Be fearless, not tactless
Suppose a soldier feels inspired to fight fearlessly against a tyrannical invading army. But if he just charges single-handedly at that army, he will end [...]
Violence is too small a weapon against evil
When anti-social elements brutalize innocents, some people declare that violence is essential to counter such terrorists. Others say that violence is not the answer – [...]
The Gita is not a spatial martial narration, but is a universal spiritual revelation
The Bhagavad-gita begins and ends with references to places. In its first verse, Dhritarashtra asks his assistant Sanjaya about the events that transpired at the [...]
Don’t resolve what you will not fall for – resolve what you will stand for
When we succumb to a temptation, we may resolve, “Never again will I fall for that temptation.” While such a resolve is well-intentioned, it is [...]
Surgery seems like violence, but is benevolence
Some people claim, “The Bhagavad-gita teaches that killing is ok because the body is anyway going to die. Such a teaching licenses indiscriminate violence.” This [...]
Krishna’s instruction is not disruptive, but restorative
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna is agonized at the thought of fighting in a fratricidal war that will kill most of his loved [...]
Enter the war, but don’t let the war enter you
“How can one act without being bound?” This is Arjuna’s essential question at the start of the Bhagavad-gita. And the whole Gita addresses it at [...]
Far more important than the book cover is what the book covers
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is almost a truism. Yet it has special relevance for the Bhagavad-gita because its cover can intrigue as well as beguile, for it [...]
The defect of distraction distorts the defender into a defector
The life of a spiritual seeker is the life of a warrior – a warrior defending the territory of the consciousness against the forces 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 [...]
Weaken your weaknesses – don’t let your weaknesses weaken you
In a war, an army wins not just by the determination of its soldiers fighting on the forefront, but also by the steadiness of the [...]
Nonviolence that allows exploiters to become rulers is violence
Many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of a religious book, the Bhagavad-gita, urging war. They would probably be surprised to find their feelings echoed [...]
The inner war is the bigger war
People new to the Bhagavad-gita often ask: “Does it endorse war?” At one level, the Gita does indeed urge a virtuous warrior to fight against [...]