Modesty Amidst Fame
There was once a famous Russian actor and musician, Peter Mamonov. Despite his fame, he remained modest and accessible to common people.
The Journalist’s Question
When a journalist asked him how he managed to keep a cool head and not become proud of his fame, he answered with a story.
Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, all the townspeople honored him by fanning him with green palm leaves and throwing flowers from their houses. They cried “hallelujah” and worshiped him with all their hearts.
The Donkey’s Pride
Seeing all this worship, the donkey who carried Jesus felt extremely proud and started to bray: “Finally, you all recognized my true glory. I always knew that the people of Jerusalem are intelligent enough.”
Jesus’ Humility
Jesus, on the other hand, thought, “It is not me that the people worship; it is the mercy of the Lord that has been bestowed upon me and that I carry, which they find wonderful.”
(Story told by Sacinandana Swami)
Moral of the Story
Divine Gifts
We all carry divine gifts. Each of us has a talent bestowed upon us from above. The moment we discover and unpack it, people will be inspired.
Avoiding the Donkey’s Mistake
But let us not make the mistake of the donkey and claim the glorification for ourselves. It goes to the ones who gave us the gift and invested in our lives. That’s why we start and end every undertaking by saying: “All glories to Sri Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!”
A Prayer for Humility
We should wish to remain modest and humble, remembering that whatever is good in us is a divine gift from Krishna. I pray that we do not commit the mistake of the donkey.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all devotees to please forward and share these moral/instructive stories so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
