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Becoming Meek and Humble Is Outcome of Advancement in Krishna Consciousness

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Becoming Meek and Humble Is Outcome of Advancement in Krishna Consciousness Becoming meek and humble is outcome of advancement in Krishna Consciousness Venue: Pandharpur maitreya uvaca “iti bruvanam nrpatim gayaka muni-coditah tustuvus tusta-manasas tad-vag-amrta-sevaya” (S.B 4.16.1) Translation and purport by Srila Prabhupada. Translation: The great sage Maitreya continued: While King Prthu thus spoke; the humility of his nectarean speeches pleased the reciters very much. Then again they continued to praise the King highly with exalted prayers, as they had been instructed by the great sages. Purport: Here the word muni-coditah indicates instructions received from great sages and saintly persons. Although Maharaja Prthu was simply enthroned on the royal seat and was not at that time exhibiting his godly powers, the reciters like the suta, the Magadha and the vandi understood that King Prthu was an incarnation of God. They could understand this by the instructions given by the great sages and learned brahmanas. We have to understand the incarnations of God by the instructions of authorized persons. We cannot manufacture a God by our own concoctions. As stated by Narottama dasa Thakura, sadhu-sastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru. Those statements made in the sastras and those made but the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another. Reciters like the suta and the Magadha were confidentially aware that King Prthu was an incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. Although the King denied such praise because he was not at that time exhibiting his godly qualities, the reciters did not stop praising him. Rather, they were very pleased with the King, who, although actually an incarnation of God, was so humble and delightful in his dealings with devotees. In this connection we may note that previously (4.15.21) it was mentioned that King Prthu was smiling and was in a pleasant mood while speaking to the reciters. Thus we have to learn from the Lord or His incarnation how to become gentle and humble. The King’s behavior was very pleasing to the reciters, and consequently the reciters continued their praise and even foretold the King’s future activities, as they had been instructed by the sadhus and sages. “Praise of King Prthu by the Professional Reciters” this is the name of the chapter. Prthu, what is he known for? the nine processes of devotional service, then for each process there is one devotee who kind of stands out, he is remembered immediately as soon as we say for instance, we say, “Sravanam”- then which devotee we remember- Parikshit Maharaja. “Kirtana”- , Sukadeva Goswami, “Smaranam”- Prahlada Maharaja. There are other names also who could be said also, some kind of established understanding that these devotees. Then when we come for “archanam”- Prthu, Prthu Maharaja. Prthu Maharaja is the topic, he is being praised, King Prthu’s appearance, that the subject matter and after he has appeared and after he has been enthroned, he is being praised by the reciters and he says, ‘no, no, no no, no, not yet, not yet, don’t praise me, I am not praiseworthy yet’ and he said he is a newcomer, ‘I have not manifested all those qualities and ‘maybe you are giving me some more….’. He is thinking like that, O! reciters, you are praising me, maybe this is your expectations, I understand, but I haven’t achieved that evolution or level of qualities and but I understand, this is what you expect but I should not be praised the way you are doing now. He is incarnation, one of the avataras, saktyavesa avatar of the Lord and hearing these words from him, is quite humbling experience. He has those qualities and he is claiming no.. no.. no.. no I don’t have these qualities. On the contrary, we normally fight, no, no, no I have that quality, no, no, I have more than what you have said. When someone praises us, then we say, Oh! Finally someone has realized that how advanced I am, atleast someone is understanding my advanced stage. So, we fight the other way. We are not yet there, but we say, no, no, we have more than what you think. And Prthu Maharaja says no no, no I am not that, this is too much; wait wait maybe after 10, 20 years could come back and praise me the way you are doing now but right now I am not that….. So, Srila Prabhupada is pointing out this as “humility”. Although actually an incarnation of God, Prthu Maharaja is, he was so humble and delightful in dealing with theses devotees, thus, we have to learn, so some conclusion or some lesson Prabhupada is pointing out. If Prthu Maharaja could be that humble, he does not have to be humble. So, take a lesson and thus we have to learn from the Lord or His incarnation how to become gentle and humble; and the King’s behavior was very pleasing to the reciters. So, this is a natural consequence of the advancement in Krishna consciousness. What is the consequence? That one becomes meek and humble, he takes humble position which is not a false, genuine humility exists and by cultivation of Krsna consciousness, one realizes how insignificant, tiny person he is. He is not the center of the universe or he is not all in all or he is not the Lord of all. Then this is also when a person is knowledgeable, so this knowledge infact. I am just this part and parcel tiny, just a speck, just a dust, this is knowledge; to know as we are. Knowledge is to know as we are, to know our position as humble servant, this is knowledge, to know things as they are. That’s knowledge, there is nothing, no exaggeration, no demolition even no plus or minus, as it is, that’s knowledge. So we are somebody in relationship with Krsna, we have some value, but we still are, the fact is we are just tiny living entities and the point is, we are not the only one here in this world. Like us, like you and me, there are billions of personalities and they also have to be accommodated and they also have position, humble position of being servant of the Lord and the servant of the servant serving the Lord and serving the devotees of the Lord and that way. We have our position but we are not the only one in the world, there are others and the spirit souls; they are as good as you are, no less. Literally speaking or some circumstances, big small positions in this world, age factor is there, then education in this world other topics, but Kunti Maharani says, there are 4 things that people become proud of in this world, one thing is the birth, high birth. For some reason, everyone thinks his birth is very high, because I have taken birth in such and such country, my birth is high, because I have taken birth in aristocratic family my birth is high. Because whatever…you could say so many things, you always have some justification how your birth is very high birth and you attached importance to it high birth, that’s one thing. Then education, education is supposed to make you humble in fact, that’s why you become educated to become knowledgeable of your position, your constitutional position. Education is for that purpose but they never find out who they are, what they are, how tiny they are and who others are and in this whole infrastructure or whole situation they are just one bit, little piece, part of the puzzle. So education, people become proud of education. Then some kind of beauty. Does anyone think that he is not beautiful? Everyone thinks I am and they look into the mirror and….(Laughter). Everyone is proud of his beauty, master piece or I am the standard. Although everyone has the same, every person has nose, 2 eyes, mouth, forehead, this 4- 5 parts on the face and they have been differently managed, same thing but as soon as you change the positions, different thing happen to you. The tiger, you push his nose down and they have tiger’s nose, cat’s nose. They have the manipulation, Nature is manipulating and just creating different feelings. But the best is, everyone has a mouth, everyone has a nose, nostrils and eyes and forehead, and the chin. There is so much variety, so much variety, for that we should be appreciating God because God’s nature is creating. No two persons are alike except for Pankajanghri and Jananivas in Mayapur. But there is also difference. Those who know, I haven’t figured it out in 30 years (Laughter) don’t tell them. I take long time before I open my mouth. I don’t know who is who there (Laughter) but there is a difference. So the beauty is the eye of the beholder it’s said. Even though the beauty doesn’t exist, the beholder, one who sees, he just feels he thinks, this is a beautiful person. So, like that there is attachment to the beauty. And then the wealth the 4 things, the high birth then education, beauty, wealth.
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