True greatness lies in humility

People who have power and position get used to being eulogized and pandered to, to the point that it becomes habitual. When there is a little digression or difference in the way they are treated, th-ey feel offended. If they find another person matching up to their abilities they become insecure.

Then the latent lean mean personality manifests its ugly self, revealing their true colours. The Bhagavata Purana suggests that the only panacea for this condition is that the celebrity should give up jealousy and learn to be humble, broad-minded and feel confident about oneself.

Once, the residents of Gokula decided to offer their annual prayers to Mount Govardhan instead of Lord Indra. The villagers did not mean any disrespect to the lord of the gods. They only wanted to show the-ir appreciation to the mountain that sustained their crops and cattle. Indra did not take the decision of his worshippers graciously. He forgot that they had been his staunch devotees and still were. They were only expressing gratitude towards another benefactor.

Instead of appreciating the fair-minded followers, Indra let loose his anger on them in the form of torrential rains. The hamlet was flooded. Life and property was imperiled. When chaos and confusion took control of the circumstance, Lord Krishna, who was a little lad, asked the populace to follow him with their families, cattle and possessions. When the crowd reached the foothills of Govardhan, little Krishna bent down and picked up the mountain. He ushered the astounded drenched multitudes to sta-nd beneath the base of the mountain. Then he held the mountain effortlessly aloft on the tip of his right hand little finger. The miraculous act of Krishna and standing under the umbrella of Govardhan whom they had worshipped sometime ago was an overwhelming experience for the Gokula residents.

In the meanwhile Indra realised that he had been foolish and unreasonable in is envy. He recognized the supreme soul in Krishna who unassumingly helped the people who were not even aware of his true personality. He stopped the rains and made haste to make reparations for his unwarranted behaviour.