Why does Krishna take sides when he is equal to everyone?
Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita’s ninth chapter he is equal to everyone (09.29). Then why is he taking one side on the Kurukshetra battlefield: Arjuna’s, [...]
If everything happens by Krishna’s will was Duryodhana too doing Krishna’s will?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s tenth chapter, Krishna declares that material nature works under his supervision (09.10). Some may find this declaration similar to a common saying, [...]
How Krishna is both impartial and reciprocal (Exploring the Gita chapter 9 series – 3)
Suppose a cricket umpire constantly rules in favor of one side. That’s unfair, we will exclaim. We often extend this expectation of impartiality to all [...]
Gita 09.22 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna will contrast demigod [...]
Gita 09.34 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan bhajasva mām is elaborated in [...]
Gita 09.01 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 9.1 śrī-bhagavān uvāca idaṁ [...]
Gita 09.31 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 9.31 kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā [...]
How Krishna protects (Exploring the Gita chapter 9 series – 2)
One of the Bhagavad-gita’s most quoted verses (09.31) declares that Krishna always protects his devotees. While this verse is often used to support the idea [...]
Why can the envious not understand the Gita’s knowledge? (Exploring the Gita chapter 9 series – 1)
When Krishna states that the Gita’s knowledge is not meant for the envious (09.01), why is he keeping that knowledge inaccessible from them? He isn’t; [...]
Gita 09.32 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan In varansharam system higher varan [...]
Gita 09.33 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Then Krishna encourages Arjuna by [...]
The necessity of bhakti (Appreciating bhakti-yoga 5)
Suppose someone is told about a powerful medicine. If they think they are not sick, they won’t care much about that medicine. They need to [...]
The universality of bhakti
Most conventional religious paths present rigid boundaries to differentiate between the pure and the impure, which eventually translates into the qualified and the unqualified. Even [...]
The transformatory potency of bhakti yoga (Appreciating bhakti-yoga 4)
Every path expects certain abilities or qualities from its practitioners. For example, athletes need to be physically fit and agile; students need to be intellectually [...]
The eternality of bhakti yoga (Appreciating bhakti-yoga 3)
Many religious paths promise happiness, including happiness beyond this life. Gita wisdom explains that not all post-mortem destinations are equally good. The Gita differentiates between [...]
The simplicity of bhakti-yoga (Gita 09.20-34 explained: Appreciating bhakti-yoga 2)
Various religious paths require particular resources to be successfully executed. Those resources may relate with the capacities to get expensive paraphernalia, perform elaborate rituals, engage [...]
09.34 Four glories of bhakti-yoga (Gita 09.20-34 explained: Appreciating bhakti-yoga 1)
The glories of bhakti-yoga, as explained in the Bhagavad-gita (09.20-34), can be summarized through the acronym SETU: Simple, Eternal, Transformational, Universal. As SETU means bridge [...]
Gita 09.02 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 9.2 rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram [...]
Don’t let doubt stop our human search for understanding (Dealing with doubt 6)
We humans have an innate thirst for understanding. This thirst impels us to explore the world of matter through science and the world beyond matter [...]
When form and substance are different — and when they aren’t
All that glitters is not gold. Such sayings which are present in almost every human culture, highlight a vital reality in this world: form doesn’t [...]
When things don’t make sense …
Suppose in a forest, a huge fire suddenly breaks out for no apparent reason. Most people will flee in panic. When trained fire-fighters arrive at [...]