sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ mukunda-caraṇaiṣiṇām |
upekṣyaiḥ kiṁ dhana-stambhair asadbhir asad-āśrayaiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.10.18)
“What purpose do sādhus who are of equal mind and desirous [only] of Mukunda’s feet have with those who are proud of wealth, asat, sheltered in the asat, and [thus] fit to be ignored?”
paropadeśa-velāyāṁ śiṣṭāḥ sarve bhavanti vai |
vismarantīha śiṣṭatvaṁ svakārye samupasthite ||
(Mahābhārata)
“At the time of giving advice to others, everyone is certainly wise [alt., cultured, proper, etc., or so they think]. When their own duty [alt., tasks, responsibility, difficulty, etc.] arises [however] they then forget all their wisdom [alt., culturedness, propriety, etc.].”
vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe’muyā |
vimohitā vikatthante mamāham iti durdhiyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.5.13)
“The ignorant, deluded by māyā, who is ashamed to stand in Vāsudeva’s purview, boast of ‘I’ and ‘mine’.”
brahman yam anugṛhṇāmi tad viśo vidhunomy aham |
yan madaḥ puruṣaḥ stabdho lokaṁ māṁ cāvamanyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.22.24; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 47)
“[Śrī Bhagavān:] O Brahmā, from one whom I favor I remove that wealth by which the person becomes proud, obstinate, and disrespectful towards the world and myself.”
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobho harṣo māno madas tathā |
ṣaḍ-vargam utsṛjed enaṁ tasmiṁs tyakte sukhī nṛpaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 102)
“Give up the six enemies: lust, anger, greed, pleasure, egotism, and pride. O King, one who rejects them is happy in this world.”
athāta ānanda-dughaṁ padāmbujaṁ
haṁsāḥ śrayerann aravinda-locana |
sukhaṁ nu viśveśvara yoga-karmabhis
tvan-māyayāmī vihatā na māninaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.3; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 326)
[Translation as per Śrīdhara Svāmī’s ṭīkā:] “Therefore, O lotus-eyed One, O Lord of the universe, swans [i.e., those who are expert in discriminating between the essential and non-essential] take shelter in your bliss-exuding lotus feet happily and certainly, as they [i.e., your bhatkas] are not impeded by your māyā and thus are not proud on account of yoga or karma [i.e., they do not, like yogīs and karmīs, neglect to take shelter in your feet].”
atidānād balir baddho naṣṭo mānāt suyodhanaḥ |
vinaṣṭo rāvaṇo laulyād ati sarvatra varjayet ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)
“Bali was bound by excessive giving. Duryodhana was ruined by [excessive] pride. Rāvaṇa was ruined by [excessive] greediness. [Therefore,] Excess should be given up in all respects.”
vidyā vivādāya dhanaṁ madāya
śaktiḥ pareṣāṁ paripīḍanāya |
khalasya sādhor viparītam etaj
jñānāya dānāya ca rakṣaṇāya ||
(Subhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“A wicked person’s knowledge is [only used] for disputation, wealth is [only used] for conceit, and power is [only used] for troubling others. It is the opposite with a virtuous person [sādhu], where these are [used only] for understanding, charity, and protection [of others].”
yadā kiñcij-jño’haṁ dvipa iva madāndhas samabhavaṁ
tadā sarvajño’smīty abhavad avaliptaṁ mama manaḥ |
yadā kiñcit kiñcid budhajana-sakāśād avagataṁ
tadā mūrkho’smīti jvara iva mado me vyapagataḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 8)
“When I had a little knowledge
and became blinded with pride
like an elephant [in rut],
then my mind became arrogant,
as I thought, ‘I know everything.’
When I understood a little something from wise persons,
then I thought, ‘I am a fool,’
and my pride faded away like a fever.
dīnere adhika dayā kare bhagavān |
kulīna, paṇḍita, dhanīra baḍa abhimāna ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.4.68)
”Bhagavān bestows greater grace upon the humble. The noble, learned, and wealthy have great pride.”
