Just as ships steer by the pole star, we all during our journey through life steer by some guiding stars – ideas we have learnt at home, school or elsewhere. But unfortunately these ideas turn out to be movable stars. Our pet theories helpful in one situation get exposed in another situation as unhelpful or even harmful. When we live by them, we end up lost, sooner or later. As we live in an interdependent world, our problems don’t remain ours alone – they cause problems to others too. The more the people steering by a moving star, the greater the resulting social commotion

Does life provide any fixed stars?

Life doesn’t, but God does. As he is eternal and omniscient, his words are the only sure guide in life – the one fixed star. That’s why the Bhagavad-gita (16.24) urges us to live by scripture.

Of course, scripture has an eternal essence and a contextual periphery. So living by scripture means living by its the essence. Significantly, that essence is also the essence of our existence: love. We all long to love and be loved.

The Gita is essentially divinity’s invitation to humanity for a life of eternal love. It first explains our spiritual identity as eternal souls. Then it reveals the glory and beauty of God, Krishna – the perfect object for our love. Finally, it unambiguously endorses bhakti-yoga, the spiritual science that transforms our activities in this world into offerings of love for Krishna and for other living beings, our family members in Krishna’s all-embracing family.

When we live with loving intention, Krishna counsels us from within our heart, as the Gita (10.10) indicates. Thus guided, we steer by the immovable star of spiritual love, ultimately attaining the shore of eternal existence with Krishna.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Text 24