Criticism...

A Chapter by JessyJacob

5 Ways to Handle Criticism Like Krishna in the Mahabharata Story by Nidhi image.png “समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः।” (Bhagavad Gita, 9.29) “I am equal to all beings; to me none is hateful, none is dear.” Criticism is an ancient companion of greatness. The higher you rise, the sharper the stones that are hurled. Krishna knew this truth better than anyone. To some, he was a divine protector. To others, a manipulator, a schemer, even a destroyer of families. He was ridiculed as a cowherd, accused of partiality, and condemned for breaking rules of war. Yet not once did Krishna allow criticism to disturb his stillness. Tourist Visa to Dubai - Online Application Process - South Travel more The Mahabharata shows us that criticism is not an obstacle but a mirror. It reflects society’s doubts, fears, and insecurities more than it does the person it targets. And Krishna, with his unmatched clarity, transformed criticism into a path of wisdom. If we learn to walk that path, no words�"however sharp�"can wound us. 1. Root Yourself in Dharma, Not Approval Rivers in the Mahabharata Rivers in the Mahabharata Krishna’s compass was always dharma. When Duryodhana accused him of favoritism toward the Pandavas, Krishna did not rush to defend his reputation. He knew that justice, not applause, was the ground of his action. Criticism loses its bite when we are anchored in something greater than opinion. Krishna teaches that when dharma guides you, you no longer bend to please, nor tremble at blame. Your path becomes clear, and criticism becomes only passing wind against the mountain of your purpose. 2. Let Silence Speak Where Words Fail “When Silence Says It All” “When Silence Says It All” When Shishupala hurled insult after insult in Yudhishthira’s court, Krishna smiled. Ninety-nine times he remained silent. That silence was not surrender�"it was strength. Only when the boundary was crossed did Krishna act, and with one stroke, silence became power. In our lives too, not every criticism deserves a reply. Words often feed fire, but silence dissolves it. Krishna’s silence was not avoidance; it was mastery. He teaches us that silence is sometimes the loudest answer, the one that unsettles critics more than a thousand arguments ever could. 3. Stand Steady Like the Ocean Guilt, silence, and social pressure enforce compliance. Guilt, silence, and social pressure enforce compliance. “Āpūryamāṇam acalapratishtham samudram āpah praviśanti yadvat.” (Bhagavad Gita, 2.70) “As rivers enter the ever-full, unmoving ocean, so desires enter the wise without disturbing them.” When mocked as a cowherd, Krishna accepted it. When ridiculed for his origins, he smiled. When condemned for his strategies, he stood steady. His dignity was not borrowed from society’s praise but born from within. Criticism, like rivers, will keep flowing toward us. Krishna shows us how to become like the ocean�"vast, full, unmoved. The rivers may enter, but they cannot shake its depth. True strength is not in silencing the critic but in not being shaken by the criticism. 4. Answer with Truth, Not Emotion Constant yes leads to burn out and emotional exhaustion Constant yes leads to burn out and emotional exhaustion When Karna accused Krishna of manipulating destiny against him, Krishna did not erupt with anger. He answered with calm truth: reminding Karna of his choices, his alliances, and his turning away from dharma. It was not an emotional retort but a mirror of reality. Criticism often seeks to provoke, to pull you into the mud of reaction. Krishna teaches a higher response: clarity without anger, truth without spite. The critic may expect you to bleed; instead, offer them the cool steel of reason. That is how you transform criticism into understanding, rather than conflict. 