Poet-saint Kabir wrote the following simple yet profound lines…
‘Bada hua toh kya hua… jaise pedh khajur…
Panthi ko chaya nahin… fal phi lagte ati dur’
(So what if you have grown tall… but like a date palm…
You have no shade to offer and your fruit is out of reach)
A date palm grows tall to an impressive height, projecting eminence and a distinction of its own. But it does not provide shade to weary travellers. And its fruit grows so high that one cannot easily pluck it. Using this analogy, Kabir raises questions about our vain personalities.
What good is the eminence that arises from our achievements, if it is not useful to others? Kabir insists that our personal growth should not distance us from usefulness to others. The trees which offer shade to the weary and fruits to the hungry are preferred to those which only grow to self-centred prominence.
We aspire to grow. But if our growth is useful for others our achievements become worthwhile for others too. Any growth that is only of value to the owner is not worthy of applause and appreciation. Hence we must ensure that the benefits of our personal growth are shared with others.
Greatness is not just in growing tall...
But ensuring that we are useful to all!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
‘Bada hua toh kya hua… jaise pedh khajur…
Panthi ko chaya nahin… fal phi lagte ati dur’
(So what if you have grown tall… but like a date palm…
You have no shade to offer and your fruit is out of reach)
A date palm grows tall to an impressive height, projecting eminence and a distinction of its own. But it does not provide shade to weary travellers. And its fruit grows so high that one cannot easily pluck it. Using this analogy, Kabir raises questions about our vain personalities.
What good is the eminence that arises from our achievements, if it is not useful to others? Kabir insists that our personal growth should not distance us from usefulness to others. The trees which offer shade to the weary and fruits to the hungry are preferred to those which only grow to self-centred prominence.
We aspire to grow. But if our growth is useful for others our achievements become worthwhile for others too. Any growth that is only of value to the owner is not worthy of applause and appreciation. Hence we must ensure that the benefits of our personal growth are shared with others.
Greatness is not just in growing tall...
But ensuring that we are useful to all!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
No comments:
Post a Comment