How To Handle Ungrateful and Negative People?

Question: We constantly face people whom we have helped in various ways, who remain ungrateful and even harbour intentions to harm us. How are we to handle them, and yet continue with our brief journey upon this earth?

Answer: However much we may try to remain healthy, we are constantly invaded by the microbes around us. They possess an equal right to exist, just as we do, and they react to the world in the manner best known to them.

Similarly, the earthly plane is a stamping ground for multitudinous spirit-souls who come to expiate their karmas and to fulfil their sojourn on earth: some have acquired birth fortuitously, a few through the benisons of great souls, and a few still by the Grace of Bhagavan. 

They interact with the world in multifarious ways, each uniquely and singularly suited to their own samskaras and vasanas.

Monumental and arduous effort is required to act in accordance with the rubrics of the sastras and the pronouncements of the rsis, so as to escape the cycle of samsara.

It is natural for such beings --- ironically --- to behave unnaturally, in a manner not consonant with the true object of life on earth.

In that respect, whether it be our loved ones or others whom we have encountered in our short journey here, they are doing what they deem to be correct.

While it is proper for us to question their inordinately unspiritual ways, we are not in a position to make them understand their follies.

As mahatmas have often said, we must devise ways to handle them without ourselves being handled by their unspiritual ways.

Using once again my earlier example of the pathogen that assails us at every moment, we must strengthen our spiritual immunity to withstand their onslaughts --- while at the same time trudging forward undaunted, convinced that we shall never be floored or defeated by the ways of this world, which is but a temporary lodging-house for many a soul.