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DOSH DARSHAN (FAULT – FINDING)/PARA NINDA (CRITICISING OTHERS)
By Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath


Essential Oneness in All: Reason for Not Criticizing

  • Attraction and love for another is actually attraction and love for one’s own self– this is actually the attraction towards one’s own Atma (soul).
  • No one is paraya. ‘Par’ is Parameshwar; ‘par’ is venerable Ishta Deva for all of us.
  • The same being is worshipping and receiving worship assuming the roles of worshipper and the worshipful master.
  • Everything is God– no matter who you insult; you are insulting God. To find fault with someone is to find fault with God.
  • Just as the earthenware like cooking pots, pitchers and bowls etc. can be fashioned out of clay, in the same way this world is fashioned out of God. There is nothing in this world that isn’t God.
  • You have heard this often in the Shastras, from the holy men and the mouth of the Guru– Your Ishta Deva (Favourite Deity) has assumed multiple forms to perform His Leela (Divine Sport). Inspite of knowing this, how can you criticize or injure others who are none other than your Ishta Deva (Favourite Deity), tell me O traveller! Tell me, O traitor of the Ishta! What can you expect other than suffering? If anyone tries to slap a mountain, will not the hand get injured? If you kick fire, will not the foot burn?
  • Let not the tongue censure anyone, speak ill of anyone, let it not speak harsh words. This is a grave offence; it is impossible to advance spiritually with such things–you surely can’t! God alone is performing all this Divine Sport assuming different forms; whomever you reproach; in him you will reproach God.

Not Finding Fault– Way to Self-Perfection:

  • O traveller! Do you wish to become a better human being, but you are not able to become one? Are you sad because of this? Would you like to know the reason you aren’t becoming better? That’s because you haven’t learnt to see your own faults. In the same way as you see the faults in others; cleverly start seeing your own faults, then you will become better.
  • Get rid of the defects of your body one by one; be free of every defect. Then the mind won’t be directed outwards; it will enjoy the company of the intimate inner soul, and it will obtain supreme bliss and accomplish its purpose.
  • Thakur (Sri Krishna) has declared in the Gita– “Maam namaskuru” (offer obeisance unto me). The more you are free from defects, the more particular will you be in chanting Naam. Make it a practice to offer Pranaam while singing Naam. You will become perfect; you will definitely become perfect. 
  • Whoever has become better in this world has done so by doing away with faults within one’s own self.
  • Beware! If you are keen on self-development, swear that you will stop seeing faults in others and start seeing them in yourself alone.
  • Don’t see the faults in others– always try to see your own fault–you will become a better person soon. It is your faults that keep you from experiencing your own blissful nature.
  • This is our precept: We will not see any fault whatsoever in anyone; if anyone notices fault in us and criticizes us, we will treat it as their kindness. We will think they are reproaching us, and in doing so taking on our sins, hence they are worthy of our respect.
  • As long as there is fault in a man, he can see fault in others; the day he is unable to see fault in others, he can assume God has accepted him–there is no fault in Him. This is the reason everyone must mentally offer pranaam to everyone.
  • Since God has given you two ears, it’s better you listen to the divine attributes and sports of God as long as you have the power to listen. Slander of others and futile speech have caused suffering to the ears. Feed them relentlessly by chanting God’s Name always, they will attain blessedness with it, they won’t crave for hearing any other words– other words will seem like poison.

Fault-finding/ Perils of Criticism:

  • Among the offences which bring harm to oneself, there is no sin greater than para nindaa. (speaking ill of others)
  • It is in the nature of goodpeople to praise, and it is in the nature of the evil people to condemn, therefore one should not be happy or disenchanted listening to them.
  • Listen to me, your exponent of vaastavika-vaad (realism)! Do you know how many moments will your realism last? Every trace of your very existence and that of your dependents can be wiped out just today. Are you aware of that? Can you imagine it? These things are a common occurrence; one often hears of people leaving for an unknown abode in a moment, how real is that?
  • Whoever you think of, that person’s stock of virtue, sins, good and evil alike is automatically contemplated, when you see the face of a sinful one, speak with him or think of him, his sins flow out to you, one can understand the effect of company through this. By associating with a sinner, the mind is immediately polluted.
  • Until such time the sins aren’t dispelled, man cannot renounce tendency to discriminate, quarrel etc.
  • If anyone (appearing as your Ishta) addresses two words of abuse to you, keep quiet reflecting that it is for your own good and try to see your own fault. Don’t get angry and return the abuse with ten words.
  • No matter how the others behave, with a smile on your face serve them treating it as the blessing of Thakur, don’t see fault in anyone, and see your own failings.
  • Don’t look at the faults of the others. Don’t criticize others. Practice offering pranaam saying, “Namaste bahurupaaya.”
  • At every step, in proving the other person guilty and yourself innocent, you are experiencing self-delight; but that is not delight, it is suicide.
  • The distinguishing feature of a mean person is to publicise the faults of others, through this such a person tries to garner people’s approval in favour of “I am a good man”; but censure is such a terrible thing that it heaps sin not only on the one who carps at others, but also the one who listens to such slander.
  • To slander or criticise others and to destroy one’s own self is one and the same thing. You have to accept the sins of the person who you have criticised. Actually, it is one’s own Ishta Devata (favourite deity) who arranges everything assuming different forms; through slandering, one is deprived of that supreme truth and has to wander in sorrow life after life.
  • There is no other way to win over enemies disguised as friends than abandoning cooperation. There is no other way than to practice non-cooperation.

Non-enmity:

  • Even inadvertently, do not entertain a thought in your mind that anyone is your enemy – ‘My Ishta devata (favourite deity) alone has assumed myriad forms and is bringing an end to auspicious and inauspicious karmas’; this should be your belief.