Accepting our smallness requires greatness
Megalomania, the illusion of imagining oneself to be far greater than what one actually is, afflicts all of us, to smaller or greater degrees. In [...]
Study not to be seen by the world as learned, but to see the world with learned eyes
When we acquire knowledge, the ego frequently gets intoxicated, “I know so much.” If others respect us for our learning, then getting more respect often [...]
Don’t base identification on sensation
Some people argue, “How can I be anything other than my body? When it gets cut, I feel pain; when it touches something soft, I [...]
Monumental triviality is still a triviality
Some sports fans become so manic that when their favorite team loses, they feel as if it is the end of the world. A few [...]
Things are not what they seem, but they are not a dream
Materialists often take things at face value. If something looks attractive, they assume it will be a source of pleasure. Even when it doesn’t give [...]
Self-pity is not humility
Self-pity can seem like humility because both appear to involve having a low, even negative, conception of ourselves. However, they are totally different both in [...]
Better to be on the wrong side of history than on the wrong side of reality
Materialists sometimes accuse spiritualists, “You people are so old-fashioned, holding on to regressive ideas like sexual restraint. The whole world is giving up such ideas [...]
Evil arises not from Krishna’s intention, but from the soul’s volition
People often ask, “If God, the creator of world, is good, why does evil exist in the world?” Evil arises not from Krishna’s intention but from [...]
Hear to become aware of the savior who is ever here
How can we realize our spiritual nature? The Bhagavad-gita in its thirteenth chapter overviews the nature of the soul’s entanglement in matter and the way [...]
Cultivate humility not as the justification for shirking responsibility but as the inspiration for embracing responsibility
Humility is foundational to authentic spirituality. The Bhagavad-gita (13.08) lists humility as the first among the virtues that comprise wisdom. Krishna enjoins Arjuna to cultivate [...]
Krishna’s purpose is not to catch us when we do wrong, but to catch us when we fall
When we are in the public eye, especially with critics present, we frequently become self-conscious. Even when we are in a private room, if we [...]
Detachment is not hard-heartedness, but clear-headedness
Some people ask: “When the Gita (13.10) asked Arjuna to become detached from family members such as sons, why did he become so distraught after [...]
The purpose of humility is to foster neediness, not helplessness
Some people think of humility as undesirable because it supposedly makes people feel bad about themselves by making them obsess over their defects and deficiencies. [...]
We may go incognito, but we can never go invisible
When people want to surf the net privately, they often use the incognito mode. Yet they are not invisible to the internet service provider and [...]
Those who parade their purity accumulate the impurity of pride
On the spiritual path, freedom from the gross impurities of lust, greed and anger is invaluable. Such purity keeps us focused on Krishna amidst temptations. [...]
Don’t waste extra thought on people for whom you are extras
“If I do that, what will people think of me?” Such concern over the world’s opinion can sometimes protect us from unworthy actions but it [...]
Humility doesn’t take away our self-respect; it helps us respect the self
Some people feel that humility is demeaning, that it takes away their self-respect. This feeling stems from their misunderstanding that humility means to let oneself [...]
The vision of the one in everyone grants liberation
Addiction is a result of fragmental vision. Alcoholics see only the pleasure of the drink, not the pain of the consequent hangover. Although they may [...]
Contemplating the gravity of our purpose exposes the frivolity of our pride
Suppose a doctor in an epidemic-hit area succeeds in saving a record number of patients. The feat is laudable, no doubt. But suppose the doctor [...]
Nectar is not a material thing to be ingested, but a spiritual truth to be relished
“It tastes like nectar,” people say when something tastes delicious. This usage, wherein nectar is compared to a thing, often makes people assume nectar to [...]
A problem denied is a problem multiplied
Suppose a person feels pain due to serious disease denies the problem. Such a denial gives the disease a free run to spread till finally [...]