5. Transform Criticism Into Wisdom Not every criticism or lie needs your response. Not every criticism or lie needs your response. The greatest dialogue of the Mahabharata�"the Bhagavad Gita�"was born out of criticism. Arjuna accused Krishna of pushing him into battle, of being harsh, of making him kill kin. Instead of silencing Arjuna, Krishna turned his doubts into the seed of wisdom that has guided humanity for millennia. This is Krishna’s supreme teaching: criticism can be fuel, not fire. Instead of resisting it, use it. Let it refine your clarity, deepen your patience, sharpen your understanding. In this alchemy, criticism ceases to be an enemy and becomes a teacher. Becoming Untouchable to Blame Krishna’s life was proof that greatness and criticism walk hand in hand. He did not fight criticism with insecurity; he transcended it with wisdom. By anchoring himself in dharma, wielding silence as power, standing steady like the ocean, answering with truth, and transforming doubt into teaching, Krishna turned every arrow of criticism into a flower of realization. The lesson is timeless: we cannot stop the world from speaking. But we can choose how deeply it enters us. To live like Krishna is to be untouchable�"not because no one criticizes you, but because no criticism can chain you. As the Gita reminds us: “He who is alike to friend and foe, to blame and to praise, is a man of true peace.” The critic may speak. The world may judge. But like Krishna, you can smile, walk forward, and let your purpose shine brighter than every shadow cast upon it. Related video: How to Find True Knowledge? Bhagavad Gita’s Call For A Spiritual Master: Chapter 4, Verse 34 (The Times of India) 0 View on Watch View on Watch Steady Pension for Retirement Steady Pension for Retirement Ad SBI Life Insurance more Timeslife Visit Timeslife Why Hanuman Is Called Sankat Mochan: The Science of Faith in Times of Crisis Do Household Chores Count As Exercise? The Truth Revealed They Call Marriage a Union. The Gita Calls It Two People Trapped in Maya Write effective messages in a few clicks, not a few hours, with Grammarly's AI features. Write effective messages in a few clicks, not a few hours, with Grammarly's AI features. Ad Grammarly more Sponsored Content Rs. 5,000/month invested starting 2004, you’d have got Rs 1.62 crores today! Axis MaxLife Savings Plan Rs. 5,000/month invested starting 2004, you’d have got Rs 1.62 crores today! Sponsored Ad Choice Dubai Tourist Visa - Single Entry Dubai Visa - Multiple Entry Dubai Visa southtravels.com Dubai Tourist Visa - Single Entry Dubai Visa - Multiple Entry Dubai Visa Sponsored Ad Choice ICICI Bank Credit Card ICICI Bank ICICI Bank Credit Card Sponsored Ad Choice More for You Gita Wisdom: 3 Timeless Teachings That Can Change the Way You Live and Succeed Newspoint Newspoint Gita Wisdom: 3 Timeless Teachings That Can Change the Way You Live and Succeed 7 Bhagavad Gita Shlokas to Build Confidence and Live an Extraordinary Life Timeslife Timeslife · 3w 7 Bhagavad Gita Shlokas to Build Confidence and Live an Extraordinary Life 7 Krishna Truths That Teach You Cannot Save Everyone Not Even Family Timeslife Timeslife · 2d 7 Krishna Truths That Teach You Cannot Save Everyone Not Even Family Pakistan Floods: Death Toll Rises To 802 As Monsoon Rains Devastate Nation Zee News Zee News · 19h Pakistan Floods: Death Toll Rises To 802 As Monsoon Rains Devastate Nation Hide quoted text On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 9:49 AM Usha Mekala wrote: Hide quoted text 5 Ways to Handle Criticism Like Krishna in the Mahabharata Story by Nidhi image.png “समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः।” (Bhagavad Gita, 9.29) “I am equal to all beings; to me none is hateful, none is dear.” Criticism is an ancient companion of greatness. The higher you rise, the sharper the stones that are hurled. Krishna knew this truth better than anyone. To some, he was a divine protector. To others, a manipulator, a schemer, even a destroyer of families. He was ridiculed as a cowherd, accused of partiality, and condemned for breaking rules of war. Yet not once did Krishna allow criticism to disturb his stillness. Tourist Visa to Dubai - Online Application Process - South Travel more The Mahabharata shows us that criticism is not an obstacle but a mirror. It reflects society’s doubts, fears, and insecurities more than it does the person it targets. And Krishna, with his unmatched clarity, transformed criticism into a path of wisdom. If we learn to walk that path, no words�"however sharp�"can wound us. 1. Root Yourself in Dharma, Not Approval Rivers in the Mahabharata Rivers in the Mahabharata Krishna’s compass was always dharma. When Duryodhana accused him of favoritism toward the Pandavas, Krishna did not rush to defend his reputation. He knew that justice, not applause, was the ground of his action. Criticism loses its bite when we are anchored in something greater than opinion. Krishna teaches that when dharma guides you, you no longer bend to please, nor tremble at blame. Your path becomes clear, and criticism becomes only passing wind against the mountain of your purpose. 