Gradual destruction is as destructive as sudden destruction
When sudden, huge destruction occurs because of, say, an earthquake, we are jolted out of our routine complacency. Being confronted with the brittleness of our [...]
Suffering defines the human condition, but the human condition doesn’t define us
Suffering is an undeniable reality of the human condition, as the daily news of death and disease and destruction demonstrate. And these are just the [...]
Don’t believe the phantoms created by the mind – believe Krishna
If children see a horror movie featuring phantoms, they may become fearful of, say, dark places, dreading that some deadly phantom may spring from some [...]
The Gita is optimistic about what matters most
If a doctor declares that a particular limb of a patient is incurable and needs to be amputated, someone might deem him pessimistic. But if [...]
Those who reduce misery to misfortune miss their potential for spiritual growth
When problems befall us for no apparent reason, we naturally get the question, “Why?” Materialism, today’s ruling worldview, attributes such misery to bad luck. It [...]
Expect not the absence of the shadow; embrace the presence of the light
Devotee-seekers sometimes ask, “I am devoting myself to Krishna – why then am I still getting miseries in my life?” Because misery is an intrinsic [...]
See misery as confirmation of scripture – and as impetus to further confirm scripture
Devotee-seekers sometimes ask, “I am living according to scripture, yet I am getting misery. Why?” The occurrence of misery in our life doesn’t falsify scripture [...]
Expect not the absence of the shadow; embrace the presence of the light
Devotee-seekers sometimes ask, “I am devoting myself to Krishna – why then am I still getting miseries in my life?” Because misery is an intrinsic [...]
See the pleasure that ends in trouble as trouble, not pleasure
Education enables us to see things as they are, irrespective of how they appear to be. Thus for example a well-informed person, as contrasted with [...]
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. [...]
Ignorance makes the insufferable seem irresistible
Drunkards suffer terribly due to their addiction – the hangover, the mortification at finding oneself crazed out, the humiliation when one becomes an object of [...]
The heaven that turns out to be hell
People today think of heaven not just as an enjoyable place to be attained after death, but also as any enjoyable place or activity. Our [...]
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 [...]
Trust not just Krishna’s omnipotence – trust also his omniscience
When faced with a problem, we may pray to Krishna to solve it. On finding that the solution is not forthcoming, we may start doubting: [...]
Devotion takes us beyond being hunted and haunted
We sometimes face problems that seem to hunt us externally and passions that seem to haunt us internally. Hunted: We may feel attacked by problems [...]
Transform disappointment into his-appointment
When life confronts us with disappointments, we can transform them into his-appointments, into opportunities to connect with Krishna at a deeper level and thereby enrich [...]
The obnoxious is obnoxious because it is noxious
A prevailing intellectual fad sees all value-judgments as subjective: “If you think something is obnoxious, it is obnoxious for you – but not necessarily for [...]
Hell is not meant to cause us suffering but to save us from suffering
Some exclusivist religions claim that those who don’t accept their dogmatic beliefs will be sent by God to hell forever. In refreshing contrast to such [...]
Are we winning the misery championship with our eyes?
Most of us have entered the misery championship. Here’s how. The qualifying rounds: Our contemporary culture assaults our eyes with visually alluring images of sensuous [...]
The Gita centers on neither rituals nor doctrines but on a love affair
The Bhagavad-gita (18.66) concludes with the radical call to abandon all dharmas and just surrender to Krishna alone. What is the rationale for this call? [...]