Posted on: 11 Oct 2020
[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on October 5, 2020, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]
Swāmi replied: You can never destroy any quality present in your soul because these qualities are heavier than hills. They have been accumulated and solidified over millions of births. Hence, it is practical foolishness to aim for the destruction of any quality. You need not worry about destroying the bad qualities, which is not only impossible, but also unnecessary since every quality is good on one side and bad on the other side. God created all qualities with their good sides in mind. Souls, unfortunately, are turning them towards their bad sides. Whatever was created by God is always good and there is nothing bad in this creation, if you use every quality only in a good way. This world is an epic composed by God, the Divine Poet. There cannot be any wrong anywhere in this world, since the world is a product of God. You have used the qualities in bad ways and committed sins. The punishments for those sins are constantly chasing you and giving you stress. You are thinking that you have committed sins due to bad qualities created by God. In reality, you have turned the good sides of qualities to the bad sides. So, good qualities have become bad qualities for you and they are forcing you to commit sins. God is not at all responsible for your sins and their punishments. You are responsible for sin from its very root because you have turned good qualities into bad qualities.
For example, you think that anger is a bad quality. Actually, it becomes a bad quality only when it is turned to the bad side. The same anger is a good quality, if it is turned to its good side. The good side of the anger is that you should show anger towards bad people and also towards children in order to develop discipline in them. The bad side of anger is showing anger towards good people. Rāma is said to be an Incarnation of peace. But Rāma showed anger towards bad persons like Rāvaṇa. Rāma even killed Rāvaṇa. Sage Vālmiki described Rāma as a person who got angry in the proper place and also used violence in the proper place (Sthānakrodhaḥ prahartā ca...). Like this, every bad quality has its good side and every good quality also has its bad side. Charity is said to be a good quality, but it is a good quality only if it is used in a good way. Showing charity towards deserving persons is a good quality. But showing charity towards bad people is a bad quality.
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| Shri Datta Swami | How can we destroy our bad qualities? | Sthanakrodhah praharta cha Raama Rama Vaalmiki Valmiki