PHRASES IN THE GITA - 20

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 20

कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् | (अध्याय ३ - श्लोक २९)
க்ருத்ஸ்னவின்ன விசாலயேத் (அத்யாயம் 3 - ஸ்லோகம் 29)
 Krutsnavinna Vichaalayet (Chapter 3 - Shloka 29).

Meaning : The Learned should not confuse and discourage the Ignorant.

This is the most common phenomenon, found almost everywhere, in every field.  Everyone of us, more educated than elders in our previous generation, have mindlessly indulged in this act of criticizing, condemning, ridiculing, confusing or discouraging them.

'A' has some respect, awe, admiration for 'B'.   He expresses the same to 'C' through gestures or words.  'C' may or may not know 'B', but in all probabilities will try to convince A how B is not worth the respect or admiration.  In my younger days, once when I was a new entrant in the organization, I talked high of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and instantly a senior Adhikari (functionary) in the organization, whispered in my ears, "Do you know?  You can not meet him after 08.30 in the night".  I could not grasp what he meant by those words, but nevertheless, these words left indelible, lingering doubts in me.  Probably, he might have known Shri Atalji more than me and what he said could have been true.  Yet, my admiration for Shri Atalji never faded.  On the other hand, respect for this gentleman eroded.  {He was probably referring to Atalji's drinking habits, which I felt was irrelevant for admiration.}

We visit families.  Invariably, the pictures displayed in reception hall reflect the family's affiliations to organizations.  We tend to pass some nasty critical comments on the person or organization displayed in the picture.  The host may decide to keep a dignified silence, owing to the respect for the guest.  These comments of the guest may cause confusion in the hosts mind, if respect for the guest is higher than the for the one in hung picture.  The comments lead to hot, sometimes very bitter arguments if the respect for the person in the picture is higher than for the guest.

Not only persons, organizations, but the attitude to criticize is seen practices, beliefs, food recipes, and almost anything and everything.  What is the root cause for this attitude?  The first and foremost factor responsible for this attitude (I would rather call this an impulse.)  is 'Arrogance'.  My nephew Shri Akshaya Jyothiram Iyer was born, brought up and educated in northern Bharat. He must have been eight or ten years old boy, when once he tried to talk with me in Tamil.  He committed a mistake, either in pronunciation or in grammar and I instantly made, probably, a caustic comment. I do not remember his mistake or my comment, but I definitely remember two drops of tears, which appeared in his eyes.  Memory of those two drops whenever evoked causes disturbance.  I have sought his pardon so many times, not directly from him but in my mind.  Arrogance.  Subtle arrogance.  Arrogance while commenting and arrogance while not seeking person.  Nevertheless, those two drops definitely refined my attitude.

The other factor is 'semitic'  or 'Only' attitude.  Only my opinion is right;  Only my practice is correct;  Only beliefs are true;  Only my food practice is healthy;  all others are wrong, false, or incorrect.  "There is no other person or organization like this in the whole world'; etc. etc. And I have a responsibility to correct all these aberrations and bring all those who have swayed away from the 'right path' to the 'right' path.  This is what Swami Vivekananda called the attitude of "frog in the well".

Travelling beyond our own narrow "frontiers' is the remedy for getting rid of or fine-tuning this impulse.  Meeting people from other communities, participating in special festive occasions of other communities, visiting families and befriending persons in other communities, trying to learn other languages, travelling to other parts within our state, within Bharat and outside Bharat, depending on the financial status.  Travelling to see lifeless buildings, museums, and even forests and Natural places is OK.  But, interacting with people while travelling is more important.

"Rolling stone gathers no moss", says a proverb.  Rolling stone (a traveller) may not gather Moss, but will definitely get rid of this 'Moss'.