ON HUMILITY

Humility is a quality rarely seen in man. He is always conscious of his merits and qualifications mental and physical. Very often he is puffed up with pride on account of these qualities! He turns arrogant in extreme cases. Humility must be carefully nurtured by every Individual if he wants to be recognized. According to John Ruskin “ the first test of a truly great man is his humility.”  What is humility? CS Lewis defines it as “ not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” There is no point in gloating over yourself and your achievements!  Consider yourself small as many are there much better and greater than yourself. “ Humility is the mother of Giants; one sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.” says GK Chesterton. According to St., Augustine “ It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” The tall tree in its haughtiness is felled by the strong wind while the simple blade of grass bends down it's head and survives!

A man who thought he was humble went to a sadhu and said with great humility that he was a low person and did not know how to save himself. He wanted the Sadhu to guide him so that he can attain salvation. The Sadhu read his mind and also understood how humble he was!  He asked the person to go out, search very well, Identify any object meaner than himself and bring it to him! The man was surprised at the advice of the Sadhu. He thought it was very easy task. He started his search in right earnest but to his disappointment did not find any object meaner

than himself! He surveyed all around him, examined all objects, but in vain! What object can be meaner than myself he thought. But something struck him and he smiled! Atl last  he had identified an object meaner than him!

He saw his own excrement and gloated over his success in identifying it! He thought it was meaner than himself. He remembered what the Sadhu told him. He had to bring that object to the Sadhu! Well, the time has come and he stretched forth his hand to  take it up and carry it to the Sadhu. It was then the man was in for a rude shock! He least expected anything like that. He

heard a voice which forbade him to touch it. Further it called him a sinner! The person was taken aback! What sin has he committed that has disqualified him from touching it? Many such thoughts flitted across his mind!

The excrement had called the man a sinner and described to him how it has been spoiled by him! Originally it was a sweet and delicious cake fit for all spectators and to be shared by the Gods! Its appearance was pleasing! It was it's bad luck that it happened to meet this man. His evil contact was responsible for it's detestable condition at present! From being welcomed for its delicious taste and enchanting appearance, it has become a nauseating experience for all! They run away from the excrement turning away their faces and covering their noses with handkerchiefs! The excrement was very sad that even at this first contact with man it had to endure this fate! It could not imagine what terrible degradation would happen if the man touched it again! The man was astounded at what he heard from the excrement.

The man thus understood what true humility is and became the humblest of the humble! As days passed by he gained the highest perfection!  Sri Ramakrishna points out how man commits many atrocities in Nature! He does not leave any object untouched! What he touches, he spoils, curtails, damages, and transforms for his selfish purposes! He revels in destruction not construction! Nature has been exploited by man to the maximum and there is not a single day when he has not done so! Tapping of water has reached such a dangerous level that in a few more years we may not get water for drinking purposes! It is so iWhn various other fields of activity! When Nature is so generous in granting the ever increasing demands of man, is it not treacherous for man to  destroy it systematically for his selfish desires? Let us ponder over this!