uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayetātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self. We are responsible for our own elevation or debasement. Nobody can traverse the path of God-realization for us. Saints and … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 6 verse 5

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastiniśhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ The truly learned, with the eyes of divine knowledge, see with equal vision a Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater. When we perceive things through the perspective of knowledge, it is called prajñā chakṣhu, which means “with the eyes of knowledge.”  Shree Krishna … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 5 verse 18

sargāṇām ādir antaśh cha madhyaṁ chaivāham arjunaadhyātma-vidyā vidyānāṁ vādaḥ pravadatām aham O Arjun, know me to be the beginning, middle, and end of all creation. Amongst sciences I am the science of spirituality, and in debates I am the logical conclusion. Earlier in the twentieth verse, Shree Krishna had stated that he is the beginning, … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 10 verse 32

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyatenānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhāaśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlamasaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvātataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁyasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥtam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadyeyataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī The real form of this tree is not perceived in this world, neither its beginning nor end, nor its continued existence. But this deep-rooted aśhvatth tree must be … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 15 verse 3-4

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitāmdharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age. Having stated in the last verse that God descends in the world, he now states the three reasons for doing so: 1) To annihilate … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 4 verse 8

ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ Those situated in the mode of goodness rise upward; those in the mode of passion stay in the middle; and those in the mode of ignorance go downward. Shree Krishna explains that the reincarnation of the souls in their next birth is linked to the guṇas that … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 14 verse 18

yadā sanharate chāyaṁ kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśhaḥindriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, is established in divine wisdom. Attempting to quench the cravings of the senses by supplying them with their desired objects is like trying to dowse … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 2 verse 58

yo 'ntaḥ-sukho 'ntar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥsa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ brahma-bhūto 'dhigachchhatiThose who are happy within themselves, enjoying the delight of God within, and are illumined by the inner light, such yogis are united with the Lord and are liberated from material existence. “Inner light” is the divine knowledge that is bestowed from within in the form … Continue reading [Bhagavad Gita] – Chapter 5 verse 24