Where there is ego, there is no humility,
and where there is humility, there is no ego.
Humility comes in when one sees that only the Creator is the Doer
and one is merely a puppet of His Divine Will.

Those who do not rise above the plane of senses, wholly or partially remain in duality, and to remain in duality is a sin. In spite of continuous efforts to overcome the sins and prove oneself as good and pious in the eyes of others, one tells lies and commits more sins. By trying to overcome them, one gathers the dirt of impious deeds. One hides them inside and becomes the prey of lots of worldly “diseases” and continuously remains in sins. Ego is the main hindrance in self-analysis and man-making, and with ego one ever acts as doer.

Humility is not possible unless until one overcomes the mind and its identification through the sense organs. If one sees the world with open eyes, and with eyes closed to one’s self within, one can see the underlying disadvantages to some extent. We can remove the physical ego, but again there is astral and causal ego. When one rises above the causal body, one sees the underlying causes of ego in total. Only after removing the physical, astral and causal ego, does one obtain humility in full. Then one is a conscious co-worker of the Divine plan and takes Him as the Doer.

While in the physical body, we can learn much of humility. We can obey and trust our feelings to the utmost, but we do not know the cause and its effect. This is possible only when we rise above the causal plane. Humility is the heritage of man. It is one of the greatest virtues in man. But if we take the view mentioned above, it is limited to few persons in the world.

When one knows much from holy books and from a competent Master, sometimes one asks, “Why has God created this earthly planet?” Even if Master may give a lot of examples to prove and explain it, one cannot understand it, because one does not know the cause and effect; it is only possible when one rises above the causal plane. But there the intellect does not work (any longer), so who will ask this question then?

Master says, “With all humility go and ask Him.” To ask this sort of question would just mean to blame His Doership (as He is the Creator of all this). It is just to break the bridge leading to humility. The world is His play and we are not out of it. Just to finish with further ego in man, Kabir says, “Well, go and ask Him.” There (where you might put this question) the intellect does not work. With all humility the soul moves further. Those who know the cause and effect are full of humility and serve all others who are still ignorant about the cause and effect. On account of this humility the negative power and worldly attachments have ever bowed down before such personalities. They come into the world to create peace and harmony. Christ said, “Those who are humble are peace-makers.”

By the grace of the competent Master one becomes humble. Such one ever repeats and respects the word of his Master. He takes the word of the Master as a law. He feels from within that his Master has blessed him with the spiritual life. Worldly people who keep lust in mind and want attachments, cannot attain humility. Master says, “Those who have love and humility in their heart, are the supreme in the world and are alive forever.”

One may read lots of books on humility and become a learned person, but (in this way) one cannot attain humility. Some learned persons sell their knowledge, and their lives go in vain.

Without love for humanity there cannot be humility. Many Rishis and Munis, sages and seers of the past, renounced the world and went into the forests and mountains for salvation, but they could not attain their goal. They took the mind with them and brought the mind back into the play of the world. They could never afford love and humility towards their fellow beings, neither before nor afterwards. Whereas by the grace of their Master, the Saints or awakened ones knew the purpose of human life. They served humanity, which brought forth humility in them. Their boat was in the water, but not the water in the boat.

Only those could attain love and humility who removed the evil from their heart and who looked upon their home and the lonely forest as being alike. For them the night was a jungle when they could develop themselves, and for them the day was to serve and develop others.

With selfless service one can learn a lot in the practical way. Selfless service is a gift from God. It is a training field. Theory and practice go side by side. To overcome a difficult job one has to keep the concern whole-heartedly under one’s responsibility and one has to handle the whole situation in great humility. One further knows that work which is based on humility and is duly concerned with humility, is spiritual work.

Kabir says:

What is the use of keeping matted hair,

and besmearing the body with ashes

and dwelling in caves?

This is all sin.

Without conquering the mind,

one cannot overcome sin.

Such people lack humility.

Humility is considered supreme in Saints. Master says, “First, humility; second, humility; third, humility.”

Out of humility in Saints, people come to them. Out of humility the Saints listen to them and speak to them. Out of humility they give to the people the practical experience to be able to solve the mystery of life. Although the so-called saints may have attained supernatural powers and have got very popular in the world, they wander from door to door. The real Saints are ashamed even to speak of the so-called people. Such people are egoists and they do not have any link with humility. The doubt is dispelled through a  humble person. He listens to everyone with all humility, and advises one with all humility. A humble man becomes the abode of all virtues.

Like water in the water,

and the wave in the ocean,

the humble person merges in God.

The humble man is impartial like air. He does each and everything in the way the Creator wishes of him. He does not have another option. Humility is the heritage of the Saints and of very few blessed souls in the world.

Kabir says:

Forgive Thy slave, O God, so that he may not come back

into this terrible world.

Wirtten by Dr. Harbhajan Singh