Humility and contentment are the greatest virtues. -Swami Nikhilananda
This is a short story from the Ramayana with deep learning. Lord Rama’s father King Dashratha had just declared Lord Rama as his heir apparent and Lord Rama was to be crowned King the next morning. All the festivities and preparations on a grand scale were going on.
In a secure room of the palace, the Crown for Lord Rama and Lord Rama’s footwear were having a conversation. The Crown was full of excitement and arrogance. It said to the footwear, “Look at my good fortune, I sit on the head of Kings and am revered by all. Tomorrow, I will be placed on Lord Rama’s head. Indeed how lucky I am”. Also, the Crown sneered at Lord Rama’s footwear and said arrogantly, “O Footwear, I feel sorry for your condition. You are not respected and even not allowed inside the palace. Look at me and see how much glory and power I possess”.
The poor Footwear replied, “O Crown, I am happy being who I am. I am content at just serving and being”.
You may already know the story and the change of events overnight. Due to King Dashratha’s two boons to queen Kaikayee, Lord Rama was banished to the forest for fourteen years and Kaikayee’s son Bharata was to be coronated, king. Needless to say, there was no use for the Crown anymore. It remained in the closet. Lord Rama took his Footwear as he departed the palace as an ascetic.
What’s more, Bharata was fully devoted to Lord Rama and did not accept becoming the king. When Lord Rama did not agree to go back, Bharata agreed to run the kingdom in his absence as Lord Ramas’s caretaker. As a symbol of his blessings, Lord Rama gave Bharata his sandals. These Sandals were reverentially placed first on Bharata’s head with the utmost respect and then on the grand throne. Also, they became the national emblem and were placed on all the sacred and royal items of the kingdom. In the meanwhile, the arrogant Crown was left in the closet.
The moral is that pride and arrogance are like poison and should be avoided. Humility and contentment are the greatest virtues. Look how the sandals were rewarded by the divine plan. May Lord Rama’s blessings be upon all of us, where our only desire should be to become his sandals. To stay connected to his holy feet. Then all the glory of the world becomes like a straw and follows us even without our asking.
Om Sri Ramayai Namaha! Om!
Swami Nikhilananda