Why Krishna Makes It Worse Before Making It Better

Expect More Pain, Not Less—If You’re Doing It Right

“Just as a blazing fire burns wood to ashes, the fire of knowledge burns all reactions of material misdeeds to ashes.”
— Bhagavad-gītā 4.37

A concerned father complained that his son was lazy and disinterested in life. His proof? The boy did no work at home. The father believed the cause was a lack of physical exercise. “If only he exercised,” he said, “he’d feel fresh and motivated.”

But upon deeper reflection, it became clear that exercise wasn’t...