The Journey from effortful remembrance to divine absorption
The Bhagavad-gita (10.9) states that the thoughts of the devotees reside in Krishna. This is a far more devotionally endearing way of describing the activity [...]
Meditation & life – compartmentalized or integrated
Our love needs to be seen, not just through the words that we speak but also through the actions that we do. The Bhagavad Gita [...]
Gita 10.09 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 10.9 mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ [...]
How Gita study both has an end and is endless
In the journey is the joy. This could be a contemporary way to phrase one of the Gita’s most well-known teachings: work without attachment to [...]
How devotion encompasses our entire being (Chatur-Shloki Gita analysis 9)
In the Chatur-shloki Gita, the second verse (10.09) describes the characteristics of the devoted in terms of their thoughts, actions and words. These correspond to [...]
Why speech matters so much in devotion (Chatur-Shloki Gita analysis 6)
In its second verse, the Chatur-Shloki Bhagavad-gita (10.08-11) states the characteristics of the devoted in terms of their thinking, living and speaking. Significantly, while it [...]
Devotion is seen through dedication (Chatur-Shloki Gita analysis 5)
Suppose someone claims that they are strong patriots. On observing them, if we find that they hardly do anything practical for their country, we will [...]
Devotion changes our inner home (Chatur-Shloki Gita analysis 4)
The Bhagavad-gita’s Chatur-Shloki (10.08-11) begins by stating that Krishna is the ultimate reality, loved by the enlightened (10.08). The next verse (10.09) states the characteristics [...]
How God’s love is both universal and particular
God loves us — this is the common teaching of the world’s theistic traditions. And this teaching is expanded in the bhakti tradition through the [...]
The endless end of knowledge
The word “end” has two meanings: conclusion and purpose. “To what end are you doing all this?” means, “For what purpose are you doing this?” [...]
Are scriptural descriptions of Krishna literal?
When we hear the descriptions of Krishna given in scripture — for example, his complexion is bluish-black — we may wonder: Are such descriptions literal? [...]
What makes relationships unsteady — and how to make them steady?
Suppose two countries with drastically different values come together because of some extrinsic factor such as fighting against a common enemy. They may fight together [...]
How to get insights?
We often want to get fresh insights so that we can be wiser, smarter, happier. If, however, we think of insight primarily as coming up [...]
Associate with the saintly to upload their spiritual positivity, not download our mental negativity
When things go wrong, our mind often gets filled with negativity. At such times, we naturally need solace, which we may seek by associating with [...]
When the supreme soul is glorified, the small soul is purified
When we hear the Bhagavad-gita’s recommendation to practice bhakti-yoga, which centers on glorifying the object of bhakti, Krishna, we may wonder, “What do we get [...]
Association works, but making it work is our responsibility
If we want to drive to a destination, we need a working car. But just getting the car is not enough – we need to [...]
Spiritual learning culminates not just in learning about Krishna but in learning to keep learning about Krishna
When we start exploring life’s spiritual dimension, we sense that something eternal exists beyond this world – and that we ourselves belong to that eternal [...]
The world can crowd Krishna out of our heart – and so can the mind
We may feel, “Today’s passionate world, filled with demanding people and unending to-do lists, distracts me from my spirituality. If only I could live in [...]
Glorification of the One brings the unification, elevation and satisfaction of the many
Suppose we have a set of four balls tied to a central point. If we want to lift the set, we can try to individually [...]
Socialization should be a spur for spiritualization, not a substitute for it
Many people find spiritual association a good place for socialization. As spiritually-minded people are often warm, gentle and thoughtful, their association can be a comforting [...]
We need mentors who understand our mind and who can help us understand our mind
Whatever be our specific inclination – which stems from the nature of our mind – that mental inclination presents distinctive challenges in our life in [...]