Help me to both look away and look through illusion
Bhagavad Gita 10.41 yat yat vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ mama tejo-'ṁśa-sambhavam Whatever holds great charm or might, Splendor [...]
Bhakti is a journey through physical reality to spiritual reality
The Bhagavad-gita declares that all attractive things derive their attractiveness from a spark of Krishna's supreme attractiveness (10.41). This implies that the world we encounter [...]
Gita 10.41 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna will speak how [...]
Four levels of gratitude
Gratitude can be valued and sought at four distinct levels of increasing depth A positive emotion: Focusing on the good things in our life infuses [...]
How can we admire without craving to acquire?
Whenever we see something attractive, we usually appreciate, even admire it. But when someone else has that attractive thing and we don’t, we often crave [...]
Why does Krishna speak his own glories?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s tenth chapter, Krishna declares that everything attractive emanates from a spark of his own splendor (10.41). This declaration comes at the conclusion [...]
How is human desire connected with divine desire (Desire management series 11)
How is human desire connected with divine desire - Desire is a formidable power that can both work for us and against us. To manage [...]
When scripture seems unbelievable …
When scripture seems unbelievable - On reading that the Bhagavad-gita was spoken to the solar deity (04.01), we may get the question, “How can any [...]
How to feel grateful when life gets tough?
How to feel grateful when life gets tough? - Here are two thought-exercises: Dwell on the wonders of life: Though life can be demanding, even [...]
How to direct our desires constructively?
How to direct our desires constructively? - Desire is our greatest power, yet it is a power that often works independent of us or even [...]
Desire — curbed or cured?
Our desires sometimes get us into big trouble, as when we get lured into an addictive indulgence or a toxic relationship. On being thus misled, [...]
Whatever we are surfing for, we are ultimately surfing for Krishna
Whatever we are surfing for we are ultimately surfing for Krishna Our mind is constantly surfing for something enjoyable. While surfing referred traditionally to a [...]
The world points to Krishna and often misses the point of Krishna
The world points to Krishna and often misses the point of Krishna The world features many attractive things that we clamor and labor to enjoy. [...]
When the Infinite is discovered, the infinitesimal is uncovered
When the Infinite is discovered the infinitesimal is uncovered Love is our innate need – we all long to love and be loved. However, in [...]
Krishna is the supplier of desires, the supplier of desirables and the supreme desirable
As desires are among our life’s strongest driving forces, we may wonder: How do desires relate with life’s ultimate reality, Krishna? Bhakti wisdom explains that [...]
What we look for in the world is not to be found in the world
We all are innately pleasure-seeking. In our quest for pleasure, our senses constantly look for enjoyable objects. Seeking such objects, people travel from one city [...]
Let the barrier of temptation become the bridge to devotion
Suppose we are walking towards a destination and are suddenly blocked by a wall. We try to get past it, but in vain. When we [...]
Craving can’t be curbed, but cravings can be cured
We all are conscious beings. The very nature of consciousness is to observe, feel and desire. And desire when intensified becomes a craving. Cravings can [...]
Spiritual vision is meant for deepening our experience of reality, not denying it
Some people conceive of spirituality as world-rejecting. They hold, “This world is the arena of illusion, wherein we are trapped by the attractiveness of worldly [...]
Study matter for deconstruction, edification, redirection and utilization
On the spiritual path, studying matter can aid our inner growth in many ways. Let’s consider four of them: Deconstruction: Study of matter can help [...]
Whatever we feel we need, we need Krishna
What we feel we need varies according to our situations and our dispositions. We all have the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter – and money to get these needs. But what we feel we need often exceeds far beyond what we need. We need food, but we may feel that we need a particular delicacy.