pride ... part three of the seven deadly sins.....

King Amargupt and Queen Sunanda had a very beautiful daughter called Sanskriti. She was not only beautiful but also very intelligent and passionate. Her beauty was known far and wide She was as beautiful as the morning mist in the valleys of Chambal. She had lovely long hair with a little curls at the end. She was blessed with the prettiest doe like eyes, which were the color of hazel nut - soft brown with a tinge of gold. Her skin was as soft as morning dew and she had a stunning smile.

Every morning the first thing that she would do was go to the mirror and admire herself. The mirror was her best friend. It would always show her the most beautiful face she had ever seen. No one was as stunning as her. No one was as alluring as her. And as the days flew by her pride rose. The only thing on her mind was her beauty. Every prince who saw her wanted to marry her. Wherever she went she dazzled everyone.

One day Prince Rishi came to visit their palace. He wasn’t really handsome but was well known for his intelligence. The moment he set his eyes on Sanskriti he fell in love with her. He asked King Amargupt for her hand in marriage and the King happily agreed. Sanskriti wasn’t really happy with this match but she didn’t have a say in the matter.

After marriage Prince Rishi took good care of her but she never bothered about him. Never gave him a second glance. She would only keep on looking at the mirror all day, admiring herself. Slowly as years passed by she too fell in love with him. But she was too proud to accept that. How could she love him? She was too beautiful for him.

Then one day there was news of war. The Prince went away without even informing her. He was too tired of her vanity. He had given up on her. This hit her pride. She realized that she loved him. For months she kept waiting for him. She forgot her pride. Forgot her mirror.

‘Where’s my Prince? God get him back to me! That’s all I want now.’ These were the thoughts that went through her mind all day.

Then there was news that the Prince had died fighting. She was shocked. She didn’t know what to do? Should she cry? Was there any use? What was all the pride for?

The day they cremated him she gave up everything that she had lived for. Not her life but everything else. She renounced everything. Cut off her long tresses. Wore white and gave up all the pleasures of life. There was nothing in this life for her. The only way she could give up her pride was to take Sanyas! She offered herself to God. There was nothing left in this world for her. Nothing but GOD.

Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Pride "inordinate self-love is the cause of every sin (1,77) ... the root of pride is found to consist in man not being, in some way, subject to God and His rule."