Look Within – Talks on the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Venkatesananda.

[Guest guest]

Do I really have respect for human life? Am I really concerned that

there should be happiness that people shouldn't die unnecessarily

– by accident, riot or killing, or do I merely look away from the

problem?

 

Am I facing the truth, do I insist upon finding the truth, or am I

satisfied only when the truth is hidden, veiled?

 

You will discover that our satisfaction comes nearly all the time when

the truth is not presented to us, when ignorance is bliss.

 

Krishna merely points out this simple thing: " don't bring in an

argument merely to hide the truth. "

 

If you dare, face the truth, the excuse drops away and then there is the

light of insight from inside.

 

As a matter of fact this can help us a tremendous lot in our own

personal relationships.

 

Here too, very often we form the judgements of one another which are not

based on truth but on what you think I am or what you think you are and

what you think our relationship is.

 

Instead, is it possible for us resolutely to face the truth?

 

I don't want anyone's opinion – I am not interested in other

peoples view point, because your view point can never be my view point.

 

Whatever I may do, I can never look through your eyes. So is it possible

for me to drop all these things and look at truth, search for truth in

all things, never be taken in by opinions – not only in what is

called god or religion or spiritual life or yoga, but in ALL things?

 

Once someone (who was supposed to be a very great devotee of all the

swamis and so on) was driving me from one place to another and suddenly

she turned to me and asked " swami, what do you think of this Yogi so

and so? "

 

I asked her " madam, do you want the truth or my opinion? "

" Oh! Of course the truth! " she said.

 

I said " sorry, I don't know " (how do I know? If somebody

asks me if someone is holy man or an unholy man what do I do. I

don't know the truth)

 

She asked again " Ah, but what do you think? What is your

opinion? "

 

I said, " that's my business, not yours. My opinion is for me,

not for you " Oh, she was very cross.

 

I may have my opinion, I don't say I don't form opinions at all

– but those are my own private collection, not for public view.

 

Why must I share my opinion with you? I may express an opinion and find

later on that it is wrong.

 

I have to go to the person I told and all the people she may have told

and they may have told and tell all of them my opinion was wrong!

 

It becomes like tracking down the movements and contacts of a person

having a contagious disease.

 

So every time you express an opinion, please remember this: My opinion

is my opinion.

To be continued..