{"id":4346,"date":"2013-07-13T01:55:22","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4346"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:55:22","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:22","slug":"28-apendix-modesty-vol-02-words-of-long-ago-volume-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/02-words-of-long-ago-volume-02\/28-apendix-modesty-vol-02-words-of-long-ago-volume-02","title":{"rendered":"-28_Apendix _Modesty.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\nFourteen <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\nModesty
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nW<\/font><\/span>ho is this
\ncoming to the door of this Japanese house? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It
\nis the flower-artist, the man who is skilled in arranging flowers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nmaster of the house brings a tray with some flowers, a pair of scissors, a
\nknife, a little saw, and a beautiful vase. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSir,\u201d he says, \u201cI cannot make a bouquet
\nbeautiful enough for such a beautiful vase.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI
\nam sure you can,\u201d replies the master politely as he leaves the room. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Left alone, the artist sets to work, cutting,
\nsnipping, twisting and tying until a beautiful bunch of flowers fills the vase
\n\u2013 a delight to the eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nmaster and his friends enter the room; the artist stands to one side and
\nmurmurs, \u201cMy bouquet is too poor, let it be taken away.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d replies the master, \u201cit is good.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>To
\none side of the table, near the vase, the artist has left a pair of scissors.
\nBy this he means that if there is any flaw in the bouquet, anyone can take the
\nscissors and cut away what offends the eye. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nartist has done a fine piece of work, but he would not dream of exalting its
\nmerits. He admits that he may have made mistakes. He is modest. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Perhaps the Japanese artist really thinks that
\nhis work deserves compliments. I cannot tell his thoughts. But at any rate he
\ndoes not boast and his behaviour<\/span> is pleasing. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>On
\nthe other hand, we smile at people who are vain. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Suleiman, Caliph of Damascus, was like that.
\nOne Friday, coming out of his hot bath, he dressed himself in green clothes,
\nput on a green turban, sat on a green couch, and even the carpet <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 248<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

all around was green. And then looking into a mirror and feeling
\npleased with himself, he said, \u201cThe Prophet Mohammed was an apostle, Ali Bakr<\/span> was a faithful servant of the truth, Omar could
\ndistinguish the true from the false, Otman<\/span> was
\nmodest, Ali was brave, Muawiyah<\/span> was merciful, Yazid<\/span> was patient, Abd-ul-Malik<\/span> a
\ngood governor, Walid<\/span> a powerful master, but I am
\nyoung and handsome.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nflowers in the vase are beautifully arranged and our eyes are delighted. But it
\nis for us and not for the artist to praise them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Suleiman is handsome. It is true that there is
\nno harm in his knowing it, but we laugh at his vanity when he gazes at himself
\nin a mirror and tells himself that his good looks make him a finer man than
\nOmar the truthful or Yazid<\/span> the patient.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Still more absurd was the vanity of the man
\nwho thought that the earth was not large enough for his glory and that he must
\nsoar into higher regions. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>This is the story. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>A
\nking of Persia named Kai Kaus<\/span> had waged many wars and
\nwon many battles. He was so rich with the spoils of his enemies that he built
\ntwo palaces in the Elburz<\/span> mountains; and the gold and
\nsilver in the chambers were so plentiful that the brightness of the polished
\nmetal rivalled<\/span> the light of day. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Kai
\nKaus<\/span> was filled with presumptuous pride; he thought
\nthat he was the greatest king on earth. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Iblis<\/span>, the evil spirit, observing the high opinion the king
\nhad of himself, resolved to trick him. He sent a demon disguised as a servant
\nto the palace, with a bunch of flowers to present to the king. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nservant kissed the ground before Kai Kaus<\/span> and said: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSire, no king in the world is like unto you.
\nAnd yet one realm remains for you to conquer, the upper world, the king-<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 249<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

