It is nature which enables a person to win praise, respect and honour. A person belonging to a high social order and stage of life, holding high rank and position can’t win real praise, respect and honour if his nature is bad. People may be afraid of him and thus may praise and honour him outwardly, but he can’t win their hearts. In his absence they declare that they have to enslave themselves to a vile and cunning person because he holds a high rank. It is because of nature that Yudhishthira is honoured while Duryodhan is dishonoured even today.
A man can very quickly improve his nature by renouncing selfishness and pride, by rendering service to others and by being engrossed in the welfare of others. If his nature is improved, he can attain salvation and also can lead the world to salvation. As some trees just like Peepul grow very long while grass etc. remain very small, so can a man grow very high by improving his nature. As there is no obstacle to the growth of the tree in the sky, so is there no limit to a man’s progress.
Nature is particularly of two types – General (Social) and individual (personal). The former needs no labour and it undergoes automatic changes. For example-in summer season sometimes it is very hot while at other times it is not so hot, sometimes wind blows, sometimes it does not blow. Similarly there IS a change in weather in winter and rainy seasons. A child is born, grows young, becomes old and dies. Trees, plants and creepers germinate, grow, fall and dry. Buildings are constructed, become old and fall down. This sort of nature can be changed as the explosion of an atom bomb can spoil and pollute the atmosphere (general nature) and thus can change it.
Individual nature differs from person to person. Some people are calm and quiet by nature while others are terrific and deluded by nature. The former can make their nature calmer and quieter by good company, study of good books and good thoughts. Even the latter with a firm resolve can make their nature calm and gentle by good company, study of good books and good thoughts. The men of deluded nature may face difficulty in improving their nature, but they are also free in doing so.
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