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प्रचलित लोकोक्तियों और मुहावरों में छुपे झूठ || आचार्य प्रशांत (2020)
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5 years ago
Proverbs and Idioms
Worldliness
Deception
Culture of Positivity
Trust in God
Ego
Negation
Spirituality
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a question about the falsehoods hidden in popular proverbs and idioms that have conditioned people since childhood. He begins by analyzing the saying, "Come, consider it your own home." He explains that the person saying this is often spiritually homeless themselves. This statement contains two lies: firstly, the speaker, who is themselves homeless, is telling another to consider their house as their own. Secondly, it's a form of deception, as the speaker has no real love to share their most precious thing. If the guest were to actually treat the house as their own, the host would be in trouble. The speaker is trying to fool the other person, perhaps to get something valuable in return. He likens this to schoolchildren sharing tiffins, where one offers stale food with affection to get a share of better food. He concludes that this worldly dealing is rotten, and one should develop an aversion to it just by observing it. Next, he deconstructs the phrase "Be positive," which he equates with remaining hopeful for the fulfillment of false, worldly desires. He argues that the world actually needs more "negative" people, in the spiritual sense of negating the false. This negativity is directed towards one's foolish desires and the foolish self. He criticizes the modern culture of positivity, linking it to consumerism and the destruction of the planet, as it encourages everyone to believe they will get whatever they want to consume. He points out that the context of such sayings is crucial; applying a phrase like "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" to petty, worldly goals is a perversion of its original spiritual intent. Spirituality, he asserts, teaches reality, not positivity. The truth is neither positive nor negative; it simply is. The need for positivity arises only for those whose actions are already receiving negative feedback from life. Finally, Acharya Prashant discusses the saying, "Trust in God." He states that people often use this as a consolation after committing wrongdoings, hoping an external God will save them from the consequences. He clarifies that in spirituality, God is not an external entity. Trusting God means trusting the God within, which is the power of understanding and wisdom (Vivek). He explains that the idea of an external God is a trick of the ego, or Satan. The ego wants to believe it is the sole ruler within, so it places God somewhere outside. Accepting that God is within is a truth that brings great responsibility and can be painful for the ego. Therefore, when things go wrong due to one's own actions, one should blame the inner Satan (ego) and not an external God. He concludes by quoting Shri Krishna from the Gita, who, after giving all knowledge to Arjun, tells him to do as he wishes, signifying that the choice to follow God or the ego ultimately lies with the individual.