Capt. Purushottam Sharma (Retd)
“It was pride that changed angels into devils;
it is humility that makes men angels”
Saint Augustine
Since the emergence of creation, the traits of skill and morality influenced by both the wise and the wicked kept growing with the time and in this evolution the Good (‘shreya’) and the pleasant (‘preya’) were recognized, Humility falls in the category of Good, a universal permanent value.
Humility is meekness. It is a noble virtue. It is an austerity that leads to serenity, amity, harmony, happiness and wisdom. It helps in righteous living. Humble person is venerated everywhere. Well said ‘namanti phalino briksha namanti gunino nara shushk kashthach moorkhasch na namanti na namanti kadachan”
(Fruit born trees bend down, men of merit are also humble and bow but a dry twig does not bend but breaks. Similarly, an egoistic person will not take to humility, come what may). Such a person may have to undergo many a suffering for the satisfaction of his pride and illwill towards others. Ego or pride is the cause of ignorance. Wrath is the offspring of ego.
‘Naman’ (prostration) before our elders, parents, preceptors, ‘raj darbars’, assemblies of wise men and places of worship has been performed by the ancients from the beginning of time and this depicts reverence and faith sine qua non for purity, peace and placidity. Bowing, hugging, welcoming/wishing with folded hands and touching the feet are attributes of humility that ultimately nourish the positive qualities of love and enrichment of soul.
Lord Krishna exhorts Arjuna to approach illumined souls (‘tattavdarsinah’), prostrate (‘pranipaten’) before them, serve (‘sevaya’) them, and put a question (‘pariprasnena’) with all the humility and then receive True knowledge (‘jnanam’) from those wise seers. (Srimand Bhagwat Geeta 34/4) Lord further commands Arjuna :
“manmana bhav madbhakto madyaji mam namaskuru
mamevaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo’ si me” (65/18)
‘Fix thy mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me and bow to Me. By doing so, you will come to Me alone. I truly promise you, for you are exceptionally dear to Me’.
“Uttishth jagrat prapt varan nibhodhat” (Arise, awake and sit in the feet of the Realized Souls reverentially and receive knowledge of the Highest ‘purusha’). A person with virtue of humility is even tempered. Equanimity is his natural ornament, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna were embodiments of humility. They treated their elders, parents and preceptors with humbleness. Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj in the opening lines of his work Anand Ullas regards the virtue of humility (disappearance of ego) that had led to him to Self-Realization saying:
“Bhagwan Ko Bhajta Hua Bhagwan Hi Main Ban Gaya
Bhagwan Mujh Mein Mil Gaya Bhagwan Mein Main San Gaya
Abhiman Hi Agyan Tha Weh Baraf Dhela Gal Gaya
Us Sindhu Sachidanand Mein Main Ek Hokar Ral Gaya
Main Kaun Hun Yeh Kaun Hai Ab Kuchh Pata Lagta Nahin
Sarita Mili Jab Sindhu Mein Ab Bhin Ho Sakti Nahin
Lakdi Jali Jab Aag Mein Ab Kaathg Ho Sakti Nahin
Bhushan Gala Sona Raha Bhushan Kahin Milta Nahin”
Chanting the Holy name I became Holy one,
He and Me are not now separate but one.
EGO (Abhiman), my ignorance melted like a flake of snow without any hiss, Myself dissolved in that ocean of Truth, Consciousness and Bliss,
I cannot now make out difference between He and me.
For the stream cannot fall apart once merged into the sea,
Log that burnt cannot be wood any more,
Ornament melted into gold is ornament no more’
At times, men of humility have to put up with insults and injuries but they remain unruffled in all situations for they understand the unreality of the world, are wise enough spirituality, attach greater importance to moral values scriptural teachings and words of wisdom professed by the illumined souls. Man is an expression of God in the world, the embodiment of God (Ishwara Swaroop, Rama Swaroop, Krishan Swaroop, Atma Swaroop, Prema Swaroop, Brahm Swaroop, Shiv Swaroop, Shanti Swaroop). Being a Divine Being, humility is man’s eternal characteristic and there is no room for ego whatsoever. Hanuman means killing (hanu) of ego (maan). He is, therefore, bereft of ego and follower of humility, an essential for service (seva). Even praises by Lord Rama Himself had no effect on Lord Hanuman.
Once a man of authority in the Government rode to the Ashram of a saint early in the morning to accept him his preceptor (Guru). At the entry point, he found a Sadhu sweeping pebbles and asked him about the Chief Priest of the Ashram, But Sadhu continued with his work observing total silence. Puffing with pride, the visitor alighted from the horse in a fit of wrath and knocked down the Sadhu causing him injury on the forehead. The visitor then proceeded little ahead of the Ashram and inquired from a passer by about the Mahant of the Ashram. The latter pointed out his finger towards the same Sadhu sweeping the pebbles. The visitor dismounted from the horse to seek forgiveness from the Sadhu. Sadhu not only forgave but said that when we purchase an earthen pitcher, we rap it to find out its goodness. Similarly, now you could also give me raps to find out whether I am a good preceptor or not. This Sadhu was none other than well known celebrated Saint Dadoodayal Ji Maharaj who still treated the visitor with all the humility and also fulfilled his wish.
“The rains of God’s mercy cannot gather on the mountain tops of pride but easily flow in the valleys of humbleness.”
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