1137. Who is Neech???

Neecha is a word which indicates “Low”. Same as “Uccha” which mean high this word Neecha indicates the opposite of high, in other words it indicates a level. 

In the Nine Prameyas, Srimad Madhva points out “Neechochcha Bhavangatah” (Hierarchy of Emotional Values). Every human is different and that difference is not in his appearance, his educational qualification, his knowledge level or his financial status. The difference lies in what kind of Vicharadhara (Ideology) he nurtures. 

    

As I understand from the verses of Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 14 verse 18) where Sri Krishna says, “Those situated in the mode of goodness rise high; those in the mode of passion stay in the middle; and those in the mode of ignorance go low”.

The Mode of Goodness is Sattva Guna, Mode of Passion is Rajo Guna and Mode of Ignorance is Tamo Guna. This High, Middle and Low are in the thoughts as it is the Trigunas which propel the thoughts. The thoughts then go on to be Vichaar (Ideas) which in a continuous flow become Vicharadhara (Ideology).

This Vicharadhara is visible in a person when his intentions are unveiled. The intentions can be in the thinking that is either Uccha (High level) or Neecha (Low level). Low level thinking can cause a thought that lead to an infinite number of random uncontrollable thoughts which inflate only to pamper the Ego. While High level thinking is where thinking happens in such a way that thinking stops and an understanding starts. High level thinking is that in which there is end of thinking and beginning of understanding. Hence a thought that has sprouted from High level thinking does not remain for a long time, it sublimates into a silent understanding. Low level thinking is an untamed thought which goes on and on expanding madly destroying everything and will never subdue.

Those who nurture the Neecha thinking will always criticize other and look for flaws in others. The criticism can be for no reason at all, like how Shishupala criticized Sri Krishna in the Kuru Sabha. Criticism is an indication that people like the work pursued. If those criticisms are taken positively there is always a chance of betterment in the quality of work to be done in the future. Criticism can demotivate if taken to the heart, instead if it goes to the head one can analyse if there is any truth in those critics. If an iota of slip-down is found to have happened one can try to correct that slip-down in future. Criticism should never let to lower the confidence level; if it is a deliberate criticism then ignoring it is the better option.  

Purandaradasa one of the prominent composer and contributor to Dasa Sahitya in Kannada literature during the 16th century, writes in one of his compositions thus:

Nindakarirabeku samajadali nindakarirabeku

sandigondigalalli handigaliruvanthe nindakarirabeku.....

Meaning: Critics have to be there in the society just like a sounder of pigs that are present in the by lanes.....

The pigs live and thrive on muck, faeces and dirt. They are known to be the best scavengers that exist. In olden days the houses in villages did not have toilets and the villagers excreted in the open air. Very often excreta were cleared by these pigs and the village was kept clean. Saint Purandaradasa compares our faults to the filth and critics to pigs which clean them. 

So now, who is Neecha???