Misconception of Truth

I came across these two lines of Rabindranath Tagore recently, when a friend of ours was reciting it. I felt the need of digging deep into these two lines, which seem simple but have a deep meaning underneath them. These two lines are, “Uttom nischinte chole odhomer sathe, tiniee modhyam jini cholen tofate.”

{(Uttam) it is difficult to translate uttam in English, but one can say an extremely good person can associate easily with sinful people while the ordinary (modhyam) people try to stay away from them.”}
I may not be an authority to analyze this deep rooted meaningful two line poem of Tagore but I am trying to put a sincere effort of mine with all humbleness and humility with whatever little knowledge that I have to understand it and would like my ‘prabuddha’ intellectual friends to make me understand the real meaning of it, if I am wrong.

It will be a misconception to think that ‘uttam’ means smart and intelligent enough to understand the situation or people and then handle them accordingly without causing any disadvantage to oneself.  This may be a ‘management skill’ of a person but certainly not the characteristics of being Uttam. When Rabindranath Tagore says Uttam, he certainly meant, “a person who has compassion, empathy for others, understanding, honest, warm-hearted, kind, generous, open-minded, humble, patient, courageous, non-judgemental, has a good temper, high-mindedness, sincere, modest, witty, and spiritual and who does no intentional harm to others.” The list can go on.

But the best definition is given in Gita chapter 12, verse 13-19 where Lord Krishna says, 

“Adveshtaa Sarva Bhoothaa-naam Maitrah Karuna Yeva Cha
Nirmamo Nirahan-kaaraha Sama Duhkha Sukhah Kshami

Santushtah Sathatham Yogi Yathaa-thmaa Dhrida Nischayaha
Mayyar-pitah Mano Buddhir Yo Madbhaktah Sa Me Priyaha (13-14)”

He who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from the feeling of I and mine, even-minded in pain and pleasure and forbearing... Ever content, steady in meditation, self controlled and possessed of firm conviction, with mind and intellect fixed on me, such a devotee is dear to me (and is a ‘uttam purush’)

He who neither rejoices nor hates nor grieves nor desires, renouncing good and evil (treating both as the same), full of devotion, he who is the same to foe and friend and also in honour and dishonour, who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, who is free from attachment... To whom blame and praise is equal, who is silent, content with anything, free of selfish attachment, steady-minded and full of devotion... He by whom the world is not afflicted and whom the world cannot afflict, he who is free from joy, anger, fear and anxiety - He who has no wants, who is pure and prompt, unconcerned, untroubled, and who is selfless in all his undertakings, he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me..( and only he can be the uttam purush)

If you reach to that state, then definitely you can mingle with all kinds of people- good and bad because you are out of all bondages. You will develop a ‘sambhav’ for everybody. Because you have controlled your ‘indriyas’ and all the vices.

Gautam Buddha also has defined it pretty well in his eightfold path.

1. Right View 2. Right Intention  3. Right Speech  4. Right Action  5.Right Livelihood  6.Right Effort  7.Right Mindfulness and  8.Right Concentration  - these qualities make a person Uttam.

‘Modhyam’ or Ordinary People -

Ordinary people are the ones who are constantly evolving and while trying to do so they use discrimination as a tool to save themselves from all kinds of distractions which can be an obstacle in their progression. They try to keep themselves more and more in holy company or with people possessing the right mindset, so that they should not become a victim of their true nature, which is tamsik (anger, greed, lust, power & attachment ). Even Sri Ramakrishna had said, “When a tree is young it should be fenced all around; otherwise it may be destroyed by cattle.” One should always discriminate between right and wrong, real and unreal. By discriminating thus, one should shake off impermanent objects from their mind. If you are not prepared well, the chances are that you will get trapped more and more into worldly affairs and then never be able to come out of it The world is full of maya, danger, grieves and sorrows.  "First rub your hands with oil and then break open the jack-fruit; otherwise they will be smeared with its sticky milk. First secure the oil of divine love, and then set your hands to the duties of the world.- Sri Ramakrishna said.

One must practise discrimination. Our shastras advise us to use our buddhi and filter out all outside turbulences & disturbances and meet the right people that bring positive energy into our lives and help us progress and evolve.
According to Sri Ramakrishna, “This is true that God dwells in all beings. But you may be intimate only with good people; you must keep away from the evil-minded. God is even in the tiger; but you cannot embrace the tiger on that account.

"It is said in the scriptures that water is a form of God. But some water is fit to be used for worship, some water for washing the face, and some only for washing plates or dirty linen. This last sort cannot be used for drinking or for a holy purpose. In like manner, God undoubtedly dwells in the hearts of all — holy and unholy, righteous and unrighteous; but a man should not have dealings with the unholy, the wicked, the impure. He must not be intimate with them. With some of them he may exchange words, but with others he shouldn't go even that far. He should keep aloof from such people."

Why we as ordinary people should be away from wicked people? Because as said in the Gita,

sattvam rajas tama iti
gunah prakrti-sambhavah
nibadhnanti maha-baho

dehe dehinam avyayam
Material nature consists of three modes — goodness(sattva), passion(rajas) and ignorance(tamas). When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.

The gunas are responsible for the diversity of nature and because of these gunas, human beings lose their ability to know themselves correctly and recognize their true divine nature. The gunas whether it is sattva or rajas or tamas, are part of prakriti and are responsible for our illusion and all sufferings on earth.

That is why it becomes important for us as ordinary human beings to create a fence around us to protect in order to understand our true nature and work on it.              

Anyway, we all want to be good, to be uttam. We all have two hearts: one that loves to do the right thing, and one that prefers to be selfish. We need to develop an awareness of the struggle going on inside us. The human quest "to be good" drives virtually everything we do. In order to maximize pleasure in life, we must distinguish between "material good" and "spiritual good."                  

We all want to claim that we are uttam but it is only at the end of our lives, when we can really judge whether or not we were a good person. It does not matter how we pretend or portray ourselves in front of others, what actually matters  is that deep down we all know whether or not we have lived as a, "good person".

   

Please throw light on these two lines of Rabindranath Tagore. Thank you