243 The Nectar of Devotion
Humility

A sense of weakness caused by distress, fearfulness or offensiveness
is called humility. In this condition one becomes talkative, small in
heart, dirty in mind, full of anxiety and inactive.

In the Tenth Canto, 5lst Chapter, 39th verse of Srimad-
Bhagavatam there is the following statement by King Mucukunda:
“My dear Lord, because of my bad deeds in the past I am everlast-
ingly aggrieved. I am always suffering from my desires, but still my
senses are never satisfied with material enjoyments. Somehow or
other I am, by Your grace, now in a peaceful condition because I
have taken shelter of Your lotus feet, which are always free from all
lamentation, fear and death. O supreme protector, O supreme soul!
O supreme controller! Kindly give me Your protection. I am so much
embarrassed.” This statement by Mucukunda is an instance of humili-
ty resulting from a severely miserable condition of material existence.

When Uttara was attacked by the brahmastra of Asvatthama, she
became afraid of losing her child, Maharaj Partksit, who was still with-
in the womb. She immediately surrendered to Krsna and said, “My
dear Lord, kindly save my child! I do not mind if I myself must be
killed by the brahmdastra of Agvatthama.” ‘This is an instance of
humility caused by fear.

In the Tenth Canto, 14th Chapter, 10th verse of Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Lord Brahma says, “‘O infallible one! I am born in the
modes of passion, and therefore I have been falsely proud of being
the creator of this material world. My false pride was just like dense
darkness, and in this darkness I had become blind. In my blindness I
was considering myself a competitor to You, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. But, my dear Lord, even though I am accepted as the
creator of this universe, I am eternally Your servant. Therefore, kind-

ly always be compassionate toward me and excuse me in that way.”
This statement by Brahma is another instance of humility resulting

from committing an offense.

Sometimes there is humility due to shyness. For example, when
Krsna stole all of the garments from the gopis while they were bath-
ing in the river, all of them begged Krsna not to commit this in-
