I stumbled on this verse in the Srimad Bhagavatam and wanted to share it with you:

Krishna to Uddhava: "One should see that because of the combination of the material nature and the living entities the universe is acting uniformly. Thus, one should neither praise nor blame the characteristics or activities of others."

These are my thoughts on this verse, inspired by 4 years of ashram training:
The soul (jiva), desiring to enjoy separately from its Source, covers itself in amalgamations of dense vibratory energy (matter), creating an illusion of separation, and becomes subject to and conditioned by the laws of the material world, which govern every dimension up to, but not including, the non-dual effulgence that emanates from Source. Being thus conditioned, the jiva identifies with matter, considering the intelligence, mind, body and activities provided by it to be its real self. This is called ahankara, false ego (or misidentification).
The 3 modes of nature (sattva, raja & tama), are the preserving, creating and destroying agencies of the material world, which force us to act and react in various ways to external stimuli provided by the matter.

Chapter 14, Verse 5
Material nature consists of the three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes.

Chapter 13, Verse 22
The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.

The sanskrit word for mode of nature is guna, which also means ROPE, for we are tightly bound by the modes of nature unless and until a factor of transcendant nature is involved, such as a guide (guru) or wisdom of spiritual source. If we are tied up, the only way to freedom is if someone who is NOT tied up unties us. Someone who is realised enough to see and remove those knots of material attachment and conditioning from our heart. This assistance may also come from within, as guru-tattva is simultaneously both an internal and external force.

Chapter 13, Verse 24
One who understands this philosophy concerning material nature, the living entity and the interaction of the modes of nature is sure to attain liberation. He will not take birth here again, regardless of his present position.

THUS, a living entity trying to remember its original spiritual identity should avoid praising or blaming others for their so-called meritorious or blasphemous deeds that are actually performed by the modes of nature, lest she or he risk re-entanglement in mis-identification with matter, the gross (flesh & bone) and subtle (mind, intelligence, ego) bodies, governed by sattva, raja and tama.

Chapter 13, Verse 30
One who can see that all activities are performed by the body, which is created of material nature, and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees.

Namaste.