WORDS OF GRACE! His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji speaks on "Humility"

Sri Swamiji has been rendering ‘Upanyãs’ (discourses), in Tamizh. This is being brought to you here.

There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãs’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamiji.

Sri Swamiji,

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

“ All virtues are contained in the highest virtue, that is, H U M I L I T Y.
Likewise, all vices are contained in the one vice, that is, pride.
The excellent qualities in a man do not shine forth if he lacks humility. A man may have many vices but if he were humble this would show him to be a man of good nature.

Adi Sankara commences His Shatpati stotra as, ‘ Avinayam apanaya vishno.’
‘Avinayam’ means pride. He prays to the Lord to remove his pride because God graces only those devotees who are devoid of pride.

In the Gita, in His ‘upadesa’ to Arjuna, Bhagavãn Krishna says, ‘Tatvittih pranipãtena paripreshnena sevaya’ - ‘Jnãnis know the ‘Tattva’. Serve them in all humility and clear all your doubts.’ During the Rajasooya Yajna, the hosts desired to perform the first puja for Bhagavãn Sri Krishna; but they could not find Him. After a search they found Him at the entrance performing pãda puja to all the guests!

Ãdi Sankara who has sung hundred slokãs on Ambãl under the title 'Soundaryalahari', in all humility, likens this work of His (singing the Praises of Ambãl) to giving 'argya' with a drop of water to the ocean that is vast stretch of water and showing 'karpoora hãrati' (lighting the camphor) to the Sun that is a ball of fire!

Once, Kãnchi Maha Periyava performed a detailed 'upanyãs' on Ãdi Sankara under the heading 'Egoless Ãchãryãl'. Once, while speaking with His close devotees,
Maha Periyava said, 'It is said that sanyãsis (ascetics) should not possess any desire. But, I have a desire!'
When the devotees asked, ‘What is it?’
Maha Periyava said in all humility, ‘I desire that none in the world should know that such a sanyãsi lives!’

Further, in a 'Deepãvali' special issue brought out by a weekly many years back, the replies of dignitaries from various walks of life to the question, 'what is the lesson learnt by you from the world?' had been published This question was placed before Maha Periyava also. Maha Periyava said to them, 'every moment the world is teaching me some lesson. But only I do not possess the required maturity to learn!' This shows His humility.

Once, when Paul Brunton (a foreigner who came to India seeking a spiritual Master and the author of the famous book 'Search in secret India') sought an 'upadesa' from Maha Periyava, Maha Periyava offered him the wonderful 'upadesa', "Be humble! You will find what you seek!"

Sri Ramanuja, the founder of the Vaishnava sampradãya (tradition) at the time of leaving the world after the completion of His 'avatãra kãrya' (work of the Incarnation) stood atop Srirangam Temple tower. Innumerable Bhãgavatãs, Sanyãsis, Vaishnavas had gathered down. Sri Ramanuja said to them, "With the only concern of proper execution of Bhagavat work ('kainkarya') I might have been harsh to you all. My behaviour might have upset you while making you involve yourselves in the service of God. Bhagavãn will not give me a place in Vaikunta if my behaviour had hurt even a single one of you, a Bhãgavata. I, therefore, beg your pardon!"

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who established Nãma Siddhãnta not only said that a Bhakta should deem himself to be lower than a blade of grass but He also prostrated to everyone.
Ramana Maharishi has said that He prostrated mentally to everyone who came to have His darshan in the Hall where He sat.

Some proud people who came to have darshan of Yogiramsuratkumãr in Tiruvannãmalai, during His early days, used to wonder if they should prostrate to him or not. Even while they stood wondering Yogiramsuratkumãr would say, 'It is'nt difficult to bow down. I will do pranams!' and prostrated to those who had come for His darshan! "

GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM!
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!”

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

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