On the value of judgments and the judgment of values
Some people oppose value-judgments of any kind: “According to one person’s values, a particular act may be wrong. But why should that person’s values be [...]
How can we be true to ourselves?
We live at the receiving end of a massive propaganda blitz from our materialistic culture. Most people simply blow whichever direction the cultural winds fly, [...]
Krishna is not just God; he is my God
The belief that God exists is good. But much higher is the recognition that Krishna is God in his highest manifestation. Still higher is Krishna’s [...]
Long to belong where we eternally belong
Few things define us as much as our longings. They occupy our thoughts, shape our words and determine our actions. Sadly however, most of our [...]
The world is in a mess – as usual
The daily news of natural disasters like hurricanes and human-made distresses like corruption show that the world is in a terrible mess. Seeing this, we [...]
The body, mind and soul are all best geared for meditation in the morning
Some people ask: “Krishna resides in our heart and is available at all times. Then why emphasize morning for connecting with him?” Because we are [...]
Bhakti-yoga trains us in unemotional emotionality
Some readers of the Bhagavad-gita are struck by a paradox: “The Gita asks us to be neutral towards emotions like happiness and distress. But it [...]
Spirituality provides us our own inner sanctuary
We all need encouragement. The regular obstacles and occasional reversals that life brings our way tend to be discouraging. To regain our spirits, we need [...]
Trust not just Krishna’s omnipotence – trust also his omniscience
When faced with a problem, we may pray to Krishna to solve it. On finding that the solution is not forthcoming, we may start doubting: [...]
Let Krishna permeate, pervade and possess our heart
Devotional advancement essentially means letting Krishna enter and rule our heart. This may happen in the following three progressive stages: 1. Permeation: Just as water from [...]
From the reality of nature to the nature of reality
The reality of nature: Intrying to understand this,science equates the natural with the material. All the great theories of science are essentially attempts to understand [...]
Don’t fall for the mind’s “no time” trick
“You don’t have any time.” This is how the mind often summarily rejects our plans for devotional activities like mantra meditation. We may indeed have [...]
Ask not “Why this?” but “How now?”
When we encounter sudden adversities, we usually get the question, “Why is Krishna doing this to me?” Gita wisdom explains that when we hold Krishna [...]
Give Krishna his due to prevent death from taking more than its due
Death has a right on our physical body. We can’t stop it from consuming its due, but we don’t have to give it more than [...]
Go beyond captivity to futility and utility
As practicing spiritualists, we may face the question, “What should be my attitude towards the material world?” Let’s first look at the three broad attitudes [...]
Enlightenment that is universal, beneficial and non-imitable
What is enlightenment? It essentially means understanding where to direct our heart's longing for love and directing it accordingly. The Bhagavad-gita (15.18) states that the enlightened offer [...]
Conviction and purification take us from the poison to the nectar
As devotees who wish to rise from the material level to the spiritual level, we often face the question, “How do I sustain myself during [...]
Go beyond the stocking of information to the flowing of service
As we live in an information-centered age, we are often stimulated by new information. When we encounter the Bhagavad-gita, we tend to seek stimulation in [...]
Be not fanatical – be fanatically focused
Some people ask Krishna devotees, “When the Vedic culture includes the worship of so many gods, why are you a Krishna fanatic?” Because Krishna devotees [...]
Don’t blame gravity for the sinking of the boat
“I succumbed to immoral indulgences because my material desires were too strong.” Sometimes we may thus rationalize our fall from principles of spiritual integrity. This [...]
Why pursue pleasure in a prison of protoplasm?
Our material body is a prison of protoplasm for us souls. Just asprison life inevitably involves sufferings like grueling work and unpleasant living conditions, the [...]