How to become humble? ,,...and more......

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Saadhnaa ki aadhaar sheelaa

 

The Main support and Natural Disposition of Practical Devotion

 

This article in Hindi was the transcription of a discourse spoken by

Jagadguru Sri Kripaluji Maharaj and was published in the Quarterly

News letter of Sri Barsana dham. I hope my English translation of the

article could help the understanding of those who are not familiar

with Hindi language. I have added a few more scriptural quotes which

I felt appropriate for deeper reflection.

 

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The first and foremost alert notice given to all seekers who desire

to perfect their Divine Love devotion is that one should be

completely devoid of selfpride and egoism, the 'I' ness, and always

one should be free of feelings of insult and untoward criticism.

This important beginning step should be considered as the main

support and core character of pure devotion and should never be

neglected even upto the final stage, until the seeker attains the

ultimate goal of God-realization.

 

Successful control of the five senses and absence of desires may even

be possible for the spiritual seeker but unless and until one

transcends all kinds of mental feelings, pleasant and unpleasant, not

only one can not achieve total disintegration of the self

identification but also one's self-ego contiues to expand more and

more.

 

parIhAse'py anyApriya-kathana-mUko'tivadhiraH

pareSAM doSAnuzrutim anu viloke'ndha-nayanaH |

zilAvan nizceSTaH para-vapuSi bAdhA-lava-vidhau

kadA vatsyAmy asmin hari-dayita-vRndAvana-vane ||2.16||

 

- Vrindavana Mahimamrita - Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

 

"Undisturbed and becoming dumb

to others' jokes mocking myself,

deaf and blind even to others' evident faults, and

inactive like a stone in the matter of bringing others

even the slightest pain, When will I reside in this

Vrindavana forest, the garden of Hari's Beloved?"

 

Why doesn't the devotee shed humble tears during chanting, prayer and

while singing Lord's Divine names and glories? Only due the proud ego

of oneself and lack of humility.

 

Even if the tears come occasionally, the seeker becomes very proud of

himself or herself for progressing to higher stages of devotion.

This selfpride is so subtle that the aspirant by himself can not

grasp it as his or her own weakness and shortcomings.

 

sarva-tyAge'py aheyAyAH sarvAnartha-bhuvaz ca te

kuryuH pratiSThA-viSThAyA yatnam asparzane varam

 

Though one may be able to give up everything,

the desire for personal prestige and

worldly fame is the hardest thing to give up.

Since it is the source of all anarthas,

one should be carefully to keep as far from it

as he would from stool.

 

- 'Bhajana-rahasya' Bhaktivinoda Thakur

 

Only God-realized Mahapurusha are aware of these subtle difficulties

in a seeker and they can only identify the inner problems of the

devotee's heart, mind and intellect. That is why there is an absolute

need for the Divine preceptor who can recognize these difficulties on

the path of devotion and successfully correct them to perfection.

 

No devotee, being controlled by the power of Maya, the three material

modes of Nature can understand that he or she is acting under the

Mayic influence of his or her ego twenty four hours of the day. The

seeker can not determine for himself that whether he or she is being

carried away by the subtle emotions of worldly fame or shame. So

staying oneself aloof from these emotional weaknesses, subduing

one'ego as much as possible, one should always be alert in deciding

how one can truly feel humbler than a blade of grass.

 

are cetaH prodyat-kapaTa-kuTinATI-bhara-khara-

kSaran-mUtre snAtvA dahasi katham AtmAnam api mAm

sadA tvaM gAndharvA-giridhara-pada-prema-vilasat-

sudhAmbhodhau snAtvA tvam api nitarAM mAM ca sukhaya

 

O my mind! The hypocritical tendency to fault-find and backbite are

like an ass's urine in which I have drenched myself, burning my

entire being. Please bathe constantly in the ocean of nectar formed

of the love flowing from the feet of the Divine Couple, Gandharvika

and Giridhari. By so doing, you will bring joy to both yourself and

to me.

 

- ManaH-siksha 6

 

If the seeker had not honestly arrived at this state of complete

humility, but simply deceiving himself to be humble, he may just

display his meekness outwardly so that other seekers can appreciate

him as a truly humble evolved soul.

 

This is also known as 'ahamkar', self-identification as there is

still a desire for self-worth, self-glorification and self-respect.

