“When a yogi sleeps, everybody is awake. And when everyone is sleeping, a yogi is awake;” this is what Lord Krishna says in Gita. What does it mean? It simply means that, when everyone is excited and worried, the yogi sleeps comfortably. The yogi knows that everything will happen for the best and all happenings will be for the general good. A yogi has this confidence. And when everyone else is sleeping, the yogi is awake, the yogi is aware of the truth about life, when everyone is asleep.
“What is my end going to be? Where will I go? What is life? Who am I?’ When none of these questions arise in people’s mind, they are asleep.
People are lost in watching movies and playing video games. There are people who are playing video games even at a very old age. Man isn’t seeing that death is near. He does not think, “I have filled my mind with so much craving and aversion. And I have done nothing to wash or cleanse my mind.” If you don’t cleanse your mind of impressions, then you carry the same mind and same impressions with you after death.
When you die, your mind should be happy and joyful! One who is sleeping, he is taking all the garbage into his mind whilst the yogi is alert and awake. He does not take any garbage from anybody.
Your mind is completely destroyed thinking about others imperfections. Leave others imperfections to others. Let them handle that. You handle your mind, you handle your imperfections; that is good enough. Do you have patience to accept others mistakes? You have to accept others mistakes. And only if you are so compassionate, can you correct them. Otherwise, leave it to nature, she has her own ways to set it right. But, if you are so compassionate and correct others mistakes with compassion, then it doesn’t get into your head, your mind.
When do you get angry or upset? – When you see someone else’s action as imperfect. Can you correct somebody’s action like this (meaning, when you are angry or upset)? His action is imperfect but now by thinking about it, your mind has become imperfect. At least, save your mind. Others have gone on the wrong path, why should you let your mind also dwell on the wrong path? That is why Krishna says, "the yogi is awake when others are sleeping". When you are sleeping, you let others garbage enter your mind. But yogis don’t let this happen. They keep their mind fresh.
The world is full of differences; arguments are inevitable. With forbearance, patience and wisdom, skillfully make your way up. Fools will make you wiser. The number of fools around you indicates the strength of your centeredness. Don’t try to get rid of them! If you lose your center, you will have no patience to put up with them. When you are established in the Self, you find that even fools will come up with wisdom; they are your own reflection, there is no ‘other’.
