Currently Browsing: Vedic Scriptures

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November 2020

• 2626) The Monk’s Podcast 80 with Krishna Kshetra Maharaja – Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara 3 – Varaha
• 2625) Gopi-gita verse – 3 esoteric meanings
• 2624) In the Vamanadeva pastime, how is adharma called dharma and dharma called dharma
• 2623) As karma is based on janma, how is varnashrama not based on janma?
• 2622) Do the modes come from Krishna or from prakriti?
• 2621) Self-Acceptance, Team Spirit and Success – Wisdom from Ramayana
• 2620) Bhagavatam cosmology 3 – Eclipses, earth-sun distance, Vedic planetarium and other difficult issues
• 2619) Bhagavatam cosmology 2 – Moon mission analysis

October 2020

• 2618) How to work with detachment & divine attachment – Bhagavad-Gita chapter 18 overview
• 2617) The Monk’s Podcast 79 with Hridayananda Goswami – American politics in the light the Bhagavad-gita
• 2616) Mahabharata life lessons – Why Draupadi laughed when Duryodhana fell?
• 2615) Mahabharata Life Lessons – Did the Pandavas fight to take revenge?
• 2614) Mahabharata Life Lessons – How could Jarasandha do human sacrifices?
• 2613) Why did Rama kill the shudra Shambuka simply for doing a good activity like austerity?
• 2612) Why did Draupadi laugh at Duryodhana? – Hindi
• 2611) Was Duryodhana cruel to the citizens or just to the Pandavas?
• 2610) Understanding Bhagavatam cosmology

September 2020

• 2609) How to understand the Bhagavatam’s cosmology?
• 2608) How is the vision of Krishna’s two-handed form rare when everyone at the time of Krishna’s descent could see it?

August 2020

• 2607) Gita key verses course 33 – How does my association affect my spirituality – Gita 10.09
• 2606) Gita key verses course 32 What does Gita say about the caste system Does the Gita support social justice – Gita 09.32

July 2020

• 2605) Gita key verses course 31 What are mantras – Gita 09.14
• 2604) Gita key verses course 30 If God controls everything, how do we have free will – Gita 09. 06
• 2603) Are the Mahabharata real or stories?
• 2602) Gita key verses course 29 What are the different forms of yoga, Do they all lead to the same goal – Gita 08.28
• 2601) Gita key verses course 28 Why is life so tough If God loves us, why doesn’t he make our life easier – Gita 08.15
• 2600) Gita key verses course 26 Does Isn’t one God enough Does the Gita teach polytheism – Gita 07.21

June 2020

• 2599) How is the Bhagavad gita applicable for students?
• 2598) Gita key verses course 27 Is the ultimate reality personal or impersonal – Gita 07.24
• 2597) How can hearing Krishna’s rasa-lila with the gopis free us from lust?
• 2596) Why did Rama spy on his own citizens?
• 2595) When an eye for an eye will make everyone blind, why does the Gita teach that?
• 2594) Gita key verses course 25 Does God hear our prayers – When our prayers aren’t answered, what can we do – Gita 7.19
• 2593) Gita key verses course 24 Can sex be spiritual – What is the difference between lust and love – Gita 07.11
• 2592) Gita key verse course 23 Can we be spiritual and rational – How can science and spirituality go together – Gita 07.07
• 2591) When Dhruva Maharaj started with a selfish motive, how did he attain Vaikuntha, the abode of selflessness?
• 2590) Learning prayerfulness based on Bhagavatam prayers

May 2020

• 2589) Why did Krishna speak the Gita to Arjuna and not to the other Pandavas or to Bhishma?
• 2588) Gita key verses course 21 Why are relationships so difficult – how can we improve them – Gita 06.32
• 2587) Rama Navmi class – Glory Revealed Amid Adversity
• 2586) Gita key verse course 20 What is meditation – What are spiritual experiences – Are they just hallucinations – Gita 06.22
• 2585) Gita key verses course 19 What is yoga – Gita 06.11
• 2584) What were the principles of dharma that Krishna descended to establish?
• 2583) Gita key verses course18 What is mind – What is mindfulness – Gita 06.05
• 2582) Gita key verses course 17 Why are religious people so sectarian – Is it better to be spiritual but not religious – Gita 05.18
• 2581) Naam Ramayana 4 – Rama charms the hearts of everyone
• 2580) What would be the Gita’s stand in today’s political world wrt the Left and the Right in India or the liberals and the conservatives in America
• 2579) Naam Ramayana 3 – Rama exhibits his miraculous abilities
• 2578) Understanding Prahlada’s provocative response to Hiranyakashipu’s angry question
• 2577) How would the Kauravas being neutralized by the Pandavas further their spiritual evolution?
• 2576) Were the Kauravas harassing their citizens – were they tyrants who needed to be removed by force?
• 2575) Why did Arjuna want to be the greatest archer?
• 2574) In the Daksha pastime, Lord Shiva remains calm when he is insulted, but become enraged when Sati dies – why the difference?
• 2573) Gita key verses course 16 If God is good why does he allow evil to exist? – Gita 05.15

April 2020

• 2572) Isn’t the Gita’s instruction to remain equipoised seem too idealistic?
• 2571) What is the difference between a jnani and jnani-yogi?
• 2570) Isn’t the Gita’s comparing women with vaishyas and shudras derogatory?
• 2569) Gita key verses course 15 Do I need guru – How can I find my guru – Gita 04.34
• 2568) Gita key verses course 14 What is karma – Why do bad things happen to good people – Gita 04.16
• 2567) Gita key verses course 13 Why are there so many religious paths – Do all paths lead to the same goal – Gita 04.11
• 2566) Gita key verses course 12 Who is God – Does he care – Why should I care – Gita 04.08
• 2565) Naam Ramayana 2 – The Lord brings joy to everyone
• 2564) Gita key verses course 9 What is sacrifice – Is it a ritual – Are rituals needed – Gita 03.09
• 2563) Naam Ramayana 1 – How the transcendental descends as the historical
• 2562) Gita key verses course 8 What is happiness – Why is it so elusive – Gita 02.55
• 2561) Rama Navmi class – Glory Revealed Amid Adversity

March 2020

• 2560) Gita key verses course 7 Can I be detached without becoming irresponsible – Gita 02.47
• 2559) Gita key verses course 6 Do animals have souls – Are humans just evolved animals – Gita 02.30
• 2558) Can buddhi-yoga refer to all three yogas – karma, jnana and bhakti?
• 2557) Gita 09.15 – Jnana yajna is not the same as jnana-yoga

February 2020

• 2556) When jnana and karma are different philosophies, how can they both give the same result, as the Gita’s sixth chapter states?
• 2555) Are jnana and karma complementary instead of hierarchical?

January 2020

• 2554) Gita key verses course 5 What is spirituality – Is it a state of mind – Why are so few people spiritually minded – Gita 02.29
• 2553) Gita key verses course 4 How can we heal after the death of a loved one – should we suppress our grief or express it – Gita 02.25
• 2552) Why does the Gita consider karma-yoga better than jnana-yoga when jnana-yoga is higher in the yoga ladder?
• 2551) ​How could Yudhishthira stake his own wife in gambling?
• 2550) Gita key verses course 3 What is death – what is reincarnation – do we have soul mates – Gita 02.22
• 2549) Why did Bhishma and other elders stay silent when Draupadi was being disrobed?

December 2019

• 2548) Gita key verses course 2 Who am I – Is there any scientific evidence for the existence of the soul – Gita 02.13
• 2547) Why are women marginalized in Indian scriptures such as the Gita?
• 2546) What is the difference between knowledge, intelligence and self-realization?
• 2545) Why did Srila Prabhupada call his Gita commentary As It Is? (Bhagavad-gita)
• 2544) Gita key verses course 1 What is the Gita – How is the Gita relevant today – Gita 01.01
• 2543) Is the Gita a later insertion in the Mahabharata?
• 2542) From Entangled to Enlightened – Lessons from Yayati story

November 2019

• 2541) How does God helps those who help themselves apply to Rama in Ramayana?
• 2540) Uddhava’s significance in the tenth canto, in the Bhagavatam and in our life
• 2539) How the Gita expresses Krishna’s love by directing us to balance this world and the next world
• 2538) Gita lite 5 – Chps 12-15
• 2537) When people betray us – Ramayana wisdom
• 2536) How can we become determined like Hanuman?
• 2535) How the Bhagavatam is the means of conquest in material existence – Meditation on narayanam namaskrtya verse

October 2019

• 2534) The complex relationship between appearance and substance in spiritual life
• 2533) Gita insights for managing the mind – Chapter Ten Analysis
• 2532) The Gita shares not just light but also warmth
• 2531) Gita’s key to happiness
• 2530) Comparing Ramayana and Mahabharata 1 – What caused the exiles
• 2529) Did Krishna protect Draupadi only after she stopped trying to protect herself – does surrender mean we stop trying to do anything?
• 2528) Why does the Gita not mention the word guru and refer in plural to seers of the truth in 4.34?
• 2527) Gita lite 3 – Chps 6-8
• 2526) Gita lite 2 – Chps 3-5
• 2525) Gita lite 1 – Chps 1-2
• 2524) Mahabharata controversies – how life was unfair to both Karna and Arjuna
• 2523) Understanding the unborn’s understandings 5 – Why is the embryo’s prayer not answered
• 2522) How character is deformed and reformed – Ramayana wisdom
• 2521) Understanding the unborn’s understandings 4 – What the embryo’s desire to stay in the womb implies
• 2520) Understanding the unborn’s understandings 3 – What is a human soul
• 2519) Understanding the unborn’s understandings 2 – How can the embryo know God
• 2518) Do the ends justify the means, as your Mahabharata explanations imply? Won’t that justify terrorism too?
• 2517) Understanding the unborn’s understandings 1 – How can the embryo with an undeveloped brain speak prayers?
• 2516) How hearing the Bhagavad-gita raised Sanjay’s standard of longing
• 2515) When duty is a societal construct, why can’t we just follow our heart’s calling without caring for society’s opinion?
• 2514) How can we work dispassionately when doing our duty requires passion?
• 2513) How do we know whether we are in harmony with our true nature and God’s plan – what does harmony feel like?
• 2512) If we are to not make judgments, why is Krishna making judgments and taking sides in the war?
• 2511) Does the Supersoul sanction all our undesirable desires?

September 2019

• 2510) Six limbs of surrender 3 – Understanding how God protects
• 2509) Six limbs of surrender 2 – Accept the favorable, avoid the unfavorable
• 2508) When Duryodhana slipped and fell, why did the Pandavas remain silent?
• 2507) Six limbs of surrender 1 – The Medical Metaphor
• 2506) Comparing exiles in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam – How to face distress
• 2505) Gita 6.37-45 – How our spirituality continues beyond our present life
• 2504) Vamana pastime analysis 2 – When the branch under us break, seek Krishna’s help to spread your wings
• 2503) The Bhagavatam’s glory revealed in its concluding verse – PURE acronym
• 2502) Is the incident of Lord Rama worshiping Lord Shiva not mentioned in Valkmiki Ramayan?
• 2501) Prithu M’s humility – Be conscious of others’ position and disposition
• 2500) Vamana pastime analysis 1 – When good people do good things at a heavy cost
• 2499) 3 ways to engage our desires with Krishna 2 – Desiring Krishna and desiring for Krishna
• 2498) 3 ways to engage our desires with Krishna 1 – Desiring from Krishna
• 2497) Is the Bhagavad-gita relevant in the age of science – MAIL acronym
• 2496) Bhagavad-gita chapter 2 overview – How to decide the right thing to do and stay undisturbed while doing it
• 2495) Teamwork in Ramayana 2
• 2494) Teamwork in Ramayana 1
• 2493) What was the purpose of the celestial prophecy before Krishna’s birth?

August 2019

• 2492) Understanding the mind – Unpacking the Puranjana allegory
• 2491) How Balarama’s causeless mercy on Duryodhana was still less for Duryodhana
• 2490) Analyzing Govardhan Lila 2 – How Indra is thwarted and reformed
• 2489) Analyzing Govardhan Lila 1 – How Krishna is the best provoker
• 2488) When imagination points away from reality and when it points to reality – Hindi
• 2487) How association influences our choices – Three case studies from Ramayana
• 2486) Self-acceptance – Comparing Vidura and Dhritarashtra
• 2485) Mandodari’s lament after Ravana’s death 1 – Can some people never change

July 2019

• 2484) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 94 – 10.16.7-15 – Kaliya bites and binds Krishna
• 2483) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 93 – 10.16.1-7 Krishna’s mode of entry into Kaliya’s lake reflects his playful confidence
• 2482) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 90 – 10.15.26-36 – Dhenuka’s tools to kill – his hind legs – are used to kill him by whirling and hurling
• 2481) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 89 – 10.15.13-25- The gopas ask Balarama-Krishna to get fruits by eliminating Dhenuka
• 2480) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 88 – 10.15.7-12 Krishna-Balarama make all living beings in Vrindavana fortunate
• 2479) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 87 – 10.15.1-6 Krishna dedicates the beauty of Vrindavana is meant for Balarama
• 2478) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 86 – 10.14.53-61 – Vrajavasis love their children as parts of Krishna and therefore love the Whole more
• 2477) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 85 – 10.14.43-52 – Unravelling the mystery of the Vrajavasis disproportionate love for Krishna
• 2476) Hanuman’s journey through the cave – Persevering through life’s obstacles – Hindi
• 2475) Nara-Narayana Rishi – Twins who teach tapasya – Hindi
• 2474) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 84 – 10.14.37-42 – Brahma acknowledges his insignificance before Krishna’s magnificence and munificence
• 2473) Why does Indra commit so many mistakes?
• 2472) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 83 – 10.14.31-36 – Brahma glorifies Vrajavasis and aspires for their dust
• 2471) Why did Vishvamitra lose his power on creating another heaven?
• 2470) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 82 – 10.14.25-30 Devotion is the doorway and pathway to a life beyond illusion and liberation
• 2469) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 81 – 10.14.19-24 Krishna’s pastimes are unknowable yet relishable
• 2468) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 80 – 10.14.13-18 – Brahma contextualizes his bewilderment in terms of his and others’ past bewilderment
• 2467) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 79 – 10.14.7-12 – Practicing devotion gratefully while accepting responsibility for our difficulties opens the door to liberation
• 2466) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 78 – 10.14.1-6 Krishna is known by devotional hearing, not by intellectual probing
• 2465) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 77 – 10.13.57-64 – Brahma realizes his folly in testing Krishna’s glory
• 2464) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 76 – 10.13.50-56 – Brahma sees all universal opulences sheltered in the Vishnus expanded from Krishna
• 2463) What lesson does the Mohini Murti pastime teach?
• 2462) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 75 – 10.13.39-49 – The content of metaphors may be opposing, but their intent is concurring
• 2461) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 74 – 10.13.28-38 Krishna’s illusion is so powerful that even Balarama requires special situation to see through that illusion
• 2460) Was Ravana intelligent in fighting Rama, knowing that his followers would get liberation by being killed by Rama?
• 2459) Was Ravana from north India?

June 2019

• 2458) Detachment doesn’t make us hard-hearted, attachment does – Learning from Kaikeyi
• 2457) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 73 – 10.13.21-27 How Krishna as the expanded gopas and calves reciprocated love with the motherly gopis and cows
• 2456) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 72 – 10.13.11-20 – Krishna makes even a big disturbance into a no disturbance
• 2455) How strengths become weaknesses and weaknesses become strengths – Learning from Ravana and Vibhishana
• 2454) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 71 – 10.13.01-10 – Taste for absorption is the test of devotion
• 2453) How the Bhagavatam reveals the conception of God
• 2452) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 70 – 10.12.37-44 – If ecstasy pulls us out of our service, we need to pull ourselves out of that ecstasy
• 2451) Politics, Social Organization and Bhagavad-gita
• 2450) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 69 – 10.12.29-36 – Krishna fulfilled the desire of the gopas to have Agha’s body as a plaything
• 2449) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 68 – 10.12.18-28 – Our perceptions are shaped by our conceptions
• 2448) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 67 – 10.12.12-17 The inability to tolerate others’ happiness defines the demonic
• 2447) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 66 – 10.12.1.12 That the extraordinary appears ordinary is extraordinary
• 2446) If Sita in Lanka was Vedavati, why do we say Sita, not Vedavati, prayed for Hanuman?
• 2445) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 65 – 10.11.50-59 Huge demons become like moths on coming before the Krishna-fire
• 2444) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 64 – 10.11.41-49 For Krishna, killing demons is all in a day’s play, that too before breakfast
• 2443) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 63 – 10.11.30-40 The extraordinary Lord gave and got joy in ordinary play
• 2442) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 62 – 10.11.19-29 The Vrajavasis move to protect Krishna and Gokula both
• 2441) How to live at the junction of order and chaos – Learning from Dasharatha’s destiny
• 2440) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 61 – 10.11.1-9 Vrajavasis doubt Krishna’s supernatural power, but don’t disbelieve it
• 2439) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 60 – 10.11.10-18 By giving to Krishna, even if we appear to be losers, we are still gainers
• 2438) How temptation attacks visibly and invisibly – Lessons from Indrajita’s attack on Rama-Lakshmana
• 2437) Relationships flourish by sharing, not by dominating – Rama Lakshmana interactions
• 2436) Understanding difficult pastimes such as Rama’s banishing Sita
• 2435) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 59 – 10.10.36-43 The Lord grants not just physical mobility but also spiritual mobility
• 2434) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 58 – 10.10.28-35 Though God has a body, he is not limited by or to his body
• 2433) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 57 – 10.10.23-27 Krishna honors the promise of his devotees
• 2432) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 56 – 10.10.15-22 Narada curses to cure the cause of the misbehavior, not just to punish the misbehavior
• 2431) Bhagavad Gita Chapters 15-18 Overview
• 2430) 4 principles for improving relationships – Daksha-Sati pastime analysis
• 2429) Bhagavad Gita Chapters 13-14 Overview
• 2428) Relationships flourish by sharing, not by dominating – Rama Lakshmana interactions

May 2019

• 2427) Does sarva dharman parityajya mean that we should give up our rationality and just surrender?
• 2426) Did Ravana have immense knowledge?
• 2425) The story of Vishvamitra – part 2 – Overcoming anger and arrogance
• 2424) Can Abhimanyu’s getting trapped in Chakravuha be compared to our getting trapped in samsara-cakra?
• 2423) The story of Vishvamitra – Obstacles on the spiritual path – Part 1
• 2422) Narasimha Chaturdashi – How Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada reside in our hearts
• 2421) Does the upside-down tree metaphor of Gita chapter 15 imply that there’s a separate tree for each individual soul?
• 2420) Hanuman in the cave – Persevering in bhakti through pleasure and trouble
• 2419) Curses and Choices – How to change our consciousness
• 2418) If repression can’t accomplish anything – Gita 03.33 – why should we restrain our senses, Gita 03.34?
• 2417) How obstacles become opportunities – Hanuman’s burning tail
• 2416) Just as Bhishma chose the wrong side, so do we – how can we learn properly from such role models?
• 2415) Think Choose Relish: 3-point essence of the first three verses of Srimad Bhagavatam
• 2414) What goes around comes around – Ravana & Maya-Sita
• 2413) Ravana -Ten Heads, Zero Brains – Keeping our desires in control

April 2019

• 2412) How our outer world and our inner world deludes – and how bhakti delivers
• 2411) Ahalya cursed and blessed – 3 I’s for changing our consciousness
• 2410) Moving toward self-mastery through fear of dishonor and detachment – Gita 2.31.63
• 2409) Bhagavatam study – Pruthu Maharaja pastime analysis with HG Braja Bihari P
• 2408) Hanuman Jayanti talk – Balance ability with maturity
• 2407) Rama Navmi class – How Rama’s selflessness decreases others’ distress
• 2406) The sweetly topsy-turvy world of Ramayana
• 2405) “Do demons exist?” and lessons from Kabandha – Ramayana wisdom
• 2404) Gita applied Chapter 2 – The Gita separates the soul from the body and harmonizes both too
• 2403) Gita 01.01 The Gita’s first word dharma conveys its essential, universal theme
• 2402) Gita applied Chapter 1 – Duryodhana’s illusion is short-sighted, Arjuna’s illusion is far-sighted
• 2401) Why did Vidura not instruct Dhritrashtra to apologize to the Pandavas and to thereby become offense-free for practicing bhakti?
• 2400) Which path of yoga burns our karma to what extent?

March 2019

• 2399) Rama at home in exile 2 – The power of diligence
• 2398) Rama at home in exile 1 – The power of acceptance
• 2397) Controlling the mind through yoga and bhakti – similarities and differences Gita 06.21
• 2396) How to be intelligent in dealing with people – Ramayana wisdom
• 2395) Krishna’s moods in the Bhagavad-gita 3 – Chp 13-18
• 2394) Krishna’s moods in the Bhagavad-gita 2 – Chp 10-12
• 2393) Krishna’s moods in the Bhagavad-gita 1 – Chp 1-9

February 2019

• 2392) The Gita’s transformational power explained through four special words in its last verse
• 2391) Why did Rama banish Sita?
• 2390) Ramayana wisdom – Sugriva-Rama meeting – Why doubts arise and how to overcome them – Hindi
• 2389) 4 significant words in the Gita’s last verse – Hindi

January 2019

• 2388) Resist the mind just as Sita resisted Ravana – Hindi
• 2387) Mohini Murti pastime analysis 3 – When shame helps devotion and when it hurts devotion – Hindi
• 2386) Mohini Murti pastime analysis 2 – Even sensual failure can be a spiritual success – Hindi
• 2385) Mohini Murti pastime analysis 1 – Even the Lord’s cheating is all-good – Hindi
• 2384) Ramayana wisdom – How devotion frees us from doubt and dissension – Hindi

December 2018

• 2383) Why did Vidura not instruct Dhritarashtra to apologize to the Pandavas and to thereby become offense-free for practicing bhakti?
• 2382) Gita Jayanti talk – The Gita provides Partha with paramartha
• 2381) What is the significance of Shukadeva Goswami’s prayers in Bhagavatam 2.4?
• 2380) How to choose wisely – Learning from Karna
• 2379) Dealing with fear of rejection – Analyzing Karna’s character
• 2378) Can you explain the concepts of anvaya and vyatireka practically and as explained in Bhagavatam 3.9.36?
• 2377) Why did the Dwarka Yadus kill each other?
• 2376) Wisdom from Ramayana – New Book
• 2375) Demons in Krishna-lila 6 – Bakasura – From Appearance to Substance to Transcendence
• 2374) Was Vritrasura’s bhakti covered over because of his past offenses?
• 2373) In Gita 09.32, why are women put in a separate category from the various varnas?
• 2372) Gita 02.07 Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer

November 2018

• 2371) Gita 02.06 The decision that seems a no-brainer turns out to be a brain-exhauster
• 2370) Gita 02.05 Deliberation is desirable, but depth of deliberation is decisive
• 2369) Gita 02.04 Fight not for or against some material cause – fight for Krishna
• 2368) Does any Gita verse say that the soul is on a multi-life journey of spiritual evolution?
• 2367) Gita 02.03 Identify behavior that is out of character with our character
• 2366) Essence of the Gita – Identity, Activity, Destiny
• 2365) Gita 02.02 Fight against lower emotions by fighting for higher emotions
• 2364) Gita 02.01 The intensity of Arjuna’s emotion conveys the potency of Krishna’s solacing wisdom
• 2363) Gita 01.46 The significance of our actions depends not just on the actions but also on the situations in which we do those actions
• 2362) Appreciating Sanjaya’s appreciation of the Gita
• 2361) Gita 01.45 The war was not to gain a kingdom but to protect the rule of law
• 2360) Gita 01.44 When our emotion rules our reason, we rationalize a one-sided view of reality
• 2359) Gita 01.43 Hearing is important, but from whom we are hearing is even more important
• 2358) Gita 01.42 Disruption of dharma leads to overpopulation of disruptive souls, causing total breakdown of dharma
• 2357) Gita 01.41 When the family is disrupted, the faith of the children is also devastated
• 2356) Gita 01.40 Dharma prevents human society from being ruled by the law of the jungle
• 2355) Gita 01.39 Our sense of honor coming from our lineage can raise us but can also stop us from rising to the highest
• 2354) Gita 01.38 To restrain a violent madman, their restrainers may have to fight like the madman
• 2353) Demons in Krishna lila 5 – Aghasura – Cruelty and violence
• 2352) Gita 01.37 Consciousness that is contaminated becomes conquered and covered
• 2351) Gita 01.36 The ethical tension between kula-dharma and kshatriya-dharma leads to emotional over-reaction and physical inaction
• 2350) Ramayana series 4 – Sita’s faithfulness – The strength of devotional acceptance
• 2349) Ramayana series 3 – Shurapanakha’s manipulativeness – Exploiting others’ weaknesses doesn’t make us strong
• 2348) Ramayana series 2 – Ravana’s recklessness – Attachment makes us overvalue things
• 2347) Ramayana series 1 – Comparing Dasharatha and Dhritarashtra – What we do is not as important as why we do it
• 2346) Govardhana lila lessons – Krishna disempowers and empowers – and opens channels for reciprocating love
• 2345) Gita 01.35 Our pleasure-pain calculation determines our decisions and is determined by our worldview
• 2344) Gita 01.34 To retaliate and cause death requires courage, but to not retaliate at the cost of one’s own death requires greater courage
• 2343) Gita 01.33 When various purposes pull us in different directions, we need to prioritize our purposes
• 2342) Gita 01.32 Don’t let the means to an end become an end that diverts us from the actual ends
• 2341) Appreciating Krishna’s longing for love through Damodara-lila
• 2340) Gita 01.31 What we think of as long-term may not be long-term enough
• 2339) Gita 01.30 When we face challenges bigger than ourselves, we look for omens to sense the intentions of forces bigger than ourselves
• 2338) Practical application of the Gita – MAIL acronym
• 2337) Gita 01.29 Know which emotion is mental and which spiritual not just by content, but also by context and consequence
• 2336) Gita 01.28 Our thought-train’s journey from intentions to actions is diverted by our emotions
• 2335) Gita 01.27 The sequence of perception determines the consequence on our emotion

October 2018

• 2334) Gita 01.26 When we can’t fight the circumstances that make us fight against our loved ones, we have to fight against our loved ones
• 2333) Gita 01.25 What catches ouar attention is determined by what is prominent in our external situation and in our internal disposition
• 2332) Gita 01.24 The position of maximum visibility is also the position of maxiumum vulnerability
• 2331) Gita 01.23 Virtue doesn’t count when determining the military count in a fight
• 2330) Stop fighting battles that are already lost and start fighting the battle that is never lost – Vritrasura pastime analysis 3
• 2329) Gita 01.22 Asking to see something that is already known points to a dynamic that is not known
• 2328) When the source of liberation becomes the source of illusion 2 – Mohini-murti pastime analysis
• 2327) How to transform our heart 2 – Vritrasura’s dramatic transformation
• 2326) Gita 01.21 The non-partisan position of the Gita’s revelation points to its universality
• 2325) When the source of liberation becomes the source of illusion 1 – Mohini-murti pastime analysis
• 2324) How to transform our heart 1 – Vritrasura’s dramatic transformation
• 2323) Gita 01.20 Life is so unpredictable that it can unbalance the unflappably balanced
• 2322) Gita 01.19 The Pandavas win the mental battle before the physical battle
• 2321) When life hurts 3 – When our good deeds causes problems – Prahlad pastime analysis
• 2320) When life hurts 2 – When people attack us – Gajendra pastime analysis
• 2319) The Gita tells us to do karma, but also asks us to understand karma – what karma does it refer to?
• 2318) Gita 01.18 The Pandavas lost Pandu but gained Drupada as a father figure
• 2317) Gita 01.17 Don’t let minor grammatical disputes overshadow major narrational and philosophical thrust
• 2316) What is the significance of Duryodhana’s use of the past tense in Gita 01.09?
• 2315) When life hurts 1 – when a small mistake causes huge problems – Parikshit M pastime analysis
• 2314) Gita 01.16 Yudhishthira doesn’t come first in the list of warriors but is still their undisputed leader
• 2313) Gita 01.15 The devoted see God before they see the world, the undevoted see only the world
• 2312) Gita 01.14 The Gita’s audio-visual camera starts with the character of the questioner’s interest, but shifts now to the central characters
• 2311) Gita 01.13 Actions that throw caution to the winds are preceded by caution
• 2310) Demons in krishna-lila 4 – Vatsasura – Weakness is forgivable, wickedness isn’t
• 2309) Gita 01.12 Just because we get others to do what we want them to do doesn’t mean we have won them over to our side
• 2308) Gita 01.11 The protector too needs to be protected
• 2307) Demons in krishna-lila 3 – Trinavarta – Giving up useless argumentation
• 2306) Gita 01.10 Symmetry of structure stresses contrast in content
• 2305) Cultivating the mood for studying Bhagavatam
• 2304) Demons in krishna-lila 2 – Shaktasura – Overcoming Lethargy
• 2303) Was Sati’s reaction to her father’s actions justified or was she also implicated?
• 2302) Gita 01.09 Duryodhana’s slip of tongue leads to his speaking the truth unintentionally
• 2301) Gita 01.08 We need to be calm-headed, not cold-blooded
• 2300) Demons in krishna-lila 1 – How the metaphorical points to the transcendental and how Putana represents false guru
• 2299) Gita 01.07 Be aware of how what we say to one person may be heard by others
• 2298) How Gita wisdom helps us to deal with pain
• 2297) Gita 01.06 Duryodhana diplomatically continues to incite Drona against the Pandava army
• 2296) Gita 01.05 Our mode of description reflects our intention
• 2295) Gita 01.04 Duryodhana tries to change Drona’s emotion for the opposite side from affection to anger
• 2294) Gita 01.03 Context can convert compliment into criticism
• 2293) Gita 01.02 Sanjaya addresses not just the content of Dhritarashtra’s question but also its intent
• 2292) Gita 01.01 The Gita’s first word dharma conveys its essential, universal theme

