Should we be strict with ourselves and lenient with others?
Answer: First, there is no scriptural basis for the idea that we should always be strict with ourselves and lenient with others. It may be [...]
Intelligence means to see beyond the things that glitter
Intelligence means to see beyond the things that glitter to the things that matter. The world is filled with shiny trinkets and toys and these [...]
Humility is a gaining of our intelligence
See humility not as a weakening or a losing of our ego. See it more as a strengthening and gaining of our intelligence. Whenever we [...]
When age brings realization and when it brings frustration
We may often think that as we grow older, we will also grow in wisdom, that we will understand the futility of our lower, material, [...]
Receptive + Submissive = Pathway to wisdom
To grow in knowledge, we need to be not just receptive, but also submissive. When we learn from someone who is an expert, at that [...]
The difference between cleverness and wisdom
When we interact with others, we often like to be perceived as lively and witty. Accordingly, we may aspire to come up with clever comments [...]
Effective education: what to NOT focus on
Education requires a dynamic awareness of the level of those being educated. Suppose a math teacher with a triple PhD in calculus is teaching children [...]
The price for becoming wise
When we have some questions, we may hesitate to ask them thinking that others may consider us foolish for having those questions. Such a fear [...]
Gita 03.26 explained
So now Krishna will talk about that you should not disturb the mind of others Bg 3.26 na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān [...]
Two aspects of compassion as seen through our speech
Suppose a doctor sees a sick person and decides to offer free treatment in the form of an injection. Suppose further that the patient has [...]
When being truthful is helpful and when it isn’t
Suppose our partner came to us and started listing out all our faults, which number over a hundred. How would hearing that list affect us? [...]
Why all insensitivity is not equal
We all are wired differently and we may just not have certain faculties. Some people’s minds may be so geared as to have low emotional [...]
How sensitivity differs from sentimentality
Suppose a doctor is treating a patient for a painful ailment wherein a boil needs to be cut. If the doctor is sensitive, they are [...]
When calling a spade a spade doesn’t help …
In today's politically correct climate, not many people speak candidly; they understandably fear being condemned or ‘canceled.’ Amid such an environment, those who do call [...]
Becoming emotionally sober
Becoming emotionally sober - People who get intoxicated frequently act in ways that are short-sighted, stupid or even self-sabotaging. Consequently, we readily recognize the need [...]
Gita 16.16 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.16 aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ prasaktāḥ [...]
How Krishna’s pastimes reveal him to be the ultimate hero
How Krishna catches our attention: While watching an action movie, our attention is often caught by the hero’s spectacular action sequences. When Krishna descends to [...]
How humility is non-different from curiosity
Suppose we are driving for an important meeting but can’t find the venue. Even if we are driving a limo, we may not hesitate to [...]
The capacity to choose is itself not freedom – the maturity to choose wisely is
Today’s ethos exalts freedom as the supreme virtue. Anything that infringes on freedom is labeled dictatorial and unacceptable. But consider addicts. They do have the [...]
To use the truth for beating people on the head is to abuse the truth
When we understand that the Bhagavad-gita contains timeless truths meant for everyone, we may feel impelled to convince those around us about these truths. Such [...]
Devotion makes the head clear and the heart pure
Devotion is essentially the disposition of our heart to love and serve Krishna. And from that devotional desire, all auspiciousness emerges, as the Bhagavad-gita indicates [...]