​How to persevere when humility feels very difficult to achieve?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
How to achieve humility? I am feeling it is very difficult to achieve. Yes.
Broadly speaking, there is the physical aspect, there is a mental aspect and there is a spiritual aspect. So, physically there are certain gestures, certain actions which are conducive to humility. You know, if I say, sit on this seat with my head leaning back, my legs going up, with my hand like this, I am feeling very humble, you know.
It’s not going to work. So, there are certain externals that are conducive to humility. When we come out from deities, we offer up our senses.
So, there are externals, they don’t necessarily generate humility, but they are conducive to humility. So, we have to find out what they are for us and we do those externals regularly. Along with that, at the mental level, I mean the subtle level, we have to find out when we are delighting in self-congratulation or self-praise.
We are thinking, oh I am so good, I am like this, I am like that, I am like that. And when we catch ourselves, we avoid that. So, okay, now I am thinking too much, I am so good.
That should not be my focus. My focus should be serving Krishna. And there is a spiritual aspect.
Spiritual aspect means, actually, the more we become fixed in Krishna, the more we will realize that actually, thinking about my own greatness, that is a huge over satisfaction. In the Gopi Gita it is said, nija-jana-smaya, dhvamsana-smeta. Nija-jana-smaya, that means, Krishna, the Gopis are saying, the pride in your servants, that is destroyed by your smita, your smile.
That means, when the devotees feel proud and then they go in front of Krishna and see Krishna’s smile. Krishna’s smile is so beautiful. There is so much joy in beholding the beauty of Krishna, in pleasing Krishna.
As compared to that, what is so great about this pleasure and pride? So, ultimately, when we focus on Krishna, when our heart becomes attracted to Krishna, dhvamsana-smeta, pride will be destroyed. So, there is a physical, mental and spiritual. But most importantly, at a practical level for us, it is the social aspects of humility.
Social aspects means, when we are with others, we don’t speak too much about ourselves. We don’t speak about our glories too much. Whenever we have an opportunity, we appreciate others.
So, trunadapi-sunichana, tarorapi-sahishnana is quite difficult to follow. But amanina-manadena is relatively easier to follow. You know, we can appreciate others.
And if somebody has done some good thing, we make it a point to appreciate them. And when we are looking for things to appreciate in others, that itself is a pleasant way of developing humility. If I think of all my faults in order to become humble, okay, I may become humble, but that’s not a very pleasant thing to do.
So, what happens is, and that may not even lead to humility, that may lead to self-pity. But if you are thinking of how can I appreciate others, and I focus on trying to see good in others and appreciating others, then what happens, that also takes us off self-obsession, takes us off self-absorption. And that is a healthy way in which we can cultivate humility.
Not just healthy, that is a joyful way in which we can cultivate humility. Because when we appreciate others, others are happy, then seeing their happiness, we also feel happy. And in that way, there is an increase of joyfulness in the devotee community.
And that’s how we can actually cultivate humility in the social dimension by not seeking appreciation ourselves so much, but by giving appreciation to others. Okay, last question.