September 2018

• 2291) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 55 -10.10.10-14 Narada curses not impulsively, but after deep reflection
• 2290) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 54 – 10.10.1-9 The curse that takes us away from the things that take us away from Krishna is mercy
• 2289) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 53 – 10.9.18-23 The kingdom of God is the kingdom of love
• 2288) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 52 – 10.9.13-17 Krishna’s form appears finite but is infinite
• 2287) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 51 – 10.9.7.12 Yashoda catches the Lord whom the yogis can’t catch
• 2286) If Krishna already knew that Duryodhana wasn’t going to agree to peace, then did Duryodhana have free will to choose?
• 2285) Bhagavatam transforms intensity of distress into velocity in devotion
• 2284) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 50 -10.9.1-6 Yashoda demonstrates the same bhakti perfection as does Arjuna
• 2283) If Duryodhana was generous enough to give the arrows to Arjuna why was he so hateful?
• 2282) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 49 – 10.8.46-52 Transcendental and contextual explanations for the fortune of Nanda and Yashoda
• 2281) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 48 – 10.8.42-45 Yashoda makes sense of the incomprehensible by taking shelter of the transcendental Lord
• 2280) How Gita wisdom addresses mental health problems
• 2279) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 47 – 10.8.32-41 Krishna shows the universe in his mouth once again
• 2278) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 46 – 10.8.26-31 Vraja ladies complain about Krishna’s pranks cheerfully
• 2277) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 45 – 10.8.20-25 Krishna’s childhood activities fill Vraja ladies with anxiety and ecstasy
• 2276) Does Gita 6.28 refer to brahman or to bhakti to bhagavan? (Bhagavad-gita)
• 2275) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 44 – 10.8.13.19 Garga conceals and reveals Krishna’s identity
• 2274) Why is Kurukshetra known as Dharma-kshetra – why was it chosen as the venue for the Mahabarata war?
• 2273) Understanding Rasa-lila 4 – Radharani’s apparent pride expresses her selfless love
• 2272) How the Bhagavad-gita’s first and last words reflect its empowering message
• 2271) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 43 – 10.8.7-12 Religious celebration is meant for spiritual purification, not social congregation
• 2270) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 42 – 10.8.1-6 The saintly come to the worldly to expand the consciousness of the wordly
• 2269) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 41 – 10.7.31-37 Krishna’s first revelation of the universe in his mouth
• 2268) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 40 – 10.7.27-30 Krishna silences Trinavarta to minimize anxiety for Vrajavasis
• 2267) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 39 – 10.7.19-26 Krishna protects Yashoda before tackling Trinavarta
• 2266) In the Daksha-Shiva conflict, why did Shiva not clarify to Daksha about why he hadn’t offered respects?
• 2265) Gita 18.78 The Gita’s purpose is not just to proclaim God’s position but primarily to transform man’s disposition
• 2264) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 38 – 10.7.13-18 The potency of blessings increases with the purity of the blesser
• 2263) Gita 18.77 Recollecting Krishnas universal form stimulates wonder in some and fear in others
• 2262) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 37 – 10.7.7-12 Vrajavasis try to protect the one who protects everyone
• 2261) Gita 18.76 The Gita’s conversation is memorable and relishable
• 2260) Gita 18.75 Sanjaya appreciates the content, the source and the channel of the Gita’s wisdom
• 2259) Why didn’t Indra become sober even after Govardhana lila?
• 2258) Gita 18.74 The Gita describes a mahatama and makes its hearer into a mahatma
• 2257) Gita 18.73 Harmony with the divine infuses our fleeting insignificant lives with lasting significance
• 2256) How could Samba abduct Lakshmana against her will?
• 2255) Gita 18.72 A philosophical conversation amidst emotional tribulation testifies to Arjuna’s sincerity and Krishna’s potency
• 2254) Gita 18.71 Krishna compassionately offers connections at decreasing levels of commitment
• 2253) Gita 18.70 See the sanctity of Gita study in terms of intent, content and result
• 2252) Gita 18.69 See the superlative as an exhortation to devotional action

August 2018

• 2251) Gita 18.68 The bhakti cure cures more those who share the cure more
• 2250) Gita 18.67 Though ultimately every heart longs for divine love, not every heart is presently ready for divine love
• 2249) Gita 18.66 The call to rise above dharma is not a call to slip below dharma
• 2248) Gita 18.65 Promises in a close relationship reflect and affect the closeness of the relationship
• 2247) Learning from Dhritarashtra – Does destiny make us or do we make it – 2?
• 2246) Gita 18.64 Krishna’s tone rises from informational analysis to impassioned advocacy
• 2245) Learning from Dhritarashtra – Does destiny make us or do we make it – 1?
• 2244) Gita 18.63 Knowledge guides our free will by showing us the consequences of our actions
• 2243) Gita 18.62 The deepest peace comes by not an external serene situation but by an internal spiritual connection
• 2242) Gita 18.61 Though we are controlled by material nature, we are still within the control of our Lord
• 2241) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 20 -10.3.47-53 Just as the ocean gave way to Rama, Yamuna gave way to Krishna
• 2240) Don’t take others’ actions personally – they are dealing more with their mind than with you
• 2239) Gita 18.60 How we act is determined by our material nature but for what purpose we act isnt
• 2238) Gita 18.59 Ego means to think that we know better than God
• 2237) Gita 18.58 The destructive voice can’t be tuned out unless we tune in to the divine voice
• 2236) Gita 18.57 Take shelter of the intelligence to convince yourself of the need to take Krishna’s shelter
• 2235) Gita 18.56 The bhakti university takes seekers from any level to the summit of spiritual perfection
• 2234) Gita 18.55 Don’t divorce the literal reading of one word from the overall context of the text
• 2233) Gita 18.54 Devotion doesn’t culminate in liberation, liberation culminates in devotion
• 2232) Gita 18.53 Determined disconnection from the material paves the way to the spiritual
• 2231) Gita 18.52 Take shelter of renunciation to cultivate inner absorption
• 2230) Karna character analysis – Are we doomed by destiny or by our own decisions?
• 2229) Ashwatthama character analysis – Just because we are empowered doesn’t mean that we are right
• 2228) Duryodhana character analysis 2 – If we don’t want help, even God can’t help
• 2227) Duryodhana character analysis 1 – Are some people innately evil?
• 2226) Gita 18.51 Use intelligence to counter the mind’s centrifugal force
• 2225) Dhritarashtra character analysis 2 – Do we need to lose everything before we lose our attachments?
• 2224) Dhritarashtra character analysis 1 – Attachment makes us stone-hearted
• 2223) Gita 18.50 The Gita’s purpose is not to describe spiritual paths but to analyze them for making an informed choice
• 2222) Gita 18.49 Our spiritual evolution goes through multiple levels of perfection from engagement through disengagement to devotion
• 2221) Gita 18.48 See beyond the unpalatable to the essential to pursue the transcendental
• 2220) Gita 18.47 Acknowledging our present diversity is essential for realizing our spiritual commanality
• 2219) Gita 18.46 See work as an offering the divine’s gifts to the divine
• 2218) Dhruva pastime analysis 3 – DHRUV acronym – Realization and reconciliation result from devotion
• 2217) Dhruva pastime analysis 2 – DHRUV acronym – Humility and honesty leads to authentic bhakti
• 2216) Gita 18.45 Inclusive spirituality centers on rejection of work, but on its reconceptualization and redirection
• 2215) Gita 18.44 Protecting cows protects the cow protectors from greed
• 2214) Gita 18.43 Kshatriyas control in service of the supreme controller
• 2213) Dhruva pastime analysis 1 – Everyone faces distress, the fortunate find the right direction – DHRUV acronym
• 2212) Gita 18.42 Brahmanas cultivate material material regulation and spiritual redirection by intellectual conviction
• 2211) Gita 18.41 Varnashrama provides customized spirituality for elevating people from where they are
• 2210) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 19 – 10.3.39-46 Omnipotent Krishna can act through transcendental or normal means
• 2209) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 18 – 10.3.32-38 How past life connections make sense of present-life situations
• 2208) Gita 18.40 To attain harmony with our spiritual nature, we need engagement that is in harmony with our psychophysical nature

July 2018

• 2207) Gita 18.39 Pleasure in ignorance begins in ignorance and ends in increased ignorance
• 2206) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 17 – 10.3.26-31 Devaki acknowledges Krishna as the provider of the supreme safety and strives for his safety
• 2205) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 16 – 10.3.20-25 The divine’s complexion is sometimes a description and sometimes a signification
• 2204) Why was Ekalavya treated so unfairly?
• 2203) Gita 18.38 The pleasure of titillation leads to the agony of tribulation
• 2202) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 15 – 10.3.11-19 Krishna’s appearance dissipates the darkness without and within
• 2201) Gita 18.37 Spiritual knowledge gives us the purpose to persevere through the poison till the nectar
• 2200) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 14 – 10.3.1-10 The celestial, terrestrial and psychological characteristics that celebrate the Lord’s appearance
• 2199) Gita 18.36 Some pleasures are the start of sorrow – and some the end of sorrow
• 2198) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 13 – 10.2.37-42 Why the unborn Lord is born is both inferable and inconceivable
• 2197) Gita 18.35 To hold on to thought-patterns that hurt us is to abuse our determination
• 2196) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 12 – 10.2-31-36 Krishna’s lotus feet make the insurmountable material ocean insignificant
• 2195) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 11 – 10.2.25-30 The devatas glorify the true nature of the Absolute Truth
• 2194) Gita 18.34 When one worldly desire trumps all other material desires, what results is determination in passion
• 2193) Bhagavatam study 109 1.19.34-40 When God remains anonymous through coincidences devoteees identify and glorify him
• 2192) Gita 18.33 What intelligence discerns, that determination sustains
• 2191) Bhagavatam study 108 1.19.25-33 Devotee’s attractiveness attracts people to Krishna’s supreme attractiveness
• 2190) Gita 18.32 Intelligence in ignorance mistakes the binding to be freeing
• 2189) Bhagavatam study 107 1.19.19-24 Knowledge comes alive thorugh those live that knowledge
• 2188) Gita 18.31 Confusing between long-term purposes and short-term pleasures characterizes intelligence in passion
• 2187) Gita 18.30 Intelligence means to see beyond appearance to consequence
• 2186) Bhagavatam study 106 1.19.13-18 Our personal deliberation and our mentor consultation can be complementary, not contradictory
• 2185) Gita 18.29 To drive purposefully, we need to know the destination, the path and the vehicle
• 2184) Bhagavatam study 105 1.19.7-12 The universal sages come to see of the royal sage
• 2183) Bhagavatam study 104 1.19.1-6 If sinful reaction rectifies sinful mentality, then the reaction is auspicious, not inauspicious
• 2182) Gita 18.28 Doers in ignorance act destructively for others and even for themselves
• 2181) How devotion makes the insurmountable ocean of material desires insignificant
• 2180) Bhagavatam study 103 1.18.44-50 Abuse of power by those representing God makes people godless
• 2179) Gita 18.27 Our actions reflect our self-conception and our world-conception
• 2178) Gita 18.26 The doer is not a non-doer but is a component in doing
• 2177) Bhagavatam study 102 1.18.36-43 Avoid offenses carefully and avoid getting offended easily
• 2176) Gita 18.25 To see our actions disconnected from the past and the future is to see in illusion
• 2175) Bhagavatam study 101 1.18.31-36 Presuming that we know God’s will and are doing his work is presumptuous and dangerous
• 2174) Gita 18.24 Disconnection from our Lord leads to the consumption of our consciousness by passion
• 2173) Bhagavatam study 100 1.18.24-30 An annoyed response to annoying non-responsiveness is not malevolent
• 2172) Bhagavatam study 99 1.18.18-23 The unlimited has unlimited potency to purify us of our unlimited sins
• 2171) Gita 18.23 To gain knowledge, we need basic knowledge about where to seek knowledge
• 2170) Bhagavatam study 98 1.18.11-17 Relish the sweetness of Bhagavan through the Bhagavata
• 2169) How exactly is the bull dharma deluded as Prabhupada mentions in SB 1.17.23 purport?
• 2168) Gita 18.22 Knowledge in ignorance makes us obsessed with one fragment of reality and one kind of action
• 2167) Bhagavatam study 97 1.18.4-10 Understanding Parikshit M’s treatment of Kali
• 2166) Gita 18.21 To equate others physical appearance with spiritual substance is vision in passion
• 2165) Bhagavatam study 96 1.17.43-18.3 The recent past is just like the present
• 2164) Gita 18.20 Seeing commonality alone is not vision in goodness – seeing spirituality as the foundation of commonality is
• 2163) Analyzing Karna – Going beyond black and white perspectives in understanding scripture + QA
• 2162) Bhagavatam study 95 1.17.37-42 Undestanding how restricting area of residence is a form of punishment
• 2161) Gita 18.19 The Gita’s flow verses make its question-directed discussion more accessible
• 2160) Gita 18.18 Analysis of the components of action is meant to direct towards non-reactive action
• 2159) Bhagavatam study 94 1.17.31-36 Adharama-bandhu Kali can’t be allowed to live in the kingdom of Dharma-raja pautra
• 2158) Gita 18.17 When we act without false ego, we stay free of reactions
• 2157) Bhagavatam study 93 1.17.24-30 Avoid both extremes of taking everything in scripture only literally or only metaphorically
• 2156) Bhagavatam study 92 1.17.18-23 The cause of suffering is sometimes incomprehensible
• 2155) Gita 18.16 To think that we are the sole doers is to have deluded intelligence
• 2154) Gita 18.15 Spiritual consciousness ensures that our actions give a favorable result
• 2153) Bhagavatam study 91 1.17.13-17 Act honorably to protect the honor of those whom we represent
• 2152) Daksha-Shiva conflict 3 – How our mind makes us sectarian – Hindi
• 2151) Gita 18.14 God is the fifth factor as well as the foundation of all factors
• 2150) Bhagavatam study 90 1.17.7-12 – When in a position of material responsibility, act responsibly
• 2149) Bhagavatam study 89 1.17.1-6 Outrage on seeing atrocity is healthy
• 2148) Gita 18.13 The journey from illusion to illumination requires philosophical education
• 2147) Bhagavatam study 88 1.16.31-36 The earth and dharma’s devotion for Krishna
• 2146) Gita 18.12 Intelligence sees consequence and fosters detachment
• 2145) Daksha-Shiva conflict 2 – The proud consider others proud – Hindi
• 2144) Parikshit M – Dharma discussion – Don’t blame 3 – How to deal with troubling people – Hindi
• 2143) Parikshit M – Dharma discussion – Don’t blame 2 – If why has no answer focus on how – Hindi
• 2142) Parikshit M – Dharma discussion – Don’t blame 1 – See beyond the immediate cause – Hindi
• 2141) Bhagavatam study 87 1.16.25-30 Krishna is the shelter of dharma and dharmic qualities
• 2140) Gita 18.11 To pursue liberation, give up the idea of giving up action
• 2139) Gita 18.10 Take the route that takes us to the destination, not the route that looks the easiest
• 2138) Bhagavatam study 86 1.16.19-24 Understanding what all things cause distress to the earth
• 2137) Daksha-Shiva conflict 1 – How misconceptions give rise to conflicts – Hindi

June 2018

• 2136) Gita 18.09 Renunciation in goodness means to know that we as parts just need to do our parts
• 2135) Bhagavatam study 85 1.17.13-18 Parikshit M delighted in his spiritual opulence, not his material opulence
• 2134) Why does the Bhagavatam say that literature glorifying Krishna is imperfectly composed when such literature is meant to attract people to Krishna?
• 2133) Gita 18.08 Desire for bodily pleasure and fear of bodily trouble both keep us in the cage of bodily consciousness
• 2132) Bhagavatam study 84 1.16.7-12 Choose carefully what we hear
• 2131) Why did Devaki suffer but Yashoda enjoyed Krishna’s association?
• 2130) Gita 18.07 Renunciation done in illusion can’t take us out of illusion
• 2129) Bhagavatam study 83 1.16.1-6 How Parikshit Maharaj manifested his predicated qualities
• 2128) Gita 18.06 Karmic bondage is like emotional dependence – focus not just on the action but also on the motivation
• 2127) Bhagavatam study 82 1.15.45-51 Our spirituality is our responsibility, not anyone else’s responsibility
• 2126) Bhagavatam study 81 1.15.38-44 Responsibly hand over material responsibility to take up spiritual responsibility
• 2125) Gita 18.05 To be mana-isha, we need not just a mana free from ishvara-bhava, but a mana fixed on ishvara
• 2124) Bhagavatam study 80 1.15.31-37 Life is a relay race – know when to hand over the torch
• 2123) Gita 18.04 Just as indulgence can be indiscriminate, so can renunciation
• 2122) Bhagavatam study 79 1.15.25-30 Remember Krishna in his absence by remembering his message
• 2121) Gita 18.03 Gita 18.03 Appreciate others thoughtfulness even if it doesn’t lead to the best conclusion
• 2120) Gita 18.02 Devotional attachment is the best way to avoid worldly attachment
• 2119) Bhagavatam study 78 1.15.19-24 Krishna takes away everything that covers us before him
• 2118) Gita 18.01 What is used to refer is not as important as what is being referred to
• 2117) Bhagavatam study 77 1.15.13-18 Arjuna treasures his memories of Krishna
• 2116) Gita 17.28 Having no faith in anything higher makes performance of religious activities unfruitful
• 2115) Bhagavatam study 76 1.15.7-12 Devotees see their achievements as Krishna’s mercy
• 2114) Gita 17.27 Sat is not just a word for recitation – it is a conviction to cultivated and infused into action
• 2113) Bhagavatam study 75 1.15.1-6 When we lose everything, we gain the Lord of everything
• 2112) Bhagavatam study 74 1.14.34-44 Questions about causes of distress reveal conceptions of distress
• 2111) Gita 17.26 Any inclination to seek elevation of consciousness is praiseworthy
• 2110) Gita 17.25 Recitation of tad signifies and stimulates the pursuit of transcendence
• 2109) Gita 17.24 The many meanings of the word “brahma” in the Gita
• 2108) Gita 17.23 Everything is sustained by its connection with the Absolute
• 2107) Gita 17.22 We need discrimination to ensure that doing good actually does good
• 2106) Gita 17.21 Charity is passion is a competition of humiliation
• 2105) What does akarma mean – does akarma free us from past karma?
• 2104) Redirection of consciousness is Krishna’s miracle – Bali Maharaj pastime reflection
• 2103) Seeing Krishna’s mercy amidst loss – Krishna’s instructions after Govardhana lila
• 2102) Renunciation of false ego – Indra’s Prayers after Govardhana lila
• 2101) Why does Bhishma say that he is bound by the Kauravas wealth?
• 2100) Are Bhishma’s teachings of pure devotion at the end of his life contradicted by his life of service to the Kauravas?

May 2018

• 2099) Nourishing our lives with the Bhagavad-gita
• 2098) How to effectively study and apply the Gita
• 2097) If we are not the doers, then are our mistakes actually our mistakes?
• 2096) Should Gita 3.27 be we are not the only doers?
• 2095) Bhagavad-gita and Modern Psychology 3 – Changing our mind by changing our relationship with the mind
• 2094) Bhagavad-gita and Modern Psychology – 2 – Where mindfulness works and where it falls short
• 2093) Bhagavad-gita and Modern Psychology 1 – Is there anything beyond emotionality and rationality?
• 2092) What does vasudevah sarvam iti mean?
• 2091) Self-pity, humility and maturity explained – Bhagavad-gita 18.35

April 2018

• 2090) God as the Supreme therapist 7 – Understanding how Narasimhadeva gave strength to Prahlada
• 2089) God as the supreme therapist 6 – Seek not the facility to do whatever we desire – seek the clarity to discern our deepest desire
• 2088) How does Hanuman embody humble ambitiousness?
• 2087) God as the supreme therapist 5 – Cultivating qualities is integral to cultivating devotion
• 2086) God as the supreme therapist 4 – How association works and how to make it work
• 2085) God as the supreme therapist 3 – Devotional detachment is not freedom from emotions but freedom of emotions
• 2084) Why did Bhima abandon Hidimibi – did he marry her simply to gain political power?
• 2083) Did Krishna use Ghatothkacha as a sacrificial pawn?
• 2082) God as the supreme therapist 2 – To be others’ well wisher means to channel their emotions towards proper use of their free will
• 2081) God as the supreme therapist 1 – Discerning the Prahlada and Hiranyakashipu mentalities within us
• 2080) When the abducted Sita was not the real Sita, why was Rama distressed by her abduction?
• 2079) Was Ravana a good person who just committed one mistake?
• 2078) Gita 17.20 Give charity for purity, not popularity
• 2077) Gita 17.19 Slaving to get the whip that will lash us is stupidity
• 2076) Gita 17.18 The show of austerity without the substance of spirituality points to superficiality or even hypocrisy
• 2075) Gita 17.17 The mode in which austerity is performed different from the mode with which austerity is performed
• 2074) Gita 17.16 Austerity of mind transforms our inner disruptive enemy into a constructive friend
• 2073) Gita 17.15 Speech is meant not just for commnication but also for purification
• 2072) Bhagavatam study 73 1.14.18.33 – When we apprehend the worst-case scenario, we look for alternatives
• 2071) Gita 17.14 Austerity enables us to use our bodily vehicle constructively, not destructively
• 2070) Bhagavatam study 72 1.14.12.17 – Inversion of natural order prophesies inauspiciousness

March 2018

• 2069) Bhagavatam study 71 1.14.1.11 – Departure of the order-sustaining Lord leads to disruption of that order
• 2068) Bring out the Hanuman within, not the Ravana within
• 2067) Lessons from Hanuman’s devotion to Rama 4 – How Hanuman provoked to deter Ravana from war
• 2066) Lessons from Hanuman’s devotion to Rama 3 – Keeping our intention above our emotions
• 2065) Lessons from Hanuman’s devotion to Rama 2 – Earning trust through emotional intelligence
• 2064) Lessons from Hanuman’s devotion to Rama 1 – When we hide ourselves from the Lord, he hides himself from us
• 2063) Ramayana series 3 – Rama-Lakshmana – Does destiny control everything?
• 2062) Ramayana series2 – Vali-Sugriva – Don’t judge without understanding
• 2061) How are fruitive activities the engagements of one’s reactions from past good or bad deeds?
• 2060) Ramayana series 1 – Manthara-Kaikeyi – How manipulators mislead
• 2059) Avoid distractions using intelligence directed towards transcendence
• 2058) Our goals are the results we seek – how can we set goals but be detached from results?
• 2057) What the Bhagavatam conveys by narrating Krishna’s agonizing departure
• 2056) Gita 17.13 Yajna in ignorance expresses defiance externally and internally.mp3

February 2018

• 2055) Gita 17.12 Yajna is like modern technology – can fuel the illusion that we are controllers and enjoyers.mp3
• 2054) Reflections on the last verse spoken by Krishna in the Gita – Hindi
• 2053) Gita 17.11 Focus not on expectation from the world, focus on contribution from yourself.mp3
• 2052) Gita 17.10 Food in ignorance isn’t nourishing, satisfying or appealing.mp3
• 2051) Gita 17.09 Food in passion is is sensually stimulating but eventually distressing and disease-inducing.mp3
• 2050) Gita 17.08 Food in goodness provides profusely both nutrition and satisfaction
• 2049) Gita 17.07 Food, sacrifice, charity and austerity represent broad patterns of the soul’s interaction with its encasing circles
• 2048) Gita 17.06 Defying scripture, be it for pandering the body or tormenting the body, is demonic
• 2047) Gita 17.05 Our body is not ours to abuse by arbitrary austerity
• 2046) Gita 17.04 Our level of consciousness determines who we feel is worshipable
• 2045) Gita 17.03 The relationship between our existence and our faith is causal, constitutional and consequential
• 2044) Gita 17.02 See not just people’s ideological faith – see also their functional faith
• 2043) Gita 17.01 The Gita universalizes and contextualizes the analytical framework of the three modes
• 2042) Gita 16.24 Knowing scripture is our responsibility and our opportunity
• 2041) Gita 16.23 Those who reject scripture suffer both in this life and the next
• 2040) Gita 16.22 To pursue our self-interest, we need to purge out self-defeating desires
• 2039) Gita 16.21 The metaphorical usage stresses the reality and gravity of the demoniac forces of lust, anger and greed
• 2038) Gita 16.20 Demoniac action and demoniac destination is perpetuated by demoniac disposition
• 2037) Gita 16.19 Devilish delights doom the demonic to deadly destinations
• 2036) Gita 16.18 When bad situations make us take shelter of our bad side, we become bad people
• 2035) Gita 16.17 Self-complacence and impudence perpetuate ignorance
• 2034) Gita 16.16 Desires and fears cover our consciousness completely with illusion
• 2033) Gita 16.15 The ungodly want to look good, not become good
• 2032) Gita 16.14 Greed makes the covetous murderous
• 2031) Gita 16.13 Let the mind’s chariot take us where we want to go, not where it wants to go
• 2030) Gita 16.12 Sensual desires are ropes of enslavement, not roads to enjoyment
• 2029) Gita 16.11 We make our beliefs and our beliefs make us
• 2028) If I want to come first in my class, am I being attached to results?
• 2027) Gita 16.10 Taking shelter of lust amidst problems is like taking shelter of kidnappers when threatened by thieves
• 2026) Gita 16.09 The ungodly are born for destructive action unless they do drastic course correction

January 2018

• 2025) Gita 16.08 From atheism to hedonism is a natural slide
• 2024) Gita 16.07 Observe others actions not to condemn, but to help
• 2023) Gita 16.06 Knowing the inclination of the road where our car is is education, not condemnation
• 2022) Gita 16.05 Acknowledging where a car’s wheels are pointing is not accusing the car driver
• 2021) Gita 16.03 Giving appropriate honor promotes harmony, demanding excessive honor disrupts harmony
• 2020) Gita 16.02 Our godliness needs to be seen in our harmonious interactions with others
• 2019) Gita 16.01 Godliness is both a decision and a disposition
• 2018) Gita 15.20 Using the knowledge and devotion we presently have propels us symbiotically towards life’s perfection
• 2017) Gita 15.19 Bhakti is not non-intellectual or anti-intellectual – it is trans-intellectual
• 2016) Gita 15.18 Fragmentation is not the cause of illusion, disharmonization is
• 2015) Gita 15.17 Liberation is not just elevation out of illusion but also connection with the supreme reality
• 2014) Gita 15.16 Purification means to change our emotional center
• 2013) Gita 15.15 The purpose of perceiving the spiritual through the material is to perceive the spiritual in its own right
• 2012) The Bhagavad-gita as a leadership guide

December 2017

• 2011) How is the Gita relevant today – Marathi
• 2010) Bhagavatam study 70 1.13.51-60 Determination directed towards renunciation brings spiritual elevation
• 2009) Bhagavatam study 69 1.13.46-50 When we can’t protect ourselves from kala, karma and guna, how can we protect others?
• 2008) Bhagavatam study 68 1.13.39-45 Know when to exercise control in the service of the supreme controller and when to release control
• 2007) For meditation, we need the right object and the right conception
• 2006) Duryodhana felt no moral compunction while persecuting the Pandavas, but Dhirtrashtra did – why the difference?
• 2005) When Abhimanyu was killed, how was Arjuna overcome by illusion?
• 2004) Duryodhana character analysis 3 – Envy perpetuates dissatisfaction and invites destruction
• 2003) Duryodhana character analysis 2 – Ambition distorted by envy becomes cancerous
• 2002) Gita Jayanti class – The Gita brings a message of fearlessness to a fear-filled world