 

pratiSThAzA dhRSTA zvapaca-ramaNI me hRdi naTet

kathaM sAdhu premA spRzati zucir etan nanu manaH

sadA tvaM sevasva prabhu-dayita-sAmantam atulaM

yathA tvAM niSkAzya tvaritam iha taM vezayati saH

 

The desire for worldly prestige wants to dance in my heart like a

brazen, outcaste whore, making it impossible for the pure, holy love

of Krishna to touch it. O mind! Serve the unparalleled devotees, the

Rasik Saints constantly, for since they are dear to the Lord, they

will quickly drive that low-born creature from my heart and enthrone

Krishna prema in it.

 

The seeker should correctly understand the natural position of the

soul and its relation to the Lord. The spirit soul is a pure eternal

servant of the almighty Lord. Knowing this fact well, if the seeker

accepts his true humble relation with his Master and wholeheartedly

surrenders to Him, the Lord can no longer remain indifferent towards

him. The Lord is incapable of doing so because He Himself has loudly

proclaimed in Gita 4.11

 

ye yathA mAM prapadyante

tAM stathaiva bhajAmyaham,

mama vartmAnu vartante

manuSyAH pArtha sarvazaH

 

According to the MANNER in WHICH they SURRENDER to ME,

I FAVOR them in that VERY SAME manner.

O son of Pritha, ALL human beings always FOLLOW MY PATH

in EVERY WAY!!'

 

Here, Lord Krishna chose to use two specific words, 'tathA'

and 'eva'.

>From one side one has to only fulfill the task of 'prapadyate' and

nothing else. On the other side the Lord will accomplish the task

of 'bhajami'.

 

His Divine Grace was also remembered by the great devotee Prahlada in

Srimad Bhagavatam:

 

naisa paravara-matir bhavato nanu syat

jantor yathatma-suhrdo jagatas tathapi

samsevaya surataror iva te prasadah

sevanurupam udayo na paravaratvam

 

-SB 7.9.27

 

"Like the ordinary living entity, my Lord,

You have no such discrimination,

thinking like 'He is my friend; he is my enemy;

he is favorable; he is unfavorable.'

Such conception of low grade and high grade You have not got.

But according to one's level of attachment and dedication

(surrender),

You offer them benediction exactly like the desire tree offers

fruits according to the desire of the person.

 

The desire tree has no distinction of low grade and high grade

position of the recepient but simply fulfills his wish."

 

So Devotees have to become 'prapanna' - surrendered souls and the

Lord will do the part of 'bhajana' or 'seva', providing care and

welfare to them.

Lord Krishna has made His sublime promise (Gita 9.22):

ananyAzcintayanto mAM

ye janAH paryupAsate,

teSAM nityAbhi yuktAnAM

yoga kSemaM vahAmyaham

 

To those men who ADORE Me alone,

THINKING of NO OTHER,

who are earnestly and constantly

engaged in uniting their minds to Me,

I PROVIDE every gain and all security.

 

The seekers cannot provide even satisfactory service to their Guru,

the Spiritual master on the earth but how can they adequately serve

their eternal Father, the great Almighty?

Simply it is impossible.

 

That is why the Lord declares that devotees have only to surrender

themselves to Him and the Lord will take care of everything else.

 

Actually the unalloyed service and pure selflesslove are not simple

easy ways at all. No ordinary soul can serve and love its Master

perfectly. Even if one offers everything one has to the Lord, still

one would be short of serving the Lord and Guru fully.

 

The desciple can not be cleared of his debt to his Master for

receiving the knowledge of self-realization even by offering the most

valuable things of the entire world.

 

Because of such an immensely great offering, only the selfpride of

the desciple multiplies and that spoils the spirit of his humility

just like a bowl of delicious lentil soup with a small fly in it!

 

The offering simply becomes useless if tainted with ego. So there is

a great harm even in charity if given in pride.

 

The Lord and Master asks for the sacrifice of that to which the

seeker has greatest attachment. They would ask for the surrender of

the thing which has been a source of self-pride to the seeker. The

True Master may demand for an offering of all or any material object

or subject which has become an obstruction on the progressive path of

Divine Love for the seeker.

 

yasyAhamanugRhNami vittaM tasya harAmyaham,

karoti bandhu vicchedaM sa tu duHkhena jIvati.

santApeSvapi kaunteya yadi mAM na parityajet,

dadAmyahaM svIya padaM devAnAmapi durlabham.

 

Lord Krishna gave this message to Arjuna in Padma Purana:

 

"He on whom I am going to bestow My grace, I take away all his

wealth, separate him from his family and friends, so that he may live

his life in utter sorrow bereft of all his possessions.

Though fully distressed with his material conditions, if he doesnot

give up My devotion in this suffering state, I extend to that sincere

devotee My own abode which is impssible to attain even by celestial

beings."

 

But still desciples are unhappy and disappointed when they are asked

for simple service and their true hearts devoid of charity are

revealed.