dom<\/span><\/span> of the sun, the moon, the planets and the secret corners of the
\nheavens. Follow the birds, O King, and ascend to the sky.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBut how can I ascend without wings?\u201d asked
\nthe king. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYour wise men will tell you, Sire.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>So
\nKing Kai Kaus<\/span> asked the astrologers how he might fly
\nto the upper regions, and they invented a novel plan. They suggested ordinary
\nmethods but the king would not hear of them.\u00a0
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>They took four young eagles from a nest, fed
\nand trained them until they were big and strong. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>They
\nmade a square wooden frame; at each corner they fixed a pole and on each pole a
\npiece of goat’s meat. One of the four eagles was tied to each corner. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nking’s throne was attached to the frame and a jar of wine was placed at the
\nside of the throne. The king sat down. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nfour eagles tried to catch hold of the meat and in order to do so flew upwards,
\nat the same time lifting up the frame, which rose into the air to the amazement
\nof the crowd. The eagles went up and up, nearer and nearer to the moon, until,
\nwearied by their flight, they stopped beating their wings. Then the frame, the
\nthrone, the king, the wine-jar and all fell with a crash into the wilderness of
\nChina. The king lay all alone, bruised, hungry and wretched, until messengers
\ncame and took him back to the palace. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nking himself now saw how stupid and vain he had been. He decided not to attempt
\nany more flights beyond his power. He settled down to the work of his kingdom
\nand ruled it so justly that all men praised him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>This is how he came down from the high places
\nof vanity to the honesty of the good, firm earth.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Sometimes we feel contempt for vain people who
\nnot only admire themselves too much, but boast. No one likes a braggart; even
\nbraggarts despise braggarts.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 250<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>We
\nare not surprised to learn that Ravana the terrible foe of Rama, whose wife
\nSita he had stolen away, was a braggart; it was quite natural for such a
\nmonster. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In
\nthe last great battle between Rama and the demons of Lanka, the glorious lord
\nstood in his chariot face to face with the demon king, also in his chariot. It
\nwas a single combat. The army of demons and the army of monkeys and bears
\nwatched the fight. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Then with a dreadful voice, Ravana the king of
\nLanka cried: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cToday, O Rama, this war will come to an end
\nunless you save yourself by running away from the battlefield. Today, wretch, I
\nshall give you over to death. It is with Ravana that you must fight.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Rama smiled calmly. He knew that Ravana’s<\/span> doom was near and he said: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYes, I have heard of all your might, O
\nRavana, but now I want to see as well as hear. I beg you to remember that there
\nare three kinds of men in this world, who are like three kinds of trees: the dhak<\/span>, the mango and the bread-fruit. The dhak<\/span> tree bears flowers. It is like the man who only
\nspeaks. The mango tree has both flowers and fruits. It is like a man who both
\nspeaks and acts. The bread-fruit tree bears only fruit. It is like the man who
\nspeaks not but acts.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\ndemon laughed at these wise words. But before long his boasting tongue was
\nsilent for ever.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

You have heard of great Solomon who was
\nthe King of Israel many years ago. There are many stories in the Bible and in
\nother books which tell of his glory and his majesty. I shall tell you one story
\nabout him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>He
\nwas very rich. He had a magnificent throne, his plates were of gold, and in his
\npalace silver was as common as stones in the city of Jerusalem. Merchants were
\nconstantly bringing <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 251<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

him gold, silver, ivory, peacocks, monkeys, beautiful clothes, armour<\/span>, spices, horses, mules and many other riches. King
\nSolomon built a splendid temple in honour<\/span> of the God
\nof his fathers and his nation. But before the temple was built, while the
\ntimber for it was still growing in the form of cedar-trees on the mountains,
\nSolomon had a dream in which his God appeared to him and said: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAsk of me what you wish me to give you.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Solomon answered: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMy
\nfather David was a just and truthful man and now I have succeeded to his
\nthrone. The work that lies before me is great. I feel like a little child. I do
\nnot know how to go out or come in. I do not even know how to rule this people
\nof which I am king. Therefore my desire is to have knowledge, so that I may
\nknow good from evil.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And
\nGod replied: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBecause you have not asked for long life or
\nriches but have desired knowledge and a heart which can distinguish justice
\nfrom injustice, I will give you this wise mind so that none shall surpass you
\nin understanding; and long life and riches will be yours also.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You
\nwill notice the modest words spoken by the king, \u201cI am but a little child.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Do
\nwe think less of Solomon because he spoke humbly of himself? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>On
\nthe contrary, it is a real joy to see greatness that is modest.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I shall tell you three stories about the modesty
\nof the Prophet Mohammed. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is said that the Prophet of Islam was
\nalways willing to ride on an ass, while prouder men would only be content with
\na horse. And sometimes he would invite someone to ride behind <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 252<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

him. And he would say: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI
\nsit at meals as servants do and I eat like a servant, for in truth I am a
\nservant.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Here is the second story. One day the Prophet
\nwas at a meeting-place where many people were gathered, and there was not much
\nroom to sit. So he sat with his legs folded under him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>An
\nArab of the desert was present, and knowing that Mohammed was a great leader of
\nmen, he was surprised that the Prophet was not seated like a lord upon a
\nthrone. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cIs
\nthis the way to sit?\u201d he scoffed. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cVerily,\u201d said Mohammed, \u201cAllah has made me a
\nhumble servant and not a proud king.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Here is the third story. Mohammed was deep in
\nconversation with the chief of a tribe of Quraish<\/span>,
\nwhen a blind man named Abdullah, not knowing that someone was with the Prophet,
\nsuddenly interrupted the conversation and asked to hear some verses from the
\nKoran. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Mohammed spoke to him very roughly and ordered
\nhim to be silent. But afterwards he felt sorry that he had been so harsh and
\nvery humbly apologised<\/span> for it. And from that time he
\ntreated Abdullah with great respect and even conferred honorable posts on him.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>After these stories of the king and the
\nprophet, I shall tell you one about a famous man of science, the Englishman
\nIsaac Newton. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Newton was born in 1642 and died in 1727. In
\nthe course of his long life he studied Nature; the universal force of
\nattraction called gravitation, the effect of the sun and the moon on the tides;
\nthe light of the sun and how its white ray is broken up into the seven colours<\/span> of the rainbow; and many other things besides.
\nEveryone marvelled<\/span> at the wisdom of this man who was
\nso skilled in reading the works and wonders of Nature. One day <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 253<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