November 2017

• 2001) Gita Jayanti talk – Appreciating the Gita’s message by contemplating the starting and ending names of Arjuna and Krishna
• 2000) Duryodhana character analysis 1 – How the entitlement mentality degrades
• 1999) Analyzing yoga and bhakti to keep practice in harmony with purpose
• 1998) How small conflicts become big – Daksha pastime analysis 4 – How impulses are shaped by technology, mentality and spirituality
• 1997) Shakuni Character Analysis 2 – Evaluate whether our relationships bring out our best or our worst
• 1996) Gita 15.14 The world’s origin and operation points requires something beyond the world
• 1995) The Gita as a book of love – The significance of the first and last words spoken by Krishna and Arjuna
• 1994) Gita 15.13 The existence of multiple factors congenial to our existence points to transcendence
• 1993) Gita 15.12 We need the eyes to see what our eyes need to see
• 1992) Gita 15.11 What we see depends on what we want to see
• 1991) Gita 15.10 We need knowledge to see our vulnerability in material existence
• 1990) Gita 15.09 The mind makes chasing mirages the soul’s tragic habit
• 1989) The Bhagavad-gita’s message of love comforts and enlightens
• 1988) The art of work – Detachment directed by devotion maximizes contribution

October 2017

• 1987) Ramayana series 4 – SEES acronym – 4 explanations why Rama abandoned Sita
• 1986) Ramayana series 3 – Shurapanakha’s slyness – Beware of those who manipulate us using our weakness
• 1985) Ramayana series 2 – Maricha’s miscalculation – Our destination is not as important as our action
• 1984) Gita 15.08 The essence of growth is evolution in our conception of life
• 1983) Ramayana Series 1 – Dasharatha’s dilemma
• 1982) Gita 15.07 Even when the mind is directed by the senses, it still directs the senses
• 1981) Gita 15.06 The spiritual world is self-luminous and its luminosity is malleable to Krishna’s will
• 1980) Gita 15.05 Surrender means to give up everything for Krishna – even the feeling of hopelessness
• 1979) Gita 15.04 The Personal Absolute is not a way to transcendence – he is the summit of transcendence
• 1978) Gita 15.03 Detachment cuts not the world but our own attachment to the world
• 1977) Gita 15.02 We are bound by action and knowledge can guide us to action that leads to liberation
• 1976) Gita 15.01 The metaphor of the upside-down tree points to the reality beyond the reflection
• 1975) Gita 14.27 Brahman refers not just to the impersonal spiritual but also the generically spiritual
• 1974) Gita 14.26 Health is a product of medication but it is also a precondition for medication
• 1973) Gita 14.25 As long as we are materially motivated, we will be materially agitated
• 1972) Gita 14.24 To be equipoised, be situated in the self, not in the world
• 1971) Understanding Gita Wisdom – Interview on People of Bhakti at Bhakti Radio Network
• 1970) Gita 14.23 We are not our scars, be they physical or emotional
• 1969) Gita 14.22 Be a non-judgemental non-committal observer of your emotions
• 1968) Gita 02.20-30 Go beyond lamentation by understanding the eternality of the soul and the multiplicity of its reincarnations
• 1967) Gita 14.21 When the disease is subtle, we need education to perceive the symptoms of sickness and health
• 1966) When is violence justified – how is the Gita’s war different from modern World Wars?
• 1965) Gita 14.20 Those who transcend the modes transcend miseries
• 1964) Gita 14.19 Seeing that our actions are impelled by the modes inspires us to resist the desires induced by the modes
• 1963) Gita 14.18 Goodness leads to elevation, passion to stagnation, ignorance to degradation
• 1962) Gita 14.17 Different modes foster different emotions, dispositions and destinations
• 1961) Gita 14.16 Piety purifies, craving torments and intoxication stupefies
• 1960) Gita 14.15 The modes are not just psychological constructs, they are also post-mortem destination shapers
• 1959) How our vision alters our perception – Gita study 01.24-36
• 1958) Gita 14.14 A disposition of knowledge and purity elevates to the destination of the knowledgeable and the pure
• 1957) Gita 14.13 The mode of ignorance block us in both contemplation and action
• 1956) Gita 14.12 Desires that drive us with the lure of pleasure are insatiable
• 1955) Gita 14.11 Illumination of knowledge regulates the input and output through the doorways of the senses
• 1954) Gita 14.10 The modes are neither in segregation nor in integration but are in competition
• 1953) How can we know our prescribed duty?
• 1952) Gita 14.09 The longer a pleasure lasts, the greater its lure

September 2017

• 1951) Gita 14.08 The mode of ignorance begins with not knowing and leads to false knowing
• 1950) Gita 14.07 Passion is composed of attachment, gives rise to craving and binds us to work
• 1949) Gita 14.06 Anything that keeps us away from realizing our spirituality is binding, even if it is illuminating
• 1948) Gita 14.05 Modes are a combination of matter that trigger emotion which matter in isolation doesnt
• 1947) Remembrance of Krishna cuts karmic bondage by providing intelligence, taste and love
• 1946) When we start studying Bhagavad-gita, what is the motivation for continuing to study material science?
• 1945) Bhagavatam study 67 01.13.30-38 When it is time to renounce, embrace renunciation as a challenge and avoid discouragers
• 1944) Do gopis know Krishna’s future pastimes?
• 1943) Gopi Gita 2 – “You alone can free us from contamination and tribulation – please return”
• 1942) Gita 14.04 The seed-giving father is also the soul-attracting liberator
• 1941) Did Krishna appear in Mathura or in both Mathura and Vrindavan?
• 1940) Gopi Gita 1 – “Whoever you are – Lord or lover – please come back”
• 1939) Gita 14.03 We determine our bodies and our bodies determine us
• 1938) Gita 14.02 Death can’t be avoided, but affliction due to death can be
• 1937) Gita 14.01 The Gita uses diverse frames of analysis to reiterate its consistent conclusion
• 1936) Bhagavatam study 66 01.13.24-29 Detachment emerges from education that changes our definition of success

August 2017

• 1935) Learning to not go up and down with life’s ups and downs – Gita 02.54-57
• 1934) Gita 13.35 Knowledge helps us perceive and achieve spiritual reality
• 1933) Gajendra Moksha Katha 5 – Which comes first – giving up lower taste or getting higher taste – Hindi
• 1932) Gajendra Moksha Katha 4 – How age helps us become renounced – and how it doesn’t – Hindi
• 1931) Gajendra Moksha Katha 3 – Understanding when to wield control and when to yield control – Hindi
• 1930) Gajendra Moksha Katha 2 – Deviated spiritualists may lose the human body, but not their spiritual attraction – Hindi
• 1929) Is Chitraketu’s accepting Parvati’s curse even when he was not at fault meant to instruct us to accept whatever happens to us – Hindi?
• 1928) Gajendra Moksha Katha 1 – Understanding how our mental impressions shape us – Hindi
• 1927) Gita 13.34 Consciousness can be the channel to illumination – and to illusion too
• 1926) Akrura Katha 3 – Understanding cultural bhakti, philosophical bhakti, spiritual bhakti and Vraja bhakti
• 1925) Gita 13.33 The soul is not entangled, but the mind is
• 1924) Meditation on Kaliya lila – Devotion grants access to a rich panorama of divine emotions
• 1923) Akrura Katha 2 – Devotional disposition in association deepens our devotion
• 1922) Akrura Katha 1 – When no one understands us, Krishna understands
• 1921) Gita 13.32 The soul is situated in the body, but its consciousness doesn’t have to imprisoned in the body
• 1920) God is not present less in the hearts of the godless Gita 15.15
• 1919) What role does our nature play in our taking shelter of Krishna?
• 1918) Why is impersonalism condemned in Gita 9.12 and appreciated in Gita 9.15?
• 1917) Krishna is the trans-personal shelter of all the things that shelter us
• 1916) Gita 13.31 See variety not as illusion above the unity but as emanation from the unity
• 1915) Gita 13.30 The soul is not the doer of the activities impelled by the body

July 2017

• 1914) Is intelligence not always a good thing?
• 1913) Is intelligence covered by the mode of ignorance unintelligent?
• 1912) How can determination be unintelligent, as mentioned in Gita 18.35?
• 1911) Why does the Gita in chapter sixteen describe divine qualities in three full verses and demoniac qualities in just one verse?
• 1910) How is simplicity as an austerity of the body in Gita 17.14 different from simplicity as an austerity of the mind in Gita 17.16?
• 1909) Morality may be relativized, but the consequences of immoral indulgence can’t be relativized Gita 03.17
• 1908) How is the Gita relevant amidst today’s stress-filled times?
• 1907) Can all karma be offered to Krishna or does ugra-karma have to be given up?
• 1906) How could Lava-Kusha defeat Rama who is the undefeatable Lord?
• 1905) When the Bhagavatam contains so many stories involving sex, is it appropriate for children?
• 1904) Can you explain some section of scripture that we can’t easily understand?
• 1903) Why does Bhagavatam say that Bhishma merged with the Supersoul?
• 1902) What is the best way to understand the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1901) Why do you speak more on bhakti than on karma which the Gita stresses?
• 1900) We are never too far away from relapse Gita 02.60
• 1899) Gita 13.29 See beyond people’s particular actions to Krishna’s universal positive intention
• 1898) Gita 13.28 To see that which is critical to see is to really see
• 1897) Our intelligence is our security system – don’t let temptation disable it Gita 02.63
• 1896) Why crave for hours and years for pleasures that last for moments Gita 05.22
• 1895) To say that philosophy is dead is to be dead to philosophy Gita 18.22
• 1894) Gita 13.27 See beyond functional categorization to philosophical comprehension
• 1893) Gita 13.26 Hearing directs us to destination immortality
• 1892) Isn’t Prabhupada’s Gita just one among the many interpretations of the Gita?

June 2017

• 1891) Mental weight can’t be wished away, but it can be worked away Gita 06.35
• 1890) Don’t let perfectionism come in the way of progress towards perfection Gita 02.14
• 1889) When Airavata existed earlier, how did he appear during the churning of the milk ocean?
• 1888) The inner war is unavoidable Gita 03.43
• 1887) Why didn’t the Pandavas think that the Kauravas were simply instruments of their own past karma?
• 1886) Is the Mahabharata that occurred in another age even relevant today?
• 1885) Is the Mahabharata an excellent drama or is it historically true?
• 1884) If everything in the Mahabharata is arranged by Krishna’s plan, why do we blame Duryodhana or Karna?
• 1883) Why is Arjuna considered the greatest archer when all his power came from Krishna?
• 1882) If Dhritarashtra had stopped Duryodhana from fighting, how would the Gita have been spoken?
• 1881) When Dhritarashtra was forced by the modes to support Duryodhana, why is he blamed?
• 1880) Did the celestial voice stopping Duryodhana from committing suicide interfere with his free will?
• 1879) How can we understand that the attractiveness of all attractive things comes from Krishna?
• 1878) How is Rama’s treatment of Sita justified?
• 1877) The possibility for self-improvement is reduced by materialism and expanded by spirituality Gita 18.60
• 1876) Study the Gita for understanding it, not undermining it
• 1875) Once we slip down a slope, we can’t control how far we slip down Gita 03.36
• 1874) The mind can make a soldier into a deserter or even a betrayer Gita 05.22
• 1873) Don’t waste your mental energy on people on whom you won’t waste your time Gita 11.55
• 1872) Address misery first by recognizing its fundamental cause then its circumstantial cause Gita 09.33
• 1871) Don’t give your enemies weapons to beat you with Gita 03.36
• 1870) Ask not how could he have done that – ask what is to be done next Gita 03.39
• 1869) Dumbness is not inability to understand gibberish – it is inability to see gibberish for what it is Gita 18.63
• 1868) Gita 14.11 Don’t chase the objects in perception – clean the doors of perception
• 1867) Gita 16.08 Materialism strips not only the other world of reality but also this world of meaning
• 1866) Gita 08.20 Those who reject a world beyond this world sentence themselves to pointless business in this world
• 1865) Gita 10.08 Blanking out questions about origins is like dealing in black money
• 1864) Gita 18.58 Devotion brings the inner morale to combat outer problems
• 1863) Gita 16.11 Technology is not just the provider of facility – it is also the shaper of mentality
• 1862) Gita 14.04 Dialogue requires methodological humility
• 1861) When Tvashta gave Narayana-kavacha that made Indra invincible, how could Tvashta himself be killed?
• 1860) Gita 14.11 Our mind can be a transmitter, distorter or reflector of our consciousness
• 1859) Gita 01.46 – When emotions block our consciousness, Gita wisdom removes the blockage
• 1858) How can the Gita’s knowledge help poor people?
• 1857) Does the Gita give spiritual solutions to all material problems?

May 2017

• 1856) Gita 18.63 The call to the heart complements the call to the head
• 1855) Gita 18.38 Don’t be so caught in choosing the right seat as to fail to choose the right train
• 1854) Gita 17.01 Worldviews are meant to be vision-enhancers, not vision-diminishers
• 1853) Gita 17.16 Purity has to be cultivated as an austerity before it can be savored as a state
• 1852) Gita 04.02 When time brings things down, let Krishna take things up
• 1851) Gita 14.11 Inner illumination helps us to separate observation from evaluation
• 1850) Gita 16.11 Use developed human consciousness to decrease material fears, not increase them
• 1849) Gita 18.22 – Rise from tunnel vision through funnel vision
• 1848) Bhagavatam study 1.13.1-7 – The detachment that fosters attachment to Krishna
• 1847) Gita 13.13 Bhakti wisdom frames our knowledge and our need for knowledge within our aspiration for eternity
• 1846) When Karna abused Draupadi, why didn’t anyone punish him by taking away his position?
• 1845) Karna wanted revenge and Draupadi wanted revenge – what is the difference?
• 1844) Gita 12.08 Living in Krishna is a matter of not just relocation, but also of realization
• 1843) Gita 02.07 When surface identities lead to conflicting duties, seek the fundamental identity
• 1842) Gita 10.6 See genealogy as an arena for manifesting Krishna,s actions in this world
• 1841) SIMHA acronym – Glories of Prahlada and Narasimha
• 1840) When Ravana had been seen going southwards, why did Rama send monkeys in all four direction?
• 1839) Gita 18.38 Contact of senses and sense objects is not just physical but also visual
• 1838) Why did Vali attribute negative intention to Sugriva – was he already suspicious?
• 1837) After Valis death why didn’t Sugriva console himself by focusing on Valis atrocities?
• 1836) When Sugriva had planned Vali’s fall, why did he feel remorse?
• 1835) Gita 02.08 Don’t let comforts lure you away from life’s purpose
• 1834) Gita Essence 3 – The transformational power of love – World-knowledge as the vehicle for love
• 1833) When Bhishma took shelter of the Kauravas’ wealth, why did Krishna shelter him at death?
• 1832) Gita Essence 2 – The transformational power of love – God-knowledge as the fuel for love
• 1831) Gita 18.78 Human excellence and divine omnipotence herald victory
• 1830) Gita 01.42 Today’s war against family increases self-centeredness and obstructs spiritual growth
• 1829) What does seeing but not acting with equal vision mean?
• 1828) Gita 18.22 – A truncated representation of reality is not reality
• 1827) Gita Essence 1- The transformational power of love – Self-knowledge as the basis of love
• 1826) Gita 16.24 – The transition from description to prescription requires discretion
• 1825) How free is our free will?
• 1824) Gita 02.58 Inevitable exposure to sense objects is different from initiated or instigated exposure
• 1823) Gita 16.09 All truth-claims are power-claims – This is also a truth-claim and a power-claim

April 2017

• 1822) Gita 14.26 – Bhakti is both a state and a process
• 1821) Gita 18.63 – Don’t sway others – inspire them
• 1820) Gita 14.05 – The modes comprise objective reality and color subjective perception
• 1819) Focus on the Bhagavatam’s universal purpose beyond its specific details – invest one’s emotions in Krishna, not the world
• 1818) QA with children on Ramayana-Mahabharata
• 1817) When Arjuna was sinless, why did he have to go to hell?
• 1816) If we are detached from our goals, what will inspire us to work?
• 1815) IDEA acronym – The Bhagavad-gita in essence
• 1814) From misunderstanding to understanding – Rama katha 4
• 1813) From misunderstanding to understanding – Rama katha 3
• 1812) From misunderstanding to understanding – Rama katha 2
• 1811) From misunderstanding to understanding – Rama katha 1

March 2017

• 1810) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam
• 1809) Why does the Gita not have any Duryodhana uvaca, though he speaks several verses?
• 1808) How can we know that the Gita hasn’t changed over the centuries?
• 1807) Was the Mahabharata war predestined?
• 1806) How did Krishna as Shanti-duta use sama, dama, bheda and danda?
• 1805) The Pandavas could have won a kingdom anywhere by defeating someone else – why did they win it by killing their own relatives?
• 1804) Why does the Gita begin with Dhritarashtra, not Krishna?
• 1803) The ninth canto contains many stories of shocking debauchery by sages such as Brihaspati – what is their point?
• 1802) When the Gita Mahatmaya talks about Gita recitation countering various sinful reactions, is that karma kanda or is it bhakti?
• 1801) Significance of Chatur-Shloki Gita – Location, Content & Import

February 2017

• 1800) The eye to see the I
• 1799) Does Gita 12.8-11 refer to progressive levels or alternative ways?
• 1798) When Ravana knew scripture, why did he abduct Sita – Hindi?
• 1797) Gita 12.13 Devotion manifests as action, even aggression, without mundane passion
• 1796) Gita 12.12 Serenity comes by rising from piety to spirituality
• 1795) Gita 12.11 To be self-situated, begin with selflessness
• 1794) Gita 12.10 Bhakti means dedicating our external to the eternal internal instead of the ephemeral internal
• 1793) Gita 12.09 If absorption in Krishna is unattainable, seek attraction through connection
• 1792) Gita 12.08 Bhakti changes not our outer location but the locus of our inner world

January 2017

• 1791) Why did Dhritarashtra stay silent when Duryodhana insulted Vidura (Hindi)?
• 1790) The Gita’s five subjects analyzed as a guide to action
• 1789) What is the connection of vibhuti yoga with perceiving spiritual reality?

December 2016

• 1788) In Gita 6.5, can both atma be translated as the mind – elevate the mind with the mind?
• 1787) Why did Rama worship Shiva?
• 1786) When the Gita is spoken to one specific person, how can it be universal?
• 1785) What I have learned from the Gita
• 1784) Why does the Gita use a battlefield setting?
• 1783) ​In Gita 17.1, do shraddha and nishtha refer to different things?
• 1782) Ramayana Reflection – Hanuman in Lanka 3 – Exceeding Expectations
• 1781) Ramayana Reflection – Hanuman in Lanka 2 – Discouraged yet determined
• 1780) Ramayana Reflection – Hanuman in Lanka 1 – Overcoming Obstacles
• 1779) Ramayana Reflection – Why Rama abandoned Sita
• 1778) If the Gita is a recorded conversation reported by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, how does it contain Sanjaya’s speech?
• 1777) Did Sanjaya report the Kurukshetra war from Kurukshetra or from Hastinapura?
• 1776) Why did Rama abandon Sita?
• 1775) What is the essence of the Bhagavad-gita?

November 2016

• 1774) Hanuman manifests a combination of bhakti and shakti
• 1773) ​What is the relation between Valimiki Ramayana and Rama-charita-manasa?
• 1772) What is the devotional reason why Rama sent Sita away?
• 1771) ​​Why Rama banished Sita – Hindi
• 1770) Demystifying Gita 18.66 – Does surrender mean giving up dharma?
• 1769) Why did Rama not stand by Sita when she was defamed?
• 1768) Was Ravana an ideal brother who stood by his sister at all costs?
• 1767) Why did Balarama favor Duryodhana?
• 1766) Why is the Bhagavatam called the Amala Purana?
• 1765) If Vyasadeva wrote the Bhagavatam, how is he present in the Bhagavatam?
• 1764) Who all heard the Gita – why were Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra able to hear?
• 1763) Why does Bhagavatam contains sections that don’t glorify the Lord?
• 1762) Are all commentaries on Bhagavad-gita of equal value?
• 1761) For what purpose did Krishna speak the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1760) For whom is the Bhagavad-gita spoken?
• 1759) In the Bhagavad-gita, what is the significance of the word Bhagavan?
• 1758) What is the Bhagavad-gita?
• 1757) What is the spirit of Bhagavad-gita?
• 1756) Who is fit to understand Bhagavad-gita?
• 1755) Why did Krishna choose Arjuna as the recipient of Bhagavad-gita?
• 1754) ​Why didn’t Rama uphold the truth of Sita’s purity?
• 1753) ​Why did Rama take people’s criticism of Sita so seriously?
• 1752) ​When Sita was devastated on Rama’s exiling her, how can we say that she just accepted her exile?
• 1751) ​Did Karna choose his fate or was he fated to die?
• 1750) Why did Nalakuvera-Manigriva not untie Krishna before going to heaven?
• 1749) ​Why does Krishna descend to this world – to kill demons or to teach the Gita?
• 1748) ​Why did Krishna not stop Yudhishthira from gambling?
• 1747) ​Did everyone on the Kurukshetra battlefield see Krishna’s universal form?

October 2016

• 1746) ​Why was Arjuna Krishna’s favorite among the Pandavas?
• 1745) How did Draupadi have so much devotion for Krishna, more than that of even the Pandavas?
• 1744) Does Krishna tell Arjuna that you are a kshatriya at the level of a brahmana?
• 1743) Does the Gita recommend doing yajna-dana-tapa or giving it up?
• 1742) Why was Bharat Maharaja punished with a deer body for his compassion?
• 1741) How Rama tests Bharata – and how we can pass the test of desires
• 1740) ​Did Karna ever feel that he had made a wrong choice by fighting for Duryodhana?
• 1739) ​When did Kunti reveal to Karna that he was her son – why?
• 1738) Does Krishna ask Karna for his punya when Karna is about to die?
• 1737) Sumanta-Akrura parallels and ADD acronym for dealing with doubts
• 1736) ​Understanding why Rama banished Sita
• 1735) ​What can we learn from Yudhishthira’s gambling?
• 1734) ​Was the Pandavas’ killing Bhishma and Drona according to dharma?
• 1733) ​Respond to adversity with dignity
• 1732) Did Krishna feel confused about which pure devotee to support – Arjuna or Bhishma?
• 1731) ​​​​Which aspect of the universal form did Duryodhana see?
• 1730) ​What does the Gita’s call to control the mind by practice and renunciation mean practically?
• 1729) ​​In guna-karma mentioned in Gita 4.13, can karma be developed but not guna?
• 1728) ​Why does the Gita give its essence of bhakti in its middle and not at its end?
• 1727) Mahabharata 3 – Karna – Deciding based on intent, content or effect
• 1726) Mahabharata 2 – Draupadi – Dishonored yet honorable
• 1725) ​Mahabharata 1 – Bhishma – Misunderstood by the world, understood by Krishna
• 1724) Understanding the Bhagavatam’s chronological and conceptual flow
• 1723) ​Does Krishna’s call to Arjuna to rise beyond the three modes imply that we all can transcend our nature born from the modes?
• 1722) ​Channeling our emotions on the path of yoga – Gita 06.20-23
• 1721) What is the flow of the from Gita 6.20 to 6.23?

September 2016

• 1720) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 2 – Understanding inconceivability as an explanation for the world’s nature
• 1719) In the Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam, Krishna refers to himself inclusively, not exclusively – what does this mean?
• 1718) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 1 – Understanding God is all that exists
• 1717) Does Draupadi not know that Krishna protected her from disrobing?
• 1716) ​Tragic Hero – Life Lessons from Karna – Princeton University
• 1715) ​What does the Gita 4.11 – everyone is on my path – mean?
• 1714) ​Who is a sthita–prajna?
• 1713) ​What happens to Krishna’s queens after he departs from the world?
• 1712) ​When Krishna had vowed not to lift weapons during the Kurukshetra war, why did he lift up a wheel?
• 1711) Why did Krishna first tell the Pandavas to fight and then to renounce the world because of their sins?
• 1710) Does the Gita tell us what kind of goals should we set for ourselves?
• 1709) ​How can a leader be benefited by the Gita’s leadership sutras?
• 1708) ​How can the Gita help us in change management?
• 1707) ​Should we differentiate between pre-Gita leadership and post-Gita leadership?
• 1706) ​Why did Arjuna need to hear the Gita – did he as a leader not have that spiritual knowledge earlier?
• 1705) ​How is Krishna the enjoyer of the sacrifices done without knowing his supremacy?
• 1704) ​What is the meaning of Gita 2.47 – don’t think of yourself as the cause of the result?
• 1703) ​How are the attached the cause of the fruit and the detached not?
• 1702) Understanding the practicality of karmany evadhikaraste (Gita 02.47)
• 1701) Gita 1​1.30 The all-devouring feature of the universal form reveals how the war is a yajna
• 1700) ​Gita 1​1.29 To be enriched with speed on the path of self-destruction is tragic
• 1699) ​Gita 11.28 The life and the death of the dharmic is auspicious
• 1698) ​Gita 11.27 The comprehensive vision of the universes includes its gruesome features
• 1697) Gita 11.26 The event of death is virtue-neutral, but the destination after death isn’t
• 1696) Gita 11.25 The sight of the unfamiliar in the familiar is disorienting
• 1695) ​Gita 11.24 Repetition is not always rambling – it can be for stress or beauty

August 2016

• 1694) Gita 11.23 The universal form’s predatory features arouse fear even in Arjuna
• 1693) ​Gita 11.22 The vibhutis are astounded by the virata rupa
• 1692) ​Gita 11.21 The celestials are not just the universal form’s components but also its respondents
• 1691) ​How to persevere when humility feels very difficult to achieve?
• 1690) ​Gita Leadership Sutras 5-10
• 1689) ​Gita Leadership Sutras 2-4
• 1688) ​Gita Leadership Sutras Intro & Sutra 1
• 1687) Gita 11.20 The universal form induces awe – both wonder and fear
• 1686) Gita 11.19 – The universal form is not just blinding but also burning
• 1685) Gita 11.18 – The universal form is the eternal personal protector of dharma
• 1684) Gita 11.17 – The blinding brightness conveys the universal form’s glory
• 1683) Gita 11.16 – Description of vision stimulates identification of the source of that vision
• 1682) ​Gita 11.15 – Arjuna’s vision encompasses the whole universe from top to bottom
• 1681) Was Yudhishtira’s gambling Draupadi after he had lost himself dharmic or adharmic?
• 1680) How can the Gita’s spiritual knowledge be compared to nuclear weapons knowledge?
• 1679) When Bhishma comes after Ajamila pastime, how does that pastime list him as a mahajan?
• 1678) Gita 11.14 – Arjuna’s mood changes from submissive discussion to prayerful veneration
• 1677) When God fails – Krishna as shanti-duta
• 1676) Gita 11.13 – The universal form reconciles the one and the many
• 1675) Gita 11.12 – Human perception and description are inadequate before divine self-revelation
• 1674) Bhagavatam canto 6 study 6 6.4.1-34 The pure heart is the secret to know the pure Lord
• 1673) ​Gita 11.11 – The visual demonstration reinforces the philosophical exposition
• 1672) ​Gita 11.10 The first impression of the universal form is astonishing
• 1671) Gita 11.09 The universal form is the ultimate mystical vision
• 1670) Bhagavatam canto 6 study 5 6.3.12-35 Yamaraja explains the position of Vishnu and his servants, and the nature and application of dharma
• 1669) ​Gita 11.08 Our vision is a function of our qualification
• 1668) Does the Bhagavad-gita teach that everything that happens is good?
• 1667) Gita 11.07 The universal form transcends limitations of space and time
• 1666) How can one practice bhakti without going through other yogas?
• 1665) How can knowledge of other yogas help in practicing bhakti?
• 1664) Gita 11.06 – We see with the information that helps us makes sense of what we see
• 1663) ​Gita 11.05 – The many forms within the one form – variety manifests within divinity
• 1662) Gita 11.04 – Devotee desires to see Krishna but doesn’t demand
• 1661) ​Gita 11.03 – Arjuna’s desire to know Krishna’s glory comes not from doubt but from devotion
• 1660) Gita 11.02 – Freedom from delusion comes by understanding the ephemeral and the eternal beyond the ephemeral
• 1659) Gita 11.01 – Those enlightened by divine mercy desire similar enlightenment for others
• 1658) ​How can we cultivate gravity for controlling the mind, as told in the Gita 17.16?
• 1657) Gita 10.42 – Appreciate Krishna’s opulence by appreciating the potency of his fragment
• 1656) How are Krishna’s self-contradictory statements in Gita 9.4 and 9.5 to be understood?
• 1655) Gita 10.41 See the attractiveness of the attractive not as Maya but as sparks of Krishna
• 1654) Gita 10.40 – Krishna’s infinitude brings not confusion, but jubilation
• 1653) ​Gita 10.39 – God is the one without whose existence no existence is possible
• 1652) Gita 10.38 – Punishment may not stop wrong desiring, but it can stop wrong doing
• 1651) ​Gita 10.37 – Krishna’s manifestations encompass all the three worlds

