Intelligence being contaminated and controlled by lust
The intelligence that entertains indiscriminate indulgence is bad. The intelligence that endorses such indulgence is worse. And the intelligence that espouses such indulgence is the [...]
The intelligence that entertains indiscriminate indulgence is bad. The intelligence that endorses such indulgence is worse. And the intelligence that espouses such indulgence is the [...]
If we offer loose support to our intelligence, we will lose the support of intelligence. For example, consider having a bodyguard to protect us when [...]
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 [...]
When Arjuna asks, “What makes us act self-destructively?” (Bhagavad-gita 03.36), Krishna doesn’t just identify the inner self-destructive force: lust (03.37). Sensing Arjuna’s unspoken concern in [...]
We often experience an inner tug of war between opposing voices. To better understand these forces, let’s consider the dynamics of our inner world, as [...]
The mind is meant to serve as a tool for us souls to perceive the world, but it is often the greatest obstacle for us [...]
Suppose we are robbed and the prime suspect is a shady neighbor. We would confront them to recover what had been stolen. Or at least, [...]
We all have a certain amount of cleverness and a certain amount of corruptness. Our cleverness enables us to go beyond the appearance of things [...]
When someone we care for does something stupid, they often try to hide it from us, either denying it entirely or concealing it under various [...]
Suppose we have some unhealthy habit such as impulsive overeating. Once some behavior becomes ingrained as a habit, we often react without thinking. If some [...]
Suppose some invaders attack a fort suddenly. The defenders, being caught unawares, are stunned, and the invaders start plundering the fort. Nonetheless, the defenders soon [...]
A prominent law-upholder such as a head of state is often protected by a security guard. But suppose such a guard is unwittingly hired by [...]
When we are tempted by some pleasure that we know we should resist, we often fight it at the level of physical indulgence – we [...]
Some people argue, “Seeing is believing.” They deride as unintelligent those who believe in invisible things such as the soul or God. However, the defining [...]
While striving to live according to principles, if we falter, we become disheartened. Even if we introspect to find out why we fell, that introspection [...]
Some governments recognize that alcoholism leads to various problems such as disease, domestic abuse and driving under intoxication. To curb such problems, they prohibit alcohol. [...]
Suppose India is rocked by a war of global significance. If an Indian newspaper barely reports that war, that silence is telling – it highlights [...]
Suppose we want to grow vegetables in a land where only weeds have been growing. We may uproot the weeds and plant the vegetables, but [...]
Suppose enemy forces sneak in to attack a country. If the border is guarded by their own spy instead of a faithful warrior, the spy [...]
Often when we are unable to resist our lower desires, we may blame ourselves for not being adequately detached. While this may be true, we [...]
Impulse is an urge that comes to us, sometimes without our conscious bidding. Intent is a decision that comes out of us, with at least some level of conscious [...]