तृणदापि सुनिचेन तरोर इव सहिश्णुना । अमनिना मनदेन कीर्तनिया: सदा हरि: ||
Tṛiṇād āpi su-nīchena taror iva sahiṣhṇunā. Amāninā mān-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
- CC. Adi 17.31
So in this verse, Mahaprabhuji tells us that a devotee should be more humble than a blade of grass and more forgiving and tolerant than a tree. A devotee should not be looking for praise or personal compliments, but rather have respect for others. Shri Maharaj Ji has translated this verse in the Radha Govind Geet.
तृण ते अधिक नम्र गोविंद राधे। तरु ते भी अधिक सहिष्णु बना दे।।
Triṇ te adhik namra Govind Radhe. Taru te bhī adhik sahiṣhṇu banā de.सब को दूँ सम्मान गोविंद राधे । आपु माम चाहूँ नहिं ऐसा बना दे ।।
Sab ko dūṃ sammān Govind Radhe. Āpu mām chāhūṃ nahiṇ aisā de.- Radha Govinda Geet.
When we crush grass under our feet, it does not protest. It does not say, “Hey, why are you trodding on me? Why are you treading on me?” It does not say that.
A person finds a tree and appreciates, “Oh, nice fruits. I will pick some and cut some branches to use for firewood.” People plunder trees which never grumble, but instead, the same tree offers fruit and shelter to people.
So Mahaprabhuji tells us that a devotee should be more humble and forgiving because we, as individuals, as humans, we have knowledge, we are knowledgeable and superior.
Upon reading these lines, some people consider that to be an exaggeration, but it is not so. It has to be like that. For our consolation, Shree Maharaj Ji tells us that this is not the beginning, but the farthest ultimate limit of humbleness. Having respect for others without seeking praise or personal compliments, being humble and forgiving, all of these virtues can be described or can be expressed in one word - humbleness.
Any touch of vanity spoils it, just like a pinch of salt spoils a sweet pudding because humbleness is the foundation of our sadhana, our devotion. Devotion starts, stays, and develops on the basis of humbleness. And even the smallest degree of vanity indicates self-conceit and it inhibits devotion, whereas humbleness develops dedication to the Master and dependence on the grace of Shri Krishna.
The conceit of a devotee separates him from Shri Krishna and his Guru and his Master. This is why the followers of other spiritual paths that are based on self-effort are always in danger of falling into a greater ditch of self-vanity and materialism, because such self-efforts follow vanity.
