A clean, straight mirror reflects our body's image perfectly. But there are mirrors available in which one looks slim or fat, tall or short. Does that make the person standing in front of such a mirror slim or fat, tall or short? Does one ever get inferiority or superiority complex based on such visual deception?  Usually, we do not react that way. Sometimes even a straight mirror may have dust or stains on it.  The person standing in front of such a mirror may start doubting that she is not so beautiful because of the hazy, stained image.

This example is most appropriate to explain our behaviour in life. We feel dejected or elated when we start seeing ourselves reflected in the mirror of the world.  If people say 'you are great', you feel on top of the world.  But if people ignore you, you feel 'worthless'. But we hardly examine that the mirror of the world through which we evaluate ourselves is itself full of defects. That mirror is stained with self-interest, flattery and jealousy, for instance.  How can we ever see our true picture if the mirror itself is dirty?

The best way to discover our true image is to study the scriptures. Our scriptures pronounce in no uncertain terms that each one of us is 'sat', the existence of which can never be doubted; 'chit' or pure consciousness and 'anand' or bliss.  This is the nature of our Atman – our true Self. We can ask: How is it that we hardly experience any bliss in life despite being a bundle of joy?

The reason is simple.  The mirror through which we see ourselves is not so pure. That mirror is our inner mind, what is referred to as 'antah karan' in scriptures. This consists of 'man', emotional mind; 'budhhi', discriminating mind; and ahankar or subtle ego. An impure mind, which is full of worldly vices such as jealousy, greed, anger and unlimited desire, cannot truly reflect the sat-chit-anand atman. The one who has purified his inner mind through sattvic karma and has become content and meditative can better reflect atman, and so he experiences bliss that is present within. We simply have to experience it, by removing the dirt from our mind, using the faculty of 'vivek' or discrimination.

We are not using our discrimination when we give too much importance to objects and relationships. Objects have only a limited capacity to make us happy.  Despite having a great variety and quantity of food, we can only eat small portions at a time. Excess eating can be counter-productive. Despite having a palace of a hundred rooms, we can sleep only in one bedroom at a time. Also, sleep comes only when we have performed our given duty properly, and have not done any harm others.  So also, relationships are always based on mutual expectations. The moment such expectations are not seen as being fulfilled, people drop the relationship. Why give importance to it, then? Lack of such discrimination makes our inner mind muddled in which our true Self cannot be captured.

The world outside is full of such imperfections. Why be happy or unhappy by evaluating ourselves through the mirror of the world?  Why not make an attempt to purify the mirror of our inner mind so that we can easily reflect the sat-chit-anand atman? Once you do this, bliss is yours.