A Woman’s Gita: Bhagavad Gita by and for Western Women

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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.

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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

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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

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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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In this episode of A Woman’s Gita Podcast, Kamala Rose and Nischala Joy Devi sit “under the banyan tree” with Chapter 3, Verse 17–18 of the Bhagavad Gita and explore what it really means to move from constant doing to simple being. They unpack Krishna’s vision of the yogi who is no longer compelled to act, because she has discovered a deep, inner contentment and happiness in the Self alone.
Through storytelling, cross-traditional insights, and practical suggestions for daily practice, Kamala and Nischala show how the ideals of santosha (contentment) and karma yoga (selfless service) can coexist in a modern, busy, capitalist world—especially in women’s lives, where the pressure to constantly “fix, help, and manage” is so strong.

Key Topics Covered:
The meaning of Bhagavad Gita 3.17–18:“One who rejoices in the Self” and is “not compelled to act”
How the compulsion to act shifts from self-centered to world-centered (welfare of all)

Santosha (contentment) as a radical practiceWhy “I am enough” and “I have enough” are revolutionary statements in a consumer culture
The difference between true contentment and laziness

From external rewards to inner fulfillmentHow capitalist conditioning trains us to seek happiness outside ourselves
Atma rati: happiness generated by the Atman, not by achievement or acquisition

The evolution from external ritual to inner realizationThe Vedic story of the gods hiding the Atman “inside” human beings
How ancient ritual fire becomes internalized as the fire of awareness and meditation

Mysticism and direct experience across traditionsYoga as the mystical branch of Hinduism
Parallels with Christian mysticism and the Beatitudes
“Be still and know…” as a universal doorway to the inner Self

Dynamic stillness and the challenge of not-doingWhat it means to be internally vibrant while outwardly still
Why Western culture fears stillness and glorifies busyness
Practical ways to start “making in as important as out”

Everyday practices to cultivate inner contentmentShort daily sittings to train the mind in “I am enough right now”
Using mantra at bedtime to fall asleep in a state of gentle awareness
Bringing santosha into a hatha yoga class as a closing practice

From ego-driven activity to selfless serviceHow the motive for action gradually shifts from “for me” to “for the welfare of the world”
Why one who serves selflessly is “not affected by any being or action”

This episode is for anyone who feels exhausted by constant doing, yet senses there must be a quieter, more grounded way to live, serve, and practice yoga—right in the midst of ordinary life.