A Woman’s Gita: Bhagavad Gita by and for Western Women
Nischala Joy Devi & Kamala Rose

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36 episodes
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In this episode of A Women’s Gita Podcast, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi step into Chapter 4 (Jñana Yoga) and explore what it means for Krishna to “remind” Arjuna of an ancient, forgotten yoga—and why that matters now, in the chaos of the Kali Yuga.
They reflect on:
How desire, karma, and selfless action from Chapter 3 flow into the wisdom of Chapter 4
Krishna’s transmission of yoga through Vivasvat, Manu, and the royal sages—and what this lineage teaches us about stewardship of sacred knowledge
Why remembering, not acquiring, is at the heart of yoga: the Self as deeper than mind and intellect
The responsibility and humility of being a modern yoga teacher or practitioner in a capitalist culture
How the Gita meets us exactly where we are—whether we are devoted, skeptical, confused, or heartbroken
This conversation is especially for yoga practitioners and teachers who sense that yoga is more than wellness or fitness—and feel called to carry the tradition with integrity, depth, and love in turbulent times. - Send us Fan Mail
Why do we sometimes act against our own best intentions—say the sharp thing, make the hurtful choice, or spiral into burnout even when we deeply want to do good?
In this episode, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi sit “under the banyan tree” with Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, verses 36–41, exploring Arjuna’s question to Krishna: What impels a person to act, even to do harm, “as if urged by some force”?
Together they unpack:
Rajas guna as the restless force behind desire, anger, and overaction
How this same energy fuels both life and violence—from spring blossoms to the battlefield
The slippery slope from mental agitation to tamas, inaction, and even war
The difference between true compassion and compassion fatigue—“caring too much for too long about what we cannot change”
How daily yogic practice, self-awareness, and discernment (viveka) help us clear the dusty mirror of consciousness
Drawing on women’s lived experience, the hosts weave in examples from family life, activism, and spiritual figures like Mahatma Gandhi and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This conversation is an invitation to hold righteous anger, deep care, and wise action together—without burning out or checking out. - Send us Fan Mail
What does it really mean to live your dharma when life looks nothing like a scripture story?
In this episode, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi begin with Bhagavad Gita 3.34–35—“Better to do one’s own dharma poorly than another’s well”—and follow it into the very human landscapes of work, motherhood, monastic vows, and hard personal choices.
Through stories of bus drivers, mothers, and monastics, they explore how our unique mix of karma, samskaras, upbringing, and temperament shapes a path that is truly our own. They speak candidly about entering and leaving ashram life, facing judgment from others, and the moment you realize the container you once loved has become too small.
This is a conversation about recognizing when you’re out of alignment, finding the courage to course-correct, and discovering how any role—no matter how “ordinary”—can become sacred when it expresses your deepest dharma.
In this episode, we explore:
The Gita’s teaching on doing your own dharma vs. copying someone else’s
How karma, samskaras, and swabhava shape your unique path
The tension between job, role, and true purpose
Women’s evolving access to study, teaching, and spiritual authority
Entering and leaving monastic life as an expression of dharma
How a city bus driver turns work into compassion and seva
Why alignment with dharma deepens meditation and inner peace - Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi continue their exploration of Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita, focusing on verse 3.27 and the mysterious art of “actionless action.” They unpack how the three gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—shape our inner and outer lives, and what it really means to say, “I am not the doer.”
Through practical examples, personal reflections, and classical yogic philosophy, they explore how environment, ego, and intentional practice all interact to either cloud or clarify our awareness. Listeners are invited to examine their own habits, choices, and spiritual priorities with compassion and honesty.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
The three gunas and how they influence thought, mood, and behavior
Karma Yoga and the idea that “nature acts, not the Self”
Ego (ahamkara), negativity bias, and the habit of “I am the doer”
Using buddhi (higher wisdom) for pause, discernment, and better choices
How environment can be stronger than willpower
The role of meditation, asana, and pranayama in cultivating sattva
Satsang, long-term practice, and spiritual growth as evolution, not lightning - Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of A Women’s Gita Podcast, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi explore karma yoga through the lens of the Bhagavad Gita, asking what it really means to live as an example for others. Starting from Gita 3.21, they unpack how “great persons” inspire the world not by words alone, but by the integrity of their actions.
Drawing on the life and work of Jane Goodall, they reflect on compassionate science, women’s leadership, and the power of seeing animals—and all of nature—as conscious beings deserving of love and respect. Kamala shares personal stories of growing up around female anthropologists and how seeing women in positions of intellectual and ethical authority shaped her own path.
Together, they consider what this all means for modern yoga teachers: moving beyond the idea of yoga as just a sweaty vinyasa class, and toward yoga as Ahimsa, loka sangraha (acting for the welfare of the world), and spiritual maturity. They also explore the Gita’s subtle paradoxes around action and non-action, and how to understand Krishna’s teaching as a practical call to conscious, selfless service in daily life.
Topics in this episode:
Karma yoga and Gita 3.21–3.25: acting as an example for the world
Jane Goodall as a model of compassionate, feminine leadership in science
Women, nature, and reclaiming an intimate relationship with the more-than-human world
Loka sangraha: acting for the welfare of all beings, not just ourselves
The responsibility of yoga teachers to embody Ahimsa and spiritual depth
Reconciling “nothing left to attain” with continuing to act in the world
Why meditation and quiet time are essential foundations for selfless service
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About A Woman’s Gita: Bhagavad Gita by and for Western Women
A Woman’s Gita: Bhagavad Gita by and for Western Women is a new podcast discussing Bhagavad-Gita, the timeless classic of Eastern Wisdom reinterpreted from the perspective of two Western female teachers who are both former monastics, Nischala Joy Devi and Kamala Rose, who have dedicated their lives to the Yoga Tradition. At a time when women’s voices are finally emerging, a feminine perspective of the wartime treatise could not be more timely. Each episode will explore the main teachings in the Bhagavad Gita from a female perspective and describe the process of bringing the Gita to a wider audience.--- Nischala Joy Devi ---Nischala Joy Devi is a masterful teacher, author, and healer. She spent 25 years as a monastic in the Vedic tradition, learning all aspects of Yoga from great masters worldwide. Her teaching reflects her love of Yoga and scripture, highlighting the Bhagavad Gita, considered one of the quintessential scriptures of Yoga. The Gita, previously deemed unrelatable to Western women, has inspired Devi to adapt the teaching by infusing content and commentary with feminine-based insights and parables. Now the Bhagavad Gita, like most of her teachings, reflects a heart-centered perspective of spirituality in scripture.--- More at abundantwellbeing.com--- Kamala Rose ---Kamala Rose brings over 30 years of contemplative training, a background in Sanskrit, and a lifelong immersion in the Bhagavad Gita. She studied with traditional teachers like Srivatsa Ramaswami, several academic institutions, explored interpretive lineages through the Theosophical Society, and was shaped by a father who studied the Upanishads and a mother who nurtured her feminist and academic orientation from an early age. She has dedicated her life to preserving yoga’s wisdom tradition by making it more accessible to yoga teachers.--- More at KamalaRoseYoga.org
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