Focus not on life’s unfairness; focus on Krishna’s mercifulness
Life sometimes seems terribly unfair. For no good reason, people accuse, cheat or hurt us. When faced with life’s unfairness, we often feel indignant and [...]
The mind is a great storyteller, but what it tells are just stories, not realities
Some people narrate stories with such animation and emotion that they completely captivate their audiences. While we may appreciate their storytelling expertise, we won’t assume [...]
The best motivation for ambition is realization, not recognition
Some aspiring spiritualists fear, “Will becoming spiritual mean that I have to give up my ambitions?” No, to grow spiritually, we don’t need to give [...]
Comparing various paths up a mountain can’t take us up the mountain
Prospective spiritual seekers are often perplexed by a question: which path to follow? This important question merits deep deliberation. Still, if agonized over for too [...]
A season of grieving may be necessary, but a lifetime of grieving isn’t
Suppose we get physically wounded, but are immediately told to resume normal activities. We won’t be able to. A similar principle applies to emotional wounds [...]
Fanatics don’t hold opinions – their opinions hold them
We sometimes find some people irrationally attached to their opinions – attached to the point of being fanatical. Their behavior may make us wonder: “What [...]
Knowledge in the mode of ignorance increases ignorance, not knowledge
Suppose a person goes deep into an unending dark tunnel. The deeper they go into the tunnel, the further they go from the light. Similar [...]
The Gita enlightens and lightens our life-journey
Suppose we are struggling to walk on a dark road while carrying a heavy burden. If the streetlights turn on, we won’t stumble or go [...]
See your past not as a curse but as a course
Our past unhealthy indulgences often create unwanted conditionings that keep haunting us. Being tormented by such conditionings, we may start seeing our past as a [...]
Devotion fosters absorption, not obsession
Some people accuse devotees, “You have become obsessed with Krishna and irresponsible about everything else.”, It’s sadly true that some devotees become negligent. But such [...]
We may have to disagree, but we don’t have to be disagreeable
While interacting with others, we may find some people’s opinions utterly unacceptable. Their perspective and understanding may be so different from ours that we can’t [...]
If we neglect what we are saved for, we gravitate towards what we were saved from
Today’s sensual culture fills our mind with agitation, dissatisfaction and frustration. When we start living by the Gita’s spiritual wisdom, we become significantly free from [...]
No loss is as disempowering as the loss of faith in our free will
Our possessions such as properties and positions give us power to do things. Losing any such possession is disempowering. However, among all such losses, the [...]
Imprecision in identifying our enemies increases our enemies
In an area infested with insurgents, suppose the government indiscriminately bombs everyone. Consequently, even peace-loving people feel unfairly targeted and rise in rebellion. By failing [...]
God is present in our heart, but our consciousness is usually not present there
Some people ask, “Why do we need to go to a temple? God is there in our hearts; we can just remember and worship him [...]
The summit of spiritual realization is best attained by sharing spiritual realization
If we approach spiritual life with material calculations, we frequently end up miscalculating things. For example, if we want to become wealthy, we accumulate wealth; [...]
Even if we can’t be grateful for all situations, we can be grateful in all situations
Suppose we have a sickness for which we are being treated. Understandably, we will find it difficult to be grateful for being sick. But we [...]
Gita 18.76 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Bg 18.76 rājan saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya saṁvādam [...]
The search for pleasure is often the source of the greatest trouble
The search for pleasures drives all of us. Unfortunately, it drives many of us to the opposite of its purpose – to trouble. Consider people [...]
Even if our past seems like a prison, Krishna is the key to unlock it
Our past can sometimes seem like a prison, especially if some of our past indulgences have become compulsive. The way out of the prison of [...]
Grace is not life’s sugar coating; it is life’s substantial reorienting
We usually seek God’s grace in material terms such as more money, a bigger house or a better job. However, for the spiritual soul, which [...]