1) Are you into fault finding or fact finding ?
We are so much accustomed to find a fault that we forget to see the facts, once there was a nice, benevolent King who always cared for his pupils like his own children. He was also famous for giving charity to Brahmanas, he would fed them food everyday noon. Once it's so happened that when his servants were carrying big pots of food to the place where Brahmanas were sitting, one eagle was flying over their heads, carrying snake into it's teeth who was on the verge of dying, snake out of fear vomited poison and that dropped incidentally into one of the pot. When this particular poisoned food was served to Brahmanas those who eat that were died on the spot. Now other Brahmanas started investigating who is real culprit, King? his servants? eagle or snake? Or God? but no one could understand, even yamadutas were confused whom to be held responsible for such heinous act of killing few Brahmanas. Yamraj said,"don't worry, just wait and watch, you will soon find who is real culprit...". Many days passed, once 2 ladies were passing from that kingdom, they saw the King is serving food to the Brahmanas, they also desired to have food but suddenly one of them said,"hey, wait!! we can't eat food from the hands of this King, who is known for killing noble Brahmanas"...immediately Yamraj sent his dutas to bring this lady to him as a real culprit. The lesson we learn here is that fault finder is real culprit and sinner.
Actually it has become our nature to see only the faults although ocean of good qualities lying in person, some of us take so much pleasure in fault finding as if reward is awaiting for us. Sometimes it's so happens that although faults are absent in person we make them present by our habit. Most of the times because of not knowing the facts we just judge on the external behaviour of person.
One of the leading aachrya Srila Sarswati Thakur says,"the cause is one's own heart being honeycombed by the very same faults which we find in others!". Best way to deal will this bad practice is trying to see good in others and finding faults with ourselves, as Jesus says,"Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?". God has not made us bad, He has given everyone of us some good, special and distinguishable qualities. To find a fault is very easy but to find remedy is a bit difficult job.
Lord Krishna in Gita(16.1-3)enlists the qualities of godly souls, He mentions there about 'aversion to fault finding' as one of the quality. In fact Lord's one of the name is Adosh-darsi(one who doesn't see the faults). The God who has created us, who knows everything about us, who always watches over us, He neglects the to see faults within us although plenty of them present within the heart...then who are we insignificant souls to judge his children? As bible says,"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven". So let's become dear to lord by developing quality of fact finder and not fault finder!!!
2) Get serious about not taking yourself too seriously
People who are too stuck-up, standoffish, finicky are told, “Lighten up. Don’t take things so seriously.” Such people who take themselves too seriously make small things big, subjecting themselves to unnecessary pressure.
Of course, there’s danger at the other extreme too: we may be frivolous and not take things seriously enough. Certainly, we have many responsibilities that need to be taken seriously. But paradoxically, only by taking some things lightly can we take other things seriously.
Our present existence is bi-level: material and spiritual. Our many worldly attachments make us take material things too seriously. We expect, even insist, that the world work according to our plans – and if it doesn’t, that will be the end of the world.
With Gita wisdom, we understand that whatever happens at the material level, no matter how big and threatening it seems, is temporary. Further, the understanding that we as spiritual beings are indestructible brings solace. Moreover, we are not God, but are his parts meant to serve him in whatever situation come our way. The Bhagavad-gita (02.15) assures that those who stay equipoised in happiness and distress attain the eternal.
When we take seriously the truth that we are not the controllers – and don’t have to be – we become progressively enriched with many precious insights: Our present life is just one flash in an existence that endures for eternity; we are just tiny beings in a vast cosmos, wherein we have been taken care of for many lifetimes by something far bigger than ourselves; that higher reality will take care of us henceforth too. These insights usher calmness and clarity, thereby enabling us to focus seriously on that which matters most: our relationship of loving service with Krishna. Therein, we contribute our best and ultimately achieve the best: life and love eternal with Krishna.
