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 question, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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: [...]
Arjuna is confused by two of Krishna’s statements from the previous chapter: first, use intelligence rather than just act; and second, fight, which seems to [...]
Raising Arjuna’s vision above material profit-loss considerations (02.38), Krishna explains that spiritual knowledge needs to be translated into a state of spiritual connectedness (02.39). The [...]
