Articles that contain diagrams, graphics & images
Some people think that Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita just to get Arjuna to fight. If that were so, Krishna chose a laboriously long-cut method for [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s tenth chapter, Krishna equates himself with over fifty things in this world. Are these statements meant to be read literally? Let’s consider [...]
During a class, the questions a student asks tells the teacher how much the student is involved in the learning process. Arjuna’s questions in the [...]
Good teachers are concerned about knowing and delivering their lessons well. Great teachers are concerned about ensuring that their students understand the subject. To that [...]
The universal form is a revelation, which essentially means it is something not normally accessible to us humans, but made accessible by divine intervention. How [...]
The term ‘universal form’ essentially refers to a form that shows Krishna’s presence, power, purpose spread across the entire universe. The universal form pervades the [...]
Some people think of God as demanding, but Krishna’s self-revelation in the Bhagavad-gita shows him to be a very understanding God. A demanding God expects, [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna demonstrates a remarkable blend of both universality and specificity. Universality in analyzing for Arjuna a broad gamut of paths to choose [...]
How Krishna addresses Arjuna’s apprehensions about the death of Bhishma - In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna describes the death of the assembled warriors using two [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s eleventh chapter, Krishna states twice that his revelation of the universal form is unprecedented (11.06: adrishta-purvani, 11.47: na drishta-purvam). Arjuna too confirms [...]
How a thrilling vision turns chilling - In the Bhagavad-gita’s eleventh chapter, Arjuna beholds the universal form. What he speaks while beholding that cosmic theophany [...]
Prayers are a natural and prominent feature amid human-divine interactions, yet they don’t occur much in the Bhagavad-gita, even though it is a human-divine interaction. [...]
The Bhagavad-gita uses a distinctive structure for introducing the universal form. First, Krishna explains to Arjuna what he will be showing; then, Sanjaya explains to [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s tenth chapter, Krishna declares that everything attractive emanates from a spark of his own splendor (10.41). This declaration comes at the conclusion [...]
One of the Bhagavad-gita’s most quoted verses (09.31) declares that Krishna always protects his devotees. While this verse is often used to support the idea [...]
How Krishna’s teachings reflect both unity and diversity - In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna deems as childish those who consider sankhya and yoga to be different [...]
How can Arjuna see everyone equally and still fight? - An often-quoted Bhagavad-gita verse recommends equality of vision (05.18): see everyone equally, because we [...]
Krishna blends the metaphorical and literal wars - In the last verse of the Bhagavad-gita’s fourth chapter (04.42), Krishna urges Arjuna to fight. That is [...]
Krishna’s first assertion of his relationship with us - In the Bhagavad-gita (04.35), Krishna describes the fruit of acquiring spiritual knowledge. First, he assures [...]
Krishna’s inclusive explanation of sacrifice - In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna is apprehensive that he will be bound by bad karma if he fights in the [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna mentions that he descends for two purposes (04.07-08 & 04.09-10). To better understand these purposes, let’s consider two classificatory frameworks: external-internal [...]
