“Saints say we should search for God within our body.
Instead of taking this advice, we let ourselves be deluded by our pride and egotism.
Just think for a moment. While we are in this body, what are we proud of?
Is it our youth?
Have we not seen old age creeping up on people?
Have we not seen the pitiful condition of patients in hospitals?
Is it our wealth?
Have we not seen rich people losing all their money?
Is it power and authority or honor and glory?
Have we not seen powerful and influential leaders forced to face the hangman's noose or being shot by an assassin's bullet?
In the space of a moment, monarchies may be overthrown and their monarchs may end their lives in prison or be sentenced to death
-or be shot dead.
What then are we proud of?
Kabir Sahib says:
The burning wood says to the blacksmith:
Even though you are burning me in your forge today,
Do not forget that there will come a day
When I shall burn your fine body in the same way to ashes!.
To the potter, the clay says:
It matters not if you today
Are kneading and crushing me
heavily with your feet and hands;
For the day will surely come
When ‘I’ shall tread on you! And trample on your body!!.
The blacksmith burns wood in his forge to heat and make horseshoes.
The wood warns him that the day is not far off when it will burn him on the cremation pyre.
The potter kneads the clay to make earthen jars and pots.
The clay warns him that before very long it will make him a part of itself when he is buried in a grave.
Similarly, Soami Ji says:
O man, what are you so proud of?
Your body will turn to dust
And you will return
To the cycle of ‘birth’ and
’rebirth’.
The saints therefore advise us to be meek and humble. The more humble and modest we are, the greater will be our devotion to the Lord and the greater will be his grace.
Christ also speaks of humility and meekness in the Bible, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven....
Blessed are the meek: For they shall inherit the earth."
He again says, "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven….”
Verily I say unto you: Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Soami Ji similarly states,
"Implant meekness and humility in your mind and save yourself from lust and anger."
Likewise, Guru Arjan says:
My deeds are all wretched,
I have taken refuge with you;
O Nanak, save me!
Saints, who are the highest among men, are always meek and humble.
Humility is their distinctive quality.
They approach the door of the Lord as beggars. Guru Nanak, in deep humility, calls himself the `lowest of the low', the `slave of his slaves'.
Even after they have attained the highest possible degree of spirituality and become the Lord himself, they still maintain their humility.
We should draw inspiration from the lives of the saints!
When we get a little power in our hands, we are apt to become proud and to look down with disdain on other human beings.
Kabir Sahib says:
I went out in search of an evil man,
But could not find one;
When I searched within my own self,
I found I was the worst of all.
I am, O Kabir, the worst of all;
Except for me, all are good.
He who understands this is indeed my friend.
The principal aim of saints is to tell us that we should try to get rid of our pride and ego.
They guide us to be humble and to devote ourselves to meditation on the Supreme Lord.
Then alone will we fulfill the object of human life.
Saint Dadu Sahib says:
With what face can I laugh and speak?
O Dadu, I should rather weep;
I am departing, and I have wasted
This priceless birth of mine for nothing.
Mahatma Charandas says:
Horses and elephants and wealth,
And countless concubines—
Each one as lovely as the moon—
All these are worthless,
For without the treasure of Naam,
One suffers endless tortures
-in the land of Yama, the lord of death
Guru Nanak says:
There is no true companion,
No true comrade,
Other than Nam;
Salvation can be gained
Only if you meditate on Nam.
When humility is instilled within us, we will naturally turn towards God.
This however can happen only through the infinite ‘Grace’ of the Lord!
