Humility...

[livingentity]

I found this nice essay at the Washington DC Iskcon site...

 

Humbler than a Blade of Grass

 

Though Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed his disciples to elaborately write about the process of devotion or bhakti, He personally left us with only eight verses called the Siksastaka. Real eloquence is truth spoken concisely, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead demonstrated this eloquence perfectly. These eight verses are so compelling that they take an aspiring devotee from the stage of ignorance all the way to pure love of Godhead. A complete philosophical treatise, they reveal the essence of absolute knowledge and the means to realize it.

 

In these Siksastaka verses Caitanya Mahaprabhu explains the principles of sambandha (one's eternal relationship with God), abhideya (the means by which it can be revived) and prayojana (the ultimate goal). The first two verses talk about the potency of the holy name and the importance of chanting the holy name to make spiritual progress. Verses four through eight talk about various symptoms and desires experienced as one embarks on the wondrous path of bhakti.

 

Verse three bridges the gap between the goal outlined in the first two verses and the realization of this goal given in verses four to eight. It embodies the complete science of abhideya and for an aspiring devotee it is the most potent of the eight instructions. A proper understanding of this verse is essential if one desires to make spiritual progress, and implementing this verse will assure one of complete success in the endeavor. Therefore the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, advises everyone to keep this verse always strung about his neck and prominent Vaishnava acaryas recommend that this verse should become the object of constant meditation for all devotees.

 

Siksastaka verse 3

trnad api sunicena

taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

 

'One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. ln such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.'

 

This verse is spoken for the fundamental purpose of avoiding namapradha (offense to the holy name) and namabhasa (temporary glimpses into the holy name). The four characteristics essential for this are: humility, tolerance, freedom from false prestige and offering respects to all other. These four characteristics are both pre-requisites and consequences of chanting. As one begins to chant offenselessly one will manifest these four qualities. At the same time these four qualities should be present if one has to chant without offense. The requirements are thus non-different from the results and while this does seem inconceivable to our material senses we have the assurance of none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead about its effectiveness.

 

The essence of the verse

At a very fundamental level this verse speaks about the realization that 'I am not this body.' The four qualities listed in the verse will be conspicuously absent in a gross materialist. A person who is very much into the material conception of life is full of himself, not realizing how insignificant he is compared to the Lord. He hankers for recognition and is always envious of others who have it. In this way he is driven by the three modes of material nature to live and act under the control of his false ego.

 

On the other hand these four qualities completely adorn a devotee who understands that he is but a spiritual spark and Krishna is infinite. A person who has realized that all living entities have the same spiritual quality as Krishna, will automatically offer all respects to others. He will cheerfully tolerate both insults and praises. with the understanding that the spirit soul is independent of the gross and subtle body.

 

However, the realization of the distinction between body and soul, while being an essential pre-requisite for spiritual advancement does not assure bhakti. The real potency of this verse comes from its final instruction 'kirtaniyah sada harih' (constantly chant the holy name). It is on the strength of this injunction that a person advances to the more esoteric aspects of devotional practice. Thus the verse stays with the devotee from the initial stages of appreciating the distinction between matter and spirit to the highly elevated stages of relishing the service of the Lord.

 

Let us briefly examine these four qualities.

 

Humbler than a blade of grass

Just as the ego of a piece of grass is proportionate to its nature, a devotee develops real humility from the realization that he is infinitesimal while the Lord is infinite. In this mood he prays for an opportunity to be engaged in the service of the Lord with the understanding that the Lord and His devotees are only engaging him out of causeless mercy. With such humility a devotee approaches the Lord and all His creations, hoping to render service. Humility does not mean artificially glorifying others with cloyingingly sweet words. This is often done with an expectation of reciprocation or to overtly broadcast one's own so called humility.

 

More tolerant than a tree

A tree does not neglect to offer shade and fruits even to the wood cutter. Even when drying up it does not ask for anything and continues with its service. The essential quality of tolerance is compassion without envy. A devotee is the friend and well wisher of the entire world. Even when he is slighted or insulted he neglects these material offenses and continues to try and re-awaken the love of Godhead in every one.

 

Free from false ego

Gross and subtle bodily designations are derived from the mode of ignorance. Mystic powers, material opulence's, high birth, beauty, youth are all functions of the false ego. A devotee completely rejects these false designations in himself. The devotee chants simply considering himself to be a spirit soul completely indifferent to all these material considerations.

 

Offer respect to all others

In the vision of a devotee all living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and thus worthy of respect. He prays to them to strengthen his faith and by their mercy hopes to alleviate the wretched situation of his own material conditioning. A devotee is not discriminatory about who to respect and who not to. He considers every one worthy of respect and does not expect anything in return.

 

The highest success

Chanting the holy name adorned with these four blessed qualities is the highest success of human life The process of chanting is self generating since it strengthens itself over time. While chanting at earlier stages may be offensive due to the absence of these qualities, as one persists sincerely these qualities will begin to manifest and on the strength of these qualities the chanting becomes more and pure purified. In this way Caitanya Mahaprabhu has mercifully given us such a practical and easy solution that requires only one thing, our sincerity in the endeavor.

 

In Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila (17.27-28) it is stated that 'a person advanced in spiritual consciousness through the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra need not practice to develop it separately, for a devotee develops all good qualities simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra regularly.'

 

In the Padma Purana [cited: Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.24] it is said that, 'even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again.'

 

All glories to the chanting of the holy name which gives complete victory! All glories to Caitanya Mahaprabhu the most munificent incarnation of Lord Krishna!!

 

Reference: Sri Sanmodaya Bhasyam by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura