When we depend on the estimation of others, we bring ourselves to their level. Regard for the opinion of people is a help in the lower scale of life, but it is a great obstacle when we would rise higher.
It is the ego in us that hankers for praise and is afraid of blame. When we seek the aggrandisement of our egoistic life, we try to please others and avoid their criticism. In doing so we may often have to give up the path of truth and accept that of falsehood. Those who would realise truth in their life must give up all such selfish desire and self-seeking, and must be ready to accept with equality all the consequences of following the truth.
When we feel disturbed by the opinions of others, to that extent our surrender is incomplete, and our dependence on the divine will imperfect. Those who have completely dedicated themselves will seek only the satisfaction of the Divine Mother, and disregard what the whole world may have to say of them. Seeking thus only to satisfy the Mother in all our life and action, we shall make our relation so intimate with her that she herself will take up all our actions and use us as instruments for her work in her own divine way. Then the praise or blame of the world will lose all power to touch us, and we shall be established in perfect peace and equality.
