We have come and joined this society of Krishna consciousness, Mahaprabhu’s movement.
We have accepted guru and have been chanting the holy name. We may be reciting Śikṣāṣṭaka daily, but still we have pride.
Pride comes in various forms: “Don’t you know who I am? I am a senior devotee! I have spent so many years in this society. Don’t you know that?” This is sevaka-dambha, pride in one’s service position. Although we recite tṛṇād api sunīcena, although we have heard many times about the danger of pride, still this dambha is coming to us. Still we cannot give it up: “Don’t you know? I have done this and this and this. I have opened so many temples.” “I am temple president.” “I am manager.” “I am GBC, great guru, ācārya.”
Also, you will also find some vaiṣṇavas who have given up their material family and wealth. They have given up everything. But they have tyāga-dambha, pride in their renunciation: “I am a great tyāgī, a great renunciate. I have given up this thing and this thing. Has anyone done like that?” They may be wandering in Vrindavan, living by begging, just collecting mādhukarī, bikṣa, and still they have such pride, dambha.
Who is free from pride? Pride comes in various forms to us. So how can we become humble, tṛṇād api sunīcena? How can our chanting become pure and offenseless? How can we get Mahaprabhu’s mercy? How can we develop kṛṣṇa-prema?
H.H. Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
From chapter 13 of Mathura Meets Vrindavan
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