Humility

All Glories to HDG Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj

All Glories to HDG Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada

A Vaishnava is recognized by his highest quality which is humility. If there is no humility in the heart ,one cannot fix his mind on service to the Lord. The greatest obstacle to humility is the  tendency to enjoy. Humility can be also defined as absence for material enjoyment. The Lord is more favorable to the meek and humble while the scholar may assume arrogance. Here humility does not refer to simply inability to acquire any wealth of one's own. Actually ,it does not matter whether one has wealth or not ,or whether born in an high family or nor or whether you possess scholarship or not generally, one 's mind cannot be free from the effects of false ego. We often hear those staying in straw huts extolling themselves in this way , "Although ,I am poor , I am a nice man and  I am not small .I am not from a low caste nor from a high one but I think I possess all the qualities of the high born as you can see many of the high born work under me as my servants. Even fools may seem  arrogant ,I have some knowledge of writing and reading but I have more intelligence  than many of these scholars. One who is not respected laments that many don't know of his prowess and qualities. For one who is in a an enjoying mood  in desiring material variety but due to the absence of wealth ,scholarship ,high birth and worldly recognition will persist on trying to laud his so called glories by which although he may  assume a show of humility ,we can understand he does not have any humility. By the intense desire to enjoy in his heart, he has furthered himself away from the Lord  without gaining His mercy. Although the Lord is present in the heart of all living entities  and equal to all, this individual was unable to receive His mercy From this point ,we can note that simply appearing humble externally and that  which is is obtained by performing with enthusiasm devotional service to the Supreme Lord  is not the same thing. In the execution of devotional service ,material enjoyment continues to pose many impediments .It can be safely said that absence of such can help a long way in  spiritual advancement .In this respect ,Kunti Dewi prays to the Lord for more of such obstacles because such  obstacles helps her to remember Krishna  more.

jainmasvarya srutasrihbhih edah manah madah puman 

means high birth opulence scholarship and beauty are not the ingredients to get the mercy of the Lord. One may have high birth and usually it come s with opulence .One may have scholarship and it may come with good looks but the end is these people become possessed by a huge egoistic mentality. By such pride ,they become completely entangled in uncouth material activities .The remembrance of Krishna is not in their minds and  they have no time for hearing His pastimes . Although ,they have not completely lost the aptitude to serve the Lord nevertheless, it is in a sleeping state and hence they do not have the mood to chant the holy name. That type of persons if they appear to chant the Holy name know for certain they are harboring other lower goals in their mind and its all pretense  .Their appearing externally to be humble is  a sham for inside their hearts there is no place for any kind of humility. Actual humility means the absence of material desires. In this world those with a strong sense of mine there is no question of humility in their minds and what one is externally exhibiting is simply a show to earn the name of being saintly. Readers this is the acid test for real humility. He is always engaged in the service of the Lord and in chanting the Holy name of the Lord. He does not have an iota for selfish material enjoyment nor is he least interested in fostering the wants of his close kin. He does not care for the respect of this world . Understanding that the Supreme Lord  is present in all living entities he respects everyone understanding this fact ,hence we can understand that such a person has this quality of humility. Such a person even of aristocratic birth can be no less humble .Whether in an high position or scholarly, he remain humble .He is like a tree exhibiting the greatest fortitude and full of compassion for living entities. He is the epitome of the verse trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amananenamadanea kirtanyah sada harih .This verse does not imply showing external humility in falseness. Without the greatest faith in the spiritual master and the Vaishnavas  there is no way that this humility will manifest. To mix with offenders to the name and be influenced by their bad association is not being humble. tato duhsangam utsrjya sadhu sajjeta buddhiman

This  verse from the Bhagavatam specifically states that one would have to avoid bad association. Those who keep nurturing offence against the guru and the spiritual master will eventually be neglected of the mercy of the Lord. By challenging the Dig Vijay and beating him in the ensuing debate , did SriJiva not execute the proper Vaishnava humility.? Srila Vrndavana Thakura in  saying I will beat the head of those who blasphemy Lord Nityananada with a stick ,did he lose his Vaishnava etiquette.? There are no lack of heretics who murmur in this manner also that  Srila Rupa Goswami scolded  Sri Jiva because of his apparent lack of proper Vaishnava etiquette. The atheists who dare do cast blame on the highest standing renunciates as the Goswamis should not their tongue be forked asunder. ! All these pastimes have to be analyzed with the shelter of guru and the Vaishnavas and by not doing so  can lead one to perdition.