133. Humility & Humbleness, the foundation of all Virtues!!!!!!!

Lord Krishna uses two words “Amaanitvam and Adambhitvam” (Humility and Humbleness) while explaining to Arjuna in Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 13 verse 8, which are prerequisites characteristic of a person who has acquired true knowledge.

Amaanitvam or humility is an intrinsic character that is not in-born while it is learnt through wisdom gained through knowledge and by understanding the society and people around us.

Adambhitvam or humbleness is behavioural feature that is not merely an act but that which is ingrained in our conduct. 

In this worldly life many of us think that our status, power and influence are linked to arrogance and lordliness. This attitude has made us think that with status, power and influence we can afford to be arrogant. The identification of the matter components in us results in this fake sense of authority. The comparison of our body with others makes us feel we are well built than others. Mind is better in thinking when compare to others. Intellectually we are better judge and know more than others. Even though we are well built than others or think well than others or better in understanding things than others, what has it got to do to feel superior or arrogant is the question. In fact these things can never be guaranteed to remain the same always. An unforeseen accident could damage our body or we can lose capacity to think or judge. If we think deeply we identify our self with that which is not permanent. The matter components in us which are temporary and always changing when compared with others are bound to be different and this will never let us have peace of mind. These psychological differences in our mind create the superiority and inferiority complexes.

In reality there are always people who are physically well built or less intellectual than us. These difference in the matter component in all of us does exist and if we are better than some it is merely due to little more grace of His in that particular part. Hence that should never be a yardstick to compare and say that we are better than others. At the end of the day, we are all human beings from the same source and are gifted with certain talents and abilities. Each one of us possess our bundle of gifts and a wise person is aware of this and thinks that with his best ability he does something good to the wellness of the society around him.

In Quran also many words express the meaning of humility and the very term Islam is derived from the word Salam which implies being humble to Allah in a gesture of surrenderance to Him. Christians believe humbleness comes when the Holy Spirit resides in us. It is regarded as a quality by which a person considering his own flaws has a humble view of him and willingly submits himself to Almighty.

If we don’t have the mind-set to be humble with our fellow beings, is it possible for us to be humble to Absolute???

The great American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Every man I meet is in some way my superior and a great man is one who is always willing to be little”.

Humbleness also teaches us not to underestimate others ability and talent. At the same time humbleness of a person should not let him underestimate his own ability since it will amount to weakness. And amazingly humility is a strange feel that the minute we think we have it, we have lost it.