Reflect on time’s cyclicity to reduce the mind’s imbecility
The mind’s imbecility is to believe that the things that haven’t provided fulfillment till now will provide fulfillment next time round. It imagines that the [...]
Let the restless mind find rest in Krishna
In some fictional narratives, a Superman-like being stops by the force of his arms a fast moving car. Though such a feat looks spectacular on [...]
The world’s being a miserable place doesn’t mean we have to be miserable
An oft-quoted Bhagavad-gita verse deems this world a place of misery (08.15: duhkhalyam). Yet the same Gita was spoken to relieve Arjuna of misery. Initially [...]
Waking up from the nightmare of death
“I will die one day.” We find such thoughts hard to stomach because our insides recoil and rebel at the prospect of our annihilation. We [...]
Death for the devoted is not destruction, but discharge
Some people ask, “Devotees and non-devotees both have to die – so what’s the use of practicing spirituality with all its restrictions?” That’s like asking: [...]
See misery as confirmation of scripture – and as impetus to further confirm scripture
Devotee-seekers sometimes ask, “I am living according to scripture, yet I am getting misery. Why?” The occurrence of misery in our life doesn’t falsify scripture [...]
Our disposition at death determines our destination after death
Our thoughts shape our actions and our actions shape our destinations. While this has become something of a cliché nowadays, Gita wisdom reveals a profound [...]
To see life’s positive side, understand what life is and what its positive side is
Some people find the Bhagavad-gita pessimistic: “Why harp on life’s problems? Why not see its positive side?” Actually, the Gita doesn’t harp on life’s problems [...]
Krishna is not just a point for meditation – he is the person for supplication
Yogis, specifically dhyana-yogis, start meditation by focusing on some point, such as the tip of the nose or the space between the eyebrows. As such [...]
The key to offering ourselves to Krishna is offering our mind and intelligence to him
“How can we remember Krishna while doing our duties in the world?” This question often perplexes devotees. Let’s look closely at the Bhagavad-gita verse (08.07) [...]
Krishna is not life’s sole goal – he is life’s whole goal
Sometimes people ask: “To attain Krishna, do we have to give up all other goals and just devote ourselves to him?” No, because Krishna is not [...]
Let the pat on the back for our intellectual conquests not become a nail in the coffin of our devotional prospects
The Bhagavad-gita declares repeatedly that Krishna can be known only through devotion, as in 08.22, 11.53 - 11.54, 18.55, for example. Why is devotion the [...]
Life is a test of taste
Life is a test. This saying is meant to inspire people to gallantly face life’s problems. Additionally, Gita wisdom reveals its philosophical import: life is [...]
In life’s final exam, worry not about circumstantial logistics; rely on transcendental dynamics
Death is life’s final exam. We are eternal souls transmigrating through various temporary bodies. Death is our opportunity to attain eternal life – if things [...]
Life’s speed-breakers are meant to be faith-builders, not faith-breakers
People often ask: “There’s so much suffering in the world. Does God actually care?” Yes, God cares – and cares more than we can comprehend. [...]
Remembrance of Krishna’s immanence brings resilience during our march to transcendence
We naturally think of those close to us. People can be close physically or emotionally. Because our senses perceive the physical reality around us, our [...]
Seek not moments of devotion; seek momentum in devotion
In an elevator, what gets us to the destination quickly is the motion of the elevator, not our emotion during the elevation. Bhakti-yoga is like [...]
The world is a hospital; be hospitable to the doctor
Patients admitted in a hospital know that the doctor’s counsel is essential for their recovery. If some patients were inhospitable to the doctor, we would [...]
To end our forgetfulness, let’s first commit to end our forgetfulness of our forgetfulness
We may sometimes become discouraged in our spiritual life: “I keep forgetting Krishna repeatedly even after practicing devotional service for so long. Is my practice [...]
We can’t change the nature of nature, but we can change the nature of desire
“And they lived happily ever after.” This is the common end of most novels and movies. That is the dream of all of us, isn’t [...]
Leave no space to space out
Doing anything worthwhile requires attentiveness. A sportsperson has to be on high alert to perform in the sporting arena. This need for attentiveness applies all [...]