July 2016

• 1650) ​Gita 10.36 The thrill of victory and adventure is an experience of Krishna
• 1649) ​Bhagavatam canto 6 study 4 – 2.32-3.11 Boost inner resolution with external facilitation
• 1648) ​Bhagavatam canto 6 study 3 – 6.2.1-28 Bhakti’s potency is not a license for immorality
• 1647) Gita 10.35 – The beauty of music and nature manifest Krishna’s opulence
• 1646) Gita 10.34 – The comprehensiveness of death’s stealing represents Krishna
• 1645) ​Do the Yamadutas know about bhakti?
• 1644) Did Ajamila by caring for his son develop bhakti?
• 1643) ​Bhagavatam canto 6 study 2 – 6.1.28-68 Lust is not gender-specific – it troubles everyone
• 1642) ​Gita 10.33 – Re-envision attraction to language and words to become attracted to Krishna
• 1641) Bhagavatam canto 6 study 1 – 6.1.1-27 Nothing purifies as thoroughly as bhakti
• 1640) Gita 10.32 – Krishna manifests as all phases of action in material existence
• 1639) Gita 10.31 – The power of powerful weapons and warriors points to Krishna
• 1638) Gita 10.30 – God manifests as the godly among the ungodly
• 1637) Gita 10.29 See the prominent powers in the Vedic cosmos as manifestations of the supreme power
• 1636) ​Gita 10.28 The life that emerges from love manifests the divine
• 1635) ​Bhagavatam study 65 1.13.19-23 Vidura’s words hit Dhritarashtra where it hurts the most
• 1634) ​Bhagavatam study 64 1.13.9-18 Fulfilling purpose is more important than just sharing information
• 1633) ​Gita 10.27 – The ruler manifests God’s opulence, for good or for bad
• 1632) ​Gita 10.26 – ​The transcendental manifests among the celestial
• 1631) ​Gita 10.25 – Japa is an opportunity to offer our most treasured possession – consciousness
• 1630) Gita 10.24 – Channel feelings of awe from giant things towards the source of all awe
• 1629) ​Gita 10.23 – The heavenly treasurer’s treasure comes from the supreme
• 1628) ​Gita 10.22 – God’s opulence pervades and sustains all life everywhere
• 1627) ​Bhagavatam study 63 1.13.1-8 Periods of distress can forge the deepest bonds
• 1626) Gita 10.21 – Celestial glory manifests transcendental glory
• 1625) ​Gita 10.20 – The transcendent divinity is pervasively immanent in space and time
• 1624) Bhagavatam study 62 1.12.30-36 The Bhagavatam’s lens focuses on separation from Krishna
• 1623) ​Gita 10.19 – Our eagerness to hear Krishna’s glories is auspicious for us and delightful for Krishna
• 1622) ​Bhagavatam study 61 1.12.21-29 The prophecy of a glorious death is not inauspicious
• 1621) Bhagavatam study 60 1.12.12-20 The carrier of the dynasty was to the glory of the dynasty
• 1620) ​Why did Drona ask for Ekalavya’s thumb?
• 1619) ​Why did Draupadi not protest when she was told to marry five husbands instead of one?
• 1618) Why did Krishna’s protecting Draupadi’s honor not change the Kauravas’s evil intention?
• 1617) Bhagavatam study 59 1.12.1-11 Parikshit had magnificent darshan even before birth
• 1616) ​Why did the Pandavas tolerate poisoning and arson, but not Draupadi’s dishonoring?
• 1615) ​Why did Duryodhana put the clause of incognito stay in the Pandavas’ exile?
• 1614) ​Why was Duryodhana so envious of the Pandavas?
• 1613) Did Draupadi dishonor Duryodhana, thereby causing him to dishonor her?
• 1612) Was Draupadi the cause of the Kurukshetra war?
• 1611) Were the Pandavas not legitimate heirs to the Kuru kingdom?
• 1610) ​Was the Kurukshetra war fought over a property dispute?
• 1609) Why did Krishna break his vow by attacking Bhishma?
• 1608) ​Why did Drona fight against the Pandavas?
• 1607) Why did Bhishma fight against the Pandavas?
• 1606) Bhagavatam study 58 1.11.32-39 Krishna seemed attached but remained detached
• 1605) ​After Bhishma, why was Drona, not Karna, made the Kauravas’ commander?
• 1604) ​Wasn’t Krishna’s covering the sun to deceive Jayadratha wrong?
• 1603) ​Why did Arjuna target Jayadratha when Abhimanyu was killed by Durjaya?
• 1602) ​Why did Bhima kill Duryodhana unfairly?
• 1601) ​How could Bhima drink Dusshasana’s blood?
• 1600) ​Why did the Pandavas conspire to kill Drona?
• 1599) ​Why did Arjuna kill Bhishma from behind Shikhandi?
• 1598) ​Why did Bhishma not stop the disrobing of Draupadi?
• 1597) Despite being virtuous, why did Yudhishthira gamble?
• 1596) Bhagavatam study 57 1.11.25-32 Krishna’s beauty is exquisite and exquisitely described
• 1595) ​Bhagavatam study 56 1.11.14-24 The spiritual qualification of bhakti unites the materially​ ​qualified and unqualified
• 1594) ​Did Draupadi love Karna?
• 1593) ​Was destiny against Karna?
• 1592) ​When Karna was virtuous, why did he suggest that Draupadi be disrobed?
• 1591) ​Did Kunti do the right thing by abandoning Karna?
• 1590) ​Why did Krishna say that Karna is equal, or even superior, to Arjuna in archery?
• 1589) ​Did Kunti emotionally weaken Karna by revealing that the Pandavas were his brothers?
• 1588) ​Why did Draupadi dishonor Karna by rejecting him as a suitor?
• 1587) ​Bhagavatam study 55 1.11.8-13 Prosperity without Krishna is like beautiful things for the blind
• 1586) ​Was Karna not discriminated against by being labeled a charioteer’s son?
• 1585) ​Was Karna unfairly disadvantaged by the curses of Parashurama and the brahmana?
• 1584) ​Was Karna a glorious example of faithful friendship to Duryodhana?
• 1583) ​Was Karna a virtuous hero?
• 1582) ​Did Indra unfairly weaken Karna by taking away his armor?
• 1581) ​Was Karna the second best archer after Arjuna?
• 1580) Did Karna conquer the world, but Arjuna couldn’t?
• 1579) Was Karna a better archer than Arjuna?
• 1578) ​Why did Arjuna kill Karna unfairly?
• 1577) ​Bhagavatam study 54 1.11.1-7 Krishna’s arrival brings ecstasy
• 1576) ​Bhagavatam study 53 1.10.28-36 Krishna’s departure and travel are celebrations of love
• 1575) ​Bhagavatam study 52 1.10.21-27 The Supreme appears human – and still remains Supreme
• 1574) Bhagavatam study 51 1.10.9-20 Imminent separation from Krishna triggers intense emotion
• 1573) How do reconcile the contradiction between Gita 14.20 – we can transcend the modes – and 18.40 – everyone is under the modes?
• 1572) When the Gita talks about karma, jnana and bhakti equally, why emphasize bhakti unduly?
• 1571) Bhagavatam study 50 1.10.1-8 Yudhishtira’s dharmic reign harmonizes the natural order with the human order
• 1570) If Dharmaraja could expand as Vidura and Yudhisthira, why did Aryama need to officiate in his place?
• 1569) ​Bhagavatam study 49 1.9.43-48 Departure of great souls is a victory worthy of celebration
• 1568) ​Did Uttama die because of his mother’s offense to Dhruva?
• 1567) ​Bhagavatam study 48 1.9.36-42 Bhishma’s memories go beyond the personal to the Krishna-centered

June 2016

• 1566) Bhagavatam study 47 1.9.31-35 Bhishma identifies and adores the ultimate cause of his death
• 1565) ​Prahlad sees his glory as bhakti’s glory
• 1564) Self excellence principles from Bhagavad Gita
• 1563) ​Three types of austerities – Gita 17.14-16 (Hindi)
• 1562) Anant Gita ke do anta – Gita 18.63-78
• 1561) ​Western philosophers and Bhagavad-gita 1 – Beyond Cartesian duality
• 1560) When Arjuna repeatedly defeated Karna, why are they considered equals?
• 1559) ​Why were the kshatriya codes violated during the Kurukshetra war?

May 2016

• 1558) Gita 10.18 – Bhakti is joyful and fruitful
• 1557) ​Gita 10.17 – Recollection and participation are reconciled by understanding God’s immanence
• 1556) Bhagavatam study 46 1.9.25-30 Bhishma’s departure is glorious in every way
• 1555) ​Gita 10.16 – Desire for details of a subject demonstrates deep devotion to that subject
• 1554) ​Bhagavatam study 45 1.9.17-24 By doing the Lord’s will, we understand his benevolence
• 1553) Gita 10.15 – Vedic theology is not polytheism, but multi-level monotheism
• 1552) ​Bhagavatam study 44 1.9.11-16 Concern for others’ suffering decreases our own suffering
• 1551) Gita 10.14 – Accept Krishna’s position and message the way Arjuna accept it
• 1550) ​Bhagavatam study 43 1.9.1-10 The experts adjust contextual practices to fulfill essential purpose
• 1549) Bhagavatam study 42 1.8.45-52 Yudhisthira argues against his blamelessness
• 1548) ​Gita 10.13 – The sages’ reiteration of Krishna’s words boosts our conviction and devotion
• 1547) ​Gita 10.12 – Krishna is transcendence beyond transcendence
• 1546) ​Bhagavatam study 41 1.8.38-44 Devotional prayers take us towards pure devotion
• 1545) Why did Rama worship Shiva?
• 1544) Bhagavatam study 40 1.8.32-37 The unborn takes birth to end our rebirth
• 1543) ​Bhagavatam study 39 1.8.26-31 Krishna-lila can be understood through love
• 1542) ​Was Karna destined to be defeated?
• 1541) ​Bhagavatam study 38 1.8.23-25 Material adversity makes spiritual opportunity a necessity
• 1540) Does the Gita recommend different yogas for different people?
• 1539) Bhagavatam study 37 1.8.17-22 The prayer progresses from philosophical to personal
• 1538) Bhagavatam study 36 1.8.1-16 – What is materially impossible is possible for Krishna
• 1537) Gita 10.11 – The way to drive out darkness is to turn on the light
• 1536) Gita 10.10 – Krishna gives us the intelligence to attain him
• 1535) Gita 10.09 – Devotion means to center our emotion, action and discussion on Krishna
• 1534) Gita 10.08 – Knowledge of Krishna’s position transforms our disposition
• 1533) Naam Ramayana – Pride induces and perpetuates misjudgment

April 2016

• 1532) ​Naam Ramayana – When the supreme appears to be deluded, that appearance is a delusion
• 1531) ​Naam Ramayana – Disciplining is not punishing
• 1530) Naam Ramayana – Devotion requires no qualification except the desire to serve
• 1529) ​Naam Ramayana – The supreme blesser blesses and is blessed
• 1528) ​Naam Ramayana – The all-pure purifies at multiple levels – tangible and intangible
• 1527) Naam Ramayana – Our worldview shapes our responses to the world’s ups and downs
• 1526) When Krishna talks about various yogas progressively, why does Prabhupada focus on bhakti alone?
• 1525) ​Why did Dashratha distribute the ambrosia differently among his wives?
• 1524) When Brahma is a brahmana, why does he make and provide weapons to others?
• 1523) When Pandu knew about his curse, why did he take his wives with him to the forest?
• 1522) ​Rama disregarded Ayodhya citizens when going to exile himself, but not when exiling Sita – Why?
• 1521) Bhagavatam highlights devotion through recollection in separation
• 1520) Why did Shalya fight on Duryodhana’s side just because of getting good reception?
• 1519) ​Why did Rama not consult Vashishtha when sending Sita away?
• 1518) ​Why did Rama not obey Vashishtha when asked to return to Ayodhya?
• 1517) ​Did Krishna’s lifting a wheel to attack Bhishma not break his vow?
• 1516) ​Didn’t Krishna protecting Arjuna from the Vaishnava astra break his vow?
• 1515) ​Why did the Kauravas and the Pandavas have to involve the whole world in their mutual fight?
• 1514) ​Why didn’t the Pandavas forgive the Kauravas – why did they have to fight?
• 1513) Why did Mahadeva give the empowering sword to Ashwatthama?
• 1512) Why didn’t Krishna stop Dhristadyumna from killing Drona?
• 1511) ​Did Yudhishthira sin by not lying as per Krishna’s instruction?
• 1510) Why did Karna fight on the Kauravas’ side?
• 1509) Was Ashwatthama gambled – how authentic is the TV Mahabharata?
• 1508) ​Should we see adversities in material life as impetuses for practicing karmany va dhikaraste?
• 1507) Angada’s journey – Unity within begets unity without
• 1506) ​Sugriva’s journey from doubt to faith
• 1505) The Gita is elevating and accommodating – Overview of chapters 1-12
• 1504) ​Disproportionate punishment can be atrocious – Ashwattama pastime analysis 2
• 1503) Beware of the temptation to punish 1- Ashwattama pastime analysis

March 2016

• 1502) When Vibhishana went over to the side of virtue, why didn’t Vidura do the same?
• 1501) When Lakshmana left Sita unguarded because of her harsh words, whose mistake was it?
• 1500) Vritrasura lila analysis 2 – The heroic leader and the hidden devotee
• 1499) Vritrasura lila analysis 1 – The setting for the stunning twist in the storyline
• 1498) Uddhava Gita nectar 4 – Understanding the different gopis’ varying understandings of Krishna
• 1497) When Karna was already killed by destiny, why did Krishna invite Karna to the Pandavas side?
• 1496) If Karna chose wrongly because of attachment, didn’t Bhishma do the same?
• 1495) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 4 – Understanding human intelligence
• 1494) Why is the Bhagavatam’s tenth canto divided into chapters according to the location of pastimes?
• 1493) Uddhava Gita nectar 3 – The gopis’ ecstatic samadhi
• 1492) Uddhava Gita nectar 2 – Love explained – Comparing materialist, Abrahamic, impersonalist and bhakti worldviews
• 1491) Uddhava Gita nectar 1 – Krishna acknowledges the gopis’ heartbreak
• 1490) Yayati pastime analysis – From indulgence to transcendence
• 1489) Gita 10.07 – Appreciation of Krishna’s greatness guarantees absorption in him
• 1488) Is Gandhiji’s commentary on the Gita ok?
• 1487) Gita 10.06 – Realize the greatness of our universal genealogy
• 1486) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 3 – Understanding material nature
• 1485) Gita 10.05 – Krishna asks Arjuna to fight, yet is the source of the qualities that engender peace
• 1484) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 2 – Understanding Maya
• 1483) Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam 1 – Understanding the Absolute Truth
• 1482) Bhagavatam study 35 01.7.52-58 Law codes alone aren’t enough for justice – an expert judge is needed
• 1481) Gita 10.04 – Krishna offers the good beyond the bad and the good
• 1480) Bhagavatam study 34 01.7.44-51 Differences in opinion arise from differences in focus of perception
• 1479) Gita 10.03 – Understanding Krishna’s position frees us from sins
• 1478) Gita 10.02 – Appreciating the glory of the object of devotion enhances devotion

February 2016

• 1477) Why does the Gita refer to people following scripture (17.11) while describing people without scriptural faith?
• 1476) How can we explain Krishna’s conspiracies in the Mahabharata?
• 1475) Bhagavatam study 33 01.7.38-43 Ashwatthama’s actions were inexcusable and punishable
• 1474) Gita 10.01 – The Gita is an endearing combination of lofty exposition and intimate affection
• 1473) Gita 09.34 – Direct your cognition, emotion and action towards Krishna
• 1472) Bhagavatam study 32 01.7.30-37 The protector from provocation tests by provoking
• 1471) Gita 09.33 – Go beyond incompatible material existence to compatible spiritual existence
• 1470) Gita 09.32 – Bhakti brings universality to spirituality
• 1469) Bhagavatam study 31 01.7.22-29 Krishna relieves from the dangerous fire – literal and metaphorical
• 1468) How do impersonalists interpret the Gita’s clearly personalist verses?
• 1467) 9.31 – For devotees connected with Krishna, the happily ever after is guaranteed
• 1466) PRAHLAD acronym – 7 glories qualities of Prahlad Maharaj
• 1465) Gita 09.30 – Krishna never abandons devotees even when they fall
• 1464) Gita 09.29 – Krishna is neither impartial nor partial – he is reciprocal
• 1463) Gita 09.28 – Bhakti accommodates even those for whom bhakti is an afterthought
• 1462) Gita 09.27 – Bhakti accommodates seekers at multiple levels
• 1461) Gita 09.26 – Krishna is hungry for the reciprocation of affection
• 1460) Gita 09.25 – Different paths lead to different goals
• 1459) Gita 09.24 – Education about reality is not discrimination against certain features of reality
• 1458) What is the difference between knowledge in the three modes and intelligence in the three modes?
• 1457) Gita 09.23 – The Gita’s multi-level monotheism is the balance between Abrahamic monotheism and Greco-Roman polytheism
• 1456) Gita 09.22 – Seek spiritual security not just in the soul but in Krishna
• 1455) Gita 09.21 – Blindness to mortality, even if it be in heaven, is still blindness
• 1454) Gita 09.20 – Karma-kanda leads to elevation, but not liberation
• 1453) Gita 09.19 – In Krishna contradictions are transcended and reconciled
• 1452) Gita 09.18 – God is not a remote controller – he is the pervasive sustainer
• 1451) Gita 09.17 – Krishna is the sustainer of our sustainers
• 1450) Gita 09.16 – See beyond the technical to the transcendental
• 1449) Gita 09.14 – See devotion not in ecstasy but in dedication
• 1448) Gita 09.13 – Krishna’s attractiveness is original and inexhaustible
• 1447) Gita 9.12 – Rejecting real currency as fake leaves one impoverished
• 1446) Gita 09.11 – To claim the impersonal to be Krishna’s param bhava is contextually and grammatically indefensible
• 1445) Was Ravana revenging the dishonor of Shurapanakha by kidnapping Sita?
• 1444) Gita 09.10 – Nature is not causally complete without an ultimate cause
• 1443) Gita 09.09 – Krishna is concerned but not sentimental

January 2016

• 1442) Gita 09.08 – We are helpless before material natures inexorable cyclicity
• 1441) Gita 09.07 – Repetition of discussion is meant for elevation of vision
• 1440) Gita 09.06 – Krishna limits not our freedom but the scope of our freedom
• 1439) Gita 09.05 – God’s self-contradiction points to his inconceivable multi-level manifestations
• 1438) Sugriva: Comfort – Material and Transcendental
• 1437) Gita 09.04 – God relates with the world through the impersonal, the immanent and the transcendent
• 1436) Gita 09.03 – Bhakti harmonizes the temporary with the eternal
• 1435) Gita 09.02 – Knowledge that gives the greatest power is the greatest knowledge
• 1434) Gita 09.01 – Krishna’s glory can be appreciated by the devoted, not the envious
• 1433) Gita 08.28 – Yogi gets what other paths offer and gets more too
• 1432) Gita 08.27 – Devotional consistency is more important than chronological accuracy
• 1431) Did Draupadi love Karna?
• 1430) Gita 08.26 – Disinvest emotion from matter before it crashes
• 1429) Gita 08.25 – Yogi’s spiritual exit velocity needs to be greater than the world’s gravity pull
• 1428) Gita 08.24 – Astrological positions and psychological dispositions contribute to the soul’s liberation
• 1427) Gita 08.23 – The Gita unifies diverse Vedic concepts in a devotional framework
• 1426) Gita 08.22 – Everything is in Krishna and Krishna is in everything
• 1425) Gita 08.21 – Our longing for home is our longing for the spiritual world
• 1424) Gita 08.20 – The spiritual is not just non-manifest but also nonmaterial
• 1423) Gita 08.19 – Recognizing our lack of control over the destructible material imples us to direct our consciousness to the eternal spiritual
• 1422) Gita 08.18 – Matter becomes unmanifest, but material form is destroyed
• 1421) Wasn’t Hanuman’s anger in burning Lanka excessive?
• 1420) How could Arjuna ask Krishna to become his charioteer?
• 1419) Is Tulsi-Ramayana more biased against Ravana than Valmiki-Ramayan?
• 1418) When Hanuman was a monkey, why did Sita see him as a man and decline to be carried by him?
• 1417) Did Vibhishana betray his brother by defecting to Rama’s side?
• 1416) If Arjuna being a kshatriya was anyway going to fight, why did Krishna speak the Gita?
• 1415) Gita 08.17 – The immortal is not eternal
• 1414) Gita 08.16 – The world is like a jail or hospital – returning to it is undesirable
• 1413) Why did Arjuna kill Bhishma unfairly?
• 1412) Was Arjuna a better archer than Karna because he got better training facilities?
• 1411) Why did Dasharatha not go with Rama to the forest when he felt separation from him?
• 1410) When Vasudeva and Devakis son was going to kill him, why did Kamsa keep them in the same prison cell?
• 1409) Was Ravana virtuous because he didn’t violate Sita forcibly?
• 1408) Gita 08.15 – Attaining Krishna is the eternally inalienable attainment
• 1407) Draupadi – dishonored yet honorable
• 1406) Gita 08.14 – What is difficult in one perspective is easy in another perspective
• 1405) Bhagavatam study 30 – 1.7.15 -21 – Arjuna pacifies griefstruck Draupadi with fierce sweet words
• 1404) Gita 08.13 – External recitation and internal recollection propel us to spiritual liberation
• 1403) Bhagavatam study 29 – 1.7.8-14 – Krishna attracts those who are not attracted to anything
• 1402) Gita 08.12 – In yoga, the technical is a necessary preliminary to the transcendental
• 1401) Bhagavatam study 28 – 1.7.1-7 – Vyasa offers bhakti as the remedy for the worlds malady
• 1400) Gita 08.11 – Liberation in yoga requires renunciation
• 1399) Bhagavatam study 27 – 1.6.32-38 – Krishnas glories fulfill our search for pleasure
• 1398) Why do jnanis need many lives to become jnanavan?
• 1397) Why are the eka-bhakti jnanis of Gita 7.17 considered jnana-mishra?
• 1396) Gita 08.10 – Yoga restrains the negative, bhakti energizes the positive
• 1395) Bhagavatam study 26 – 1.6.23-31 – Devotion offers the supreme liberation
• 1394) Gita 08.09 – Systematic contemplation begins with tangible information
• 1393) Bhagavatam study 25 – 1.6.16-22 – Spiritual desire cleanses material desire
• 1392) Gita 08.08 – Practice to take consciousness beyond endlessly deceptive material reality to Krishna
• 1391) Bhagavatam study 24 – 1.6.8-15 – Spiritual vision makes the heart-breaking heart-freeing
• 1390) When the Vedas also talk about transcendence, why does Gita 2.45 ask us to go beyond the Vedas?
• 1389) Does the Gita flow from 2.58 to 2.61 reflect rise from karma-yoga through jnana-yoga and dhyana-yoga to bhakti yoga?
• 1388) Does Gita 2.12 actually counter impersonalism?
• 1387) Does Gita 2.11 refer to the life-air or to the soul?
• 1386) What is the difference between kula dharma and jati dharma?
• 1385) Bhagavatam study 23 – 1.6.1-7 – Even when our disposition changes, our position may not change
• 1384) Does the well-river example of Gita 2.46 illustrate transcending the Vedas recommended in Gita 2.45?
• 1383) Gita 08.07 – Devotion is not about rejecting the outer world but about offering the inner world

December 2015

• 1382) Gita 08.06 – Our emotional disposition becomes our physical position
• 1381) Gita 08.05 – Our choice at the junction determines our destination
• 1380) Why did Dasharatha not follow Ram into his 14 year exile?
• 1379) Gita 08.04 – Everything is ultimately a manifesatation of Krishna
• 1378) Bhagavatam study 22 – 1.5.33-40 – Action with devotional recollection leads to liberation
• 1377) What are the various levels of bhakti Sri Vishvanatha analyzes in the Gita?
• 1376) Gita 08.03 – Spirituality is our nature
• 1375) Bhagavatam study 21 – 1.5.23-32 – Narada boy progresses towards enlightenment
• 1374) Gita 08.02 – Death is not the termination of life but its testing ground
• 1373) Bhagavatam study 20 – 1.5.17-22 – Failure on the spiritual path is better than success on the material path
• 1372) Gita 08.01 – Terms have specific and generic meanings
• 1371) Bhagavatam study 19 – 1.5.11-16 – Devotion alone brings lasting value to anything
• 1370) Gita 07.30 – Teacher’s incomprehensible statements test student’s interest and attentiveness
• 1369) Bhagavatam study 18 – 1.5.1-10 – Offer spiritual instruction with empathy and respect
• 1368) Gita 07.29 – Detect misery to correct it
• 1367) Bhagavatam study 17 – 1.4.26-33 – Contemplation by the seeker makes consultation with the seer more effective
• 1366) Gita 07.28 – Dont expect immediate steady determination – use present determination, even if unsteady
• 1365) Gita chp 13-18 overview – How jnana culminates in bhakti
• 1364) Bhagavatam study 16 – 1.4.14-25 – The tradition makes itself accessible
• 1363) Bhagavatam study 15 – 1.4.1-13 – The questions reveal the questioners level
• 1362) Gita 07.27 – Go beyond duality by spirituality
• 1361) Bhagavatam study 14 – 1.3.35-44 – Bhagavatam is our light in this dark age
• 1360) Gita chp 13-18 overview – How jnana culminates in bhakti
• 1359) Gita 07.26 – Krishnas omniscience harmonizes with his omnibenevolence
• 1358) Bhagavatam study 13 – 1.3.25-34 – By realizing the Lords glory, we relish our glory
• 1357) Gita 07.25 – Yoga Maya is a profound oxymoron
• 1356) Bhagavatam study 12 – 1.3.17-25 – The avataras deliver in diverse ways
• 1355) Gita 07.24 – To deflect a clear critique of impersonalism is to violate both the meaning and the context
• 1354) Gita 07.23 – Accommodation is not recommendation
• 1353) Bhagavatam study 11 – 1.3.9-16 – The many incarnations protect materially and spiritually
• 1352) The ego is higher than the intelligence – can it be controlled using the intelligence?
• 1351) Gita 07.22 – Krishna accomodates within the house of the Vedas even those who cant worship him
• 1350) Bhagavatam study 10 – 1.3.1-8 – The Lord manifests as the Purusha and other avataras
• 1349) Why does Prabhupada differentiate between knowledge and devotion in Gita 2.14 purport?
• 1348) Wasn’t Hanuman’s burning Lanka excessive vandalism?
• 1347) Wasn’t Lakshmana’s disfiguring Shurapanakha disproportionate and cruel?
• 1346) When Rama descended in the Surya Vamsha why is he called Ramachandra?
• 1345) Bhagavatam study 9 – 1.2.28-34 – Vasudeva is the be-all and end-all in everything
• 1344) Gita 07.21 – Krishna is much more merciful than the God in the Prodigal Son metaphor
• 1343) Bhagavatam study 8 – 1.2.23-27 – Our worship reflects our mentality
• 1342) Gita 07.20 – Don’t let desire steal your knowledge
• 1341) Bhagavatam study 7 – 1.2.16-22 – Practice the process of joy with joy
• 1340) What is the relation between the Ishopanishad cover picture and its content?
• 1339) Why are the Ishopanishad verses called mantras?
• 1338) Does the presence of the Gayatri in the Bhagavatam mean that it should be studied only by the brahmanas?
• 1337) How is the Bhagavatam’s first verse correlated with the Gayatri mantra?
• 1336) Why does the Bhagavatam repeatedly refer to Vasudeva instead of Krishna?

November 2015

• 1335) Was Arjuna’s faith enhanced by seeing the Universal Form?
• 1334) Dont let comfort cause complacency – Ramayana Reflection
• 1333) Was rain an adequate reason for Rama to delay his search for Sita?
• 1332) What is the significance of the different names used for Arjuna in the Gita as in 14.11 & 12?
• 1331) Is there any difference between attaining Krishna’s dharma mentioned in Gita 14.2 and attaining his bhava mentioned in Gita 14.19?
• 1330) When Bhagavatam talks about karma as a cause, shouldnt we see karma causally?
• 1329) What does the Pandavas didn’t deserve to live mean in Bhagavatam in 1.9.12?

