How we might defeat ourselves in our inner war
Suppose an army is defending itself against invaders. Suppose the invaders have been allowed in by a prominent general who has turned traitor. If the [...]
Compassionate action = compassionate disposition?
Suppose a doctor is treating a patient competently, but with the sole motive of earning money. Though the activity is compassionate, the mood isn’t compassionate. [...]
The power of being detached from fruits
Why does Krishna want us to be detached from the fruits of our work? (Bhagavad-gita 02.47) Because he wants to ensure that our care and [...]
When achievement doesn’t provide fulfillment — and when it does
Whenever we achieve something special, we may feel elated. Yet often achievement turns out to be anticlimactic; the thrill is short-lived. Why achievement may not [...]
What provides fulfillment and what doesn’t
When we seek to do something worthwhile, we often compare what we are able to do with what others are doing. And if others are [...]
The things that hurt us = the things we think hurt us?
Suppose we are bitten by a snake. We may get panicky, dreading that the snake bite will kill us. Actually, the snake-bite can't kill us; [...]
How to stop comparing and start contributing
When we interact with others, we often start comparing ourselves with them. We feel superior to them if our talents or achievements are greater than [...]
Is hurt = harm?
We often equate hurt, the sensation of pain, with harm: injury or damage. And they do frequently correlate. If our hand goes too close to [...]
How to improve our relationships
A major challenge in relationships is dealing with differences of opinion: “When do we stick to our stand? When do we listen to others?” To [...]
How can we differentiate between lust and love?
Lust manifests grossly as the craving for sexual gratification. It also manifests in a subtler form as the craving to control others so that they [...]
Begin each day by putting on our armor
If we were fighting a war, we would begin each day by putting on our armor. Actually, we all are at war internally against negative [...]
Gita 06.28 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya 10-32: From practice to perfection in [...]
Why we remain strangers to ourselves …
We are often fascinated by characters depicted in novels and movies. Fans fill blogs analyzing every single dialogue spoken by fictional characters in, say, Star [...]
Gita 06.30 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Krishna is talking about perfection of [...]
Who is defining our identity: our mind or our Lord?
Our mind often acts as our enemy (Bhagavad-gita 06.06). One way it acts inimically is by discouraging us whenever we attempt anything worthwhile: “You are [...]
How can we know reality?
Suppose someone is walking on a road with their eyes blindfolded and ears plugged. If they struggled only to remove the ear plugs that blocked [...]
Why study philosophy – 2?
Why we do something determines how we do it and how long we do it. Suppose we study a subject such as philosophy to impress [...]
Why study philosophy?
If we are to study any subject, we feel more motivated if we understand the purpose of that study. For example, if we are told [...]
Gita 13.28 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Next verse talks about the [...]
Gita 13.27 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now we are in last [...]
Why material progress is deceptive and dissatisfying
Materialism is the belief system that holds matter is all that exists, or at least matter is all that matters. With this belief system, we [...]