Lectures

Gita 01.27 The sequence of perception determines the consequence on our emotion

Life, Afterlife and the Search for Meaning

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

Developing service attitude 2 – How to see reciprocation in our service

Developing service attitude 1 – Service attitude transforms knowledge into realization

How to develop self-confidence

Gita 01.25 What catches ouar attention is determined by what is prominent in our external situation and in our internal disposition

From sentimentalism to sentiment 2 – FEEL acronym – Expression and Learning

From sentimentalism to sentiment 1 – FEEL acronym – Firmness and Education

Immigrating to the spiritual world

Gita 01.24 The position of maximum visibility is also the position of maxiumum vulnerability

Gita 01.23 Virtue doesn’t count when determining the military count in a fight

Stop fighting battles that are already lost and start fighting the battle that is never lost – Vritrasura pastime analysis 3

Focus on potentials, not on problems

When the source of liberation becomes the source of illusion 2 – Mohini-murti pastime analysis

How to transform our heart 2 – Vritrasura’s dramatic transformation

Gita 01.21 The non-partisan position of the Gita’s revelation points to its universality

When the source of liberation becomes the source of illusion 1 – Mohini-murti pastime analysis

How to transform our heart 1 – Vritrasura’s dramatic transformation

Gita 01.20 Life is so unpredictable that it can unbalance the unflappably balanced

Transform your mind, transform your world

Gita 01.19 The Pandavas win the mental battle before the physical battle

Loneliness – Why, what to do?

FEAR acronym – How to find inner security

Reflections on Western outreach

Understanding God’s role in our life

When life hurts 3 – When our good deeds causes problems – Prahlad pastime analysis

When life hurts 2 – When people attack us – Gajendra pastime analysis

Gita 01.18 The Pandavas lost Pandu but gained Drupada as a father figure

Gita 01.17 Don’t let minor grammatical disputes overshadow major narrational and philosophical thrust

When life hurts 1 – when a small mistake causes huge problems – Parikshit M pastime analysis

Finding security in insecurity

Gita 01.16 Yudhishthira doesn’t come first in the list of warriors but is still their undisputed leader

Gita 01.15 The devoted see God before they see the world, the undevoted see only the world

How our mind creates our reality – and how to change it

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

We need to forgive ourselves to give ourselves to Krishna

Krishna has faith in our potential – let’s have faith in his potency

Gita 01.13 Actions that throw caution to the winds are preceded by caution

Security in Insecurity – Learning to flourish amidst change

Demons in krishna-lila 4 – Vatsasura – Weakness is forgivable, wickedness isn’t

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

Gita 01.11 The protector too needs to be protected

Demons in krishna-lila 3 – Trinavarta – Giving up useless argumentation

Gita 01.10 Symmetry of structure stresses contrast in content

Cultivating the mood for studying Bhagavatam

Demons in krishna-lila 2 – Shaktasura – Overcoming Lethargy

Gita 01.09 Duryodhana’s slip of tongue leads to his speaking the truth unintentionally

Gita 01.08 We need to be calm-headed, not cold-blooded

Demons in krishna-lila 1 – How the metaphorical points to the transcendental and how Putana represents false guru

Gita 01.07 Be aware of how what we say to one person may be heard by others

How Gita wisdom helps us to deal with pain

Gita 01.06 Duryodhana diplomatically continues to incite Drona against the Pandava army

How to immigrate to the spiritual world

The MIND enigma – Mystical, Impressionable, Neutral, Directable – Insights for better mental health

Gita 01.05 Our mode of description reflects our intention

Gita 01.04 Duryodhana tries to change Drona’s emotion for the opposite side from affection to anger

The power of purpose

The way to Vrindavan is through Kurukshetra

Gita 01.03 Context can convert compliment into criticism

Gita 01.02 Sanjaya addresses not just the content of Dhritarashtra’s question but also its intent

Gita 01.01 The Gita’s first word dharma conveys its essential, universal theme

Overcoming discouragement in spiritual life

Our longing for love – comparing materialist, Abrahamic, impersonal and bhakti explanations

The truth that warms the heart influences more than the truth that lights the way

The home as the decentralized transmitter of devotional culture

Rise from being full of thoughts to being thoughtful – 4 reflections

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 55 -10.10.10-14 Narada curses not impulsively, but after deep reflection

Understanding “emotions”, “negative emotions” and “overcoming negative emotions”

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

The time to understand time is now

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 53 – 10.9.18-23 The kingdom of God is the kingdom of love

Role of self-confidence in bhakti

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 52 – 10.9.13-17 Krishna’s form appears finite but is infinite

Understanding, identifying and managing the mind

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 51 – 10.9.7.12 Yashoda catches the Lord whom the yogis can’t catch

Bhagavatam transforms intensity of distress into velocity in devotion

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 50 -10.9.1-6 Yashoda demonstrates the same bhakti perfection as does Arjuna

Overcoming negative emotions 2 – Acceptance, Aspiration, Analysis, Action

Overcoming negative emotions 1 – Explanation, Experimentation, Evaluation, Elevation

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 49 – 10.8.46-52 Transcendental and contextual explanations for the fortune of Nanda and Yashoda

Is our definition of happiness depriving us of happiness – Having, Doing, Being

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 48 – 10.8.42-45 Yashoda makes sense of the incomprehensible by taking shelter of the transcendental Lord

Understanding rasa-lila 8 – Appreciating Krishna’s mystifying reciprocation

How Gita wisdom addresses mental health problems

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 47 – 10.8.32-41 Krishna shows the universe in his mouth once again

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 46 – 10.8.26-31 Vraja ladies complain about Krishna’s pranks cheerfully

Understanding Rasa-lila 7 – Gopi-gita 3

Understanding Rasa-lila 6 – Gopi-gita 2

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 45 – 10.8.20-25 Krishna’s childhood activities fill Vraja ladies with anxiety and ecstasy

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 44 – 10.8.13.19 Garga conceals and reveals Krishna’s identity

Understanding Rasa-lila 5 – Gopi-gita 1

Radhashtami class – Radharani demonstrates selfless love and blesses us with selfless love

Understanding Rasa-lila 4 – Radharani’s apparent pride expresses her selfless love

How the Bhagavad-gita’s first and last words reflect its empowering message

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 43 – 10.8.7-12 Religious celebration is meant for spiritual purification, not social congregation

Understanding rasa-lila 3 – Arrogance keeps us locked in ourselves, both apara-dharma and para-dharma get us out of ourselves

Seeing Krishna’s mercy amidst adversity – Bali M pastime analysis

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 42 – 10.8.1-6 The saintly come to the worldly to expand the consciousness of the wordly

Understanding rasa-lila 2- How Bhagavatam establishes para-dharma without trivializing apara-dharma