Arjuna’s fourth question (Exploring Gita chapter 3 series – 6)
“What makes us do things that we know aren’t good for us?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves this question after a binge of [...]
“What makes us do things that we know aren’t good for us?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves this question after a binge of [...]
Through the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna exhorts Arjuna to do his difficult duty of fighting aggressors, even if they happen to be his relatives. To that end, [...]
In the Gita’s third chapter, Arjuna wonders whether renunciation can free him from accountability for not doing his duty. His question points to a concept [...]
Choices that seem small and inconsequential to an uninformed person are seen as sizable and consequential by a well-informed person. For example, if a plane [...]
At the start of the Gita’s second chapter, Arjuna asks a question, which essentially means: “Should he fight or not?” Why does he get this [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita second chapter, we encounter one of its starkest self-contradictions in two successive verses. First, it urges Arjuna to fight by considering the [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s second chapter, Krishna outlines the process of working with detachment (karma-yoga). He concludes by describing the state of spiritual perfection, where one [...]
The Bhagavad-gita develops its message gradually and systematically. It starts by stressing our spiritual identity (02.13) and concludes by proclaiming Krishna’s all-pervading, all-embracing divinity, thereby [...]
Krishna’s first instructive words to Arjuna are: don’t lament for that which is not worthy of lamentation (02.10). And his last instructive words are: surrender [...]
At the Bhagavad-gita’s start, Arjuna faces a paralyzing dilemma (02.06). To better sense his agony, consider some parallels. Suppose something terrible happens to us: say, [...]
The Gita’s second chapter begins with Arjuna in tears (02.01). Till this point, Arjuna has treated Krishna as a friend, not as a guide — [...]
The Bhagavad-gita’s second chapter begins with Arjuna’s plight: he is emotionally afflicted (02.01) and ethically conflicted (02.06). Finally, he surrenders to Krishna, seeking guidance (02.07). [...]
The Bhagavad-gita’s call for honorable action (02.34) reflects a characteristic of most traditional cultures: a concern for honor. People were trained to value their ‘word [...]
Synonyms aren’t always interchangeable. They can have connotations that may lead to meanings that are differing or even opposing. For example, consider the synonyms ‘slim’ [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (01.34) states that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse is meant to warn the hero Arjuna [...]
Dishonor or shame can motivate us to desist from a wrong choice or persist in a right choice. While positive motivations centered on the benefits [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for respectable people, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises the question: is dishonor really more painful than death? [...]
The Bhagavad-gita (02.34) declares that for those who have been honored, dishonor is worse than death. This verse raises the question: shouldn’t a wise person [...]
Suppose the CEO of a company loses their job because their company goes bankrupt due to a recession. The CEO will naturally worry, but what [...]
Loss and the resulting sorrow are unpalatable yet unavoidable experiences during our life-journey. When we lose something desirable, that’s distressing; when something we had desired [...]
The Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter describes its setting: a battlefield where two huge armies were assembled, ready to fight. Wars are graphic examples of emergency situations [...]