Play the part of the part and the whole will fill the hole
We sometimes feel a hole within – a sense of emptiness that gnaws especially when we aren’t deadening ourselves internally with the racehorse pace and [...]
That which is unwillingly learned is willingly unlearned
When we practice bhakti-yoga, we frequently find ourselves relapsing to worldly anti-devotional indulgences. Why does this happen? Because in the school of devotion we are [...]
Watch the watchdog of conscience that watches for us and watches us
During our spiritual journey, we face dangers from worldly temptations. When we encounter things that seem delightful but are actually painful, our conscience acts like [...]
The more Krishna seems unnecessary, the more worldly unnecessities seem necessary
What we internally conceive as necessary, we externally pursue. Thus, an alcoholic internally thinks of alcohol as essential and externally chases it. What are our [...]
Material bondage is a restriction not in location, but in conception
The word ‘bondage’ often evokes an image of someone bound to a particular location, say, a hostage tied to a chair. Our bondage in material [...]
Spirituality values even the fools who find no value in spirituality
To appreciate the value of spirituality requires a sharp and deep intelligence that can penetrate through the surface appearance of things and ponder the core [...]
Purification transforms theoretical propositions into spiritual realizations
“Krishna is non-different from his holy name.” How can we realize such incomprehensible-seeming scriptural statements? By purification. As souls, we are capable of pure spiritual [...]
The Gita teaches not about a distant past but about the eternal present
Some people ask Bhagavad-gita students, “Don’t you people live in the past – spending so much time on an ancient book?” No, Gita study is [...]
Live not for gratification; live for contribution
We are all innately pleasure-seeking whatever we do, we do it for gaining pleasure. But pleasure has a peculiar nature it eludes those who pursue [...]
Meditation minimizes inner friction and maximizes outer contribution
“I have so many things to do. How can I spare time for meditation?” This apprehension often troubles aspiring spiritualists. Paradoxically, it is when we have [...]
Krishna is not just a portion of knowledge; he is its pre-condition and its perfection
The sun is one of the objects we see, but it is also the object by which we see all other objects. Without sunlight, we [...]
By seeing God as a competitor, we devalue ourselves
Some people ask: “Why should I serve God? Why can’t I enjoy independently, as he does?” We can seek enjoyment independent of God, for he [...]
We need to see intellectually before we can see visually
People ask, “Can you show me the soul?” Yes, answers Gita wisdom. But it underscores that we need to see intellectually before we can see [...]
We need to retire from lust before it will retire from us
Suppose we have a beloved pet dog. If we discover that it has contagious incurable rabies that could be lethal for us, we would have [...]
Is our assumption about love blocking our realization of love?
Love is what novels and movies talk about. Such depictions of love conjure images of sensual highs and emotional crests. But real love is [...]
Strive not to look good in the eyes of the world; strive to get good eyes to look at the world
People often worry whether they look good in the eyes of the world; they fuss about being in tune with the latest fashions. However, the [...]
Dissatisfaction is caused not by bhakti’s impotence but by the mind’s petulance
“This meditation stuff doesn’t work.” We may think like this when we don’t feel happy while chanting the holy names of Krishna. The problem, however, [...]
As long as we desire to bring matter under our captivity, we remain in its captivity
Our bad habits, our attachments to base material things, are often extremely difficult to give up. The resulting struggle may raise the question: “I am [...]
Change not just the state of mind – change also the state of being
Many popular self-help books claim that we will become happy if we just change our state of mind from negative to positive. Is this true? [...]
When fulfilling desires doesn’t translate into fulfillment
We all have so many desires for so many worldly things. However, because we live in a world of finite resources and a body with [...]
Life’s driving force is existence’s crowning reality
Love is life’s driving force. We all want to love and be loved. Our longing for love drives our lives and our dreams – to [...]