Praise and criticism

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Bhagavata 11.28.1:

 

para-svabhava-karmani

na prasamsen na garhayet |

visvam ekatmakam pasyan

prakrtya purusena ca || 1 ||

 

"One should neither praise nor criticize the conditional nature of

others, seeing the whole universe as one spiritual being, characterized

by the interplay of Purusa and Prakrti."

[krsna]

From Srila B.P.Puri Maharaja:

 

The Bhagavata says that whether you go looking for the qualities or the faults, it all comes down to the same fault-finding spirit. It has condemned the practice:

 

para-svabhava-karmani na prasamsen na garhayet

visvam ekatmakam pasyan prakrtya purusena ca

 

para-svabhava-karmani yah prasamsati nindati

sa asu bhrasyate svarthad asatyabhinivesatah

 

'Knowing that this entire universe is the product of the one indwelling Supersoul and the combination of matter and spirit, one should not criticize or praise the activities of others, which are going on as a result of their nature. Anyone who either praises or criticizes the natural activities of others will quickly lose his position on the spiritual path because of his absorption in untruth.' (SB 11.28.1-2)

 

Ramacandra Puri had this particular tendency. It is natural for ants to wander everywhere, but when Ramacandra saw ants near the Gambhira, he said:

 

ratrav atra aiksavam asit, tena pipilikah sancaranti aho!

viraktanam sannyasinam iyam indriya-lalaseti bruvann utthaya gatah.

 

''Last night there was sugar candy here and so today there are ants all about. How dreadful to see a renounced sannyasi attached to sense gratification in this way!' After speaking in this way, he got up and left.' (Caitanya-caritamrta 3.8.48)

 

When you give up this faultfinding tendency, you actually become a human being.