October 2015

• 1328) Avoiding the three misdirectons in the blame game (Bhagavatam 1.16.24)
• 1327) Why did Krishna not inform Karna initially that he was Kunti’s son?
• 1326) Why did Krishna manifest four arms while teasing Rukmini?
• 1325) Why did Barbarika’s mother tell him to fight on the weaker side instead of on the Pandavas’ side?
• 1324) Was the solar eclipse a predicted event or created by the Lord to help Arjuna?
• 1323) When staying silent amidst injustice is wrong, why did Yudhishthira passively accept the Kauravas’ atrocities?
• 1322) What does worshiping the Lord through our work mean?
• 1321) “Chant and be happy” is not just causal but also parallel (Bhagavatam 1.2.22)
• 1320) Understanding the scopes of science and spirituality
• 1319) God and Science – The Gita perspective
• 1318) How is the Gita’s detachment different from Mayavadi detachment?
• 1317) Does improperly performed work in the Gita shreyan sva-dharmo vigunah refer to incompetence in work?
• 1316) When Bhagavatam focuses on devotion through renunciation, how do we understand Lord Chaitanya’s having grihastha followers and stressing Bhagavatam both?
• 1315) What does the Gita verse karmany evadhikaraste mean?
• 1314) Association reminds us of our spiritual glory
• 1313) How did Duryodhana win Balaram over to his side?
• 1312) God proposes, Man Disposes – Understanding Krishna’s failed peace mission
• 1311) God Proposes, Man Accepts
• 1310) Overcome discouragement through spiritual wisdom
• 1309) Why does the Bhagavatam end with impersonal knowledge?
• 1308) Three special results of loving Krishna – PSI: Purification Satisfaction Illumination (Bhagavatam 1.2.14)
• 1307) How do impersonalists derive impersonal conclusions from the Gita?
• 1306) How can we do akarma practically?

September 2015

• 1305) How is the worship of devatas inclusive within worship of Krishna?
• 1304) Why does Krishna say the devatas are different from him in chp 7 and same with him in chp 10?
• 1303) Does karshati in Gita 15.07 refer to attraction or struggle?
• 1302) Why does the Gita 15.1 compare the Vedas to leaves?
• 1301) How do we develop the qualities the Gita recommends?
• 1300) How can I overcome sleepiness when studying the Gita?
• 1299) Parenting Principles from Bhagavad-gita
• 1298) Death and the search for meaning
• 1297) Does the Gita contain verses against meat-eating?
• 1296) What does the Gita say about attachment, detachment and rupture in relationships?
• 1295) How exactly is work worship – is bad work also worship?
• 1294) Deconstructing Shishupala’s character assassination of Krishna

August 2015

• 1293) Appreciating Bhagavatam as rasa shastra
• 1292) Temptations may come, we don’t have to welcome
• 1291) How are the Bhagavatam’s cantos named?
• 1290) Essence of Gita 5 – Choose God over the world
• 1289) Essence of Gita 4 – God helps those who let him help them
• 1288) Essence of Gita 3 – Devotion connects us vertically and horizontally
• 1287) Essence of Gita 2 – Direct love towards the ultimate object
• 1286) Essence of Gita 1 – Love is eternal
• 1285) How can knowledge alone free us from karmic bondage, as Gita 4.14 says?
• 1284) Is a person in Krishna consciousness transcendental to varnashrama?
• 1283) When Arjuna had enough mind control to perform great austerities, why does he say that he can’t control the mind?
• 1282) How has surrender in Gita 2.7 changed Arjuna’s consciousness when he expresses the same sentiment in 1.35 and 2.8?
• 1281) When Krishna calls as divine the vision for seeing the Universal Form, why does Vishvanatha Chakravarti call it a downgrade of vision?
• 1280) When Arjuna was already able to see Krishna’s intimate form why did Krishna have to give him divine vision to see the Universal Form?
• 1279) How was Sanjay able to see the Universal Form without being given special eyes by Krishna?
• 1278) Should the Bhagavad-gita be made India’s national book?
• 1277) Why did Yudhisthira while gambling Draupadi describe her physical beauty publicly?
• 1276) Why did Arjuna to avenge Abhimanyu kill the weaker Jayadratha and not a stronger opponent like Karna?

July 2015

• 1275) In Bhagavatam canto 2, what is the relation between Parikshitas question and Brahmas listing various avataras?
• 1274) In Gita 13.24 why does Krishna say that he has spoken about the modes when he hasn’t spoken about them?
• 1273) Gita Metaphors 2 – Wind 1 – A Boat Amidst a Storm
• 1272) Gita 13.26 – Hearing is foundational to the topmost yoga
• 1271) Lust brings out our lower side – love, our higher side
• 1270) Gita 18.61 – Krishna doesn’t cause our worldly wandering – he frees us from the cause of that wandering
• 1269) Gita 09.02 – The most powerful knowledge brings about the most auspicious destruction
• 1268) Bhagavad Gita Metaphors 1 – Introduction
• 1267) Gita 02.52 – Take the intelligence beyond the illusion of knowledge
• 1266) Gita 03.41 – Alluring sense objects are the trigger, not the cause, of lust
• 1265) Gita 13.27 – Let sensory perception stimulate spiritual contemplation
• 1264) Gita 16.10 – Differentiate between kama as an enemy and kama as a purusha-artha
• 1263) Gita 18.73 – Harmony with the Supreme is the sure sign of enlightenment
• 1262) Gita 02.72 – Spiritual connectedness can provide peace even amidst violence
• 1261) Gita 16.17 – Devotion is a matter of inner intention, not outer ostentation
• 1260) Gita 14.01 – The Gita’s jnana section higlights its bhakti essence
• 1259) Gita 18.35 – Expecting the worst of everything is ignorant, not transcendent
• 1258) Gita 17.03 – Gita’s categorization goes deeper than just believers and nonbelievers
• 1257) Gita 14.18 – The modes present choices and propel us to choose
• 1256) Gita 14.02 – Take shelter of the knowledge that inspires us to take shelter of Krishna
• 1255) Gita 14.13 – Illumination and action make our life all-round productive
• 1254) Gita 02.66 – We need Krishna-connection to keep our intelligence and mind on track
• 1253) Gita 18.35 – We don’t lack determination – we lack direction for our determination
• 1252) Defiance used in the service of devotion – Ramayana reflection
• 1251) Brahma Samhita 5.30 – venum kvanantam – The creator adores his creator
• 1250) Gita 14.11 – Is our acquistion of knowledge done with knowledge?
• 1249) Gita 14.16 – Goodness detoxifies our consciousness
• 1248) Gita 16.16 – The more we are spiritually deprived, the more become materialy depraved
• 1247) Gita 18.57 – Don’t renounce work – offer work to Krishna
• 1246) Gita 14.12 – Passion produces workoholism – protect yourself by devotion
• 1245) Focus on the universality of suffering, not its variety
• 1244) Focus on the universality of suffering, not its variety
• 1243) How do the sages’ austerities produce fire?
• 1242) Why is Dattatreya described so briefly in the Bhagavatam – what is the significance?
• 1241) How was Kunti ever truthful when she lied to conceal Bhima’s identity?
• 1240) Why was there ajnata vasa in Mahabharata, but not in Ramayana?

June 2015

• 1239) Are there some Deities that are jagruta?
• 1238) Krishna went to Kubja to satisfy her desires – how to understand?
• 1237) Why did the Pandavas blindly follow Kunti’s uninformed words to share Draupadi?
• 1236) In Gita 6.35 what does abhyasa and vairagya mean?
• 1235) Is work worship?
• 1234) If even sinful devotees are considered saintly should we not look for trustworthiness in relating with devotees?
• 1233) Should we work without worrying about result or work for Krishna?
• 1232) In Gita 3.1 what does intelligence and fruitive work refer to?
• 1231) Karna’s tragic choice

May 2015

• 1230) Conceptual, conversational and chronological background of the Bhagavatam’s creation narrative
• 1229) Gita 07.18 – Krishna is so hungry for love that he deems those who become his devotees charitable
• 1228) Gita 07.17 – Jnana favorable to bhakti intensifies our connection with Krishna
• 1227) Gita 07.16 – Approaching Krishna for any reason is auspicious
• 1226) Gita 07.15 – Scriptural categorization of non-devotees is living, not frozen
• 1225) Gita 07.14 – Knowledge of Krishna’s position brings intellectual force to our call of devotion
• 1224) Gita 07.13 – The modes sabotage our prospects of coming out of material existence
• 1223) Gita 07.12 – The Gita’s vision of God is not pantheistic but panentheistic
• 1222) Gita 07.11 – Kama manifests the divine when harmonized with dharma
• 1221) Gita 07.10 – All seeds are exhaustible, but Krishna is the inexhaustible seed
• 1220) Gita 07.09 – Krishna underlies diverse manifestations as earth, fire, life and ascetic
• 1219) Gita 07.08 – Krishna is the essence that makes all taste accessible through water
• 1218) Gita 07.07 – Krishna is the substance underlying all appearance
• 1217) Gita 07.06 – Nothing exists outside the purview of Krishna’s energies
• 1216) Gita 07.05 – The Absolute Truth is immutable, but its energies are mutable
• 1215) Gita 07.04 – Sankhya when seen devotionally reveals Krishna’s glory
• 1214) Does Krishna’s not being able to remember the Gita later in the Mahabharata prove that some higher being spoke the Gita through him?
• 1213) Bhagavatam first canto study 6 – 1.2.9-1.2.15 – Bhakti leads to realization of the Absolute Truth
• 1212) Bhagavatam first canto study 5 – 1.2.1-1.2.8 – The Bhagavatam’s speaker and subject are radically exalted
• 1211) Gita 07.03 – The rarity of knowing Krishna reveals the mercy we have the opportunity to relish
• 1210) Gita 07.02 – Understand the appearance and the substance of everything
• 1209) Gita 07.01 – Hearing paves our way to the summit of yoga
• 1208) Gita 06.47 – The perfection of yoga is not disconnection from matter but connection with Krishna

April 2015

• 1207) What does “avyakta” mean in the Gita’s eighth chapter?
• 1206) How can we work for Krishna and avoid contaminating association in our workplaces?
• 1205) When Upadeshamrita is for seekers, why does it start by telling who can become a guru?
• 1204) Gita 06.46 – Focus on transcendence is superior to any material attainment – gross or subtle
• 1203) How is Krishna attained by doing duty – doesn’t one need to rise to love for him?
• 1202) How does mastery in yajna lead to Krishna consciousness?
• 1201) As Krishna is the ultimate beneficiary, is devata prasad also Krishna-prasad?
• 1200) If yajnas are not done will there be no rains?
• 1199) What is the destination of those who take devatas’ prasad?
• 1198) Gita 06.45 – Past-life attraction and present determination leads yogi to perfection
• 1197) Gita 06.44 – Past-life’s spiritual practice manifests as inexplicable irresistible attraction to transcendence
• 1196) Meaningless material existence becomes meaningful through the human form (Churning the Bhagavatam 1)
• 1195) Why did Dhirtarashtra ask for eyes to see the universal form but refuse the eyes to see the Kurukshetra war?
• 1194) Was Drona a pure devotee? Was he a spiritual teacher?
• 1193) Gita 06.43 – Spiritual inclination is the credit that carries over beyond the corpse
• 1192) Gita 06.42 – Having past spiritual impressions reinforced in a present life is extremely fortunate
• 1191) Why are the Gita’s first and last chapters of Krishna’s instructions its longest chapters?
• 1190) Material existence without the human form is pointless
• 1189) What do the terms karya karana kartrtva adhyatma adhibhuta and adhiyajna in SB 2.5.19 mean?
• 1188) Why does Prabhupada say in Gita 2.38p that sankhya doesn’t refer to and does refer to the Bhagavatam’s sankhya?
• 1187) How is internal cleanliness a bodily austerity?
• 1186) What is the difference between austerity and penance?
• 1185) Bhagavatam first canto study 4 – 1.1.4-1.1.23 – The sages’ questions
• 1184) Gita 06.41 – The deviated yogi loses neither materially nor spiritually
• 1183) Which are the important commentaries on the Gita?
• 1182) Why are there so many commentaries on the Gita?
• 1181) Gita 06.40 – Krishna reveals how an apparently lose-lose situation is actually win-win
• 1180) Bhagavatam Overview – Canto 1 – Setting the Scene of Devotion in Separation
• 1179) Gita 06.39 – Doubts are natural due to our limitedness – seek the unlimited
• 1178) What exactly was Bharata Maharaj’s mistake?
• 1177) How could Bharata Maharaj have become attached to a deer after renouncing the world?
• 1176) Gita 06.38 – The problems we perceive reflect our level of consciousness
• 1175) When neither yajnik-brahmanis nor their husbands get Krishna’s shelter, what is the point of that pastime?
• 1174) Why is Vritrasura portrayed as a demon in the Rig-Veda and as a devotee in the Bhagavatam?
• 1173) Why does Jiva Goswami deem Bhagavatam 2.2.37 the book’s phala-shruti?
• 1172) How can we avoid getting lost in the many conversations in the Bhagavatam?
• 1171) Which are the important commentaries on the Bhagavatam?
• 1170) Gita 06.37 – Considering future problems is a sign of intelligence
• 1169) What is the difference between energies in Gita chp 7 and potencies in chp 9?
• 1168) Gita 06.36 – Mind control is essential – and possible by proper process
• 1167) Gita 06.35 – The supreme teacher offers guidance – and confidence
• 1166) Gita 06.34 – The mind is dangerous like an unstoppable storm
• 1165) What is the difference between giving up action and renunciation in Gita 3.4?
• 1164) Did others apart from Arjuna see Krishna’s universal form?
• 1163) Gita 06.33 – Seeing equally is tough, but seeing devotionally is easier
• 1162) Gita 06.32 – The topmost yogi sees everyone with benevolence, not indifference
• 1161) Why did Hanuman not defeat Vali?
• 1160) Hanuman – An endearing blend of bhakti and shakti
• 1159) Gita 06.31 – See oneness in Krishna’s various manifestations – not Krishna and the soul
• 1158) Gita 06.30 – The perception of Krishna everywhere takes one beyond the reach of illusion
• 1157) Gita 06.29 – By seeing sameness in the material, yogi penetrates to the supreme spiritual substance
• 1156) Gita 06.28 – To get the best happiness, connect with God, not sense objects
• 1155) Gita 06.27 – Joy is the natural fruity of purity

March 2015

• 1154) Gita 06.26 – Overcome discouragement with the inner light and the inner map
• 1153) Gita 06.26 – Expect and correct the mind’s restlessness
• 1152) Gita 06.25 – Don’t expect overnight change – determinedly make gradual changes
• 1151) Gita 06.24 – Determination means rejection of dejection
• 1150) The Recipe for Ruining Relationships – Ramayana Wisdom 1
• 1149) Nāmarāmāyaṇam (The Ramayana conveyed in 108 names)
• 1148) Gita 06.23 – Yoga brings disconnection from our infatuation with misery
• 1147) The Gita’s progression from third person references to first person references
• 1146) Gita 06.22 – Seek the achievement beyond hankering and lamentation
• 1145) Gita 06.21 – The intelligence opens the door to trans-sensory happiness
• 1144) Gita 06.20 – Stop outer obsession to begin inner perception
• 1143) Gita 06.19 – Minimize the wind of disturbing desires to maximize the flame of meditation
• 1142) Gita 06.18 – Self-control leads to real self-awareness
• 1141) Gita 06.17 – Material regulation cataylzes yogic liberation
• 1140) Gita 06.16 – Take responsibility for determining bodily balance
• 1139) Ramayana’s enduring message – Rise from me to we
• 1138) Value Education and Spirituality 35 – Ramayana 17 – Hanuman 2 – Never lose heart
• 1137) Gita 06.15 – Yoga brings mental regulation and spiritual liberation
• 1136) Value Education 34 – Ramayana 16 – Hanuman 1 – Overcome distractions by determination
• 1135) Value Education 33 – Ramayana 15 – Jambavan – Help bring the best out of others
• 1134) Value Education 32 – Ramayana 14 – Angada – Overcome dissension by focus on common
• 1133) Value Education 31 – Ramayana 13 – Sugriva – Comforts breed ingratitude
• 1132) Gita 06.14 – Use material dispassion to establish spiritual connection
• 1131) Can only those who don’t break brahmchari-vrata attain the kingdom of God?
• 1130) Why is Bhagavatam 2.6 called the Purusha-Sukta confirmed?
• 1129) Gita 06.13 – Physical position is meant to facilitate mental absorption
• 1128) On seeing the Pandavas forces why does Duryodhana approach Drona not Bhishma?
• 1127) Gita 06.12 – Concentration is the foundation for purification
• 1126) Gita 06.11 – Seek a balance between externals and internals
• 1125) Gita 06.10 – Popular yoga is not spiritual yoga
• 1124) Gita 06.09 – Equal vision towards those who relate unequally is challenging
• 1123) Gita 06.08 – Realization brings satisfaction and equal vision
• 1122) Gita 06.07 – The controlled mind disregards dualities and discovers the Supersoul
• 1121) Gita 06.06 – Train the mind as a horse is trained
• 1120) Gita 06.05 – The responsibility for controlling the mind rests on us
• 1119) Gita 06.04 – Rigorous renunciation characterizes the yogarudha stage
• 1118) Gita 06.03 – Different levels require different methods for progress
• 1117) Gita 06.02 – Renunciation of matter and connection with spirit share the same purpose
• 1116) Gita 06.01 – Renunciation means to give up the shelter of work’s fruits
• 1115) Did Arjuna know Krishna’s supreme position in the Gita’s first chapter?
• 1114) Could Krishna not convince Arjuna with philosophy alone and so he displayed the Universal Form?
• 1113) How could Bhima drink Dushashana’s blood?
• 1112) Did Bhima kill Duryodhana or just wound him?
• 1111) Do sadhaka-devotees also become free all worldly obligations?
• 1110) How does the Vedic rule of “no reactions in killing aggressors” apply today?
• 1109) Gita 05.29 – Peace comes by devotion to the all-powerful, all-loving Lord
• 1108) Gita.05.28 – Controlling the external and the internal brings liberation
• 1107) Gita 05.27 – Shut out the sense objects to seek inwards
• 1106) Gita 05.26 – Success on the spiritual path will come surely and soon

February 2015

• 1105) Gita 05.25 – Removing impurities empowers us to rip apart the facade of dualities
• 1104) Gita 05.24 – The inner is the way to the spiritual
• 1103) Gita 05.23 – The war against lust is a war of attrition
• 1102) Gita 05.22 – The so-called pleasure is the source of trouble
• 1101) Gita 05.21 – Give up outer pleasure and seek inexhaustible inner happiness
• 1100) Gita 05.20 – Equanimity is meant to make us not emotionless, but purposeful
• 1099) How can we best present the Gita to intellectuals who feel Prabhupada’s Gita is too devotional?
• 1098) Why does Prabhupada say that Haridasa Thakura is superior to Lord Shiva?
• 1097) Gita 05.19 – Sameness of perception is the situation of liberation
• 1096) Is simplicity and non-duplicity the same as humility or truthfulness?
• 1095) Did the Gita originally have 745 verses?
• 1094) Gita 05.18 – Spiritual realization grants equal vision towards all
• 1093) Is the Gita relevant today?
• 1092) Gita 05.17 – Spiritualize all the channels of consciousness to gain liberating knowledge
• 1091) Gita 05.16 – Knowledge illumines our inner territory and reveals the indwelling Lord
• 1090) Gita 05.15 – The judge is not responsible for the criminal’s conviction
• 1089) Gita 05.14 – The more we become detached, the more we master the body
• 1088) Gita 05.13 – The bodily city metaphor conveys our difference from our sensory gates
• 1087) Gita 05.12 – Action per se is not binding – attached action is
• 1086) Gita 05.11 – Change the motivation for action from gratification to purification
• 1085) Gita 05.10 – Live in the world but be not of the world
• 1084) Does Krishna consider Arjuna’s concerns about destruction of family meaningless?
• 1083) Does the Gita offer spiritual solution to spiritual problem or to material problem?
• 1082) What a saint learned from a prostitute   

January 2015

• 1081) What a saint learned from a prostitute
• 1080) Let intelligence take from the poison phase to the nectar phase
• 1079) Gita 05.09 – Contact of senses & sense objects is not the problem – infatuation with the contact is
• 1078) Gita 05.08 – Don’t take credit for actions done by bodily mechanisms
• 1077) Why did Bhishma in his previous life as Vasu steal Vashistha’s cow?
• 1076) Why does Arjuna brag that he is greater than Dwarkavasis in the brahmana son’s stealing pastime?
• 1075) Gita 05.07 – Inner purity ensures outer action without reaction
• 1074) Gita 05.06 – Renunciation without yogic connection is distressing
• 1073) Gita 05.05 – Sankhya and yoga aim for the same destination, yet they aren’t same
• 1072) Gita 05.04 – See beyond the diversity of process to the commonality of purpose
• 1071) Gita 05.03 – Renunciation in action is lasting renunciation
• 1070) Gita 05.02 – The path that takes us away from bondage fastest is the best
• 1069) Gita 05.01 – Understand meanings of terms from context, not from preconception
• 1068) Gita 04.42 – Win the inner war with spiritual knowledge and fight the outer war
• 1067) Gita 04.41 – Knowledge and faith can be symbiotic
• 1066) Gita 04.40 – Don’t let doubts deprive you of happiness
• 1065) Gita 04.39 – Faith is the pre-condition for knowledge
• 1064) Gita 04.38 – Don’t reduce jnana to jnana-yoga
• 1063) Gita 04.37 – The fire of knowledge reduces karma to ashes
• 1062) Gita 04.36 – The subjunctive case underscores the redemptive power of spiritual knowledge
• 1061) Gita 04.35 – Knowledge takes us beyond illusion and reveals connection of everything with Krishna
• 1060) Gita 04.34 – Learn from guru how to do karma as yajna and attain jnana
• 1059) Gita 04.33 – Let action be permeated by knowledge and culminate in knowledge
• 1058) Gita 04.32 – Knowing the unity among various yajnas grants liberation
• 1057) Gita 04.31 – Happiness in this world and the next don’t have to be mutually exclusive
• 1056) Gita 04.30 – The knowers of yajna attain purification, satisfaction and liberation
• 1055) Gita 04.28 – Apply the yajna priniciple to a broad spectrum of religious activities
• 1054) Gita 04.27 – Ceassation of all sensory and respiratory activity is a yajna
• 1053) Gita 04.26 – The mood of sacrifice spiritualizes both the householder and the renounced orders
• 1052) Gita 04.25 – Re-envision both karma-kanda and jnana-kanda as yajna
• 1051) Gita 04.24 – When our vision becomes spiritual, our action and destination also become spiritual
• 1050) Gita 04.23 – Sacrifice is not just an activity, but a mood that pervades all activity
• 1049) Is Krishna’s reference to Arjuna as Bharata spiritual because the Bharata dynasty is filled with liberated souls?
• 1048) If Krishna addresses Arjuna as per the bodily conception, does it mean that Krishna is in the bodily conception?
• 1047) Gita 04.22 – See scriptural principle in the light of its social context to find its practicability
• 1046) Gita 04.21 – Nirasha is not disappointment in fulfilling desire, but detachment from the fever to fulfill desire
• 1045) Gita 04.20 – The more we give up material shelters, the more we seek spiritual shelter
• 1044) Gita 04.19 – Discern the path of liberation with the vision of the enlightened, not the ignorant
• 1043) Gita 04.18 – Comprehend inaction in action and action in inaction through contextualization
• 1042) Gita 04.17 – Action-reaction correlation is incomprehensible, but right action is discernible
• 1041) Gita 04.16 – Don’t simplistically equate dictionary meaning with scriptural meaning
• 1040) Gita 04.15 – Follow the successful to be successful
• 1039) Gita 04.14 – Knowledge of Krishna’s position protects us from karmic subjugation
• 1038) Gita 04.13 – Krishna is the non-doer because he is non-discriminating
• 1037) Gita 04.12 – Demigod worship is quick fix in the world of religion
• 1036) Gita 04.11 – Appreciate the profundity of Krishna’s reciprocity and universality
• 1035) Gita 04.10 – Overcome 3 obstructive attitudes for taking shelter of Krishna
• 1034) Gita 04.09 – Attainment of Krishna is not rebirth, but release from rebirth
• 1033) Gita 04.08 – Let Krishna establish dharma within
• 1032) Gita 04.07 – Universality of opportunity defines and distinguishes dharma
• 1031) Gita 04.06 – Don’t presume familiarity with concepts due to familiarity with terms
• 1030) Gita 04.05 – Krishna spiritual position is not affected by his material location
• 1029) Gita 04.04 – Accept responsibility for clear communication – don’t affix blame for unclear communication
• 1028) Gita 04.03 – Krishna reveals his glory to those who delight in that glory
• 1027) Gita 04.02 – The Gita lives through those who live the Gita
• 1026) Gita 04.01 – Yogic knowledge comes from transcendental source through extra-terrestrial route to terrestrial recipient
• 1025) Gita 03.43 – Use intelligence to pursue transcendence and subdue lust
• 1024) Gita 03.42 – In the line of fire from lust the soul is the last
• 1023) Gita 03.41 – Regulation is the foundation for purification
• 1022) Gita 03.40 – Lust has taken over our knowledge-acquiring mechanism
• 1021) Gita 03.39 – The eternal enemy blinds, binds and burns
• 1020) Gita 03.38 – No one is exempt from lust’s delusion
• 1019) Gita 03.37 – Inner enemies are more dangerous than outer enemies
• 1018) Gita 03.36 – Alien desires become our own and impel us to sin
• 1017) Gita 03.35 – Credit lies in sticking to duty under duress, not in changing duty
• 1016) Gita 03.34 – Don’t let sensory urges steal dharmic credits
• 1015) Gita 03.33 – Our varna nature needs to be channelized, not repressed
• 1014) Gita 03.32 – Turning away from Krishna defeats the purpose of knowledge
• 1013) Gita 03.31 – Krishna’s words are eternal and faith-worthy

