thief is trying to barge into our house by breaking [...]
When we resist our urges, they may become scarier, but they don’t become stronger
When we resist our urges they may become scarier but they don’t become stronger Suppose an animal trainer is domesticating a wild tiger by starving [...]
If conscience doesn’t create a barrier between impulse and indulgence, intelligence must
If conscience doesn’t create a barrier between impulse and indulgence intelligence must Suppose a river tends to overflow unpredictably, flooding the nearby areas. To protect [...]
Gita 5.24 explained
Now Sri Krishna talks about turning inwards once again Bg 5.24 yo ’ntaḥ-sukho ’ntar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ brahma-bhūto ’dhigacchati Word for word: [...]
Gita 5.15 explained
Bg 5.15 nādatte kasyacit pāpaṁ na caiva sukṛtaṁ vibhuḥ ajñānenāvṛtaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ Word for word: na — never; ādatte — accepts; kasyacit — [...]