Stupidity!

Bhaja Govindam begins with a scolding. It is not one of those texts where Shankaracharya lovingly and compassionately teaches the student. Here is a 16 year old Shankara rebuking a 70-year old uncle and calls him "Stupid" - "Mudhamate"! Imagine!!

So today, let's think over "Stupidity"

This may sound like the most non-spiritual topic possible. But it is indeed important to understand who is "Stupid" by Shankara's standards, and what really is "Spiritual Stupidity"!! 

11 Greatest Stupidities of Life:

1) To not perceive people and things as they are and to see them the other way - is STUPIDITY. 

2) To refuse to think rationally in the name of faith, social tradition, culture, etc and follow practices without understanding them rationally - is STUPIDITY.

3) To take permanently stupid decisions because we are temporarily upset - is STUPIDITY. 

4) To take the opinions of people too seriously, or to perceive oneself or others based on "second-hand information" or "pre-conceived notions"- is STUPIDITY. 

5) To give priority to non-essentials and ignore the important things in life for their sake - is STUPIDITY. 

6) To talk of great spiritual ideals and not follow basic values such as non-gossiping, punctuality, forgiveness, etc - is STUPIDITY. 

7) To complain about life and worry over things we can't change - is STUPIDITY. 

8) To see others ageing and dying and yet believe that "we will not go through this" - is STUPIDITY.

9) To do wrong and believe that "nobody will know" - is STUPIDITY.

10) To not accept one's own stupidity and refuse to transform oneself - is STUPIDITY.

11) To not be aware of One's own True Self and yet believe that one is not Stupid - is STUPIDITY.

Strangely, all of us, even the so called High IQ people, suffer from these Stupidities in some way or other! Yet we laugh at other people's Stupidities and make fun of them. How Stupid!! To be able to laugh at our every day Stupidities, and take seriously our Spiritual Stupidities - is WISDOM! 

Funny  Quote: 

"Two things are Infinite in this world - The Universe and Human Stupidity. ...and I am not sure about the Universe!" - Albert Einstein

Practice for Today:

Don't do anything without a reason. Live logical and NOT STUPID lives!! 😜