Blessed are the humble.

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Blessed Are The Humble

 

JIV GOSWAMI WAS A NEPHEW of two saintly persons— Rupa and Sanatana. They were great scholars and worked as ministers in the court of the Muslim king ofBengal. Coming under the influence of Sri Chaitanya, their lives were changed. They renounced their wealth and positions of power and became homelesswanderers in quest of the Eternal Krishna. They lived as recluses in the Holy Land of Brindaban. They ate but once a day what was offered to them intheir begging bowls. They slept in the open, underneath the trees, for no longer than two hours each night. And they spent their time in meditation, insinging the Holy Name of God, in the service of the poor and in communion with Krishna. To their nephew, ]iv Goswami, they taught the truththat humility was the foundation of the Life Divine. Avoid argumentation and discussion, they said to him. In argumentation is heat: andheat is pride.

 

There came to Brindaban, one day, a Pandit proud of his scholarship. His name was Rupanarayana Saraswati. He had travelled to many parts ofIndia and vanquished veteran scholars in public debates.

 

The fame of Rupa and Sanatana reached him, and he was eager to gain victory over them. He challenged them to a free discussion on a subject of their choice.Meekly, they answered that they were not fit to enter into disputation with one like Rupanarayana, ”a young lion of scholarship”. Inflated with pride,the Pandit said to them, ”Then you must give me a jayapatra— an unconditional declaration of your defeat at my hands.”

 

Readily, the two holy men wrote down the very words the Pandit dictated and affixed their signatures to the better of victory”.

 

Delighted at his easy triumph, the haughty Pandit took the letter to Jiv Goswami. Jiv was naturally offended at the humility which the Pandit had heapedupon his saintly uncles. He accepted the challenge of the arrogant Pandit: and, on the bank of the ]amuna river, a keen debate was held. For five days,both sides held their own. On the sixth day, Rupanarayana appeared to lose ground. On the seventh day, he accepted defeat. Bhakti (love, devotion) triumphedover gnana (knowledge)!

 

Rupanarayana was humbled. His pride left him. As he thought of his impudent attitude towards the two saintly souls, his eyes were touched with tears. Hewent to them and, falling at their feet, begged forgiveness.

 

Jiv was happy that he had vindicated the honour of his uncles. Imagine his discomfort on receiving a strong admonition from Rupa! ”you have disgraced thename of scmyasa,” said Rupa to Jiv. ”The true sanyasi is he who conquers anger and pride. No one who takes joy in humiliating another has a right to dwellin Brindaban, the blessed abode of the Lord, you cannot stay here any longer!”

 

In obedience, Jiv left Brindaban, and stayed in a small hut on the outskirts of the Holy Land. For the whole year, he lived thus, shedding tears of repentance,speaking to no one, speaking alone to himself, ”O Jiv, when will you become humble as dust? When will you become patient and forbearing as a tree whichgives fruit when struck by stone?”

 

After a year, Jiv received pardon from Rupa and was permitted once again to set foot on the Holy Land of Brindaban.

 

May we grow, from more to more, in the spirit of humility! May we be little ones of the Lord! In little acts of kindness, in little deeds of love, in littlehumble aspirations, may we learn to bear witness to the infinitely great in the infinitely small!

 

 

Best Regards,K.s.Vishwanathan.Tel No: 022-28738192