I have spoken on many occasions and at various places about one thing – mental balance, or the state of mental equipoise. There is a saying by Lord Shiva that to attain complete success in life, the fourth principle is samatábháva, that is, mental equipoise, mental balance.⁽¹⁾ There must not be any complex in the mind – neither superiority complex nor inferiority complex.

Now, to bring about mental balance you should behave with every created being, every human being, in such a way that neither a superiority complex nor an inferiority complex develops in you or in those with whom you interact.

A complex of any sort is a psychic malady, a psychic disease. To consider oneself superior to others is a serious human mistake. Similarly, thinking oneself inferior to others is also a mistake. To suffer from an inferiority complex is also a psychic ailment. You must not encourage either a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. You must maintain a psychic balance, you must maintain a mental balance. That balanced mind will be able to move towards Parama Puruśa. That is why it has been said, Trńádapi suniicena⁽²⁾ – “One should be humbler than the grass.” Usually the superiority [complex] is found more in humans than the inferiority complex. Even those who possess the mere knowledge of an alphabet feel themselves quite superior to those who are totally illiterate. This is a very usual thing. Hence one must remember the principle trńádapi suniicena.

Then, taroriva sahiśńuna [“you must be as tolerant as the trees”]. People should remember that a certain thing may hit another thing and may be hit back immediately by that second thing. But it is better to assimilate the opposing force. Suppose someone struck at you and you struck back. In this case you did not assimilate the striker’s blow into yourself, rather you returned it. Now if you are clever, you will tolerate a blow; and later, after assimilating it, you will strike back at the striker with greater intensity. It is as if a certain person shoots an arrow at someone. Now if the arrow is redirected towards the first person with the same speed and force, it is bound to produce a [great] effect. Hence it is said, “tolerate”.

To tolerate means to gauge your enemy’s strength as applied against you. You assimilate it: not that you tolerate it for the sake of toleration. Rather you tolerate it to contain yourself and to [control] your enemy. At the same time, your enemy’s strength is dwindling. Hence everyone needs to cultivate the power to tolerate [whatever] will be useful. That does not mean that you will continue to tolerate endlessly and ultimately invite death. So toleration for the sake of toleration is not an ideal habit, but toleration for assimilation and augmentation of strength is profitable.

Next, amániináḿ mánadena [“you must give respect to those whom no one respects”]. There are millions of people in the world. Ninety-nine per cent of them do not enjoy social prestige. There are three main factors due to which they are denied social prestige: First, society did not recognize them; society did not want to give them recognition. Secondly, as they are economically crippled, economically destroyed, they are forced to remain in perpetual subservience. Thirdly, a want of education, a want of knowledge, in them.

If you want someone [to be respected], you will have to provide him or her with these three things [recognition, economic self-sufficiency, education] simultaneously. Then only will you be able to give him or her respect. Giving respect to each and every human being is part and parcel of dharma.

If you want someone [to be respected], then arrange for their proper education, to increase their knowledge. Also see to it that they are socially elevated and economically self-sufficient and can hold their heads high in self-esteem.

No one is high or low from a caste point of view. Differentiations such as between Hindus and Muslims on the basis of religion are also despicable. Humans belong to one species, they are all children of God. Thus all should be accorded equal social prestige.

The third factor, as mentioned, is that you should look after their economic aspect, so that all get proper food and clothing, proper education and medical treatment – so that all can hold their heads high in honour and live like dignified human beings, without depending on the mercy of others.

So if you really want to give respect to humans, especially amániinám, those with no social prestige, then you are to arrange for their education, social standing and economic establishment.

Footnotes

(1) The author spoke on various occasions about the seven principles, or secrets, of success, the fourth of which is samatábháva. See, for example, “Hara’s Seven Secrets” in this book. –Eds.

(2) This refers to a shloka by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Trńádapi suniicena taroriva sahiśńuna; / Amániináḿ mánadena kiirttaniyah sadá Harih – “You must be more humble than the grass and as tolerant as the trees. You must give respect to those whom no one respects, and always do kiirtana to the Lord.” –Eds.