Chapter 6 summary — part 1
[For attaining the ultimate realization described at the end of the previous chapter (05.29), can the process that was earlier outlined briefly (05.27-28) be elaborated?] [...]
Chapter 5 summary — part 3
[How do they not just know spiritual reality (brahman) but also become situated in it?] By steadying their intelligence and staying undeluded, especially amid life’s [...]
Chapter 5 summary — part 2
(This article resumes the Gita summary series that had been started a few months ago. You can read the previous article here) To stay untouched [...]
Gita 02.69 explained
BG 2.69 ya nisa sarva-bhutanam tasyam jagarti samyami yasyam jagrati bhutani sa nisa pasyato muneh SYNONYMS ya -- what; nisa -- is night; sarva [...]
Transcendentalists among theists (02.69 analyzed 5 — Devotional level)
While this verse (02.69) primarily points to the difference between spiritualists and materialists, it can also apply to a specific category of spiritualists — devotees [...]
Channeling the need to be different (02.69 Gita analyzed 7 — Human level)
This Bhagavad-gita verse conveys that spiritual seekers need the courage to be different from the world. While being different requires fearlessness, it can also induce [...]
Balancing candor with consideration (02.69 Gita analyzed 6 — Spiritual level)
The Bhagavad-gita is a holistic guidebook for spiritualists, as is seen in how it balances candor with consideration. It (02.69) candidly states that spiritualists and [...]
Dutifulness but with a different consciousness (02.69 analysis 4 — Krishna-Arjuna relationship level)
This verse (02.69) addresses Arjuna’s concern articulated earlier: he couldn’t see the point of fighting (01.30) when it was going to be at the cost [...]
Stand apart — together (Gita 02.69 analyzed 3 — Book level)
The readiness to stand apart from the world, as conveyed in this Bhagavad-gita verse (02.69), is central to the Gita’s practical application. The Gita’s message [...]
Be ready to stand apart from the world (Gita 02.69 analyzed 2 – Chapter level)
The Bhagavad-gita’s second chapter is essentially Krishna’s summary answer to Arjuna’s central question in the Gita (02.07): what is dharma, the right thing to do? [...]
The intriguing day-night metaphor (Gita 02.69 analyzed 1 — Text level)
Literally, the verse states: what is night for all living beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for [...]
Gita 5.21 explained
Bg 5.21 bāhya-sparśeṣv asaktātmā vindaty ātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute Word for word: bāhya-sparśeṣu — in external sense pleasure; asakta-ātmā — one [...]
Seven levels at which Gita verses can be understood
The Bhagavad-gita is a book of profound wisdom. One way to unpack its wisdom is by looking at its verses at multiple levels. Let’s consider [...]
Beyond reductionist notions of spirituality
Given that contemporary life subjects us to spiraling levels of stress, and spiritual practices such as meditation are known to provide non-intrusive stress relief, spirituality [...]
Why the mind is a terrible leader
Suppose we had a colleague with a take-charge attitude who pushed us into going along with their ideas. If they didn’t really know what they [...]
Gita 18.62 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.62 In 18.58 Krishna [...]
Gita 09.26 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 9.26 patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ [...]
What made us the way we are?
We tend to ascribe to God our life’s starting conditions — our complexion, our birth family and our default disposition. Justifying such an ascription, we [...]
Are we asking God the wrong question?
Suppose we find ourselves impeded, even imprisoned, by some conditioning — say, our mind keeps becoming jealous or angry, despite our best efforts to fight [...]
Can any question be a bad question?
The questioning spirit is good; it shows our eagerness to learn. Still, that doesn’t mean all questions are automatically good. Why not? Some questions are [...]
Gita 5.20 explained
But how will one practically do this? So now Sri Krishna will describe a process, so set of verses from here are both descriptive and [...]