Hare Krishna Everyone.

All glories to Srila Prabupada

Humility and tolerance as described by Acharya’s are considered to be two important indicators for spiritual progress.

I want to touch base with one aspect of humility today which helps in every aspect of life which includes relationships like with wife, kids, parents, work or associating with devotees.

Over the years conducting and participating in Bhakti Vriksha programs I have come across different versions of humility from devotees.

Let’s start with our mind.

Our mind is restless, manipulative and tells us how to act in certain situations to be appropriate for particular situation.

Humility does not mean that you have to wear old clothes, drive old car or live in a hut. Everyone lives according to their means and sometime more or below their means. We all have imbibe things while growing up and is actually very deeply ingrained to our system.

If someone tells me to buy 500-dollar shirt I won’t buy it even if I can afford it because I am not raised like that. So we have to understand that outer appearance and the way we live have sometimes nothing to do with humility.

We could be just too attached to money, we could be very frugal and also have hard time doing charity. But if we look from outside we may be considered to be very humble because we know when to fold hands and pay obeisance.

One aspect of humility which I want to discuss today is to look inside and see your faults. Then you accept it and try to rectify it. This process of seeing fault inside and trying to rectify is very purifying process and definitely helps spiritually and helps in relationships.

Another part of humility is that its all or none. If you are humble at the temple, you are also humble in front of your spouse, family and work. It’s a part of you. Otherwise you are just acting out.

I have met lot of people, men or women, who have trouble accepting faults in themselves even after chanting for many years. I am not trying to find any faults with those who are sincerely chanting. My point is If we are able to grow from inside our spiritual progress will be more expedited. 

Hare Krishna

YS

Shitij Kapoor 

HpS - Thank you, Sir!

Hare Krsna!

It seems you have been chanting for some time with some sincere effort and your heart is becoming gentle and wise.

Daksa is an example of someone who did Visnu yajna for many years but he had attachments in his heart that slowed or contaminated his progress. Lord Caitanya explains this in His analogy of the Krpa of Bhakti to Rupa Goswami (CC Madhya 19).

Thank you!!