Be not alarmed by the presence of impurities; be heartened by the presence of the alarm
The presence of impure desires in our consciousness can alarm us: “If despite my practice of bhakti, such dirty things are still there in my [...]
The illumination of devotion is the best protection from illusion
Illusion constantly tempts and torments us spiritual seekers, by making us imagine that pleasure is found – and found in abundance – in worldly things. [...]
The resolution to the confrontation between reason and emotion lies in purification
Whenever we have to make choices in life, we usually turn to two courts: the court of reason (“That makes sense”) and the court of [...]
To go beyond thinking wisely and acting foolishly, strive for purification through devotion
“I knew that doing that would be stupid, still I ended up doing it. Why?” This exasperating question often confronts us when we succumb to [...]
Spirituality values even the fools who find no value in spirituality
To appreciate the value of spirituality requires a sharp and deep intelligence that can penetrate through the surface appearance of things and ponder the core [...]
The cure for pride is not suppression of talent but purification of intent
As pride is a major pitfall on the spiritual path, we may think, “By not expressing my talent and keeping a low profile, I will [...]
Purification transforms theoretical propositions into spiritual realizations
“Krishna is non-different from his holy name.” How can we realize such incomprehensible-seeming scriptural statements? By purification. As souls, we are capable of pure spiritual [...]
Be conscious that what you are conscious of is Krishna
The Bhagavad-gita (07.06) explains philosophically how everything in existence is a manifestation of the energies of Krishna. As his energies are non-different from him, everything [...]
The mind that is clean is serene
Our high-speed stress-filled urbanized culture makes peace of mind a wanted but elusive commodity. Many people think that going to a peaceful setting such as [...]
Don’t just punish lust-dominated individuals; purify lust-tormented individuals
The Bhagavad-gita’s flow contains many leaps of thought that when understood using the commentaries of devotionally adept Gita teachers provide precious insights into life and [...]
How long will we hide ourselves from ourselves?
When our room is in a mess and a respectable guest arrives, we hide the mess in the background. If we keep doing this repeatedly [...]
Are we like doctors who give medicines to everyone except themselves?
Doctors going to epidemic-struck areas are extremely careful to vaccinate themselves from the disease they intend to treat. Gita wisdom informs us that the entire [...]
Spiritual culture is the bridge from hypocrisy and perversity to purity
We sometimes get impure desires such as sexual attraction towards someone. Many people choose to fulfill these impure desires privately through various secret arrangements. By [...]
The world is in a mess – as usual
The daily news of natural disasters like hurricanes and human-made distresses like corruption show that the world is in a terrible mess. Seeing this, we [...]
Let Krishna permeate, pervade and possess our heart
Devotional advancement essentially means letting Krishna enter and rule our heart. This may happen in the following three progressive stages: 1. Permeation: Just as water from [...]
Conviction and purification take us from the poison to the nectar
As devotees who wish to rise from the material level to the spiritual level, we often face the question, “How do I sustain myself during [...]
Materialism is wrong – and wrongheaded
Materialism, the idea that matter is all that exists, is on a mass seduction campaign nowadays, especially through the media. To see through its seduction, [...]
Dig the grave of materialism, functional and fanatical
Materialism comes in two main brands: fanatical materialism which claims that matter is all that exists; and functional materialism which claims that matter is all [...]
Devotion is Krishna’s appetizer
Some people ask, “God is complete and doesn’t need anything. As he never feels hungry, what is the need to offer him food?” This question [...]
Sex is extraordinarily ordinary
Nothing fascinates the human imagination as much as sex. Pictures, articles, TV programs, movies, novels, websites and almost all conceivable means of communication are frequently [...]
Ending the perpetual u-turns in our quest for happiness
We sometimes strive for spiritual enjoyment and sometimes indulge in material enjoyment. Thus, we keep taking perpetual u-turns in our quest for happiness. To end [...]