 

As long as a soul is under the control of Mayic power, the illusory

energy of the Lord, it is not praise worthy and does not even qualify

for good name or fame. Then where is the question of having any ego,

self-pride, self-superiority, self-respect etc.,?

 

If the soul has not yet accepted its eternal position of Divine

servitude and not surrendered to the Lord unconditionally, what it

should be proud of? The seeker has not yet attained his true Divine

form of an eternal servant of the Lord, then why should he feel

egoistic and selfworthy or praiseworthy?

 

Once the God-realized devotee attains his spiritual form as an

eternal servant of the Lord, even a trace of egoism or selfpride can

never appear in him again. It is simply impossible for him to be

identified in 'I' ness, the doer-ship, of the 'ahamkar'.

 

So all wise seekers should be alert in protecting themselves from

egoship, self-pride and self-identification. They should pay more

attention to their self-surrender. The practicing devotee believes he

or she is totally surrendered to the Master and the Lord.

But not really!

Lord Krishna said in Gita- 12.18,19 :

 

'He (She) who is the same to

the foe and friend and

also honour and dishonour,

who is the same in cold and heat,

in pleasure and pain,

who is free from attachment,

To whom censure and praise are equal,

who is silent, content with anything,

homeless, steady minded,

full of Loving Devotion for Me -

that person is dear to Me.'

 

When criticized by the Master or others, the devotee immediately gets

agitated and replies in anger even for small misunderstanding. Though

admits his wrong doing openly, his heart doesnot accept the mistake

he has committed.

 

sarvasya cA 'haM hRdi sanniviSTo

mattaH smRtir jnAnam apohanaM ca -B.Gita 15.15

 

Bhagavan Krishna said:

 

And I am seated in the hearts of all;

from Me are memory, knowledge, as well as their loss;

 

The devotee fails to recognize God and the Master are sitting in his

heart and noting down every minute his true thoughts and feelings.

And that is why They keep testing the progress of the devotee on the

path of self-surrender from time to time.

 

Even if the devotee fails to succeed in the tests, still he is given

more opportunities to better himself and tested again and again.

 

Of course the classes of devotees according to the evolution of their

devotion are many and different. And so are the tests!

 

Queen Kuntidevi prayed to Lord Krishna:

 

vipadaH santu naH zazvat tatra tatra jagadguro!

bhavato darzanaM yasyAd apunarbhava darzanam

 

O Teacher of all the worlds! Let Perils face us at every step;

for it is in dangerous situations that we feel the presence of You,

Whose vision bestows freedom from rebirth. - SB 1.8.25

 

Each one is given the test according to his class and capabilities.

There is no need for panic or discouragement. If the seeker is afraid

of examining the extent of his total self surrender he may never be

able to attain his desired goal of God-realization.

 

He on whom I am going to bestow my grace, I slowly deprive him of all

his wealth. When his wealth is gone, his friends, kith and kin desert

him, making him sink into utmost sorrow and despair.

 

- Srimad Bhagavatam 10.88.8

 

When his further efforts to gain wealth also fail, thanks to My will,

he becomes filled with dispassion and gets associated with my

devotees. On such a one I bestow My grace.

 

- Srimad Bhagavatam 10.88.9

 

So the sincere seeker has to keep conducting (self-search) many tests

on himself with the Divine Grace of his Master to make his true self-

surrender full and perfect.

 

uttiSThata jAgrata

prApya varAn nibodhata

kSurasya dhArA nizitA duratyayA

durgaM pathas tat kavayo vadanti

 

"Rise up! Awake! Seize the benefits of this human form of life

and become fully conscious! This path is a razor's edge,

sharp and difficult to tread." - Katha Upanishad. 1.3.14

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

[Guest guest]

Namaste all.

 

Even in difficult situations, the sincere seekers of

Beloved God must keep up their unconditional surrender

to the Divine Beloved, Lord Krishna Who is very well

familiar with our doubts and shortcomings as He is

living right in our heart.

 

sarvasya cA 'haM hRdi sanniviSTo

mattaH smRtir jnAnam apohanaM ca

 

-B.Gita 15.15

 

Bhagavan Krishna said:

 

And I am seated in the hearts of all;

from Me are memory, knowledge, as well as their loss;

 

There is nothing we can hide from God nor from a

God-realized Saint. Moreover They are very much

capable of removing the unfavorable things on the

devotee's path of surrender.

