A beautiful blog is written by Sutapa Das, and I added one sloka from the Gita. The original title: Friendly Fire—Why Can’t We Be Friends With Everyone? See the link: https://iskconnews.org/friendly-fire-why-cant-we-be-friends-with-everyone,7514/
Sutapa Das writes very thoughtful, meaningful, inspirational & friendly articles.
With genuine spiritual advancement comes the capacity and capability to have friendly relationships with one and all.
Bg 18.20 — That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities, though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to be in the mode of goodness. Vedabase.io
Equipped with spiritual vision that penetrates beyond externals, one remains undisturbed by annoying idiosyncrasies, ideological differences, unpredictable personalities, and sticky character traits. We’re able to see something deeper, see the spirit, the underlying sincerity. We can see the heart. At this stage, we have no enemies, even if others view us as such. Indeed, the Bhagavad-gita explains that such friendly persons are spontaneously engaged in beneficial acts towards all living beings (sarva bhuta hite ratha). We could do with a few more people like that in the world.
Lofty, utopian and unattainable? Admittedly, although we desire these friendly connections with everyone around us, it just doesn’t seem to work out in real life. Fighting and friction seem an integral part of social intercourse. Why can’t everyone be friends with everyone else? Is the fact that we don’t get on with everyone a sign of our spiritual deficiencies? What could be the reason for people not liking us?
- Our Problem – often, breakdown of friendships are due to underlying selfishness within us. When people smell agendas, duplicity and exploitation, to a greater or lesser degree, they run a mile. Lesson: examine yourself and avoid blaming others.
- Their Problem – other times, people project their own struggles onto us and thus prevent a meaningful connection. Deep rooted issues of insecurity, envy and pride, naturally distance them from others. Lesson: be patient and don’t take it personally.
- No Problem – sometimes, two people fall out simply because of misunderstanding and miscommunication. Random unsavory incidents can block what would otherwise be a healthy friendship. Lesson: don’t take things too seriously and learn to forget.
- Natural Problem – since we are all unique individual characters, it is impersonalistic and utopian to expect that everyone will perfectly gel. Even pure souls have their differences, though it doesn’t block their appreciation of each other. Lesson: celebrate diversity and find atleast something to appreciate.
So, at the risk of sounding cheesy and cliched, lets make more friendly connections. It,s a short life after all. As Abraham Lincoln said, “the best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.”
It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. I am in the same boat with everyone else, or I may even be behind, but thinking in the right direction will help us to go in the right direction.
With respect to everyone’s values & beliefs, whichever GUIDELINES ( Bible, Quran, Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other...) METHODS or WAYS work for us are all good.
THANK YOU.
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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:
I am inspired to hear & read the Vedic Scriptures by regularly listening to Sri Pandurang Shashtri Athvale, also known as Dadaji ( speaks on Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Veda based discourses & western philosophy ) and the association of Swadhyay Parivar every Sunday in Swadhya Kendra.
I also hear and read the discourses & literature on Vedic thoughts from Srila Prabhupada, his disciples & grand disciples ( HH Bhakti Rasamitra Swami, HH Chaitanya Charandas Prabhu, Shubha Vilas Prabhu, Vraja Vihari Dasa, Sutapa Das, Amarnath Dasa, HH Bhakticharu Swami, HH Urmila Devi Dasi, HH Sivarama Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Romapada Swami, Lal Govind Prabhu (Gujarati & Hindi), Prahalad Maharaj in Surat (Gujarati) .......and many more from ISKCON......).
FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. The beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.
It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data.
Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).
NOTE:
Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.
We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God — either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).
Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes.
I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.
Here Lord says in Gita
Bg 9.17 — I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.
TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.
Bg:13-12:— Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).
