Questioning Our Stupidities

Shankara points out some of most common stupidities of the human race in further verses. Often we wonder how to overcome these stupidities? Shankara very plainly says, "See the flip side!" This is called Pratipaksha Bhaavna. 

Often our perception of things, people, situations is very fractional. We only see what is convenient, favourable, or instinctive. But Bhaja Govindam is a thorough training in holistic vision. 

Shankaracharya or spirituality is not out to criticise all that is good, dear, beautiful and enjoyable. Instead, Shankara says "Enjoy with alertness and awareness" 

Shankaracharya gives us as though an ariel view of our priorities, making us understand how shallow our understanding of the most significant things of our life is - whether it is wealth, passion, relationships, family, society, our own body, or even life itself!! We live with these, but dont understand them at all!! 

Shankara says understand each of them. Analyse them. Question the obvious. Enquire into the everyday affairs of life. Unless i know these well, i cant ever progress.

But we rarely bother!! Why do we go to school? Why marry? Why remove footwear outside a temple? Why do i need wealth for? Why am i working?? Why do i need a family?? Why follow values? Why do arati at the end of the pooja?

We rarely ask!! Even if a question arises, we dont pursue it and it dies down. Even if we pursue, we do not find the right answers usually. 

It is important to question the obvious. Then Knowledge arises. Newton questioned the obvious "Why apples fall?" and Knowledge arose!! 

The students in the Upanishads, the Soldier prince Arjuna in Geeta, the great Janmajaya in Mahabharata... They questioned, they thought, they analysed... And so the Lord came in the form of Gurus, Scriptures or their own Higher Intelligence and answered! Knowledge was revealed and transformation happened.

Unless we question, we wont be able to see the stupidity of our stupidities(Moha)!! Many people ask "I know, but why cant i do?" The answer is bitter but true "Because we love being stupid!"

It is like the dog who chews a bone. He is enjoying the juice n keeps chewing the bone, until he realises that what he was enjoying is not the juice of the bone but his own blood. The bone was cutting his mouth n he was bleeding continuously, n yet enjoying it not knowing it is its own blood. Now it has ulcers all over its mouth!!

Are we all not like that?? Enjoying our own stupidities, which are silently keeping us on the path of stress, suffering n finitude? THINK!!

Quotes:

"A Happy Slave is the Greatest Enemy of Freedom" - Gurudev

"The day i learn to QUESTION the validity of my pursuits, i become a Seeker" - Gurudev

Practice for the day:

Question the obvious aspects of your life and take time to WRTE DOWN ur answers.

When we write, it brings a lot of clarity. Write clearly the "Why?" of everything u do...it may be scolding a child, going to work, using a smartphone, praying, buying a car/house, serving in the ashram... or whatever. WHY??? Why do i do anything that i do? THINK!