Acharya Prashant explains the meaning of a couplet: "My beloved, whenever he looked at me, found only deep darkness. His companion is a mirror, how could he understand?" He states that the essence of the couplet is that you will only see what you are. The same point has always been made, just expressed in a poetic style. If you consider yourself a friend or a guru to someone, your responsibility is to be like a mirror. He clarifies that he is cautious with the word 'guru' as it has been greatly misused and has become dishonored; he prefers 'friend' or 'elder brother'. He elaborates that especially when you call yourself someone's well-wisher or helper, it becomes your responsibility to be like a mirror so that the other person can see the reality of their life. Without a mirror, how will the other person change their life? He uses an analogy: if your house has no mirror but has various beautiful, colorful pictures on the walls, you will be entertained, but you will not improve. The pictures might make you believe they are your reflection, which is a fatal situation. We all have assured ourselves that we are a certain way, and we play a game of showing each other beautiful, desired pictures. I will show you a beautiful picture, and you show me one. We will both be happy. But if you show the truth, like a stain on the cheek or dirty hair, the other person might think you are the one who is flawed. The one who shows the mirror is considered an enemy. Acharya Prashant explains that being a mirror is a troublesome task. Whoever you stand in front of, you will show them their ugliness, and they will throw a stone at you. He references the Bhagavad Gita, where Shri Krishna says to Arjun that out of thousands, only one desires to know the truth, and out of those who desire it, only a rare few actually attain it. Most people are not interested in seeing a mirror. The spiritual seeker becomes like a mirror, naked and transparent, like nature and the Self. When you go to help someone, you must be careful not to get infected by their 'disease' (delusions). The other person, having been hurt by others, might see your attempt to help as an attack. The best thing is to become your own mirror. The entirety of spirituality is this: do not lie to yourself. More than you, who else knows your reality? Why wait for me to tell you that you are lying? It is better to do your own work yourself. You be free, and I will be free.
