How can Arjuna practice undeviating bhakti when the modes are causing his deviation?
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna was deviated by the lower modes — under their influence, he was fixating on the agony of fighting against his [...]
How Krishna helps Arjuna make philosophical sense of his inner conflict
Krishna demonstrates how to make philosophy relevant when presenting the concept of the modes in the Bhagavad-gita’s fourteenth chapter. Krishna first outlines the main characteristics [...]
Why is Krishna’s description of devotion so unemotional?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s twelfth chapter, Krishna’s list of qualities of devotees (12.13-20) don’t include any descriptions of devotional ecstasy. Far from it, the list stresses [...]
What Krishna’s promise of deliverance means for Arjuna
In the Bhagavad-gita’s twelfth chapter (12.07), Krishna declares that he personally delivers from the ocean of material existence those who devotedly fix their minds on [...]
Why does Krishna take sides when he is equal to everyone?
Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita’s ninth chapter he is equal to everyone (09.29). Then why is he taking one side on the Kurukshetra battlefield: Arjuna’s, [...]
Gita 07.14 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya So now naturally the question will [...]
Gita 07.23 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Bg 7.23 antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ [...]
What Krishna’s warning about the power of the illusory energy means for Arjuna
In the Bhagavad-gita’s seventh chapter, Krishna warns that the illusory energy is formidable (07.14). Later, he specifies her three principal agents: lust, anger and greed [...]
Gita 08.28 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Bg 8.28 vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva [...]
Was Arjuna less intelligent in worshiping the devatas?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s seventh chapter, Krishna’s statement (07.23) is sometimes read to imply that the worshipers of the devatas (cosmic administrators) are less intelligent (alpa-medhasam). [...]
How Arjuna understands what Krishna means when using the word ‘yoga’
Words are often multivalent — they have many meanings, sometimes widely differing meanings. When confronted with such multivalent words during a conversation, how do we [...]
How Krishna’s spontaneous progression from chapter eight to nine reflects the glory of bhakti-yoga
Krishna ends the Bhagavad-gita’s eighth chapter with a bold declaration about the potency of bhakti-yoga: it provides everything that all other paths provide — and [...]
How Arjuna’s words reveal the Gita’s sadhana and sadhya
One traditional way to know the import of a complex text is the path-purpose hermeneutic or the sadhana-sadhya approach. Sadhana refers broadly to the means [...]
Krishna’s change of emphasis from detachment to attachment
The Bhagavad-gita’s seventh chapter begins with a strikingly different emphasis from its previous six chapters. While those chapters focused on detachment as the foundation for [...]
How Krishna helps Arjuna arrive at a desired conclusion
Krishna’s purpose in speaking the Bhagavad-gita is, at one level, to ensure that Arjuna plays his part in the divine mission to establish dharma in [...]
How Krishna describes the vision of the seers
Throughout the Gita, Krishna informs Arjuna of how the spiritually realized see reality differently. Here’s a quick overview of Krishna’s major statements about a higher [...]
Why Krishna reproaches Arjuna in his first instructive verse
Krishna begins his instruction to Arjuna with a reproach: Though you speak learned words, you lament for that which is not worthy of lamentation (Bhagavad-gita [...]
What do Arjuna’s last three words in the Gita tell us about the Gita
Arjuna’s last words in the Bhagavad-gita are: “I will do your will.” (18.73: karishye vachanam tava). What do they tell us about Krishna’s message? That [...]
How the Gita’s first words point to its core theme
In the Bhagavad-gita’s first verse spoken by Dhritarashtra, the first words mean ‘at the place of dharma’ (dharma-kshetre). In this verse, the blind king asks [...]
Krishna’s remarkable first appearance in the Gita
In movies, the first appearance of the hero tells a lot about the hero’s character and about the movie’s caliber too. The first impression lasts. [...]
Are we included in Krishna’s circle of love?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion, Krishna reveals his love for Arjuna (18.64-66). Krishna’s declaration is astonishing, riveting, inspiring. Yet it may raise a question, “Is such [...]