How Krishna is both universal and specific
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 the thread of a loveable God links the Gita’s eleventh and twelfth chapters
How the thread of a loveable God links the Gita’s eleventh and twelfth chapters - After the revelation of the universal form in the Bhagavad-gita’s [...]
How Krishna addresses Arjuna’s apprehensions about the death of Bhishma
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 [...]
Which form of God is most special: universal form four-handed form or two-handed form?
Which form of God is most special: universal form, four-handed form or two-handed form? The universal form revealed by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita’s eleventh chapter [...]
What is unprecedented about Krishna’s revelation of the universal form to Arjuna
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
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 [...]
How the Gita describes the universal form
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 [...]
Why does Krishna reveal his form as time?
When Arjuna asks Krishna to display the universal form, Krishna obliges, but also displays something extra: his form as time. Why this bonus revelation? Because [...]
How Krishna’s teachings reflect both unity and diversity (Exploring the Gita chapter 5 series – 4)
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? (Exploring the Gita chapter 5 series – 2)
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 [...]
Arjuna’s repeated question (Exploring the Gita chapter 5 series – 1)
In the Bhagavad-gita’s fifth chapter, Arjuna asks essentially the same question that he asked at the start of the third chapter. “Should he work or [...]
Krishna blends the metaphorical and literal wars (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 7)
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 (Exploring the Gita chaper 4 series – 6)
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 (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 5)
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 [...]
Two purposes of Krishna’s descent (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 4)
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 [...]
Krishna’s first direct self-revelation (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 3)
Krishna’s first direct self-revelation - In the Bhagavad-gita’s fourth chapter, Krishna responds to Arjuna’s question (04.04) by revealing his divinity directly for the first time [...]
04.04 Arjuna’s fifth question (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 2)
04.04 Arjuna’s fifth question - In the Bhagavad-gita’s fourth chapter, when Krishna states that he gave spiritual knowledge long ago to the solar deity, [...]
The link between the psychological and the cosmological (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 1)
The link between the psychological and the cosmological - The Bhagavad-gita’s third chapter ends by describing how to conquer the inner enemy of lust (03.43). [...]
The difference between repression and regulation (Exploring the Gita chapter 3 series – 8)
The difference between repression and regulation - Toward the end of the Bhagavad-gita’s third chapter, Krishna declares that repression is futile (03.33). Yet in the [...]
Krishna’s two-pronged strategy to combat lust (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 7)
Krishna’s two-pronged strategy to combat lust - When Arjuna asks, “What makes us act self-destructively?” (Bhagavad-gita 03.36), Krishna doesn’t just identify the inner self-destructive force: [...]
Arjuna’s fourth question (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 6)
Arjuna’s fourth question - “What makes us do things that we know aren’t good for us?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves this question [...]