 

Lord Krishna has declared:

 

ananyAzcintayanto mAM

ye janAH paryupAsate,

teSAM nityAbhi yuktAnAM

yoga kSemaM vahAmyaham

 

(Gita 9.22)

 

Meaning: To those men who adore Me alone,

thinking of no other,

who are earnestly and constantly engaged

in uniting their minds to Me,

I provide every gain and all security.

 

Being well aware of this sublime fact, we, the

devotees should relax and continue our Divine service

(mental, physical and monetary) according to our

capacity and strengthen our Divine Love.

 

The human life and Divine association of a Saint are

precious treasures and not to be lost nor wasted by

our lack of faith and wholehearted surrender.

 

SB 11.2.29: For the conditioned souls, the human body

is most difficult to achieve, and it can be lost at

any moment. But I think that even those who have

achieved human life rarely gain the association of

pure devotees, who are dear to the Lord of Vaikuntha.

 

It is also said in Vedas and Bhagavatam that the

doubts about God and Rasik Saints exist until the soul

is liberated from Maya, Lord's illusory power and

until the dawn of Divine knowledge.

 

Lord Krishna said to devotee Uddhava:

 

SB 11.20.30: The knot (of ignorance) in the heart is

pierced, all

doubts as well as misunderstanding are cut to pieces

and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I

( the Lord)

am seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

So we must have unflinching faith in Divine phenomenon

and patience until the final revelation and clearing

up of all doubts in our material mind which is nothing

but a product of Maya.

 

 

mana mAyA te hI banyo

mAyA te sansAra,

 

yAte mana bhAvata sadA

yaha sansAra asAra!

 

- Bhakti Shatak . 36 . Sri Kripaluji Maharaj

 

Meaning-

 

The mind has been created by Maya and

the MaterialL world is also a visible product of Maya!

Therefore, the mind has spontaneous affinity

to the material world!

So always reflect upon this fact and realize

the material world (including the doubts

as well as the facts created in the material mind)

are devoid of spiritual essence.

 

 

No one can understand God's (or His Saint's)

actions without His Divine Grace. It is well

proclaimed in

our Scriptures. I've quoted many on this thread as

I've studied

them and heard some from Sri Kripaluji Maharaj many

times.

 

Here are a few:

 

When Lord Brahma, the Creator who created the Universe

from nothing, was bewildered with Lord Krishn's

playful pastimes with the cowherds, admits with

humility in this sweet verse given in Bhagavatam:

 

B 10.14.2: My dear Lord, neither I nor anyone else can

estimate the potency of this transcendental body of

Yours, which has shown such mercy to me and which

appears just to fulfill the desires of Your pure

devotees.

 

Although my mind is completely withdrawn from material

affairs, I cannot understand Your personal form and

actions. How, then, could I possibly understand the

Divine Bliss You experience within Yourself along with

Your pure devotees?

 

SB 10.14.29: My Lord, if only one is favored by even a

slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can

understand the greatness of Your personality.

 

But those who speculate to understand the Truth and

Your

Supreme Divinity, are unable to know, even though they

continue to study the Scriptures for many years on

their own merits.

 

----------

 

Also when Lord Brahma had no Divine knowledge and did

severe penance to discover his own Origin being the

Supreme Lord, declares this statement in Bhagavatam:

 

SB 2.6.35: Although I am known as the great

Brahma;, perfect in the disciplic succession of

Vedic wisdom, and although I have undergone all

austerities and am an expert in mystic powers and

self-realization,

 

and although I am recognized as such

by the great forefathers of the living entities, who

offer me respectful obeisances, still I cannot

understand Him, the Lord, the very source of my birth.

 

SB 2.6.36: Therefore it is best for me to surrender

unto His feet, which alone can deliver one from the

miseries of repeated birth and death.

 

Such surrender is all-auspicious and allows one to

perceive all happiness. Even the sky cannot estimate

the limits of its own expansion. So what can others do

when the Lord Himself is unable to estimate His own

limits?

 

SB 2.7.41: Neither I nor all the sages born before you

know fully the omnipotent Personality of Godhead. So

what can others, who are born after us, know about

Him?

 

Even the first incarnation of the Lord, namely

Sesha, has not been able to reach the limit

of such knowledge, although He is describing the

qualities of the Lord with ten hundred faces.

 

SB 2.7.42: "But anyone who is specifically favored by

the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, due to

unalloyed surrender unto the service of the Lord, can

overcome the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can

understand the Lord."

 

But those who are attached to this body, which is

meant to be eaten at the end by dogs and jackals,

cannot do so.

 

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So the 'Perfect Master' has to be approached by

sincere seekers with an attitude of a humble devotee

just as a trusting child approaching his loving

mother.

 

The rest is all upto His Divine Grace!

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!