a lady spoke to Newton of his learning and knowledge and he
\nreplied: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAlas! I am only like a little child picking up
\npebbles on the shore of the great ocean of truth.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You
\nwill understand that the ocean of truth means the laws of Nature which even the
\nmost learned men hardly know at all. A little child collects pebbles on the
\nsea-shore, but how much vaster is the sea than the child thinks! And how much
\nvaster still is the universe compared to our little thoughts! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And
\ndo we think less of Newton because he compared himself to a little child?
\nCertainly not. We honour<\/span> him for his modesty.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Many years ago a great singer, who had won a
\nworld-wide reputation for her wonderful voice and outstanding talent, happened
\nto be at a party. There, a little girl with a beautiful voice was asked to
\nsing. The piece she was ready to sing was a duet, a piece of music for two voices.
\nThe child was to sing the main part, but no one wanted to sing the
\naccompaniment. All the grown-ups thought that it was beneath them to sing the
\nsecond voice to a child. There was a pause; no one offered to accompany the
\nchild. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Then the famous singer said: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI
\nwill sing the second voice if you wish.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And
\nshe did so. The duet was sung to the audience; the little girl’s voice rose
\nhigh and clear, with the voice of the most famous singer of her time following
\nsweetly, making a lovely harmony. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Noble was the heart of the modest lady who was
\nwilling to give her service to a child.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In
\n1844 the Sanskrit College of Calcutta needed a teacher of grammar, and the post
\nwas offered to Iswar<\/span> Chandra Vidyasagar<\/span>.
\n<\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 254<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

At that time he was earning fifty rupees a month, and in this new
\nposition he could earn ninety. But he thought that his friend Tarkavachaspati<\/span> was a better grammar teacher than himself
\nand he said so. So it was decided that his friend should take the post. Vidyasagar<\/span> was very happy. He walked some distance from
\nCalcutta to find his friend and tell him the news. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Tarkavachaspati<\/span> was struck by the noble modesty of the
\nscholar and exclaimed, \u201cYou are not a man, Vidyasagar<\/span>,
\nbut a god in human form!\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Now
\nhere is the story of a conceited glow-worm. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>A
\nman looked up at the glorious sun and exclaimed: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cHow bright!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cLike all the rest of us shining ones,\u201d
\nanswered a voice. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nman looked all around him and saw a glow-worm in the shade of a bush. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWas it you who spoke?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d replied the glow-worm. \u201cI said that the
\nsun and I are shining ones.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThe sun and you, really!\u201d laughed the man. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYes, the sun, the moon, the stars, and me,\u201d
\ninsisted the glow-worm complacently.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Four men were climbing a mountain in Italy.
\nAll four of them were monks: St. Francis was leading three brothers of his
\norder. The mountain-side was covered with trees, and at the top there was an
\nopen flat space where St. Francis wished to pray, in the hope of having a new vision
\nof things divine. The saint was well known and revered by rich lords and poor
\nvillagers alike. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\nday was hot and the path steep. Francis was too tired <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 255<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

to walk. So one of the monks went to a peasant and asked him to
\nlend his ass for Francis to ride. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The
\npeasant willingly agreed; the saint mounted the ass and the monks walked by his
\nside while the peasant followed behind. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cTell me,\u201d asked the peasant, \u201care you Brother
\nFrancis?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d he replied. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThen,\u201d
\nsaid the peasant, \u201ctry to be as good as people think you are, so that men may
\nkeep their faith in you.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>When he heard this, St. Francis was not at all
\ndispleased, for he would take advice from anyone, whether prince or poor
\npeasant. He got down from the ass, bowed down before the countryman and thanked
\nhim for his good advice. <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

\nPage – 256<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fourteen   Modesty   Who is this coming to the door of this Japanese house? \u00a0It is the flower-artist, the man who is skilled in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[123],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-02-words-of-long-ago-volume-02","wpcat-123-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4346\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}