Was Arjuna’s refusal to fight due to fear of his death?
When faced with the gravity and brutality of war, soldiers sometimes choke, being overwhelmed by the chilling fear of deadly injury or even death. They [...]
Gita 18.72 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan So in next statement we [...]
How the Gita’s last verse reveals the power of divine love
In the Bhagavad-gita’s last verse (18.78), the narrator Sanjaya indirectly answers Dhritarashtra’s unspoken question in the Gita’s first verse (01.01). The blind king’s literal [...]
How Arjuna’s plight reflects a universal human predicament
The Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter concludes with a confused Arjuna putting aside his bow in confusion and dejection (01.46). While addressing Arjuna’s concerns, the Gita focuses [...]
How Krishna’s last verse reveals his loving concern for Arjuna
In the last verse that Krishna speaks in the Bhagavad-gita (18.72), Krishna asks Arjuna two questions: Has he heard attentively? And has his illusion been [...]
Why does Krishna restrict the sharing of his message of love?
After Krishna reveals his message of love to Arjuna (18.64-66), he issues a surprising caveat (18.67): don’t share this message with the spiritually unevolved. Why [...]
How the Gita’s initial plot twist increases the appeal of its central message
Good movies often use plot twists to captivate their audiences. When events are moving in a particular direction and suddenly something unexpected happens, that makes [...]
Why does the Gita begin with Dhritarashtra’s words not Krishna’s or Arjuna’s?
The Bhagavad-gita is the song of God, or more precisely, Krishna’s poetic words of philosophical wisdom to Arjuna. Yet it’s noteworthy that the Gita begins [...]
Arjuna’s first question in the Gita: What is the right thing to do?
The Bhagavad-gita is God’s song as indicated in its very name. But it is a distinctive kind of song because its poetic verses answer Arjuna’s [...]
Gita 04.18 explained
Bg 4.18 karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt Synonyms: karmaṇi — in action; akarma — inaction; yaḥ — one who; paśyet — observes; akarmaṇi — in [...]
Three distinct meanings of karma in the Gita (Gita concepts series: Karma 2)
Apart from several general meanings of the word ‘karma’, the Bhagavad-gita uses this word in certain specific senses. Action that give good results: In this [...]
Gita 03.05 explained
Bg 3.5 na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ Word for word: na — nor; hi [...]
Four meanings of karma (Gita concepts series: Karma 1)
Karma is among several Sanskrit words that have entered into mainstream English vocabulary. It is used widely to convey some sense of causality: some kind [...]
Gita Chapter 5 summary – part 1
Confused by Krishna’s emphasis on knowledge in the fourth chapter (04.34-42) and especially by his concluding call to fight with the metaphorical sword of knowledge [...]
Gita 12.18-19 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.18-19 samaḥ śatrau ca [...]
Gita Chapter 4 summary – part 4
Specifying a critical element in the acquisition of wisdom, Krishna highlights the importance of learning from the wise. Arjuna should reverentially approach seers who have [...]
Gita chapter 4 summary – part 3
Continuing his description of how the wise act without being bound, Krishna states that they give up worldly desires, discipline their mind, step away from [...]
Gita chapter 4 summary – part 2
Explaining why everyone doesn’t know him and attain him, Krishna points to his reciprocal nature. He rewards people in proportion to their surrender — and [...]
Gita chapter 4 summary – part 1
Krishna begins the fourth chapter by describing the history of the knowledge he is sharing with Arjuna. At the dawn of creation, Krishna gave this [...]
Gita chapter 3 summary – part 3
All living beings, even those with knowledge, have to act according to their nature; what can anyone gain by repressing their nature? (03.33) That repression [...]
Gita chapter 3 summary – part 2
Sensing that Arjuna is thinking about exalted renunciates who have given up all actions and all sacrifices, Krishna discusses such people, highlighting their special characteristics: [...]