2. Let Silence Speak Where Words Fail “When Silence Says It All” “When Silence Says It All” When Shishupala hurled insult after insult in Yudhishthira’s court, Krishna smiled. Ninety-nine times he remained silent. That silence was not surrender�"it was strength. Only when the boundary was crossed did Krishna act, and with one stroke, silence became power. In our lives too, not every criticism deserves a reply. Words often feed fire, but silence dissolves it. Krishna’s silence was not avoidance; it was mastery. He teaches us that silence is sometimes the loudest answer, the one that unsettles critics more than a thousand arguments ever could. 3. Stand Steady Like the Ocean Guilt, silence, and social pressure enforce compliance. Guilt, silence, and social pressure enforce compliance. “Āpūryamāṇam acalapratishtham samudram āpah praviśanti yadvat.” (Bhagavad Gita, 2.70) “As rivers enter the ever-full, unmoving ocean, so desires enter the wise without disturbing them.” When mocked as a cowherd, Krishna accepted it. When ridiculed for his origins, he smiled. When condemned for his strategies, he stood steady. His dignity was not borrowed from society’s praise but born from within. Criticism, like rivers, will keep flowing toward us. Krishna shows us how to become like the ocean�"vast, full, unmoved. The rivers may enter, but they cannot shake its depth. True strength is not in silencing the critic but in not being shaken by the criticism. 4. Answer with Truth, Not Emotion Constant yes leads to burn out and emotional exhaustion Constant yes leads to burn out and emotional exhaustion When Karna accused Krishna of manipulating destiny against him, Krishna did not erupt with anger. He answered with calm truth: reminding Karna of his choices, his alliances, and his turning away from dharma. It was not an emotional retort but a mirror of reality. Criticism often seeks to provoke, to pull you into the mud of reaction. Krishna teaches a higher response: clarity without anger, truth without spite. The critic may expect you to bleed; instead, offer them the cool steel of reason. That is how you transform criticism into understanding, rather than conflict. 5. Transform Criticism Into Wisdom Not every criticism or lie needs your response. Not every criticism or lie needs your response. The greatest dialogue of the Mahabharata�"the Bhagavad Gita�"was born out of criticism. Arjuna accused Krishna of pushing him into battle, of being harsh, of making him kill kin. Instead of silencing Arjuna, Krishna turned his doubts into the seed of wisdom that has guided humanity for millennia. This is Krishna’s supreme teaching: criticism can be fuel, not fire. Instead of resisting it, use it. Let it refine your clarity, deepen your patience, sharpen your understanding. In this alchemy, criticism ceases to be an enemy and becomes a teacher. Becoming Untouchable to Blame Hide quoted text Krishna’s life was proof that greatness and criticism walk hand in hand. He did not fight criticism with insecurity; he transcended it with wisdom. By anchoring himself in dharma, wielding silence as power, standing steady like the ocean, answering with truth, and transforming doubt into teaching, Krishna turned every arrow of criticism into a flower of realization. The lesson is timeless: we cannot stop the world from speaking. But we can choose how deeply it enters us. To live like Krishna is to be untouchable�"not because no one criticizes you, but because no criticism can chain you. As the Gita reminds us: “He who is alike to friend and foe, to blame and to praise, is a man of true peace.” The critic may speak. The world may judge. But like Krishna, you can smile, walk forward, and let your purpose shine brighter than every shadow cast upon it. Jessy Jacob ❤️

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