December 2014

• 1012) Gita 03.30 – Focus not on detaching from the entangling but on attaching to the liberating
• 1011) Gita 03.29 – The wise should elevate, not agitate, the ignorant
• 1010) Gita 03.28 – To know the truth means to see how spirit can stay disentangled from matter during action
• 1009) Gita 03.27 – Mistaking initiation of action with its execution is illusion
• 1008) Gita 03.26 – Don’t exhibit your high level – attract people to one level higher
• 1007) Gita 03.25 – The detached and the attached differ not in action but in intention
• 1006) Gita 03.24 – Krishna turns on its head Arjuna’s argument about varna-sankara
• 1005) Gita 03.23 – Walk your talk
• 1004) Gita 03.22 – Krishna’s supreme position redefines duty as lila
• 1003) Gita 03.21 – We learn from others’ examples and set examples for others
• 1002) Gita 03.20 – Examples make the conceptual tangible
• 1001) Gita 03.19 – Detached dutifulness opens the door to perfection
• 1000) Gita 03.18 – The independent are bound to neither action nor renunciation
• 999) Gita 03.17 – Only those who rejoice internally are released from external duty
• 998) Gita 03.16 – Those who don’t sacrifice waste their life
• 997) Gita 03.15 – Yajna makes the transcendental accessible
• 996) Gita 03.14 – The principle of cosmic exchange is not pre-scientific but universal
• 995) Gita 03.13 – See God not just as the provider of food but also as its enjoyer.mp3 Gita 11.37 kasmac ca te nameran mahatman .mp3
• 994) Gita 03.12 – Secular humanism makes humans honest thieves
• 993) Gita 03.11 – We live not just in a universe but in a universal government
• 992) Gita 03.10 – Don’t let familiarity take the mystery out of nature
• 991) Gita 03.09 – Nature of action is determined by its intent, not its form
• 990) Gita 03.08 – Material duty maintains material stability and facilitates spiritual focus
• 989) Gita 03.07 – Regulation is more conducive for advancement than renunciation
• 988) Gita 03.06 – Outer renunciation with inner sensual contemplation is self-delusion
• 987) Gita 03.05 – Inaction is unnatural, materially and spiritually
• 986) Gita 03.04 – Don’t equate the external with the essential
• 985) Gita 03.03 – Krishna’s instructions are not contradictory, but multi-level
• 984) Gita 03.02 – When scripture doesn’t fit into our mental framework, the framework needs change
• 983) Gita 03.01 – The Gita’s complex multi-level message is intellectually challenging and fulfilling
• 982) Gita 02.72 – Nirvana may be extinction, but brahma-nirvana is not
• 981) Gita 02.71 – Peace comes not by relocation, but by renunciation
• 980) Gita 02.70 – Be filled with higher purpose to transcend lower desires
• 979) Gita 02.69 – Be special above the ordinary, not among the ordinary
• 978) Gita 02.68 – Be a soul-deliverer, not a soul-killer
• 977) Gita 02.67 – Be swept by the wind of spiritual desire, not material desire
• 976) Gita 02.66 – Without inner connection, we end with agitation and frustration
• 975) Gita 02.65 – Purification makes external intelligence internal
• 974) Was Arjuna aware of the soul’s existence before hearing the Gita?
• 973) Gita 02.64 – Material regulation is the launching pad for spiritual liberation
• 972) Gita 02.63 – Irritation, delusion, oblivion, stupefaction, destruction – Last 5 of 8 stages to falldown
• 971) Gita 02.62 – Whatever catches our attention catches us
• 970) Gita 02.61 – Control, concentration, conquest – three stages in dealing with the senses
• 969) Gita 02.60 – Endeavoring and discerning are not enough for sense control
• 968) Gita 02.59 – Complement renunciation of the material with contemplation on the spiritual
• 967) Gita 02.58 – Withdraw consciousness inwards as a basic defense mechanism
• 966) Gita 02.57 – Stay unaffected by the material by being focussed on the spiritual
• 965) Gita 02.56 – Emotional non-entanglement with the material characterizes the seer
• 964) Gita 02.55 – Rejection of mental desires and satisfaction in the self define the self-realized
• 963) Gita 02.54 – Non-literal meaning illumines when literal meaning stumps
• 962) Gita 02.53 – Persistent absorption comes by consistent rejection of distraction
• 961) Gita 02.52 – Shastra without guru can be a deluding forest for the intelligence
• 960) Gita 02.51 – Same action with higher motivation bestows higher destination
• 959) Gita 02.50 – Yoga facilitates individualized artistic infusion of work with devotion
• 958) Gita 02.49 – The good becomes bad when it becomes the enemy of the best
• 957) Gita 02.48 – Yoga requires material indifference to provide spiritual transcendence
• 956) Gita 02.47 – Make sense of four counterintuitive assertions by seeing the full picture
• 955) Gita 02.46 – Understand multivalence of Veda to grasp how transcending the Vedas fulfills their purpose
• 954) Gita 02.44 – Prevent attachment from abducting consciousness by intelligence and taste
• 953) Gita 02.43 – The Vedic masterplan uses dharma to raise people from kama to prema
• 952) Gita 02.42 – Flowery words of Vedas distract from their ultimate wisdom
• 951) Gita 02.41 – Intent shapes intelligence
• 950) Gita 02.40 – The spiritual path comes with a no-loss and a fear-relieving guarantee
• 949) Gita 02.39 – Use buddhi to transform theoretical sankhya into practical yoga
• 948) Gita 02.38 – To reconcile the Gita’s contradictions, recognize the multi-level nature of its discussions
• 947) Gita 02.37 – Knowledge of atma and dharma redefines lose-lose situation as win-win
• 946) Gita 02.36 – Behave respectably to bring respectability to Krishna’s message
• 945) Gita 02.35 – The variance between our intention and people’s perception causes mortifying misconception
• 944) Gita 02.34 – Engage the power of honor to encourage honorable action
• 943) Gita 02.33 – Honorable position brings obligation of tangible contribution
• 942) Gita 02.32 – Dharma rewards success according to each varna’s definition of success
• 941) Gita 02.31 – Dharma is not a blanket injunction but an individualized customization
• 940) Gita 02.30 – Knowlege of the soul is not a call for resignation but for action
• 939) Gita 02.29 – Perception, verbalization, reception and incomprehension wrt soul are all amazing
• 938) Gita 02.28 – The mutability of everything materially magnifies the futility of grief
• 937) Gita 02.27 – See death not as a future event, but as an ongoing process
• 936) Gita 02.26 – Materialism makes meaning meaningless and lamentation pointless
• 935) Gita 02.25 – Contemplate the inconceivable to relish the spiritual
• 934) Gita 02.24 – The soul can’t be stopped from going anywhere nor forced to go anywhere
• 933) Gita 02.23 – The utter indestrutibility of the soul underlies the path of difficult duty
• 932) Gita 02.22 – The dress metaphor redefines death not as a miserable termination but as a welcome transition
• 931) Gita 02.21 – Integrate knowledge of the soul with the purpose of that knowledge
• 930) Gita 02.20 – The soul doesn’t undergo the six changes that matter does
• 929) In SB 1.2.7 if the knowledge is acquired through devotion how is it causeless?
• 928) In SB 1.2.2 what does the trees’ echoing Vyasadeva’s call to Shukadeva mean?
• 927) Gita 02.19 – The soul’s non-doership points to the complexity of matter-spirit interaction
• 926) Gita 02.18 – The immeasurability of soul points to its non-literal non-metaphorical measure
• 925) Gita 02.17 – Nothing can destroy the soul because it pervades everything
• 924) Gita 02.16 – Matter has no existence in the sense of having no lasting consequence
• 923) Gita 02.15 – Those unaffected by the temporary attain the eternal
• 922) Gita 02.14 – The material is peripheral, unavoidable and ephemeral – so tolerate it
• 921) Gita 02.13 – The body is changing, not just growing – so focus on the unchanging
• 920) Gita 02.12 – Spirit is not just eternal but also plural
• 919) Gita 02.11 – The ability to harmonize the walk with the talk characterizes the wise
• 918) Gita 02.10 – Change in the seeker’s mood evokes change in the teacher’s mood
• 917) Gita 02.09 – The decision of inaction reflects desperation to learn
• 916) Gita 02.08 – Outer success can’t remove inner distress
• 915) Gita 02.07 – Arjuna exhibits 3 characteristics of an ideal disciple
• 914) Gita 02.06 – Find way through lose-lose problems by seeking emotional distance
• 913) Gita 02.05 – Hard choices have to be made to avoid harder consequences
• 912) Gita 02.04 – Resolve conflicts among different roles by raising consciousness.mp3
• 911) Gita 02.03 – Fight degrading temptation by remembering honoroble position
• 910) Gita 02.02 – Arya – Spiritual denotation, historical concoction and modern connotation
• 909) Gita 02.01 – Arjuna’s analysis only aggravates his agony
• 908) Gita 01.46 – When the eye disheartens, let the ear hearten
• 907) Gita 01.45 – Sound arguments from a fragmented perception are actually unsound
• 906) Gita 01.44 – Arjuna’s reasoning is wrong, but his capacity for reasoning is laudable
• 905) Gita 01.43 – Hell forever is a subjective feeling, not an objective fact
• 904) Gita 01.42 – Three meanings of dharma
• 903) Gita 01.41 – Unwanted progeny – what does unwanted mean?
• 902) Gita 01.40 – Protecting women and ensuring good progeny are important social responsibilities
• 901) Gita 01.39 – As soon as dharma weakens adharma attacks
• 900) Gita 01.38 – Don’t let the anartha-maddened make us similarly mad
• 899) Gita 01.37 – Greed gives us a tunnel vision of reality
• 898) Gita 01.36 – Contemplate contextual karmic considerations before acting
• 897) Gita 01.35 – Arjuna’s profit-loss calculations miss the most important factor
• 896) Gita 01.34 – Arjuna’s evolved emotion and reason ready to be raised to the summit by Gita wisdom
• 895) Gita 01.33 – The contrasting words of Arjuna and Duryodhana reveal their consciousness’ levels
• 894) Gita 01.32 – Whom we live for determines the quality of our life
• 893) Gita 01.31 – Material long-term is not long-term enough
• 892) Gita 01.30 – Where materialism shows a dead end spirituality shows the way ahead
• 891) Gita 01.29 – The inner attack of emotions does what no outer attack of enemies could have done
• 890) Gita 01.28 – To avoid being consumed by material emotions, cultivate spiritual emotions
• 889) What exactly is the point of the nivrtta tarshair (SB 10.01.04) verse?
• 888) Gita 01.27 – Undiscerning visual perception erodes spiritual conviction
• 887) Gita 01.26 – The brutality of the imminent fratricide sinks in
• 886) Gita 01.25 – Over-reliance on visual perception ends in illusion
• 885) Gita 01.24 – Conquer lethargy to attain excellence in service
• 884) Gita 01.23 – How the evil got so many allies
• 883) Gita 01.22 – A last sight of the battling brethren
• 882) Gita 01.21 – The surprising request to see what is already known
• 881) Gita 01.20 – The monkey standard is permeated with the divine monkey’s presence
• 880) Gita 01.19 – Kauravas’ bravado battered and shattered by Pandavas’ bravery
• 879) Gita 01.18 – The Pandavas’ illustrious sons gallantly serve their parents
• 878) Gita 01.17 – Weapons are warrior’s ornaments
• 877) Krishna’s moods in the Gita – Gita Jayanti class
• 876) If we dont understand something in the Gita should we re-read it till we understand before going ahead?
• 875) What is the joking referred to in Gita 1.25 purport?

November 2014

• 874) If the Gita is contextual, why is it considered such an important scripture?
• 873) Is Modi anti-secular in giving the Gita to other heads of state?
• 872) Is the Gita a religious book or a secular book?
• 871) Why does Gita 7.25 use yoga-maya instead of maha-maya?
• 870) Does the Gita ask Arjuna to choose job over family?
• 869) Was Bhishma an impersonalist – he refers to Krishna in the third person not the second person?
• 868) What is the difference between spiritual, transcendental and devotional?
• 867) Retreat within to treat without
• 866) Value Education 14 – Mahabharata 8 – Draupadi – Ask not why this but how now
• 865) Value Education 13 – Mahabharata 7 – Yudhisthira 1 – Gambling
• 864) Value Education 12 – Mahabharata 6 – Karna 3 – Respond to adversity with integrity
• 863) Value Education 11 – Mahabharata 5 – Karna 2 – Life of honor is more important than
• 862) Value Education and Spirituality 10 – Mahabharata 4 – Karna 1 – Choose friends that bring out our best, not our worst

October 2014

• 861) Value Education 29 – Ramayana 11 – Vali 2 – Judging without understanding ruins relationships
• 860) Does papa-yonayah in Gita 9.32 refer to a fourth category?
• 859) Does Gita 18.56 refer to karma-yoga or bhakti-yoga?
• 858) How can a material process karma-yoga grow into the transcendental process bhakti-yoga?
• 857) Value Education 30 – Ramayana 12 – Vali 3 – Real repentance is seen in rectification
• 856) Value Education and Spirituality 28 – Ramayana 10 – Vali 1 – Judging without understanding ruins relationships
• 855) Value Education and Spirituality 27 – Ramayana 9 – Shabari – See not the body’s caste – see the heart’s character
• 854) Value Education and Spirituality 26 – Ramayana 8 – Jatayu – Fight atrocities against women
• 853) Value Education and Spirituality 25 – Ramayana 7 – Lakshmana – Don’t ascribe intention to what is spoken in tension
• 852) Value Education and Spirituality 24 – Ramayana 6 – The illusory dear – Use intelligence to see beyond appearance to substance
• 851) Value Education and Spirituality 23 – Ramayana 5 – Shurapanakha – Don’t let the selfish exploit our sexual vulnerabiity
• 850) Value Education and Spirituality 22 – Ramayana 4 – Bharata – Stick to integrity amidst opportunity for immorality
• 849) Value Education and Spirituality 21 – Ramayana 3 – Dasharatha – Honor one’s word even at great personal cost
• 848) Value Education and Spirituality 20 – Ramayana 2 – Rama – Go beyond fight or flight to choose the best response
• 847) Value Education and Spirituality 19 – Ramayana 1 – Kaikeyi – Don’t be deluded by malicious misinformers
• 846) Is karma-yoga superior to jnana-yoga according to the Gita chp 3?
• 845) Why does the Bhagavad-gita immediately after rejecting bodily identity address Arjuna with names which reinforce that very identity?
• 844) Which dictionary meaning of the word ‘mind’ does the Gita refer to?
• 843) Mind the mind
• 842) Do vaishyas have to do brahminical occupation to come to goodness for practicing bhakti?
• 841) Why do we counter-push against lower modes and not against goodness?
• 840) When Arjuna’s chariot was destroyed after the MB war, why does he say in SB “The chariot is the same”?
• 839) Are those who come to Krishna even for material benefit mahatmas?
• 838) Is the jnani of Gita 7.17 one of the four categories of 7.16?
• 837) When Prabhupada’s Gita is so obviously not as it is, how can he call it as it is?
• 836) What are the ten principles of godly life mentioned in Gita 16.1-3 purport?
• 835) Never lose heart
• 834) Which other Purana mentions that Bhagavatam is the commentary on the Vedanta Sutra?
• 833) Bhagavatam-daily 5 – 11.06.44 – Hearing about Krishna is auspicious and delicious
• 832) Redefine success
• 831) Bhagavatam-daily 4 – 11.06.43 – We can’t tolerate separation from Krishna, but the mind misleads us
• 830) We can’t wish away our bodily identity – we have to work our way through it
• 829) Bhagavatam-daily 3 – 11.06.42 – Trust not just Krishna’s power, but also his intelligence
• 828) Gita 01.16 – The individual conches manifest individual warrior’s virility
• 827) Bhagavatam-daily 2 – 11.06.41 – Submission is the way out of confusion
• 826) Gita 01.15 – The top trio in the Pandava army start the action
• 825) Bhagavatam-daily 1 – 11.06.40 – Philosophy offers shelter when the world’s shelters fail
• 824) Gita 01.14 – The dramatically humble entry of the hero
• 823) Be concerned not disturbed
• 822) Gita 01.13 – Rituals of war express and stimulate the martial spirit
• 821) Bali M rejects Shukracharya, yet Vamana respects him – Why?
• 820) Did Bali M surrender out of devotion or fear of dishonor?
• 819) Opportunity in Adversity
• 818) Gita 01.12 – The valorous grandsire stops the politicking
• 817) Gita 01.11 – The manipulator misses the one who matters most
• 816) Is the doer the ego as Gita 18.58 states or the modes as Gita 3.27 states?
• 815) Spiritualizing our work
• 814) Gita 01.10 – Mulitiple meanings of same word reveal the possibilities of multiple interpretations
• 813) Gita 01.09 – Listing the warriors’ qualities for enlisting their commitment
• 812) Words shape worlds – watch your words
• 811) Just as a bigger Mahabharata exists in the heavens does a bigger Gita also exist?
• 810) What is the meaning of the Gita statement about the moon being the most prominent nakshatra?
• 809) Why did Ravana despite being obstinate listen to Maricha first and give up his plan to abduct Sita?
• 808) After seeing Rama’s power why did Akampana not flee entirely as did Maricha?
• 807) How does Akampana reach Lanka before Shurapanakha?
• 806) Dussehra meditation – Differentiating between obstinacy and determination
• 805) Does the Gita recommend Deity worship?
• 804) Different approaches to Gita study: historical, literary, philosophical, revelational, descriptive, prescriptive

September 2014

• 803) As yogis become bhaktas at their topmost stage does that mean we should practice yoga before bhakti?
• 802) Gita 01.08 – Attachment makes the absent present
• 801) Why are the divisions of different scriptures called differently – skandha, kanda and parva
• 800) What is the difference between phenomenal and numinous in Gita 7.2
• 799) Gita 01.07 – Repetition of known information conveys prioritization
• 798) Gita 01.06 – Their great warriors counterbalance our greater strength
• 797) Gita 01.05 – Affiliations were shaped by long-term affinity not short-term antipathy
• 796) Gita 01.04 – Our inner frame of reference shapes our outer focus of reference
• 795) Gita 01.03 – The politician seeks martial dedication by emotional manipulation
• 794) What does being free from all dualities mean wrt devotional service?
• 793) Did the Pandavas go to heaven or the spiritual world?
• 792) When Krishna says that the knowledge in disciplic succession was lost, weren’t the four sampradayas available at that time?
• 791) A devotee is already righteous, so why does Krsna say that he becomes righteous in Gita 9.31?
• 790) What is the difference between nitya and shashvata in Gita 2.20?
• 789) How can we convert our work in office into yajna?
• 788) What is the difference between karma yoga, buddhi yoga and bhakti yoga?
• 787) Gita 01.02 – Duryodhana’s choice of conversant reveals his political intent
• 786) If Arjuna was superior to Karna, why does Bhagavatam say he was a small fish in an ocean of giant fishes?
• 785) Gita 01.01 – The transcendental manifests as the geographical
• 784) Why does Krishna refer to someone else as the object of surrender in the Gita 18.62?
• 783) Gita 04.39 – Faith is the necessary but not sufficient condition for knowledge
• 782) Value Education and Spirituality 9 – Mahabharata 3 – Vidura – Be a forgiving not a forgetful friend

August 2014

• 781) What does the Gita’s chp 13 title ‘Nature, enjoyer and consciousness’ refer to?
• 780) Is the universal form in the Gita’s ninth chapter a conceptualization and the eleventh chapter, a revelation?
• 779) What does the Gita’s inverted tree metaphor signify?
• 778) Why does the Gita use a setting of war to convey its transcendental message when such a setting can be abused to provoke communal violence?
• 777) What is the theory of reflection Prabhupada refers to in the Gita 2.13 purport?
• 776) Why does Krishna emphasise consciousness at death which is much more uncontrollable than consciousness while living?
• 775) Meditation on the only prayers to Balaram in the Bhagavatam
• 774) When Krishna had said he wouldn’t lift weapons in the Kurukshetra war, why does he say in Gita 11.33 that the Kauravas are already killed by him?
• 773) When opulences are disqualifications for devotion, why does ISKCON preach to the opulent?
• 772) Why do we need to justify the Pandavas’ actions? Isn’t “Krishna told them to do it” enough reason?
• 771) What is the significance of the two metaphors of rivers and moths used in the Gita’s description of warriors entering into the Universal Form
• 770) Bhagavatam first canto study 3 – 1.1.3 – Relish the rasa in association
• 769) Bhagavatam first canto study 2 – 1.1.2 – The pure intention bestows the perfect destination

July 2014

• 768) Mahabharata characters 73 Abhimanyu 2 Confronting conspiracy with courage
• 767) Mahabharata characters 72 Abhimanyu 1 Penetrating the impenetrable phalanx
• 766) If the suffering of great devotees is for their glorification why does Bhishma say Pandavas’ suffering is due to time?
• 765) When the Pandavas were so virtuous why did Krisha let them suffer so much?
• 764) Why was Kunti’s unknowing statement ‘share whatever you have brought’ considered absolute and Draupadai married to all the Pandavas?
• 763) Draupadi forgave Ashwatthama but not the Kauravas. Why?
• 762) Why did Krishna and Arjuna meet each other first time so late in their lives?
• 761) Why did Balaramji favor Duryodhana?
• 760) Arjuna’s virtuous victory – Don’t challenge God’s wisdom; let God’s wisdom challenge you – 2
• 759) Is the expansion of the Mahabharata from its short Jaya version a contamination?
• 758) Arjuna’s virtuous victory – Don’t challenge God’s wisdom; let God’s wisdom challenge you – 1
• 757) Mahabharata characters 71 Ashwatthama The dangerous temptation to punish
• 756) Is the Mahabharata contaminated due to interpolation?
• 755) Why did Duryodhana become vicious despite being born in a virtuous family?
• 754) Did Krishna establish dharma just for 36 years after fighting such a big war?
• 753) Why did Yaksha ask so many questions to the Pandavas?
• 752) Mahabharata characters 70 Karna 5 The tragic end of heroic misdirection
• 751) Why did Krishna not protect Yudhisthira from errors of judgment?
• 750) Draupadi’s courageous devotion amidst the disrobing – Ask not “why this?” but “how now?”
• 749) Did Vikarna get any good result for trying to defend Draupadi’s honor?
• 748) Who was Yuyutsu? How did he come from the Kaurava side to the Pandava side?
• 747) Why did Yudhisthira agree for a second gambling match after the disastrous first gambling match?
• 746) Why did the virtuous Bhishma fight on the side of the vicious Kauravas?
• 745) Did Karna have to choose the side of evil due to his past karma?
• 744) Did Duryodhana have any good qualities?
• 743) What are the authentic sources for learning the Mahabharata?
• 742) How did a ciranjeevi Ashwatthama fight against the virtuous Pandavas?
• 741) Why did Krishna and others not try to reform Duryodhana as reformation is the ultimate goal?
• 740) Mahabharata characters 69 Karna 3 Is word of honor greater than life of honor
• 739) Why do the Bhagavatam and the Mahabharata describe the same stories differently?
• 738) Duryodhana’s blame game 2 – Attribution error and alien abduction
• 737) Duryodhana’s blame game 1 – The unjustified sense of entitlement led to unnecessary envy
• 736) Mahabharata characters 68 Karna 2 Status insecurity leads to shocking immorality
• 735) Mahabharata characters 67 – Karna 1 – Did life give him a raw deal?
• 734) Mahabharata characters 66 Duryodhana 5 Baffled in words, battles and spirits
• 733) Mahabharata characters 65 Duryodhana 4 Incompetence and fault finding personified
• 732) Mahabharata characters 64 Duryodhana 3 Foolishly adding fuel to fire
• 731) Srimad Bhagavad-gita-mahatmyam  THE GLORY OF SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA  from Sri Vaisnaviya-tantra-sara
• 730) Mahabharata characters 63 Duryodhana 2 Krishna’s magnanimity vs Duryodhna’s obstinacy
• 729) Mahabharata characters 62 Duryodhana 1 The humiliator is humiliated
• 728) Mahabharata characters 61 Draupadi 2 Exemplary devotion amidst tribulation
• 727) Mahabharata characters 60 Draupadi 1 Responding to vice with virtue
• 726) Mahabharata characters 59 – Sahadeva – Using intelligence in the service of dharma
• 725) Mahabharata characters 58 – Nakula – Sustaining unity amidst individuality
• 724) Mahabharata characters 57 – Arjun 20 – World conquest for Ashwamedha-yajna
• 723) Is the Gita’s teaching that women are sinful resposible for female infanticide?
• 722) Mahabharata characters 56 – Arjuna 19 – The difficult disciplining of Ashvatthama
• 721) Mahabharata characters 55 – Arjuna 18 – The final battle with Karna
• 720) Mahabharata characters 54 – Arjun 17 – Devotional surrender amidst mixed feelings at Drona’s death M
• 719) Why did Bhima kill Duryodhana unfairly by hitting him below the waist during their final battle in the Mahabharata war?
• 718) Mahabharata characters 53 – Arjuna 16 – Racing against time with the Lord of time
• 717) Mahabharata characters 52 – Arjuna 15 – Breaking through the wall of the Kaurava forces
• 716) Mahabharata characters 51 – Arjuna 14 – Besting the fearsome elephant and the formidable elephant wa
• 715) Bhagavatam first canto study 1 – 1.1.1 – The Attributes of the Absolute Truth
• 714) If Krishna’s ultimate instruction is to give up all duties for surrendering to him why shouldn’t everyone join the temple?
• 713) Is Krishna omninpresent as his energy or personally as the Supersoul?
• 712) If the Supersoul is present in all atoms and the space between them, what is special about the Superoul in our heart?
• 711) What happens to the Supersoul after death and after liberation?
• 710) Is the Supersoul actually expanded in every heart or is it an appearance of expansion?
• 709) Mahabharata characters 50 – Arjuna 13 – Battling and serving the beloved grandsire
• 708) Mahabharata characters 49 – Arjuna 12 – The Gita goes far beyond violence to transcendence
• 707) Mahabharata characters 48 – Arjuna 11 – The divine heart calls the human heart to the path of love
• 706) Mahabharata Characters 47 – Arjuna 10 – Arguments against and for fighting in the Gita
• 705) Mahabharata Characters 46 – Arjuna 09 – Choose Krishna over the world
• 704) Mahabharata Characters 45 – Arjuna 08 – The stunning victory at Virata
• 703) Mahabharata Characters 44 – Arjuna 07 – Singlehanded triumph over the Nivatkavachas and Kalakanyas
• 702) Mahabharata Characters 43 – Arjuna 05 – Heaven hath no fury like a woman scorned

June 2014

• 701) Mahabharata Characters 42 – Arjuna 05 – Austerity and audacity for the pleasure of Lord Shiva
• 700) Mahabharata Characters 41 – Arjuna 04 – All the gods bested at Khandava
• 699) Mahabharata Characters 40 – Arjuna 03 – The match made with Krishna as the matchmaker
• 698) Mahabharata Characters 39 – Arjuna 02 – Accepting exile to honour virtue
• 697) Mahabharata Characters 38 – Arjuna 01 – Diligence is essential for attaining excellence
• 696) Mahabharata Characters 37 – Bhima 07 – Draupadi’s dishonorers destroyed
• 695) Mahabharata Characters 36 – Bhima 06 – Bhima decimates the Kauravas in the war’s first sixteen days
• 694) Mahabharata Characters 35 – Bhima 05 – Bhima’s heroics during incognito exile
• 693) Mahabharata Characters 34 – Bhima 04 – Meting punishment while giving forgiveness
• 692) Mahabharata Characters 33 – Bhima 03 – An attack on the gods that fulfilled a godly purpose
• 691) Mahabharata Characters 32 – Bhima 02 – No demon is a match to this human
• 690) Mahabharata Characters 31 – Bhima 01 – Growing stronger through danger and disaster
• 689) Mahabharata Characters 30 – Yudhisthira 08 – Dharmaraja’s moments of infamy and glory in the war
• 688) Mahabharata Characters 29 – Yudhisthira 07 – Steadiness through wisdom amidst the war’s worries
• 687) Mahabharata Characters 28 – Yudhisthira 06 – Wisdom wins where strength fails (Nahusha & Yaksha)
• 686) Mahabharata Characters 27 – Yudhisthira 05 – Words of wisdom vs words of anger in the forest
• 685) Mahabharata Characters 26 – Yudhisthira 04 – The Pandavas dishonoured and dispossessed
• 684) How the Gita’s ninth chapter reveals its bhakti essence
• 683) Mahabharata Characters 25 – Yudhisthira 03 – The virtuous victimized in the vicious gambling match
• 682) Mahabharata Characters 24 – Yudhisthira 02 – The world’s king glorifies the supreme king
• 681) Why does the Gita 12.11 include material charity in the bhakti hierarchy?
• 680) Where do religious social workers like Mother Terersa fall in the Gita’s yoga ladder?
• 679) How does karma yoga mature into ashtanga yoga?
• 678) How does the nishkama karma yogi attain knowledge and liberation? Through the same path or by adopting another yoga?
• 677) Does ashtanga yoga always start from jnana yoga?
• 676) Are the jnanis mentioned in Gita 7.16-18 impersonalists as the example of Kumaras suggests or devotees as Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura’s commentary states?
• 675) Mahabharata Characters 23 – Yudhisthira 01 – Sticking to integrity amidst injustice
• 674) Mahabharata Characters 22 – Kunti 03 – Successful amidst misery after misery
• 673) Mahabharata Characters 21 – Kunti 02 – The glorious mother sees the glory of her sons and her Lord
• 672) The nine tensions in the Bhagavatam
• 671) Mahabharata Characters 20 – Kunti 01 – The blessing that made a nightmare and a dream come true
• 670) Mahabharata Characters 19 – Vidura 01 – A true friend, affectionate but not attached
• 669) Mahabharata Characters 18 – Dhritarashtra 04 – Losing Everything Before Losing Blindiness
• 668) What does the identification of Krishna with time mean practically?
• 667) Mahabharata Characters 17 – Dhritarashtra 03 – Blaming destiny for irresponsibility
• 666) Mahabharata Characters 16 – Dhritarashtra 02 – How the attached get manipulated
• 665) Mahabharata Characters 15 – Dhritarashtra 01 – The blindness of attachment begins
• 664) What is the significance of the word avyaya in Gita 9.2?
• 663) If Draupadi was dishonored due to her past karma, why did the Pandavas have to take revenge?
• 662) Mahabharata Characters 14 – Drona 04 – Repaying deceit with deceit
• 661) Mahabharata Characters 13 – Drona 03 – The Blunder Under Pressure
• 660) What is the meaning of Gita 14.11: “The manifestations of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge”?

