Devotion is not just an emotion we feel – it is an action we do
Some people equate devotion with emotion – the emotion they feel on, say, sensing sublime vibes at a sacred place, hearing sweet devotional songs or [...]
Nature’s regularity is not an intrinsic necessity; it points to an overseeing divinity
Suppose a poultry farmer puts food in the poultry enclosure every morning at 6 am. On observing this happening repeatedly, a cock declares, “Food comes [...]
Direct the whole heart towards the heart of the Whole
We all long to love and be loved. Where does this longing come from? And how can it be best fulfilled? This longing can’t come [...]
The pursuit of God is never a 9-to-5 endeavor
When we work at a 9-to-5 job that we don’t particularly like, we dislike being disturbed by office work outside office-hours. If we like our [...]
The world sees outside-in; God sees inside-out
The world often judges us by our actions. Even if we have the best of intentions, if our actions don’t work out right, the world [...]
See the providential in the accidental by being devotional
Newton’s seeing the fruit falling was accidental. He could well have been elsewhere at that time or the fruit might well have fallen at some [...]
The cure for ritualism is not the rejection of ritual but the infusion of emotion into ritual
Some people criticize religious rituals as mindless performances and campaign for their rejection. However, rituals are present in every walk of life. For example, when [...]
Devotion is more a function of intention than of action
The world sees us outside in. It rates us by our clothes, phones and cars. Such a rating pattern often sentences us to insecurity and inferiority, especially when we are stuck, by factors beyond our control, with unimpressive externals.
Gita 09.17 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna explains how He [...]
Break free from the small desires that have held you hostage for lifetimes
Abductors who take control of a plane often force it to a destination other than its intended one and hold the passengers hostage there. The [...]
Gita 09.09 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 9.9 na ca māṁ [...]
Gita 09.03 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan We are in 9th chapter [...]
Bhakti is not just emotion – it is also action that expresses and enriches emotion
Some people say, “Devotion is an emotion we feel in our heart; there’s no need to exhibit it publicly.” Exhibition is not needed, but expression [...]
The Gita is too important to be left to scholars alone
The Gita is a scholarly book – its verses, analysis and flow are all intellectually stimulating. But it is not meant for scholars alone. The [...]
Be not distracted or disheartened – be devoted
Suppose a football player is approaching the opposite side’s goal. But someone suddenly distracts the player towards something unimportant and an opposing player seizes the [...]
The logic of the finite doesn’t limit the infinite
God’s infinitude makes comprehending him difficult for us finite beings, especially when we analyze him using the sense of logic derived from our experience with [...]
Even if the term is impersonal, the concept is personal
A cricket match report may refer to a top batsman as “a force to be reckoned with.” Here, the batsman, a person, is addressed with [...]
There’s no need to be confidently pessimistic
To achieve anything challenging, we need to be optimistic. Bhakti can boost our optimism by helping us realize that we are not alone; Krishna is [...]
Even if our attachments hold on to us, we can still hold on to Krishna
Suppose a person has fallen in a well and is held there by someone malevolent. When some benevolent person throws a rope down to help [...]
To gain spiritual momentum, focus on the soul’s nourishment, not the mind’s amusement
Suppose a person driving a car keeps alternately accelerating and braking it. Such intermittent moving and stopping will prevent the car from gaining any substantial [...]
Love is not just feeling – it is giving
Love is commonly used to refer to the strong emotion that one person may feel for another. Yet love is not just a feeling; it [...]