3) Commonsense is not so common
I just happened to see one pic which showed the tomb where it was written 'R.I.P. Dear Common sense, I will miss you', it's seemed funny but depicted the reality of the world. In today fast moving technological world Common sense has become super natural power, because hardly anyone has it. There was one high qualified automobile engineer who took the contract for making most beautiful car in the world. He started the work in his workshop with his technical friends who were also brilliant like him. In few months car was ready, owner was really pleased. Owner wanted to go for drive, when they were taking car outside they realized that car is few inches taller than entrance. Engineers felt bad that they couldn't notice this thing while creation. Someone said they can bring out the car but there will be few scratches on the top of car, other said they can break the entrance, but owner didn't like the idea of scratching and breaking. They were approached by the watchman who was watching all this drama, he wanted to give some idea if they have no problem. Engineers thought what suggestion this guy is going to give that experts couldn't give. Watchman said, "the car is only few inches taller than the entrance so if they release the air in the tyre, the height of the car will be adjusted can can be easily taken out". And idea worked, owner was more happy.
So the lesson is don't always think in complex and expert way with technical brain but use common sense, high knowledge doesn't always means you have common sense. sometimes it's so difficult to work and co-operate with people who don't have common sense. It's a basic ability to perceive, judge, and understand things and deal with reasonable way.
Prabhupad would tell the story of scholar who was once traveling in boat to cross the river. To show his knowledge he asked boatman, "do you know anything about astrology?", Boatman replied no, "I don't", scholar said, "then your 25% life is waste". He asked different questions to boatman and after hearing negative answers from him, scholar said, "you don't know anything your 75% life is waste". Meanwhile it's so happened during the journey storm started, it was raining like anything and water of river started entering into the boat. Boatman asked the scholar, "do you know swimming?", he said," No!", boatman replied,"then your 100% life is waste" and he jumped into river to cross it but scholar drowned. Scholar learned everything but forgot to learn how to protect one's life in danger, he missed the commonsense. We are also in similar condition of scholar, river is compared to the material world, there will be always turmoil in this world just like storm and rain in river, but we must know how to save our life by swimming across the river. Swimming is compared to the practicing devotional service unto the God, we may know all literatures and books but the commonsense is to understand that God is source of all and to develop a love for Him by service.
Common sense also means to see the world properly with reality. See the world with reality, which is full of problems like birth, old age, disease and death. See how much suffering exist in the world. On the other side Bhakti process is so simple, no complexities but only full of pleasure till eternity. So let's use our commonsense and choose to follow the path of devotion unto God which gives ultimate success of life.
4) Maya...Much More than a Computer software
Maya is animation software, with its presence everywhere. It's used for making video games, animated films, tv series and visual effects. It's featured applications are in architectural engineering, civil, aerospace, manufacturing, media and entertainment and educational purposes. It's functioning is bit difficult to understand but maya brings imagination to life, means something which is non existent and imaginary can be made and felt real with animation, it's an expert and powerful software such that illusory things(like games and movies) made out of maya gives the feeling of real world.
In our scriptures also there is mention of this software as the controlling software of whole material universe. This Maya is described as potency of God, and does the work of making illusions for souls of this world. Maya means that which is not or that which is actually unreal but felt as if real. She also is the in charge of giving 3 prominent miseries to souls who are trying to enjoy senses independent of her Lord. Maya is everywhere, she has spread her net everywhere. For eg in dusk when someone considers rope as a snake or vice a versa he is under illusion also in desert during afternoon time we see water lake at some distance but as we go near its vanished that's because of illusion. Those who are surrendered to this illusions, maya offers them false shelter(false happiness) which ultimately is collapsed due to its temporary nature.
When we're under maya's influence we think I am this body and everything in relation to it is mine, the attractive things in this world—wealth, fame, the opposite sex—appear real and desirable to us. We think we should be able to enjoy and control them, as we like. But really, everything here is under the control of time, and none of these temporary things can bring us lasting happiness. Maya poses herself beautiful than God and allures us by promising false and temporary happiness of this world. In Fact it's said even most powerful demigods like Lord Shiva and Brahma are also under the influence of maya.
So one may ask how ordinary souls like us will overcome this illusions?? Lord Krishna explains in Gita,"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it". Those who are surrendered to Krishna, maya who was distracting before acts as yog-maya who brings devotees more closer to Krishna. So it's depend on us whose shelter we are willing to take maya or controller of maya, Lord Krishna??