May 2014

• 659) Mahabharata Characters 12 – Drona 02 – The Teacher’s Tests
• 658) When this world is duhkhalayam why are the distressed only one of the four categories of people coming to Krishna
• 657) Mahabharata Characters 16 – Dhritarashtra 02 – How the attached get manipulated
• 656) Mahabharata Characters 11 – Drona 01 – From poverty to power
• 655) Demonizing the other doesn’t remove the demons hither
• 654) Mahabharata Characters 10 – Bhishma 09 – The Ideal Departure
• 653) Mahabharata Characters 09 – Bhishma 08 – The Grandsire on the arrow bed
• 652) Why do dharma-shastras say that aggressors should be forgiven?
• 651) Do the dharma-shastras say aggressors shouldn’t be killed and artha-shastras that they should be killed?
• 650) What are dharma-shastra and artha-shastra? How are they different?
• 649) Mahabharata Characters 08 – Bhishma 07 – Transcendental devotion amidst violent confrontation
• 648) Mahabharata Characters 07 – Bhishma 06 – The heartbreaking conflict among loved ones
• 647) Mahabharata Characters 06 – Bhishma 05 – The sacrifice of reputation for devotion
• 646) Mahabharata Characters 05 – Bhishma 04 – The celibate becomes the match-maker
• 645) Mahabharata Characters 04 – Bhishma 03 – A test of faith
• 644) Short introduction to “Fascinating Mahabharata Characters” Course
• 643) Mahabharata Characters 03 – Bhishma 02 – The fatal complication
• 642) Why was Hiranyakashipu not liberated even after being killed by Narasimhadeva?
• 641) Why did Hiranyakashipu let Prahlad return to school after trying to assassinate him?
• 640) How can we make our work into worship when it is not according to our nature and is not connected with Krishna?
• 639) Kunti’s Prayers 6 (SB 01.08.39-43) – The selflessness of pure devotion
• 638) Mahabharata Characters 02 – Bhishma 01 – The fierce vow
• 637) Mahabharata Characters 01 – Three understandings of the timeless classic
• 636) How to make our work into worship (Gita 18.44-45) (Hindi)
• 635) Should a devotee avoid initiation due to not being able to follow the fourth regulative principle fully?
• 634) Was Arjuna’s killing Karna when he was chariot-less not unfair, being against the kshatriya codes?
• 633) Does Krishna compassionately pull impersonalists from Brahman to Bhagavan?
• 632) Why does Ambarish M consider his wealth to be material when he knows that it can be used in Krishna’s service?
• 631) Why does the Bhagavatam, a Vaishnava book, state that Kashi is the greatest of all holy places?
• 630) When Dhruva Maharaj was going BTG and had got a spiritual body, how could he remember a material relationship such as that with his mother?
• 629) How is Draupadi’s polygamy justified especially when it involves the same man being required to see her alternately as wife and as sister-in-law?
• 628) How does attachment to result make us the cause of action, as the Gita 2.47 purport states?
• 627) If Prahlada learnt bhakti by hearing from Narada in his mother’s womb, why did Narada say to the devatas before this that the child in the womb is a great devotee?
• 626) Did Hiranyakashipu not know that Vishnu lived in the Kshira-sagara? Why did he ask Prahlad where Vishnu was and whether he was in the pillar?
• 625) Narasimhadeva told Prahlad that 21 generations of his family had been delivered, then how did Bali become such a demon that Vamanadeva himself had to come to deliver him?
• 624) Narasimha Katha Hindi 3 – SB 07.08.14-30 – Love underlies the various dangerous forms of the Lord
• 623) When envy is the cause of our material bondage, how did Shishupala’s envy lead to his liberation?
• 622) How is Draupadi’s polygamy be justified especially when the Pandavas have to sometimes see her as a wife and at other times as sister-in-law?
• 621) Is conscience always the voice of the Supersoul? Does everyone’s conscience tell them that meat-eating is wrong?
• 620) Narasimha Katha Hindi 2 – SB 07.08.09-13 – Repressive and reprehensible Hiranyakashipu
• 619) Narasimhadeva’s instructions (SB 07.10.01-23) – Balancing the aspiration for pure devotion with practical action
• 618) Narasimha Katha Hindi 1 – SB 07.08.01-08 – Arrogant Hiranyakashipu confronts gentle but firm Prahlada
• 617) Why does the Gita 18.68 restrict its message of devotion to devotees?
• 616) Arjuna’s memories of Krishna 1 (SB 01.15.04-09) – Make your memory your treasury
• 615) How are the feelings of victory and adventure Krishna’s opulences, especially when people get those feelings in illicit activities such as gambling?
• 614) Did the Pandavas actually complete the full year of ajnata vasa or were they detected before time?
• 613) Kunti’s Prayers 5 – (1.8.35-37) – Don’t deny human emotions in the name of transcendence
• 612) When Ashwatthama’s Brahmastra is charging towards Arjuna how does he get time to do achmana and offer prayers to Krishna before countering it?
• 611) Karna’s critical choice – Word of honor or life of honor?
• 610) Why did Drona despite being a brahmana desire revenge against Drupada?
• 609) Why did Drona despite being virtuous come up with the unfair scheme to kill Abhimanyu?
• 608) When I hear the Mahabharata, I identify much more with Karna than Arjuna. What should I do?
• 607) Why is Parikshit considered the sole survivor of the Pandava dynasty when sons of Bhima and Arjuna like Sutasoma and Babruvahana were still alive?
• 606) Are the demigod worshipers in Gita 9.15 different from normal karma kandis because the Gita refers to them as jnanis?
• 605) Do the ekatvena worshipers of Gita 9.15 refer to 9.11-12 or 12.3-6?

April 2014

• 604) Kunti’s prayers 4 – (1.8.32-1.8.35) – Four reasons for the Lord’s appearance
• 603) What kind of rules and regulations do the prestige-seekers referred to in the Gita 16.17 follow?
• 602) Are the Gita’s instructions applicable in the spiritual world too or only in the material world?
• 601) If the Gita is a transcendental literature, then why does the Gita Mahatmya glorify the attainment of heavenly planets?
• 600) Why do we have a right to do prescribed duties as the Gita 2.47 states?
• 599) Did Prabhupada want to re-write Bhagavad Gita As It Is because he worked very fast to publish it quickly?
• 598) Why doesn’t Srila Prabhupada mention even once in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is that we should chant 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra?
• 597) Can chanting Hare Krsna help one to assimilate the knowledge of the scriptures more efficiently? How?
• 596) How can I turn my occupational duty into devotional service to Krishna?
• 595) How does contemplating on Krishna differ from mental speculation about Krishna?
• 594) Does Gita 2.47 ma phasehu kadachana mean that we don’t have a right to obtain the result or a right to enjoy the result?
• 593) How exactly are “those in Krishna consciousness not responsible for their actions”, as Prabhupada states?
• 592) Can Gita 18.14 adhisthanam refer to some place of action other than the body?
• 591) Who is the actual doer according to the Gita?
• 590) How can we reconcile the Gita (3.4) – don’t give up work – and the Bhagavatam (1.5.17) – give up work?
• 589) Did Krishna-Arjuna commit environmental holocaust at Khandava?
• 588) What is the difference between charity in goodness and transcendence?
• 587) Why does Prabhupada talk about the three energies in his purport to the atyahara verse (NoI 2)?
• 586) Why is the edited BBT Gita different from Prabhupada’s unedited original Gita?
• 585) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 10 – 10.02.15-24 – The mysterious appearances of Balarama and Krishna
• 584) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 9 – 10.02.01-14 – The previous lives of Kamsa
• 583) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 8 – 10.01.56-69 – Kamsa brutally persecutes his own family members
• 582) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 7 – 10.01.46-55 – Vasudeva’s plan B to put off catastrophe
• 581) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 6 10.01.36-44 – Vasudeva expertly uses sama, dama and bheda to pacify Kamsa
• 580) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 5 10.01.26-35 – Events leading to Kamsa’s barbarism
• 579) Prayer to Hanumanji – Welcome the Rama-duta in the heart with eagerness
• 578) Why is the Bhagavad-gita so pessimistic? (expanded with four-point analysis)
• 577) Hanuman Appearance – Blend submission and aggression in devotion
• 576) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 4 – 10.01.21-25 – The Lord’s majestic universal rescue operation
• 575) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 3 – 10.01.14-20 – The glory of the speakers and hearers of the Bhagavatam
• 574) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 2 – 10.05.01-13 – Krishna is everyone’s benefactor – I long to hear about him
• 573) Bhagavatam tenth canto study 1 – 10.01.01-04 – Please speak Krishna-katha for benefitting everyone
• 572) How did Nanda and Yashoda allow Krishna to go to Mathura so readily?
• 571) Where was Radharani when the rasa-lila was performed? Why is there no mention of her in the Bhagavatam’s rasa-lila narration?
• 570) What is the connecting link between the Gita’s ninth and tenth chapters?
• 569) In which verses of the Gita’s eight chapter are the Lord’s glories stated?
• 568) When the Pandavas meet Krishna after being exiled to the forest, why do neither mention Krishna’s protecting Draupadi during the gambling match?
• 567) Was the Karna who was defeated by Bhima during the pre-Rajasuya yajna conquest different from the Karna who befriended Duryodhana?
• 566) When the Ramayana says monasteries shouldn’t accept donations from women, why does ISKCON accept donations from women?

March 2014

• 565) The Son of the Sun – part 4
• 564) Do the daivi maya in Gita 7.14 and daivi prakriti in 9.13 to the same thing or different things?
• 563) I am a Physics student. How can I study the Bhagavad-gita scientifically when it seems like a discussion in a story?
• 562) If Karna was not stronger than Arjuna why did Kunti weaken him emotionally and Indra weaken him physically before the war?
• 561) Karna’s colossal blunder
• 560) In the Mahabharata, why are other warriors like Eklavya, Ghatothakcha and Barbarika manipulated to favor Arjuna?
• 559) When Kamsa’s capital Mathura and Kaurava’s capital Hastinapura were so close to each other why is there no record of any conflict between them?
• 558) When Vali and Sugriva are born from the union of demigods (Indra and Surya with Aruni) why do they have a monkey form?
• 557) Is the Nectar of Instruction a part of a larger work by Rupa Goswami?
• 556) NoI 17 Texts 10-11 – The glory of pure devotion in parakiya bhava
• 555) NoI 16 Text 9 – The glory of the topmost of all dhamas
• 554) NOI 13 Text 6 – Don’t be misled by material perception of devotees
• 553) Is the jnani in Gita 7.16 and jnanavan in 7.19 the same or different?
• 552) In the Gita chp 8, what is the yogis’ conception of Krishna?
• 551) In NoI 8 purport, what do the dashas from shravana to sampatti refer to?
• 550) In Gita chp 13, what exactly does jneya refer to?
• 549) Are there any examples of yoga-mishra bhaktas becoming kevala bhaktas?
• 548) Can Gita verses be translated differently from Prabhupada’s translations?
• 547) How can we understand Prabhupada’s equating buddhi-yoga in 2.39 purport with bhakti-yoga?
• 546) How do we understand Krishna’s statement to Arjuna that Karna is a better archer than him?
• 545) NoI 16 Text 8 Living in Vraja in spirit
• 544) NoI 14 Text 7 – The science of chanting
• 543) NoI 13 Text 5 – Interacting with devotees at different levels
• 542) NoI 12 Text 5 – Interacting with devotees at different levels
• 541) Gita 18.64-78 – The Gita culminates in a call for pure love (Hindi)
• 540) Gita 18.40-63 – Bhakti is the spiritual summit that also extends down to wherever we may be (Hindi)
• 539) As tapa is not a distinct spiritual path, what does Gita 6.46 tapsvibhyo adhiko yogi refer to?
• 538) Why is the flow the Gita verses not given in Prabhupada’s Gita?
• 537) What is the connection between Gita 6.4 yogarudha stage and 6.5-6 mind’s inimical nature?
• 536) Gita 18.29-39 Choose the intelligence, determination and happiness for attaining auspiciousness (Hindi)
• 535) How can we practically understand the modes influencing us wrt the jnana karma and karta analysis in Gita 18.20-28?
• 534) How are the 6 components of action in Gita 18.18 reduced to 3 in Gita 18.19?
• 533) Gita 18.13-18.28 – The five factors and the three components of action (Hindi)
• 532) Gita 18.01-12 – Don’t garb irresponsibility as renunciation (Hindi)

February 2014

• 531) Gita 17.17-17.28 – Various religions are pathways towards the same sat moutain-peak (Hindi)
• 530) Gita 3.9 enjoins yajna for the satisfaction of Vishnu. Then why does the next section talk about the lower level of karma kanda?
• 529) Gita 2.38 and 2.48 seem very similar. What is the difference between them?
• 528) What is the difference between karma-kanda and sakama karma-yoga? Which does Gita 2.31-37 refer to?
• 527) Gita 2.39 is a linking verse. Which sections in the Gita and which levels in the yoga ladder does it link?
• 526) Is there any difference between nishkama bhakti and shuddha bhakti?
• 525) Do karma-mishra, yoga-mishra, jnana-mishra bhakti come under sakama bhakti?
• 524) Gita 17.07-16 – Understanding food, sacrifice and austerity from material and transcendental perspectives (Hindi)
• 523) Gita 16.13-17.06 – Demoniac mentality in today’s society (Hindi)
• 522) Gita 15.15-16.12 – Purushottama – the highest reality and the qualities that define our natures (Hindi)
• 521) Gita 15.01-14 – Understanding material existence metaphorically and philosophically (Hindi)
• 520) Gita 14.06-27 – Understanding and transcending the modes (Hindi)
• 519) Gita 13.30-14.05 – Jnana Chakshu and the reality of dreams (Hindi)
• 518) The Son of the Sun – Part 3
• 517) Gita 13.18-29 – How the purusha gets bound by prakriti (Hindi)
• 516) Gita 13.08-17 – Understanding jnana and jneya (Hindi)
• 515) Mahabharata Wisdom 2 – Karna 1 – Past life karma comes as this life’s problems (Hindi)
• 514) How are the living symptoms of consciousness manifestations of the subtle body as the Gita 13.6-7 purport says?
• 513) Gita 13.01-07 – Overview of chps 1-12 and understanding Kshetrajna & Kshetra – Hindi
• 512) According to Krishna, which is more important – karma-yoga, bhakti-yoga or both?
• 511) Do our impulses come from outside us or inside us?
• 510) Is karma yoga practical when even the people for whom we sacrifice consider it insane?
• 509) Why does the Bhagavatam say that we shouldn’t endeavor even for our necessities?
• 508) Why did Draupadi insult Duryodhana when he fell in the Maya sabha by saying ‘andhe ka beta andha’?
• 507) The Son of the Sun – Part 2
• 506) The Son of the Sun – Part 1
• 505) Mahabharata wisdom 1 – Ashwatthama – Beware of the temptation to punish (Hindi)
• 504) How is the Gita 4.9 the essence of the Bhagavad-gita?

January 2014

• 503) What is the difference between ‘nishkarma’ & ‘karma’ as explained in Gita & its significance?
• 502) When Krishna is complete, how can he be the beneficiary of our sacrifices, as Gita 5.29 says?
• 501) When the Lord’s glance is purifying why did Mohini-Murti’s glance not purify the demons?
• 500) When Krishna knows everything, how did he not know that Rahu & Ketu were impersonatings as demigods?
• 499) Churing the ocean, the Bhagavatam and the heart – 2
• 498) Churing the ocean, the Bhagavatam and the heart – 1
• 497) Vedic Conception of God is beyond polytheism, monotheism and henotheism ( SB 06 03 05 at ISKCON Juhu)
• 496) Why are we bound to certain patterns of thinking? Doesn’t that make us like pre-programmed robots?

December 2013

• 495) If gambling makes people do foolish things, why are kshatriyas ordained to gamble when challenged?
• 494) Though Yudhishthira is the oldest Pandavas, why does Gita chp 1 mention him after Arjuna & Bhima?
• 493) As all the bodily forms we take are temporary, does that mean the eternal and real is formlessness?
• 492) When sex is an experience of Krishna, as the Gita states, why does Yamunacharya spit at sex desire?
• 491) Are the beliefs “kshatriya martyrs attain heaven” & “jehadi suicide bombers attain paradise” different?
• 490) Isn’t Prabhupada’s Gita 18.65 call to worship Krishna alone and no other Vishnu form fanatical?
• 489) Is Gita 18.55’s impersonal message (vishate tad anantaram) overridden by Prabhupada’s translation?
• 488) If the Gita is a manual why is it so confusing? Why couldn’t it have been clearer?
• 487) Is the Gita an attempted reconciliation of different Upanishadic thoughts and not a revelation?
• 486) SB 7.9.29 – Lust is the fire that seems like a nectar
• 485) Does “knowing in truth” (Gita 4.9) happen by “experiences of Truth” or by “understanding”?
• 484) When Prabhupada’s perfect purports to the Gita are there, why are Gita daily articles needed?
• 483) Six steps to spiritual perfection – Bhagavad Gita 07.01
• 482) How is the material world non-existent as Prabhupada states in the Gita introduction?
• 481) In Gita 13.12 is there any difference between atma-vinigrahah and indriyartheshu vairagya?
• 480) When God Fails – The Bhakti Message in Krishna’s Peace Messenger Pastime
• 479) Did Ekalvaya fight in the Kurukshetra war?
• 478) How to be your own spiritual master
• 477) What is the Gita’s position on deontology?
• 476) What is the Gita’s etiology?
• 475) What is the Gita’s ontology?
• 474) What is the Gita’s soteriology?
• 473) What is the Gita’s eschatology?
• 472) Does Gita 9.32 which says that anyone can begin bhakti apply to those who fall while practicing bhakti?
• 471) Is the Gita 18.66 exclusivist or inclusivist in spirit?
• 470) If we need to see intellectually before we can see visually, what about non-intellectual practitioners?
• 469) Isn’t unconsciousness of Krishna more harmful than unconsciousness of our faults?
• 468) Is there any difference between dambha, darpa and abhimana in Gita 16.04?
• 467) Instead of Vyasadeva begetting a successor king in his deceased brother’s wife couldn’t he have become the king himself?
• 466) 3 measures to prevent falling down and falling away (SB-10-27-22-23)
• 465) What is the authenticity of Lord Rama’s pastimes that are not mentioned in the Ramayana?

November 2013

• 464) When the Supersoul is a judge, how is he neutral? And how is his role reconcilable with deism?
• 463) Can Kuruskshtera be compared to the body, the senses to the Pandavas, the Kauravas to the vices and the war to the inner battle?
• 462) Knotty Verse Series 6 – 11.33 – Is the Gita’s call for violence literal or metaphorical?
• 461) Knotty Gita Verses Series 5 – 03.35 – Does the Gita endorse the caste system?
• 460) Is the Lanka in the south of India the same as Ravana’s Lanka?
• 459) Why did Krishna ask Arjuna to worship Durga before the Mahabharata war?
• 458) Bhagavata Dharma Series 3 – SB 01.02.17-22 – Practice bhakti-yoga cheerfully
• 457) What exactly does the Gita say about ‘work is worship’?
• 456) Bhagavata Dharma Series 2 – SB 01.02.11-16 – How bhakti brings realization of the Absolute Truth
• 455) Bhagavata Dharma Series 1 – SB 01.02.06-10 – How bhakti is the supreme dharma
• 454) The nonviolent violence of the Gita
• 453) Kunti’s prayers (1.8.23-1.8.27) – Krishna’s inconceivable protection contradicts our material preconceptions
• 452) Kunti’s prayers (1.8.18-1.8.22) – Krishna’s inconceivable position can be understood by simple devotion
• 451) Why do jnanis say that bhakti is for the less intelligent and Prabhupada say that only the intelligent can take to bhakti?
• 450) When Yudhisthira says that only foolish people seek worldly things in the famous “ascharyam” verse, why does he seek a kingdom?
• 449) Was Yudhisthira the most immoral among all the Pandavas because he gambled away all of them and even their innocent wife?
• 448) If my sva-dharma is not favourable for my bhakti, then can I accept another dharma favourable for my bhakti?
• 447) Can our prescribed duties be changed according to our likes or dislikes?
• 446) Why do scriptures contain provocative descriptions of female beauty as in the Mohini Murti pastime?
• 445) Wasn’t Arjuna’s taking on the garb of a mendicant to abduct Subhadra immoral?
• 444) Kunti’s prayers (1.8.28-1.8.31) – Krishna gives up his supremacy so that love can reign supreme (Hindi)
• 443) When Uddhava already had so much knowledge about Krishna, why did Krishna send him to learn from the Vrajavasis?
• 442) When Jayadratha didn’t actually kill Abhimanyu, why did Arjuna target him to avenge Abhimanyu’s death?
• 441) Bhishma Stuti SB 1.09.32-38 (Hindi)
• 440) How can we become equally disposed toward every living entity?
• 439) Why does the Avanti brahmana say that the mind is the cause of our suffering and not we ourselves?

October 2013

• 438) Did Dasharatha Maharaj go to heaven instead of the spiritual world?
• 437) The Glory of Gita wisdom (Reflections on the second anniversary of Gita-daily)
• 436) The Multiples Conflicts within the Gita
• 435) Is buddhi-yoga a separate type of yoga apart from the four main yogas?
• 434) What is the meaning of the Gita 6.44 statement that the advanced yogi goes beyond the range of Vedic sound?
• 433) How can we offer all the results of our work to Krishna?
• 432) Comparison of Bhagavata worldview with scientific materialism, Christianity and impersonalism
• 431) Is the world a playground or a battleground?

September 2013

• 430) Does the Vishva-rupa’s devouring the Kauravas prove that the Hindu God is a cannibal, as preachers of some other religion claim?
• 429) How can a butcher be advanced in spiritual knowledge as the Vyadha Gita in the Mahabharata depicts?
• 428) What does the Mahabharata pastime of Draupadi and all the Pandavas except Yudhisthira falling before they reach the top of the Himalayas signify?
• 427) When the Gita says the world is duhkhalayam, does that mean we should face all duhkha passively?
• 426) What is the ideal path to live according to the Bhagavad Gita As It Is?
• 425) How can we excel in our work if we are detached and don’t set goals?
• 424) How Krishna-katha extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence (tava kathamritam explanation) – Hindi
• 423) Tranform adversity into an opportunity for realization and spiritual growth – Avanti brahmana pastime analysis
• 422) In the Krishna seeing Mahavishnu pastime, why does Mahavishnu say that Krishna is his incarnation?
• 421) Bhramara Gita – Radharani’s song to the messenger bee (Radhashtami 2013 Bhagavatam class)
• 420) How do we discover our sva-dharma? Should we wait for the spiritual master to tell us our lifelong service?.mp3
• 419) Why does the Gita emphasize sva-dharma repeatedly from the second chapter (2.31) to the eighteenth chapter (18.47)?
• 418) Does one need to be intellectual to understand Krishna tattvatah, in truth?
• 417) How can we say that the Garuda Purana verse glorifying the Bhagavatam refers certainly to Bhagavatam as we have it (and not pre-edited version written by Vyasadeva)?

August 2013

• 416) Is the Shiva-sahasra-nama that glorifies Lord Shiva as supreme an interpolation in the Mahabharata?
• 415) When the Bhagavatam declares Krishna to the source of all incarnations then why does it refer to the Supreme by the name Vishnu repeatedly, even in the rasa-lila section?
• 414) Isn’t Balaramji’s killing Romharshana just because of failure to offer respects objectionable?
• 413) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 10.8-18 How the Chatur Shloki is the essence of the Gita
• 412) 18.56-78 – Krishna reveals his heart of love Gita Study Pune 2013
• 411) 18.36-55 Bhakti in karma yoga and jnana yoga Gita Study Pune 2013
• 410) 18.29-35 The link between Knowledge, Intelligence & Determination Gita Study Pune 2013
• 409) 18.20-28 Cultivating repentence and avoiding lamentation in Sadhana Bhakti Gita Study Pune 2013
• 408) 18.13-19 Understanding Sankhya in Bhagavad-Gita Gita Study Pune 2013
• 407) 18.1-12 Frustration is not the qualification for renunciation Gita Study Pune 2013
• 406) 17.20-28 How Om Tat Sat spiritualizes Yajna, Dana and Tapa Gita Study Mumbai 2013
• 405) 17.11-19 Applying the principles of austerity in our life Gita Study Pune 2013
• 404) 17.1-10 Understanding faith in the three modes Gita Study Pune 2013
• 403) 16.9-24 Demoniac direction of modern society Gita Study Pune 2013
• 402) Is the Vedanta sutra personalist or impersonalist?
• 401) Did Lord Rama have to be separated from Sita due to Bhrigu Muni’s curse to Vishnu?
• 400) Won’t inter-caste marriages lead to varna sankara (unwanted progeny)?
• 399) Did Draupadi love Arjuna more than the other Pandavas as a controversial South Indian novel claims?
• 398) When Krishna tells Arjuna in the Gita to do his duty, why do brahmacharis give up their duty in the name of the Gita?
• 397) Why does Bhishma say in SB 1.9.22 that he is a pure devotee? Shouldn’t a devotee be humble?
• 396) If the soul is inconceivable, why should we bother to conceive it?
• 395) Why does the “yena sarvam idam tatam” in Gita 2.17 refer to the body and not all of existence
• 394) Why is the Gita’s first chapter called a chapter on yoga when it contains no yogic teachings?
• 393) Why is the Gita called yoga-shastra?
• 392) What does the Gita say about love and inter-caste marriages?
• 391) Why does the Krishna book publically present confidential tenth canto pastimes?
• 390) When all did Krishna reveal the universe in his mouth to Mother Yashoda?

July 2013

• 389) As Gajendra had been a Vaishnava king, why did he offer impersonal prayer?
• 388) Is the bridge between India and Lanka Rama-setu?
• 387) How can I understand and apply the Gita?
• 386) Leadership Sutras based on the Bhagavad-gita
• 385) How were Ikshvaku kings rulers of the earth when Ravana was in Lanka?
• 384) Does the Rantideva pastime exemplify social service?
• 383) What does the sentence “From your place at your pace join the race” mean?
• 382) During their spiritual advancement, do devotees see the Supersoul in their heart? How?
• 381) Is the Buddha mentioned in the Bhagavatam different from the historical Buddha?
• 380) As Buddha is mentioned in the Bhagavatam does it prove that it was written after the time of Buddha?
• 379) What does the term Gita wisdom refer to in your Gita-daily articles, when it refers to points not present in the Gita?
• 378) How can we always be conscious that the Paramatma is present within our heart and hear his inner voice?
• 377) How can we apply sarva dharman parityajya in our life as, for example, students?
• 376) As per Gita 10.10 does Krishna help only those who serve him constantly and with love or does he help all his devotees?
• 375) When the verses in the Bhagavatam are counted, why do they turn out to be less than 18,000?
• 374) Why do we need to get rid of good reactions in addition to bad reactions?
• 373) What does the word ’cause’ mean in Gita 2.47 “Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities…”?
• 372) How Krishna’s stealing the garments of the gopis is not immoral but trans-moral
• 371) What is the difference between monarchy and autocracy as indicated in SB 4.13.11 purport?
• 370) What is the significance of the Gita’s reference to Krishna as Bhagavan because Mahabharata also refers to Shiva as Bhagavan?
• 369) Does ISKCON have its commentary on the Mahabharata?
• 368) Why did Lord Rama run after a deer not realising it was a demon from the beginning?
• 367) Why did Prahlad Maharaj not stop Bali Maharaj from his demoniac activities?
• 366) Why are Ambarish Maharaja and Dhruva Maharaja not counted amongst the 12 mahajans?
• 365) Why didnt Bhishma pitamah stop the Kurus from disrobing Draupadi?
• 364) Why does Brihaspati face no consequence when he did a grievous misdeed as described in the Bhagavatam ninth canto?

