Ninth-century Chinese Buddhist monk Linji Yixuan famously told his disciples, “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” … More
Tag: Dharma
The Entrepreneur — Wealth-Seeker or Dharmic Agent? Why the Bhagavad Gita Sees Business as Sacred Yajna
The popular imagination has long cast the businessman as a necessary evil — someone who accumulates wealth while society grudgingly tolerates him. But this is a profound distortion of the Dharmic vision.
The Bhagavad Gita does not treat any profession as spiritually inferior. What it insists upon is svadharma — the faithful and selfless execution of one’s ordained function in the cosmic order. The entrepreneur’s svadharma is not merely profit; it is artha-srishti, the creation of the material conditions of civilizational life. Without him, no temple gets built, no scholarship gets patronized, no army gets fed.
In Chapter 3, Krishna establishes that all action must be performed in the spirit of yajna — sacrifice. The businessman who creates genuine value, employs livelihoods, and takes risk so others may have security is performing a yajna. His enterprise, when rightly oriented, is a sacrificial act in the cosmic order.
As Kautilya declares in the Arthashastra: Dharmasya mulam arthah — the root of dharma is artha. The society that dishonors its wealth-creators dishonors its own life-force. The Gita asks not that the businessman renounce his activity, but that he transfigure it — from mere acquisition into sacred function.
My Interpretation of the Cover of My Book “Sammary of the Bhagavad Gita”
My cousin asked me, “What is the cover picture?”, referring to my book “Sammary of the Bhagavad Gita”: https://www.amazon.in/Sammary-Bhagavad-Gita-Samarender-Reddy-ebook/dp/B0GT7313VL/ I … More
The Bhagavad Gita Explained: Key Teachings and Insights
The Bhagavad Gita — spoken on a battlefield over two thousand years ago — remains one of the most profound guides to the human condition ever written. Yet its philosophical depth, Sanskrit terminology, and eighteen dense chapters can feel overwhelming to modern readers.
Sammary of the Bhagavad Gita by D. Samarender Reddy is not a translation or a conventional commentary. It is a guided philosophical journey through the Gita’s core teachings — written for the intelligent general reader who wants to genuinely understand what the Gita is saying, why it says it, and what difference it makes to how one lives.
The book covers the Gita’s two-tier vision of Reality, the Goal of Life as Krishna defines it (compared with Buddhism, Christianity, Stoicism, and modern psychology), the four paths of Karma Yoga, Jñāna Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga, and practical guidance on action, duty, meditation, and liberation. A complete fresh English translation of all eighteen chapters is included as an appendix.
Whether you are encountering the Gita for the first time or returning after years of study, this book will deepen your understanding of why this ancient dialogue continues to speak — with remarkable directness — to the most urgent questions of human life.
On the Brahmin and the Aryan
Even if there is a superior caste such as Brahmins and even if there is a superior race such as … More
“When in doubt, do as the Brahmins do”
The phrase “when in doubt, do as the Brahmins do” is an instruction found in the Taittiriya Upanishad, a key … More
Only Two Ashrams in Life
I reject the Varnashrama Dharma. According to me, there are only two ashrams. It is up to one to define … More
Modern Way to Live Vanaprastha Ashram
Vanaprastha Ashram is often misunderstood as withdrawal from society. In truth, it is a withdrawal from compulsion, ego, and the need to constantly prove one’s worth. Traditionally associated with midlife or later years, Vanaprastha marks a shift from achievement to understanding, from control to clarity.
In modern life, this transition does not require forests or seclusion. It can be lived in homes, workplaces, caregiving roles, and leadership positions. Psychologically, it aligns with the brain’s natural movement toward emotional regulation, pattern recognition, and meaning-making. Spiritually, it softens identity without erasing responsibility.
Vanaprastha allows one to mentor without ownership, serve without depletion, and remain socially engaged without being entangled. It is particularly relevant for those experiencing midlife questioning, leadership fatigue, caregiver exhaustion, or spiritual burnout.
To live Vanaprastha today is to stay present in the world while loosening one’s grip on it—fully engaged, yet inwardly free.
The Architecture of the Cosmos and the Intellectual Treadmill
A friend wrote to me on email:Hi Sam, Would you be interested in experimenting with SHARED CHATGPT CHAT with me?We … More
Truth & Untruth
Read this story that refers to a prayer Ramakrishna made to the Divine Mother where he asked for pure love, … More
Know Thyself 