Daily Devotion - Feb 27, 2026 (English)- Pride
Whenever we possess material things - such as our body, wealth, strength, or intelligence - we tend to become filled with pride. The possession does not need to be significant; even the smallest possession can give rise to ego, because there is always someone in this world who appears inferior to us. If nothing else, almost everyone takes pride in their physical body. This is called dehābhimān, which means pride arising from identification with the body or anything related to it.
The Guru imparts spiritual knowledge to us and lovingly explains it, treating us as his own. However, due to pride, we choose to act according to our limited intellect and refuse to listen to the instructions of the Vedas, the scriptures, and the saints. We deliberately ignore their teachings and, at times, even begin to speak against them. In fact, despite being completely ignorant, people become so proud of their intellect that they even advise the Jagadguru.
In the world, too, when a child does not listen, the mother first explains patiently and affectionately. If the child still refuses to listen despite repeated efforts, she then resorts to discipline. This does not mean that the mother is the child's enemy. On the contrary, she disciplines and cautions the child solely for the child's welfare, so that the child may improve.
In the same way, when we disregard the teachings of the saints and of God, Maya, the maidservant of God, administers punishment so that we turn toward God. For example, if a person becomes proud of wealth, that wealth may be taken away, thereby dissolving the ego associated with it - asataḥ śrīmadāndhasya dāridryaṃ paramañjanam. Similarly, if a person is proud of physical beauty or bodily strength, illness may arise and remove that pride. In other words, when we lose what we are proud of, we naturally begin to seek refuge in God. Thus, saints such as Tulsidas and Soordas turned wholeheartedly toward God after being awakened by the stern lessons of Maya.
Therefore, Maya is indeed the maidservant of God, and even in punishment, she ultimately serves our spiritual welfare. For this reason, we should not speak ill of her.
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