June 2013

• 363) Gita Study Pune 2013 – The Yoga Ladder Explained
• 362) Gita Study Pune 2013 15.16-16.8 Importance of Tri Shloki Bhagavad-Gita
• 361) Gita Study Pune 2013 15.6-15 Two ways to attain Jnana Cakshu
• 360) Gita Study Pune 2013 15.1-5 How the material world is comprehensible as well as incomprehensible
• 359) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 14.16-24 How the analysis of the modes leads to Bhakti
• 358) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 14.10-15 Examining the modes in today’s society
• 357) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 14.1-9 The background for the Gita’s discussion of the modes
• 356) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 13.20-35 The Bija Vakya of the Gitas last six chapters
• 355) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 13.8-19 Achintyabhedabheda in the Gita
• 354) Why does Prabhupada say that all the verses of the Bhagavatam are spoken by Shukadeva G to Parikshit M when the first canto isnt spoken by him?
• 353) 08.08 – Leave no space to space out
• 352) Why does Krishna talk about controlling the senses to Arjuna when the purpose of the conversation seems to be to incite Arjuna to fight?
• 351) Why is Arjuna’s name not mentioned in the guru-shisya parampara at the start of the Gita when Krishna gave him knowledge in parampara?
• 350) When should an upcoming devotee start reading Bhagavatam?
• 349) Is there any online database or on paper of all the vedic scriptures intact for instant access?
• 348) Prabhupada says one who is not able to control mind is animal but in Gita Arjuna says that he cannot control mind. Please explain
• 347) Lord Rama says janani janma bhumischa svargad api gariyasi. How to understand it?
• 346) Why does Prabhupada put in his translations references to Krishna that are not actually there in the Sanskrit verses of the Gita?
• 345) How a devotee transcends worldly miseries through absorption SB 3.22.37
• 344) Directing the four lanes of our consciousness – intellectual emotional devotional and motivational – towards Krishna Gita 5.17
• 343) The antiquity accessibility and glory of the Vedic spiritual path SB 3.22.33
• 342) Self-Control – The Key to Happiness Gita 5.21-24

May 2013

• 341) Why does Krishna refer to two different seasons as his opulences in Gita 10.35?
• 340) Does the mention of Buddha in the Bhagavatam indicate that it was written after Buddha?
• 339) Prayers that differentiate pure devotion from mixed devotion – Prahlad’s prayers SB 7.10.2-7
• 338) Is the Bhagavad-gita shruti or smriti? Did it become important only recently in the Indian tradition?
• 337) What does the Gita 4.24 verse brahmarpanam brahma havir mean? How do we respond to its impersonalist interpretation?
• 336) Understanding Krishnas first-person and third-person referencs in the Gita – part 2
• 335) What is the significance of the Gita’s definition of yoga as equanimity?
• 334) How are instructions in Uddhav Gita higher than instructions in Bhagwat gita?
• 333) Happiness is a byproduct ofabsorption in Krishna SB 10.20.20
• 332) Why does the Gita 8.13 recommend the chanting of om and not Hare Krishna?
• 331) As the soul is higher than the intelligence then how can the intelligence understand the soul as the Gita 3.43 says?
• 330) As the Brahman Paramatma Bhagavan are referred to in the Gita 6.28-30 then how are these terms not referred to in the Vedic texts?
• 329) Understanding Krishna first-person and third-person references in the Gita – part 1
• 328) The special place of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu among the Vedic scriptures – Hindi
• 327) SB 1.7.4-7 – Vyasa’s mystic vision as the seed of the Bhagavatam
• 326) NoI 10 Text 3 – Three directions we may go on deviating from bhakti
• 325) NoI 9 Text 3 How neglect of regulative principles destroys bhakti
• 324) NoI 8 Text 2-3 – Devotional service is not sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy
• 323) Gita 13.21-22 Material existence as a virtual reality
• 322) NoI 7 Text 2 – Three levels of contamination due to asat-sanga
• 321) NoI 6 Text 2 – Identifying over-endeavor in spiritual life
• 320) NoI 5 Text 2 – Sociological and philosophical reasons to avoid atyahara
• 319) NoI 4 Text 1 – The exalted level of the “sharira avidya jala” prayer
• 318) The process of bhakti yoga in a nutshell SB 1.2.12
• 317) NoI 3 Text 1 – How to spiritualize anger in devotional service – Mumbai 2013
• 316) NoI 2 Text 1- The need and the means for authentic atonement – Mumbai 2013
• 315) NoI 1 Preface – Understanding the right attitude for a sadhaka – Mumbai 2013
• 314) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 12.12-20 – The last rung in the Gita’s downward ladder of love
• 313) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 12.1-11 Arjuna’s question refers to Brahmavada not Mayavada
• 312) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 11.47-55 – How Virat Rupa revelation ends in glorification of bhakti
• 311) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 11.28-46 The Frightening Virat Rupa – Kala Rupa
• 310) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 11.1-27 The Magnificent Virat Rupa
• 309) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 10.19-42 How the Vibhutis manifest Krishna’s glory
• 308) Gita Study Pune 2013 – 10.1-7 – Review of the first nine chapters of the Gita
• 307) Chronological and Conceptual flow of the Bhagavatam (SB 3.22.8)

April 2013

• 306) What does the statement that Prabhupadas purports are more important than even the translations really mean? And are scriptures written such that they cannot be misinterpreted?
• 305) What is the real translation of Gita 7.21?
• 304) Being the author of Srimad-Bhagavtam why didn’t Srila Vyasadeva speak Srimad-Bhagavatam himself ?
• 303) Ram Jinka Nama Hai song explanation – Rama Navmi 2013 Hindi
• 302) Rama Katha – 4 lessons from the abduction of Sita Hindi
• 301) Ramayana characters 2 – Kaikeyi 2
• 300) Ramayana characters 1 – Kaikeyi (Trapped by Blind Belief and Baseless Doubt) – 1
• 299) Why does Prabhupada say that “Consideration of the Paramātmā and impersonal Brahman arose after the creation; before the creation, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed.” in Bhag 6.4.47 purport?
• 298) Why does the Gita say that “for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death” and also say “consider honor and dishonor to be the same”?
• 297) As Kaikeyi’s demands led to the unfoldment of the Ramayana why is she considered the symbol of ignorance

March 2013

• 296) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.73-78 Concluding messages from the Gita
• 295) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.65-72 – Comprehending dharman parityajya and vraja in 18.66
• 294) Isnt Vyasadeva’s birth illegitimate?
• 293) What is the basis for saying that the mode of goodness is right?
• 292) If Tulsi das was a devotee, why did he want to merge in impersonal brahman?
• 291) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.62-64 Why bhakti is the conclusive message of the Gita
• 290) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.54-62 Bhakti is the summit of spirituality but also reaches down to wherever we are
• 289) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.40-53 Rising to the brahman platform through devotionalized karma yoga within varnashrama
• 288) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.36-39 Choose happiness based on intelligence
• 287) 18.35 Sustaining our determination is our responsibility
• 286) 18.29-34 Intelligence in the three modes and its difference from knowledge in the three modes
• 285) Gita Overview Mumbai18.22-28 How the modes shape the doer and the deed
• 284) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.18-21 The motivations and components of action
• 283) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.12-17 Five factors of action
• 282) Gita Overview Mumbai 18.1-9 When renunciation does and doesn’t bear fruit
• 281) Gita Overview Mumbai 17.23-28 How om tat sat sanctifies and spiritualizes
• 280) 17.15-22 Being soft-spoken and satisfied are matters of choice not just of nature
• 279) Gita Overview Mumbai 17.11-14 Understanding svabhava svakarma and svadharma
• 278) Gita Overview Mumbai 17.5-10 When austerities become demoniac
• 277) Gita Overview Mumbai 17.3-4 Panchopasana and religions in various modes
• 276) Gita Overview Mumbai 16.21-17.2 – Scripture takes us beyond nature nurture and culture
• 275) 16.13-20 The demoniac treat religion as a social cosmetic
• 274) Gita Overview Mumbai 16.8-12 Atheists abuse science for demoniac purposes
• 273) Gita Overview Mumbai 16.1-7 Understanding pravrtti and nivrtti
• 272) Gita Overview Mumbai 15.15-20 Trishloki Gita refutes Mayavada unambiguously
• 271) Gita Overview Mumbai 15.9-14 Krishna arranges for even our material enjoyment
• 270) Gita Overview Mumbai 15.1-8 Analysis of the upside-down tree metaphor
• 269) Gita Overview Mumbai 14.22-27 Become an observer of the consciousness
• 268) Why does Prabhupada’s Gita 6.46 translation of karmi not include nishkama karmis?
• 267) Gita Overview Mumbai 14.17-21 Knowledge arises from sattva not abhyasa
• 266) Gita Overview Mumbai 14.11-16 How knowledge became redefined as the quest for power not truth
• 265) Gita Overview Mumbai 14.1-10 Characteristics of the three modes
• 264) Gita Overview Mumbai 13.20-35 A coherent understanding of the 6 items taught in Chp 13-
• 263) Gita Overview Mumbai 13.13-19 Understanding five koshas and achintyabhedabheda in the Gita
• 262) Gita Overview Mumbai 13.8-12 Role of bhakti in jnana and of jnana in bhakti
• 261) Gita Overview Mumbai 13.1-7 Vyashti and Samashti approaches to understanding reality
• 260) Does Brahma have 4 or 5 heads?
• 259) Gita Overview 12.12-20 Unraveling the mysterious hierarchy of 12.12
• 258) Gita Overview Mumbai 12.1-11 Progression from Virata Rupa to Impersonal Brahman
• 257) Gita Overview Mumbai 11.41-55 Pure devotion reveals all visions

February 2013

• 256) Gita Overview Mumbai 11.24-40 Material destruction paves the way for spiritual ressurection
• 255) Gita Overview Mumbai 11.1-23 The background to understand Vishva-rupa – Yoga aishvarya to rupa aishvarya
• 254) Gita Overview 10.34-42 – Krishna as victory adventure and other opulent manifestations
• 253) Gita Overview Mumbai10.25-33 – Metaphors for understanding Krishna’s glories
• 252) Why was Arjuna so dear to Krishna?
• 251) What is the relation of Vedvyasji with Parashar Muni and King Shantanu?
• 250) Is ISKCON’s claim for a paramapara connection to understand the Gita not an attempt to monopolize the Gita?
• 249) Does the Gita’s instruction that we work without expecting results mean that we work without salaries?
• 248) Why did the gopis worship Katyayani? Can we worship demigods to attain Krishna?
• 247) If Bhishma departed on Makar Sankranti then what is Bhishmashtami?

January 2013

• 246) Srila Prabhupada expert presentation of the Bhagavatam – Hindi
• 245) Why is the Pururava pastime told partially in the ninth canto and then later completeted in the eleventh canto?
• 244) How exactly was Balaramji born? How much is the age difference between him and Krishna?
• 243) Why did Krishna run away when Jarasandha attacked for the 18th time?
• 242) Why did Krishna say to Arjuna that he had not shown the Universal Form to anyone else when he had shown it to Yashoda and Duryodhana?
• 241) When Krishna doesn’t recommend roots as items to be offered to him why do we offer him potatoes?
• 240) “Brahman spoke through Krishna by entering into him like a ghost.” How do we respond to this idea?
• 239) How do we understand that the number of people killed in the Mahabharata war was more than the earth’s population at that time
• 238) Why is sleep considered to be a characteristic of intelligence in the Bhag 3.26.30?
• 237) Mahajanas 4 – Kumaras
• 236) As devotees are sincerely trying to live according to principles can the mithyachari Gita verse 3.6 be applied to them?
• 235) Please explain how we become co-creators with God through sex, as you mention in your Gita-dailies
• 234) Mahajanas 3 – Lord Shiva
• 233) If dharma is our essential nature, then why does the Gita (18.66) ask us to abandon dharma?
• 232) Is the classification of the four kinds of miscreants in Gita 7.15 strict?
• 231) Is the tree at Jyotisar in Kuruskhetra the spot where the Gita was spoken?
• 230) Why is Brahma requesting the Lord Varaha to kill Hiranyaksha before twilight hours when the Lord is omnipotent?
• 229) Wasn’t it immoral for Rama to exile Sita on just a rumour?
• 228) Isnt the Pandavas’ killing their own relatives over a property dispute immoral?
• 227) Winning the Race Against Time – New Year Eve class (Hindi)

December 2012

• 226) How do we refute the Mayavadi interpretation of ‘om purnam adah’?
• 225) Why is Lord Shiva glorified as if he is supreme in the Bhag 8.7?
• 224) Why does Krishna describe Maya as daivi in the Gita 7.14?
• 223) Chatur Shloki Gita 10.8-11 – Gita Jayanti (2012) – Hindi
• 222) Number Magic in the Bhagavad-gita
• 221) Is Sita the daugher of Ravana?
• 220) Mahajanas 2 – Narada Muni (Hindi)
• 219) How de we understand the verse that nondevotees have no good qualities?
• 218) What is the basis for taking the number of wives of Chitraketu non-literally?
• 217) Mahajanas 1 – Brahma (Hindi)
• 216) What is the origin, authenticity and relevance of Tantra?
• 215) How could 64 crore people have fit in the small area known as Kurukshetra?
• 214) What is the difference between renunciation in passion and ignorance?
• 213) Does one have to live in poverty to be able to call out to Krishna sincerely as Bhag 1.8.26 suggests?
• 212) If Drona rejected Eklavya due to his character deficiency, then why didnt he reject Duryodhana too?

November 2012

• 211) Why is the Bhagavatam considered to be the nirnayak scripture?
• 210) What was Srila Prabhupada’s position on Goswami Tulasidas?
• 209) How did Krishna forget the Bhagavad-gita, as he states in the Mahabharata?
• 208) Will knowing more and more about Krishna from the Bhagavatam give us love for him?
• 207) Are there clear references to “love” in the Gita? Are the words “devotional service” and “love” synonymous?
• 206) If Prthu M is an avatara why did he take birth from a material body?
• 205) Can we experience spiritual happiness with material senses and mind?
• 204) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 10.12-10.25 Understanding the concept of Vibhuti
• 203) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 10.1-10.11 Knowledge about Krishna – the rarity the speciality and the methodology
• 202) Gita Study 2012 9.26-9.34 Why is a sinful devotee considered saintly?
• 201) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 Gita 9.16-9.25 The Krishna factor in worship of the Universal Form and demigods
• 200) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 9.10-9.15 The four kinds of causes and the three kinds of jnana-yajna
• 199) Why did Bhishma and Drona fight on the side of the Kauravas?
• 198) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 9.1-9.9 The glory of knowledge about Krishna
• 197) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 8.23-8.28 Bhakti is superior to the paths of devayana and pitrayana
• 196) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 8.14-8.22 How the Gita identifies the supreme abode with Krishna’s abode
• 195) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 8.10-8.13 Understanding yoga-mishra bhakti
• 194) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 8.5-8.9 How to think of Krishna constantly

October 2012

• 193) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 8.1-8.5 Understanding the link between objects words and concepts
• 192) How do we make sense of the Bhagavatam statement that Chitraketu had ten million wives? Is it a sign of lack of faith if we are troubled by such questions?
• 191) Mahabharata Characters 4 – Duryodhana
• 190) When Yamadutas know that Narayana is supreme (SB 6.1.41) why do they later (6.3) ask Yamaraja if there is anyone above him?
• 189) Realization comes by moving up and down the ladder of abstraction – Pururava song analysis
• 188) Are the vanaras of Ramayana similar to the monkeys on earth today?
• 187) The Obstinacy of Ravana – Dussehra class
• 186) Prithu Maharaj pastime – III
• 185) Prithu Maharaj pastime – II
• 184) Prithu Maharaj pastime – I
• 183) How Krishna’s glory is revealed in the tenth canto of the Bhagavatam…
• 182) How are the knower and known one in the absolute realm as Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport of Bhag 1.2.11?
• 181) Why was Duryodhana born with so much power when he had such evil tendencies? (and 4 other questions about Duryodhana)
• 180) Mahabharata Characters 3 – Karna 2 (Hindi)
• 179) When Arjuna had defeated all the Kaurava heroes at Virata why does Bhagavatam refer to them as the huge fishes timingilas against whom Arjuna was like a tiny fish?
• 178) Mahabharata Characters 2 – Karna 1 (Hindi)
• 177) Mahabharata Characters 1 – Bheeshma (Hindi)
• 176) The Wisdom and Devotion of Queen Kunti (Hindi)
• 175) The Prayers of the Prachetas
• 174) How does the word bhavana in Gita 2.66 refer to fixed mind?
• 173) What is the higher taste for jnanis?
• 172) Is God everything? What exactly does the verse “vasudevah sarvam iti” mean?

September 2012

• 171) The encouraging, more encouraging and most encouraging messages of the Gita
• 170) A Hero’s Prayers at the moment of Death – Vritrasura – Bhagavatam 6.11.18-27
• 169) Morality and Immorality in the Mahabharata – Hindi
• 168) How the Lord tests his devotees – Hindi
• 167) How were Jatayu and Sampatti able to fly towards the sun when there is no air in the space intervening between the earth and the sun?

August 2012

• 166) The Realizations of Pingala – How Frustration leads to Renunciation
• 165) Why did the Lord give spiritual knowledge to the sun-god when he had already given it to Brahma?
• 164) How did Parashurama exist at the same time as another avatar Rama? Why did he oppose Rama?
• 163) Why did Yudhishthira consider the wicked Dhritrashtra as a respectable elder who had to be obeyed? Why didnt he consult Krishna?
• 162) Why did Yudhishthira gamble despite knowing its consequences?
• 161) Team work in the Ramayana
• 160) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 07.24-30: Are Mayavadi interpretations of Gita justified?
• 159) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 07.15-23: Those who don’t surrender, surrender, and surrender to Krishnetara
• 158) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 07.04-14: How Krishna pervades the material world as its essence
• 157) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 07.01-03 – Understanding phenomenon and noumenon
• 156) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 – 06.42-47: The Glory of Bhakti
• 155) Please explain the union of Parasara Muni and Satyavati.
• 154) How do we understand and explain that the Vedas are self-evident truths?
• 153) Why are there talking animals in Ramayana but not in Mahabharata?
• 152) What is the difference between householder devotees and karma-yogis?
• 151) War Against Maya – Mahabharata Days 12 and 13
• 150) Understanding the Universal Form
• 149) Why Srila Prabhupad is using “the Lord’s not forgetting” as proof for his having transcendental body?
• 148) What is the authenticity of the story that Parikshit M stayed in a tower to protect himself?
• 147) What is the meaning of the fifth canto – faith in structure of the universe – protecting the sixth canto – faith in the holy name?
• 146) What is importance of Sandwich analogy to explain Bhagavad Gita from philosophical perspective?
• 145) Why was Dasharath M ready to forgo his word to Vishvamitra but not Kaikeyi?
• 144) How the Bhagavad-gita is special among all books in the world – Gita Jayanti class

July 2012

• 143) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 6.35-41: Understanding the Gita flow from dhyana-yoga to bhakti-yoga.mp3
• 142) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 6.29-34 Krishna’s position in the path of dhyana-yoga
• 141) If Krishna says “Go beyond the Vedas” in Bhagavad Gita, then why do we take the Hare Krishna Mantra from the same Vedas?
• 140) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 06.22-28 Transforming emotions from obstacles to pathways towards samadhi
• 139) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 06.15-21 Taking the mind through the five stages of mind control
• 138) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 – 06.08-14 Going from knowledge to realization
• 137) What is the basis for saying that Arjuna engaged in contemplation according to Gita 2.62-63 when he did not fall down as the verse predicts?
• 136) What is the basis for equating Arjuna’s Gandiva bow with our determination?
• 135) How is it that Ajamila was 88 years old when he begot 10th son? Because in Satyayuga peoples life span was 1 lac years?
• 134) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 06.01-07 Understanding how the mind deludes
• 133) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 05.24-29: How knowing Krishna brings peace
• 132) Gita Study Mumbai 2012: 05.17-23 The four investments for gaining knowledge of Krishna.mp3
• 131) Gita Study Mumbai 2012: 05.09-16 Understanding who is the actual doer
• 130) Gita Study Mumbai 2012 05.01-08: How Krishna subtly but surely changes Arjuna’s conceptions about the hierarchy of karma yoga and jnana yoga
• 129) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.34-42 Glories of transcendental knowledge
• 128) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.26-33 Different kinds of yajnas and their underlying principles
• 127) Gita study Mumbai – 2012 04.18-25 How the internal consciousness prevents bondage
• 126) Priyavrata pastimes analysis 2- Where material life and spiritual intersect
• 125) Priyavrata pastimes analysis 1 – Don’t confuse means and ends
• 124) Does the Supersoul control the the soul’s desires?
• 123) Gita study Mumbai 2012 – Different approaches for scriptural study
• 122) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.10-17 Understanding Krishna’s nature
• 121) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.07-09 The three obstacles to knowing Krishna
• 120) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.01-06 How the parampara is continued or lost
• 119) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 03.37-43 Lust is not just dangerous but also treacherous
• 118) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 03.31-36 The middle way between total supression and unrestricated expression
• 117) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 03.25-30 Four differences between karma kandi and karma yogi
• 116) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 3.21-24 Are Krishna’s action are immoral
• 115) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 3.14-20 Playing our part in the cycle of sacrifice
• 114) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 3.9-13 Understanding the principles and mechanism of yajna
• 113) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 3.1-8 The principles and purposes underlying renunciation
• 112) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.67-72 Going beyond sense control to mind control
• 111) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.62-66 Avoiding undesirable contemplation
• 110) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.55-61 Becoming a sthita prajna
• 109) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.48-54 Understanding and living the three definitions of yoga
• 108) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.46-47 Understanding 4 parts of karmanya va dhikaraste
• 107) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.26-38 Refuting materialism
• 106) Gita study mumbai 2012 – 2.39-45 How karma yoga is superior to karma kanda
• 105) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 2.17-25 Characteristics of the soul
• 104) Gita study mumbai 2012- 2.1-16 Gita begins by refuting mayavada
• 103) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 1.27-46 Giving up horizontal relationship for vertical relationship
• 102) Gita study Mumbai 2012- 1.1-1.25 Introducing Mahabharat character
• 101) In the Bhagavad gita verse 14.6, what does ‘being conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge mean’?
• 100) What does the Taittiriya Upanishad mantra “Brahmavidya aponti param” mean?
• 99) What is the Vedic perspective about the book ‘Mrutyunjaya’?
• 98) Do BG 18.20 and 18.21 support a Brahmavad conception of God?
• 97) Scriptures act as Map, Model and Muscle
• 96) BALI acronym of Bali Maharaj glories- 3
• 95) BALI acronym of Bali Maharaj Glories -2
• 94) BALI acronym of Bali maharaj glories
• 93) How hearing does wonders BG 7.1
• 92) Why are the chapters of the Bhagavad-gita named differently by different acharyas?
• 91) What is the difference between freedom from material modes and freedom from reactions of fruitive activities?
• 90) How is Bhagavan higher than Brahman? Ishopanishad 15-16
• 89) Do all paths lead to the same goal? – Ishopanishad 13

June 2012

• 88) Prahlad M prayers 4 – Krishna is more than a desire tree
• 87) Prahlad M prayers 1 – Comprehending the Mystery of Humility
• 86) Prahlad M prayers 3 – Making Misery an incentive for bhakti
• 85) Prahlad M prayers 2 – Steadying and purifying our bhakti
• 84) Why is the Vedanta-sutra not as clear as the Bhagavatam when both deal with the same subject?
• 83) As scriptures are like Deities, can we underline or higlight or make similar marks on them?
• 82) If it is told in the Vedas that “Krishnas tu bhagavan svayam” then why do other Vaishnav sampradaya worship Vishnu and not Krishna?
• 81) How could Airavata, the elephant-carrier of Indra, have emerged from the churning of the ocean when the Bhagavatam states that Airavata was already Indra’s carrier in the battle before the churning?
• 80) Understanding “action in inaction and inaction in action” as mentioned in Bhagavad-Gita 5.17.
• 79) When Krishna spoke the Gita to the sun-god, was that Gita exactly the same as was spoken to Arjuna?
• 78) In the Spiritual World, why is Ayodhya at a higher level than the other Vaikuntha Planets?
• 77) Why does Prabhupada say in Bhagavad Gita 2.62 purport that Lord Shiva is not able to control his senses?
• 76) Are the scriptural descriptions about the glories of the holy name exaggerations?
• 75) Why does Srila Prabhupada translate karma-yoga as “devotional service”?

May 2012

• 74) Why does Srila Prabhupada “bhakti” in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu as devotion instead of his usual translation “devotional service”?
• 73) As Ravana and Kumbakarna are also devotees in disguise, why do scriptures not glorify them?
• 72) When the soul obviously moves, how do we to explain the Gita 2.24 statement that the soul is immovable?
• 71) As the killing of Hiranyakashipu happened before the garlanding of Narasimhadeva by Prahlad Maharaj, why are both depicted in the same picture?
• 70) Why are the Puranas mentioned separately from Smriti in the verse “shrutismritipuranadi..”?
• 69) Is Vyasadeva not doing self-glorification when he writes “by the mercy of Vyasa” in the Gita ?
• 68) Why does Krishna refer to himself in the third person in the Gita?
• 67) How do we understand when different Vaishnava acharays give different meanings of the same scriptural verse?
• 66) Krishna has himself given the Vedas; then why does he tell us to go beyond the Vedas in the Gita 2.46?
• 65) My heart tells me that jnana-yoga is the best path for me. What should I do?
• 64) References to the Hare Krishna Mahamantra
• 63) If Hiranyakashipu performed austerity for 10,000 years, how was Prahlad just 5 years old when he returned?
• 62) Narasimha Lila – Festival Class (Hindi)
• 61) Prayers of Prahlada Maharaj (Narasimha Chaturdashi Bhagavatam)
• 60) Ishopanishad Systematic Overview Pune 2012 – 15 classes

April 2012

• 59) What happens to demigods when yajna is stopped?
• 58) How do we understand the scriptural statement that we are not the doers?
• 57) When exactly was the Ramayana written – before, during or after the pastimes of Lord Rama?
• 56) How can we trust the Vedas when many Vedic texts have been destroyed and incomplete knowledge is harmful?
• 55) Does the Bhagavad-gita teach that all paths lead to the same goal?
• 54) If consciousness is spiritual, then why is it said to a part of the material field in Chp 13 of the Gita?
• 53) Systematic overview of all Bhagavad-gita verses in 50 hours
• 52) Should I try to resolve every doubt that comes when reading scriptures?
• 51) What does Prabhupada mean when he refers to Drona’s leniency?
• 50) Why did Lord Rama kill the shudra Shambuka for doing the pious activity of tapasya?
• 49) Rama-Lila lectures in Hindi
• 48) In the Gita 1.1, why is Dhritarashtra’s asking “What did they do?” in the past tense instead of the present tense?
• 47) Why did the same Arjuna who didn’t want to kill his own relatives before the war want to kill Yudhishthira?
• 46) How does Kuvera have a lake on the earth?
• 45) How can one understand “action in inaction and inaction in action”
• 44) Is the Ramayana relevant today?

March 2012

• 43) Why are the names of Vedic personalities characteristic of their personalities?
• 42) Gita Overview Hindi
• 41) Bhishma Stuti 1.9.32-42
• 40) Why Draupadi didn’t allow Karna to participate in her swayamvar competition?
• 39) Queen Kunti’s Prayers – 1 (1.8.18-24)
• 38) Gita Overview 2 (2.1-2.30)
• 37) Gita Overview 5 (2.54-3.8)
• 36) Gita Overview 1 (1.1-1.46)

February 2012

• 35) Why do some people consider the Vedas superior to the Puranas?
• 34) Why are there contradictions between Mahabharata and Bhagavatam?
• 33) When we can return to Krishna by love and devotion, why do we need to study scriptures?
• 32) Why do the Vedic scriptures sometimes contain verses with an apparently Mayavadi import?
• 31) Why was Pururava not purified by worship of Lord Vishnu, as was Dhruva Maharaj?
• 30) The Song of God – A brief introduction to the Bhagavad-gita
• 29) Why did Bhishma wait till Uttarayana to leave his body?
• 28) When the Pandavas were born of various demigods, why are they called the sons of Pandu?
• 27) Why does Srila Prabhupada add electricity in the translation of 15.6?
• 26) Why does Srila Prabhupada give two contradictory translations of the word “vraja” in 18.66?
• 25) Why does the Gita say that “I am intelligence among women?”

January 2012

• 24) When did Vyasadeva write Bhagavatam?
• 23) Why is “Sri Bhagavan uvaca” in the Bhagavad Gita translated as “The Blessed Lord”? said”
• 22) Can you kindly clarify the position of Ekalavya?
• 21) Can you clarify the character and past-life history of Karna?
• 20) Why did Lord Rama kill Vali from behind a tree?
• 19) Are there any references in the Gita to the chanting of the holy names?
• 18) Why does devotee association not purify people like Kamsa?
• 17) Why do I feel more attracted to Lord Rama than to Lord Krishna?
• 16) Why should we believe in the Vedas?
• 15) Why was Karna denigrated as suta-putra?
• 14) How Krishna is revealed in the Bhagavatam
• 13) Why does the Bhagavatam say that Lord Ram went to the brahmajyoti?
• 12) MBW 1 (Mahabharata Wisdom 1): The Unity of the Pandavas – Yudhisthira’s Mistake
• 11) Is the Bhagavad-gita an extremist book?

December 2011

• 10) Is the metaphorical interpretation of the Gita’s battlefield setting authorized?
• 9) Why does the Bhagavad-gita call for violence?
• 8) Bhagavad-gita for the Jet-age
• 7) The Gita’s Secret Message Of Love
• 6) Why is the Bhagavad-gita so pessimistic?
• 5) Emotional Exchanges between Krishna and Arjuna in the Gita

November 2011

• 4) Why does the Gita recommend working with detachment?

October 2011

• 3) What is the significance of Diwali?
• 2) Are the Vedas mythological because they talk about mysticism?

October 2010

• 1) Why did Lord Rama banish Sita?