When we see someone doing something horrible, we may feel revolted, “How disgusting! I would never do anything like that.”

Shock at seeing people do evil things is understandable and desirable. Still, the presumption that we are far above such actions can be unjustified and unsafe. 

Inside us exists a dark side:  the accumulated impressions of the questionable actions we have done in the past, in this and previous lives. And outside us exist an array of temptations that can activate our dark side. Through such inner impressions and outer temptations, we all are targeted by the formidable forces of illusion (Bhagavad-gita 07.14). These forces are constantly on the attack, trying to find some chink in our inner armor. And a glaring chink is complacency, the notion that we aren’t prone to evil. What such complacency ignores is illusion’s attack strategy, which is insidiously incremental.  

Initially, illusion tempts us not to evil, but to minor transgressions. The resulting impressions accumulate till eventually, they impel us to do things we would earlier have dismissed as obnoxious. For example, those who take their first drug shot never think that a few months down the line, they would be robbing to get money for their next drug shot. But it happens, more often than we think. 

Someone may object, “But if I have no impressions that make me inclined toward a particular temptation, can’t I say that I am safe from it?” Maybe, maybe not. The forbidden fruit sometimes seems the most fascinating. Given how today’s materialistic culture dangles forbidden fruits all around us, we may not be as immune as we think. 

By remembering that we all are prone to evil, we can cautiously guard ourselves against the temptations that lead us to evil. 

 

Think it over:

  • How are we all targeted by the forces of illusion?
  • How may we end up doing things that we would normally find obnoxious?
  • What temptation do you need to guard against? 

 

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07.14 This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

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