Being good is greater than being great
On the afternoon of 8 August 2018, at the age of 85, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj surprised everyone accompanying him on his journey to Bodeli, Gujarat. Instead of proceeding directly to his destination, he asked his driver to turn towards Kothiya village, where a small tribal hut awaited a visitor it had long dreamed of receiving.
What made the visit remarkable was not merely where he went, but why he went.Several years earlier, a poor tribal farmer named RamjibhaiRathwa had met Mahant Swami Maharaj and made a simple, heartfelt request: "Swami, please visit my village someday." It was the wish of an ordinary devotee with no influence, wealth, or social standing. Time passed. The request was forgotten by many. But it was not forgotten by Mahant Swami Maharaj. Years later, while travelling to BodeliBAPS Mandir, Swamiji unexpectedly instructed the driver to turn towards Kothiya village. The accompanying sadhus were surprised. There was no scheduled program there, no grand assembly awaiting him, and no prominent dignitary to meet. Yet Swamiji had remembered the humble plea of a poor devotee and was determined to fulfil it.
The home belonged to RamjibhaiRathwa, a farmer whose dwelling was built of bamboo-strip walls, an aluminum-sheet roof, and a floor covered with dried rice stalks. There were no marble floors, no elaborate decorations, and no signs of material prosperity. Yet, for Mahant Swami Maharaj, none of that mattered. Drawn by love rather than comfort, he entered the humble hut and sat affectionately on a simple cot, treating the family with the same warmth and respect that others might reserve for royalty.
He performed aarti in their tiny hut-mandir, personally distributed prasad to every family member, and showered sanctified flowers upon their belongings, sanctifying their home. The joy on the faces of the family was beyond words. A request made years ago had not only been remembered, but it had been honored with affection and grace.
The visit did not end there. Swamiji also met the villagers, encouraging them to give up addictions and embrace a life of morality, faith, and harmony. Under the open sky of a remote tribal village, he uplifted hearts and transformed lives.
In a world that often equates greatness with power, wealth, and recognition, this quiet visit revealed a far nobler truth: being good is greater than being great. The measure of a person is not how many important people he meets, but how much importance he gives to those whom society often overlooks. By remembering the wish of a poor farmer years later and travelling to his humble hut, Mahant Swami Maharaj demonstrated that genuine goodness possesses a greatness of its own.
Of course,titles fade, applause quiets, and positions shift, but the impression of a kind heart endures forever. True greatness is not measured by how high we rise, but by how gently we walk among others. Being good, honest, humble, and selfless creates a legacy that no worldly success can surpass. It is goodness, not greatness, that touches lives, wins hearts, and ultimately defines our worth.
There is a popular saying: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."This saying proves that, while being important holds some value, being good, kind, humble, and
virtuous is far greater.
A profound thinker once wrote, "The greatest happiness on this earth is the conviction that we are loved."Indeed, when someone remembers us in our absence without any selfish agenda or expectation, when they long for our presence, and when they respond positively to our every gesture, such love, born of purity and sincerity, brings joy that cannot be measured.
This humility is the hallmark of greatness. Great spiritual masters inspire us not only through their wisdom, but through their extraordinary attention to these simple expressions of humanity. Their lives remind us that goodness is not reserved for grand occasions; it is found in the choices we make every day.
Of course, each day presents countless opportunities to spread goodness. A kind word, a helping hand, a patient ear, or a thoughtful gesture may seem small, yet such acts can leave a lasting impact, bringing a smile to someone's face and making life a little brighter.
The world may remember our achievements for a while, but it remembers our character forever. Those who are truly good do not seek to shine;they become the reason others shine. In the quiet simplicity of humility, kindness, and selflessness lies a strength far greater than any worldly success. Let us strive not just to rise high, but to grow deep, because being good is not only greater than being great, it is the very foundation of what makes greatness meaningful
