Humility

Learn that knowledge by prostrating yourself before the wise, by sincere questioning, and by service. Those who have seen the truth will teach it to you.

Absence of pride, absence of deceit, non-violence, patience, uprightness, service to the teacher, purity, steadiness, and self-restraint —

Then Dhanañjaya, overwhelmed with amazement, his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the God and spoke with joined palms.

I remember the glorious Guru who is the Supreme Brahman. I speak of the glorious Guru who is the Supreme Brahman. I bow to the glorious Guru who is the Supreme Brahman. I worship the glorious Guru who is the Supreme Brahman.

It placed a blade of grass before him and said, carry this away. He rushed at it with all his might and could not carry it. He returned saying, I was not able to find out what this wondrous being is.

It placed a blade of grass before him and said, burn this. He rushed at it with all his might and could not burn it. He returned saying, I was not able to find out what this wondrous being is.

In whatever way I may have shown disrespect to you in jest — while at play, at rest, seated, or at meals — whether alone or in company, O Achyuta — I ask your forgiveness for all that, O immeasurable one.

I bow to the Guru who is Brahman — eternal, pure, beyond all appearance and form, unstained, ever-aware, the very embodiment of consciousness and bliss.

I bow to that true Guru who is the bliss of Brahman, the bestower of supreme joy, the pure embodiment of wisdom alone, beyond all duality, vast as the sky, the intended meaning of the great Vedāntic proclamations such as 'Thou art That' — one, eternal, unstained, unshakeable, the witness of all minds, beyond all mental states, and free from the three qualities of nature.

Consider name and fame as toxic. Cultivate deep humility, and let it penetrate every aspect of your being.

All that brings happiness in life is achieved through the grace of the company of saints. The more we attend congregations, the more our life becomes enriched with saintly qualities. Our heart begins to absorb love and humility, which are the sources of all kinds of happiness.

I bow to the Guru, who is ever Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, beyond all duality, eternal, complete, formless, without attributes, and established in the Self.

Whatever I have boldly said to you out of carelessness or affection, thinking you merely a friend — 'O Krishna, O Yadava, O companion!' — all this, not knowing your true greatness —

I bow to that which pervades the entire universe as the Supreme Self — from the highest Brahman down to a blade of grass — all that is fixed and all that moves.

I bow always to the glorious Guru — who is bliss itself and the bestower of bliss, who is serene and radiant, whose very nature is knowledge, and who abides in pure self-awareness. He is the lord of yogis, worthy of all adoration, and the physician who heals the disease of worldly existence.

I bow to this supreme mantra of the Guru, which alone can rescue one from the ocean of worldly existence; which is the proven and perfected mantra worshipped by Brahmā and all the gods and sages; which destroys poverty, suffering, the disease of birth and death; and which removes the greatest of all fears.

I bow to the Guru in whom the five eternal cosmic functions — creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and bestowal of grace — perpetually shine.

— all these should be offered by the spiritual seeker for the Guru's delight. The Guru is to be worshipped, and one's very life is to be surrendered at the Guru's feet.

They are the source of kindness and other virtues. They feel sad when they see others in distress and are happy when they see others happy. They are calm, and they don't consider anyone as their enemy. They are free from pride and passion, and they have control over greed, anger, joy, and fear. They are gentle and compassionate towards those in distress, and they have pure devotion to me in their thoughts, words, and actions. They show respect to everyone and are humble themselves. I love such people as I love my own life. They have no personal interests, but they are dedicated to my name and are full of peace, calmness, humility, and good humor.

Then Agada arose, bowed his head, and with folded hands and tear-filled eyes, he spoke words that were filled with the nectar of love.