How uncritical we are about our mind is incredible
Suppose A suggests to B: “Buy this.” If B buys and then finds that the product is of poor quality, then if A recommends something [...]
Remembering Krishna is not a function of the memory – it is an inclination of the heart
We usually associate remembrance with memory – those with good memory can remember a lot of things, those with poor memory struggle to remember even [...]
Focus not on life’s specific problems – focus on life’s universal purpose
During life, we all face various specific problems – our health may go down, our relationships may run through rough patches, our workload may become [...]
Gita 09.21 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan so what happens for such [...]
If we don’t give up our attachments voluntarily, we will have to give them up involuntarily
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita (01.01), Dhritarashtra asks: What did the two armies assembled for fighting do? Herein, the unspoken query was: did his [...]
Battles are often lost or won outside the battlefield, inside the mind
The Bhagavad-gita’s dramatic battlefield setting demonstrates the power of the mind. Arjuna, the foremost archer of his times, is about to fight the greatest war [...]
Jollity that is a mile wide and a millimeter deep is not spirituality
When people hear that spirituality brings the supreme happiness, they may expect spiritual people to be constantly happy. And as their experience of happiness is [...]
Acknowledging the variables we can’t control doesn’t mean abandoning the variables we can
Suppose while doing a calculation using an equation, we get an undesirable result. By changing the variables in that equation, we may seek a better [...]
Focus not on the pain of failing – focus on the pleasure of learning
When we fail in something important for us, we naturally feel disheartened. If we don’t process this feeling intelligently, we may quit. Failure is an [...]
Let our life’s script be shaped by scripture
When we make decisions, we usually think that we are choosing freely. However, we decide not just by our conscious intentions but also by our [...]
Gita 09.16 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan So now look at Vishvarupa [...]
Resist the temptation to expect immediate resistance to temptation
When we start practicing spiritual life, we may resolve to give up sensual indulgence. But as our material attachments are deep-rooted, they frequently overpower us. [...]
The Absolute’s oneness is not in non-differentiation, but in non-disconnection
The Absolute Truth is one. This intuition has dawned on many thinkers worldwide who have sought first principles, the foundational reality underlying all things. Moreover, [...]
Suspension of the natural order alone is not miraculous – the natural order itself is miraculous too
Some people consider as miraculous phenomena that involve the suspension of natural order – phenomena such as walking on water or lifting a hill. Such [...]
Recollection is a function of connection
To remember some fact, say, the year of America’s independence, we need to connect that date with other dates we already remember. In general, placing [...]
Following scripture centers not on legalistic conformity, but on loving reciprocity
When driving through unfamiliar territory, a map guides us. Similarly, during our life-journey, scripture is meant to be our map. But life is much more [...]
Fear boiled down to its barest is the absence of God
We all have our fears: loss of health, wealth or loved ones. To deal with such fears, we arrange for insurances, security systems or self-defense [...]
Faith is not just certainty – it is also openness to possibility
We often equate faith with certainty, as in, “I am sure that God exists.” Such equalization is valid in terms of ontology – we need [...]
Education is needed not just to fulfill our desires, but also to know which desires to fulfill
We usually want education so that we can have a lucrative career and thereby fulfill our many desires. And, yes, education can serve this purpose, [...]
Counter temptation not just at the level of activity but at the level of identity
When we are tempted by some pleasure that we know we should resist, we often fight it at the level of physical indulgence – we [...]
Anxiety is not incidental to materialism – it is intrinsic
Anxiety epidemic. That’s how psychologists describe the spiraling anxiety levels among people today. Anxieties are frequently attributed to uncertainties that arise from financial, political and [...]