जेतो नीचो व्है चलै तेतो ऊंचो होय

Summary

The text discusses the importance of humility and modesty, using the metaphor of a tree that bends under its own weight to teach that a humble person receives respect and honor everywhere. Humility destroys poverty, fosters harmony, and eliminates enmity, while arrogance leads to failure at every step. The Uttaradhyayana Sutra compares an arrogant person to a dog with rotten ears, expelled from all places. Trees that stand rigidly are uprooted by strong winds, while those that bend survive and stand again. A story illustrates this: the ocean asks the Vetravati river why she brings no gifts like other rivers. The river explains that the reeds on her banks bend low when she flows swiftly, preventing her from breaking them. The ocean acknowledges that humility and modesty are powerful virtues. The text emphasizes that humility leads to knowledge, as stated: "The humble attain knowledge." Without humility, education becomes a burden. True education imparts humility, but modern education often focuses only on livelihood, leading to moral decline. Knowledge and humility are deeply connected; one cannot exist without the other. Lord Mahavira declared humility the root of religion, with liberation as its ultimate fruit. The text refutes the idea that bending is a sign of weakness, attributing such thinking to arrogance. The Dashavaikalika Sutra warns that learning without humility leads to destruction. A humble person possesses tact, decency, and tolerance, enduring adversity with equanimity. Humility fosters organizational strength, creates a loving home environment, and leads to knowledge, right perception, conduct, and ultimately liberation. It is the foundation of development and the first step toward a peaceful life.