Why a message of peace on a battlefield? (Exploring the Gita chapter 5 series – 3)
Why a message of peace on a battlefield? – The Bhagavad-gita is spoken on the battlefield to a reluctant warrior urging him to fight. Then, [...]
How can Arjuna see everyone equally and still fight? (Exploring the Gita chapter 5 series – 2)
How can Arjuna see everyone equally and still fight? - An often-quoted Bhagavad-gita verse recommends equality of vision (05.18): see everyone equally, because we all [...]
Gita 5.1 explained
Let's try to understand what is happening till chapter 5 and further: In Arjun’s mind there were two options: action or renunciation, So Sri Krishna [...]
Gita 09.32 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan In varansharam system higher varan [...]
Gita 04.24 explained
Bg 4.24 brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā Synonyms: brahma — spiritual in nature; arpaṇam — contribution; brahma — the Supreme; haviḥ — butter; brahma — spiritual; agnau — in the fire [...]
Two purposes of Krishna’s descent (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 4)
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna mentions that he descends for two purposes (04.07-08 & 04.09-10). To better understand these purposes, let’s consider two classificatory frameworks: external-internal [...]
Gita 04.15 explained
Bg 4.15 evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taraṁ kṛtam Synonyms: evam — thus; jñātvā — knowing well; kṛtam — was performed; karma — work; pūrvaiḥ — by [...]
Krishna’s first direct self-revelation (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 3)
Krishna’s first direct self-revelation - In the Bhagavad-gita’s fourth chapter, Krishna responds to Arjuna’s question (04.04) by revealing his divinity directly for the first time [...]
Gita 04.04 explained
Bg 4.4 arjuna uvāca aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ katham etad vijānīyāṁ tvam ādau proktavān iti Word for word: arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; [...]
04.04 Arjuna’s fifth question (Exploring the Gita chapter 4 series – 2)
04.04 Arjuna’s fifth question - In the Bhagavad-gita’s fourth chapter, when Krishna states that he gave spiritual knowledge long ago to the solar deity, that [...]
Gita 04.03 explained
Bg 4.3 sa evāyaṁ mayā te ’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ bhakto ’si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam Word for word: saḥ — the [...]
Gita 03.33 explained
1-9: KY is better than JY 10-16: If you are not qualified even for KY then practice KK 17-24: If you are qualified for JY, [...]
Gita 03.43 explained
BG 3.43 evam buddheh param buddhva samstabhyatmanam atmana jahi satrum maha-baho kama-rupam durasadam SYNONYMS evam -- thus; buddheh -- to intelligence; param -- superior; buddhva [...]
Krishna’s two-pronged strategy to combat lust (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 7)
Krishna’s two-pronged strategy to combat lust - When Arjuna asks, “What makes us act self-destructively?” (Bhagavad-gita 03.36), Krishna doesn’t just identify the inner self-destructive force: [...]
Gita 03.36 explained
Bg 3.36 arjuna uvāca atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ Word for word: arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; [...]
Gita 03.24 explained
Bg 3.24 utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ced aham saṅkarasya ca kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ Word for word: utsīdeyuḥ — would be put [...]
Arjuna’s fourth question (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 6)
Arjuna’s fourth question - “What makes us do things that we know aren’t good for us?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves this question [...]
Gita 03.22 explained
Now Krishna will give one more example of a Person who act to set good example. Bg 3.22 na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣu lokeṣu [...]
Krishna overturns Arjuna’s argument (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 5)
Krishna overturns Arjuna’s argument - Through the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna exhorts Arjuna to do his difficult duty of fighting aggressors, even if they happen to be [...]
Gita 03.31 explained
Now Krishna will talk in next two verses about faith Bg 3.31 ye me matam idaṁ nityam anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ śraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto mucyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ [...]
Krishna’s second indirect self-revelation (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 4)
Krishna’s second indirect self-revelation - In the Gita’s third chapter, Arjuna wonders whether renunciation can free him from accountability for not doing his duty. His [...]