The Bhagavad-gita’s second chapter begins with Arjuna’s plight: he is emotionally afflicted (02.01) and ethically conflicted (02.06). Finally, he surrenders to Krishna, seeking guidance (02.07). [...]
The Bhagavad-gita’s call for honorable action (02.34) reflects a characteristic of most traditional cultures: a concern for honor. People were trained to value their ‘word [...]
Synonyms aren’t always interchangeable. They can have connotations that may lead to meanings that are differing or even opposing. For example, consider the synonyms ‘slim’ [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (01.34) states that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse is meant to warn the hero Arjuna [...]
Dishonor or shame can motivate us to desist from a wrong choice or persist in a right choice. While positive motivations centered on the benefits [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for respectable people, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises the question: is dishonor really more painful than death? [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises the question: shouldn’t a wise person [...]
Suppose the CEO of a company loses their job because their company goes bankrupt due to a recession. The CEO will naturally worry, but what [...]
Loss and the resulting sorrow are unpalatable yet unavoidable experiences during our life-journey. When we lose something desirable, that’s distressing; when something we had desired [...]
The Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter describes its setting: a battlefield where two huge armies were assembled, ready to fight. Wars are graphic examples of emergency situations [...]
We learn best by an expert combination of the specific and the universal. Specifics catch our attention as when novels paint a vivid picture of [...]
Suppose we are driving on an important journey using a digital map, but suddenly our map stops working. That will leave us disoriented. We all [...]
The Bhagavad-gita is widely known as a book of profound philosophy. Why does such a book start with an entire chapter whose content is largely [...]
The Chatur-Shloki Gita offers a nuanced understanding of the relationship between knowledge and devotion. Let’s try to understand that relationship by considering a metaphor of [...]
Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya “Move from darkness to light.” This well-known saying from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad succinctly conveys the essential purpose of human existence. Drawing [...]
Our destiny is determined by our decisions; the choices we make can radically alter our life’s trajectories. Unfortunately, the world can be so complex and [...]
Suppose we meet someone whose words or gestures convey that they don’t want to be with us. Once we sense their feelings toward us, we [...]
In the Chatur-shloki Gita, the second verse (10.09) describes the characteristics of the devoted in terms of their thoughts, actions and words. These correspond to [...]
If we read the Bhagavad-gita’s Chatur-shloki (its four-verse summary:10.08-11), it becomes evident that its essential theme is bhakti-yoga. And this yoga of love centers on [...]
In its second verse, the Chatur-Shloki Bhagavad-gita (10.08-11) states the characteristics of the devoted in terms of their thinking, living and speaking. Significantly, while it [...]
Suppose someone claims that they are strong patriots. On observing them, if we find that they hardly do anything practical for their country, we will [...]
