The Bhagavad-gita is a holistic guidebook for spiritualists, as is seen in how it balances candor with consideration. It (02.69) candidly states that spiritualists and materialists have different values — they are as apart as day and night. Yet the Gita doesn’t approve of unnecessarily escalating these unavoidable differences. Why not? Because everyone is on the same one journey of spiritual evolution (04.11), even if various people are at such drastically different levels that they seem to be opposite. 

Rather than seeing materialists as attached or ignorant , the Gita focuses on how they are rich with spiritual potential. Wise is the vision that sees the essential spiritual similarity of all living beings (05.18;18.22) — even if they are at such a preliminary state in the evolution of their consciousness that their transcendental interests are hardly manifest. Compassionate spiritualists don’t berate others for not being more interested in matters of higher consciousness such as life’s ultimate meaning and purpose; instead, they encourage others to take doable steps for raising their consciousness from wherever they presently are (03.26).

Pertinently, evolved spiritualists are not disturbed by others and don’t disturb others (12.15). They remain true to their values without letting the apathy or antipathy of others get to them. Simultaneously, they don’t inordinately disrupt the views and worldviews of those who are not yet ready for a higher understanding. 

Such a live-and-let-live kind of approach may be inferred from this verse’s day-night metaphor. Though day and night are opposite to each other, they don’t exist in violent conflict. They both have their dominion during their respective durations, and they give way to each other when the time of the other’s dominion begins. A similar harmony-amid-diversity is conveyed in the Gita through its acknowledgement of the distinct locations of spiritualists and materialists on life’s expressway. 

One-sentence summary:

The Gita is candid in reminding spiritualists that they need the strength to be different from others — and it is considerate in accepting and encouraging others from where they are in their spiritual evolution. 

Think it over:

  • What kind of vision of materialists does the Gita recommend?
  • How does the Gita guide spiritualists to be considerate toward materialists?
  • How is such consideration conveyed in Gita 02.69?

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02.69: What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.

To know more about this verse, please click on the image