Aiming to be trouble-free? Think again
We don’t like trouble. To try to avoid problems reflects not only a sound survival instinct, but also an alert intelligence. For example, if we [...]
Is our need to nurture aiding or impeding those whom we nurture?
We living beings have a deep need to nurture. That noble need is what inspires us to become parents, even if caring for infants sometimes involves sleepless [...]
Gita 18.38 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Let us look at happiness [...]
The problem with doing whatever we like
Suppose we are studying for an important exam the next day. Suppose further that success in this exam can launch our career in a field [...]
How to boost our self-esteem
Suppose a person is suffering from a disease and is feeling gloomy. Suppose they assure themselves, “I am alright.” Such words may trigger some positive [...]
Responding to adversity — Resentful? Regretful? Or grateful?
When adversity befalls us, we don’t have much choice about what has already happened. But we do have a choice about how we respond. Our [...]
Thinking tanking thanking — moving from pessimism to optimism
At any given time in our life, we all can list several things that are wrong. And we often need to be aware of those [...]
Gita 18.66 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.66 sarva-dharmān parityajya mām [...]
How to deal with fear of failure
Whenever we try to improve ourselves by doing something challenging, such as giving up a long-held unhealthy habit or developing a long-sought healthy habit, a [...]
What forgiving ourselves means — and what it doesn’t mean
Suppose we have made some grievous mistake that has hurt others terribly. Irrespective of whether others forgive us or not, we may refuse to forgive [...]
How is morality present wherever the Gita is followed?
The Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion (18.78) asserts that morality is present wherever the Gita’s teachings are followed. This assertion may raise some eyebrows among those who know [...]
How God’s pleasure relates with what is best for us
In the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion, Arjuna declares that he will do Krishna’s will (18.73). This declaration is an expression of love, for love centers on the [...]
How to do God’s will when we don’t know what it is
When we resolve to do God’s will as indicated in the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion (18.73), we may wonder, “What do I do in perplexing situations wherein [...]
Does doing God’s will mean giving up our independence?
On learning the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion to comply with the divine will (18.73), an apprehension may arise: “If I start doing God’s will, does that mean [...]
Does doing God’s will mean doing something unnatural?
The Bhagavad-gita concludes by indirectly urging us all to harmonize our will with the divine will (18.73). Some people fear that such surrender may mean [...]
How God’s will relates with our moral reasoning
The Bhagavad-gita concludes with Arjuna declaring that he will do Krishna’s will (18.73). This conclusion also reflects the Gita’s universal guideline: our human will is [...]
How Krishna expands Arjuna’s understanding of his choices
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna faced a crippling ethical dilemma: Should he work or should he renounce work? Krishna explains that neither work [...]
How devotional surrender is different from what we think it is
The Bhagavad-gita’s concluding call for surrender (18.66) can evoke negative reactions because many people associate ‘surrender’ with a confrontational or martial scenario. To deal with [...]
Is the Gita’s conclusion meant only for Arjuna?
The Bhagavad-gita concludes with a call for Arjuna to surrender (18.66) — such surrender is underscored to be a central component of bhakti-yoga. Is the [...]
Gita 18.32 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Let us look at intelligence [...]
Are we being ‘nonjudgmentally’ judgmental?
Most virtues, when taken to an excess, end up becoming vices. Such is the case with the virtue of being nonjudgmental which protects us from [...]