"I am Great"

Sri Annamalai Swami/Sri Ramana Maharshi

'Whatever effort is made by whichever person, that which is the reality will always remain. No one, however great, can give another person either moksha or bandha.

It is natural for a person to think that he should be well-known to the people of the world and be praised by them. But if this thought is present one cannot attain true greatness or happiness. God is not interested in those who promote their own claims to greatness. One who is not satisfactory to God is an inferior person, not a great one. If anyone dedicates both his mind and his body to God in every possible way, God will make him be famous and praised by people all over the world.'

Bhagavan then supported his remains by quoting a verse from Vairagya Suktam:

'O mind, you are thinking how to make the people of the world regard you as great. The ever-existing God alone is the one who bestows bondage and liberation. What is the use of others knowing your greatness? O mind, perform the rare tapas of surrendering to the holy golden feet of God. Then God will make you so great that the world will know your greatness and praise you. Know thus.'

Later that day, when I was walking alone on the hill with Bhagavan, I talked to him about this incident.

'When you were alternately praising Ganapati Muni and Chinnaswami, I couldn't tell from your comments which side you were really favoring.'

Bhagavan laughed and said, 'Chinnaswami is thinking, "I am a great man", and Ganapati Muni is thinking, "I am a great man". The truth is that neither of them is great.

On returning to the hall Bhagavan gave me a Tamil work called Sivabhoga Saram and showed verse ninety-six to me:

Those who suppress the thought 'I am great' by not paying any attention to it, the Vedas will say that they are great. Those who say 'I am great' are small people. Say, other than them, who will undergo misery in this world?