Five Corrupt People Exposed By The Symptoms

“Arjuna inquired: O my dear Lord, by what symptoms is one known who is transcendental to those modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature?” (Bhagavad-gita, 14.21)

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अर्जुन उवाच
कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो
किमाचार: कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते

arjuna uvāca
kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān
atīto bhavati prabho
kim-ācāraḥ kathaṁ caitāṁs
trīn guṇān ativartate

1. The politician

“Did I hear about the latest release? Do I know that such and such politician has been making money through their NGO scheme all these years? Apparently, the government has been generous in grants to this organization, and so the politician essentially found a way to launder taxpayer money. I mean, come on! How is this a surprise to anyone? You could tell based on the outright lying in public. This politician was corrupt based on the way they voted. You shouldn’t need an audit to realize that there was something shady going on.”

2. The health official

“Did I read that bombshell email that was finally released? Apparently, this health official knew the entire time that the virus came from a lab, which was funded by the government. I mean, come on! You could tell this guy was crooked the entire time. One day he said to do something. The next day he said to do the exact opposite. He was the nation’s leading quack. I find it more striking that people went along with the fraud. They killed so many innocent patients due to these horrible protocols that were implemented in the hospitals. Why did no one question what was going on? How could a single individual be given so much authority?”

3. The police officer

“Wow, so that police officer is directly related to that politician? They basically beat down on peaceful protestors only because of a difference in political affiliation? This doesn’t surprise me at all. We had the evidence of the incident the entire time. We knew something was wrong. Honest police never behave that way. You shouldn’t need video evidence to tell that something was wrong with how the police acted that day.”

4. The CEO

“Wow, so it turns out the only reason for the return-to-office directive is to make good on these extended commercial real-estate leases? You overheard one of the higher ups in a conference call make that admission? I mean, I could have told you that a long time ago. This whole, ‘We are a family’, nonsense wasn’t fooling me. This CEO would rather make the lives of the employees miserable than actually increase productivity or efficiency. They don’t care about anyone but themselves.”

5. The religious leader

“Wow, so you mean to say that guy abused children for years and years? And his buddy was involved in covering the scandal up? They recently fired the oversight board that was supposed to investigate this stuff? Honestly, I am not surprised. You can tell based on their behavior. When they enter the temple to give class, they are always the most arrogant person in the room. Likely, the most arrogant person you will meet in your life. You can tell they are a fraud based on the way they treat people. It is like they look down at people who look up to them. Those are the worst kinds of leaders, if you ask me.”

…

In each of these cases, the people affected could have known all along. The reliance on a formal request of information, through the channels established to supposedly streamline the transparency process, is  not necessary. A politician might promise to give free access to medical services in a particular community, but the access only gets a person in the door. It does not guarantee service. It does not mean that a provider will necessarily be available to them when there is a medical emergency. Thus the so-called “free” access is meaningless. It is merely a gimmick to appeal for sympathy.

When testing for honesty, integrity, capability, diligence, and the like, there are symptoms to assess. There is something tangible to review. Otherwise, anyone can say anything. They can claim to be compassionate, kind, caring, dedicated, and true. They can make so many promises, but it is their behavior which indicates what qualities are dominating from within.

Bhagavad-gita explains that behavior tends to fall into three categories. Actually, all behavior involving a future result related to a temporary body falls within these categories. This work is known as karma, and the qualities associated with the individual and the work they follow are known as gunas. It is this combination of karma and guna which truly defines the individual’s varna, and not their status based on hereditary rights.

नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भ‍ावं सोऽधिगच्छति

nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ
yadā draṣṭānupaśyati
guṇebhyaś ca paraṁ vetti
mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigacchati

“When you see that there is nothing beyond these modes of nature in all activities and that the Supreme Lord is transcendental to all these modes, then you can know My spiritual nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.19)

The three categories are the modes of nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. We can tell whether someone is in the mode of goodness based on their behavior. The same for passion and ignorance. We need not rely on a secret recording, a report from a whistleblower, or a hit piece in a newspaper. A person can move between the different modes, based on life circumstances and knowledge received or forgotten. For instance, I might find myself in ignorance due to addiction to chemicals, whereas I later rise above after receiving knowledge to open my eyes. I see the folly of my old ways, and so I change my behavior to a higher mode, reaching a superior standard.

The goal for the living being is to rise above the three modes. There are symptoms to identify if someone has moved beyond the temporary. There are ways to tell, and through such analysis we can better understand our own place within the journey of life. Moreover, we are less likely to be duped by cheaters. The people only posing as leaders, who are actually stuck in the lower modes of nature, have a more difficult time cheating the wise person. The one with knowledge follows the way of Arjuna, in identifying Shri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always working for His interests.

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.26)

In Closing:

An internal leak to spill,
That police intent to kill.

And politician deceiving,
With kickbacks receiving.

Could tell the entire time,
In outward symptoms to find.

All activity falling into modes three,
Goal to transcend like Arjuna to be.