QA on humility 1 – How are the various points of Lord Chaitanya’s verse on humility inter-related?

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QA on Humility 1 – How are the various points of Lord Chaitanya’s verse on humility interrelated?

Question:
When we talk about humility, the first thing that comes to my mind is the famous verse from Śikṣāṣṭakam:

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā,
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One should be humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all desire for prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others.”

I have a question regarding this. I work in the corporate world, and if this verse is taken literally—if I try to be humble all the time—there is a real risk of being taken advantage of or even trampled by others.

Also, are these four qualities—being humbler than grass, more tolerant than a tree, not expecting respect, and offering respect—meant to be compartmentalized, or are they interconnected? Or is humility an overarching quality that includes the other three? Could you please shed light on this?

Answer:
Yes, this is a thoughtful and important question. Thank you for asking.

Let’s begin with two key points regarding humility.
Any time we hear about a virtue—whether from scripture or from cultural tradition—there are two things to consider:

1. Our preconceived notion of what that virtue means.

2. How the tradition actually presents it in practice.

For example, many people equate humility with weakness or passivity—as if being humble means allowing others to walk all over us. But if we look at the lives of saints, we find a more nuanced and dynamic expression of humility.

Yes, we do find examples like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was beaten yet did not retaliate. But that instance is more an example of forgiveness than humility per se.

On the other hand, consider Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He certainly displayed humility—for example, when he referred to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya as a respected elder, or when he sat at a lower place in the assembly of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. But when it came to philosophy, he was clear, assertive, and uncompromising. He did not accept viewpoints that contradicted the conclusions of scripture, even in the name of being humble.

So from this, we understand:

Humility is primarily about personal conduct, not about compromising our purpose.

If we have a responsibility—whether spiritual or material—we may need to be assertive. That doesn’t mean we’re not humble. It means we are not letting our ego interfere with our service or duty.

What, then, does humility mean?
It means not letting our ego come in the way of our purpose. Especially in devotional life, humility means recognizing that our service to Krishna is more important than our prestige, praise, or even emotional comfort.

We continue doing our service whether we are honored or dishonored. And if someone obstructs that service, we may need to act—even assertively, if necessary—not out of pride, but out of dedication.

Humility does not mean becoming like a doormat or a dishrag that’s used and discarded. Rather:

True humility means letting go of ego—not letting go of responsibility.

How are the four parts of the verse related?

Now let’s analyze the verse itself:

tṛṇād api sunīcena – humbler than a blade of grass
taror api sahiṣṇunā – more tolerant than a tree
amāninā – not expecting any respect
mānadena – ready to give respect to others

There are two ways we can look at this:

1. As four distinct but complementary qualities, each valuable on its own.

• Grass is trodden upon, yet it doesn’t protest—a metaphor for humility.

• A tree tolerates heat, cold, rain, and still gives fruit and shelter—a metaphor for tolerance.

• Not expecting respect is about curbing our ego.

• Offering respect is about honoring the divinity in others.

2. As humility being the core, expressed through the other three.

In this view:

• Tolerance,

• Not seeking respect, and

• Giving respect to others
  are all expressions or manifestations of humility.

For instance:

• If I am truly humble, I don’t feel entitled to respect.

• I am able to tolerate difficulties, even when others behave harshly.

• I can honor others, recognizing them as parts and parcels of Krishna, regardless of how they treat me.

A broader purpose: Constant glorification of Krishna

The verse concludes with:

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ – one can then constantly glorify the Lord.

This shows that humility is not an end in itself. The goal is not just to “be humble.”

The goal is to develop the inner absorption that allows us to glorify Krishna constantly—without being distracted by honor, dishonor, pleasure, pain, ego, or conflict.

Most of the time, what actually obstructs us from glorifying Krishna is not other people’s behavior—but our own inner reactions, resentments, and ego.

So when we adopt these qualities—humility, tolerance, detachment from respect—we’re not just becoming “virtuous.” We are freeing the heart to serve and remember Krishna fully.

To conclude:
You can think of these four qualities like pathways through a forest, all leading to the mountain of constant Krishna-kīrtana. Depending on our nature, situation, and challenges, different paths might feel more relevant at different times. But the destination remains the same: a heart fully absorbed in glorifying Krishna.

Questioner: Yes, definitely. Thank you so much!
Answer: Thank you too.