Does Arjuna’s reluctance to fight show that he is irresponsible?
Some people, especially those of a martial orientation, think that by refusing to fight when his army depended on him, Arjuna was acting irresponsibly — [...]
How can grievous wrongdoing be reconciled with devotion?
The Bhagavad-gita (09.30) raises a serious question: How can grievous wrongdoing and devotion go together? To address this question, consider the ocean-anchor metaphor. We all [...]
Why equal treatment can sometimes seem unequal
Suppose a parent has two children, one younger and the other older. Suppose the younger sibling is just learning to eat from a plate and [...]
The two main meanings of dharma in the Gita — and how they synergize
In the Bhagavad-gita, the word ‘dharma’ is used repeatedly. Let’s consider its two main usages — main in the sense that these two meanings matter [...]
How is morality present wherever the Gita is followed?
The Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion (18.78) asserts that morality is present wherever the Gita’s teachings are followed. This assertion may raise some eyebrows among those who know [...]
How God’s pleasure relates with what is best for us
In the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion, Arjuna declares that he will do Krishna’s will (18.73). This declaration is an expression of love, for love centers on the [...]
Why Krishna considers as good souls those who come to him even for worldly desires
In the Bhagavad-gita (07.16), Krishna mentions four categories of people who approach him. Among these people, the majority fall into two categories: those who see [...]
How to do God’s will when we don’t know what it is
When we resolve to do God’s will as indicated in the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion (18.73), we may wonder, “What do I do in perplexing situations wherein [...]
Does doing God’s will mean giving up our independence?
On learning the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion to comply with the divine will (18.73), an apprehension may arise: “If I start doing God’s will, does that mean [...]
Does doing God’s will mean doing something unnatural?
The Bhagavad-gita concludes by indirectly urging us all to harmonize our will with the divine will (18.73). Some people fear that such surrender may mean [...]
How God’s will relates with our moral reasoning
The Bhagavad-gita concludes with Arjuna declaring that he will do Krishna’s will (18.73). This conclusion also reflects the Gita’s universal guideline: our human will is [...]
How Krishna expands Arjuna’s understanding of his choices
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna faced a crippling ethical dilemma: Should he work or should he renounce work? Krishna explains that neither work [...]
What does equal vision mean for Arjuna on the battlefield
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna commends the spiritually realized who see everyone equally (05.18). Krishna is talking about the equality of all living beings as souls; [...]
How devotional surrender is different from what we think it is
The Bhagavad-gita’s concluding call for surrender (18.66) can evoke negative reactions because many people associate ‘surrender’ with a confrontational or martial scenario. To deal with [...]
Is the Gita’s conclusion meant only for Arjuna?
The Bhagavad-gita concludes with a call for Arjuna to surrender (18.66) — such surrender is underscored to be a central component of bhakti-yoga. Is the [...]
Fostering tolerance by focusing on transcendence (Religious tolerance series 6)
The differences between various faith-traditions are often obvious, sometimes glaringly self-evident. Some traditions worship deities, others condemn such worship as idolatry. Some traditions forbid drinking [...]
How conceptions of the Divine affect religious tolerance (Religious tolerance series 5)
If the followers of a tradition have internalized an exclusivist conception of the Divine, then they will see those who don’t worship their God as [...]
What tolerance implies and what it doesn’t (Religious tolerance series 3)
When we cultivate tolerance, we accept others’ right to beliefs and behaviors different from ours. By such tolerance, we harmonize with the way God has [...]
Shifting focus from certainty to curiosity (Religious tolerance series 2)
“God said it; I accept it; that settles it.” Some people presume that such statements of absolute certainty demonstrate their strong faith. But might certainty [...]
Beyond pragmatic reasons for tolerance (Religious tolerance series 1)
Religious tolerance is a much discussed and desired value in today's world, especially among visionary leaders and reflective followers of the world's many living-faith traditions. [...]
Will all paths lead to the same goal when the goal is all-pervading?
In countering the all-paths-same-goal claim that is attributed to the Bhagavad-gita (04.11), Srila Prabhupada gives an example: Consider a railway station with many trains headed [...]