Who does not want to be a great man? Nobody wishes to be a small man in the world. In fact, it is a dream of majority of people to be a great man. Further, every child is the potential for greatness. Every human being is ambitious. They wish they are a great man.They think if they don't become a great man they would be a nonentity and their life would be futile. That is why they try to become a great man by hook or by crook.They leave no stone unturned. It is human to aspire to be great.But, everyone cant be a great man. By aspiring to be great, one cannot be great too.All are not great.One who proclaims that they are great are no great at all.Further, one thinking or assuming themselves as great is absurd only. Never think you're great.Once you think you are great you become small. Greatness is always to be recognized and never to be claimed. Here, we have to remember Shakespeare. He says " Some are born great. Some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them" A great man is a pool of great quality.He cannot become great with no sacrifice.
A great man can be born anywhere in the globe.One cannot be a great man by imitating orfollowing a great man in all respect. A great man is great by himself. Hitler,Stalin and Mussolini are remembered as much as Mahatma Gandhi,Mother Teresa ,and Martin Luther King are remembered. A man would not be aware of his capabilities at all. A great man never wishes to be a great man but becomes a great man on account of his deeds. He is always greater than his deeds.He may or may not have any personality. He is a master of change. He always thinks positively. He shows us the right path. He puts in concerted efforts.It is impossible to predict what a great man would achieve and what he would not achieve in life.He is always adventurous. He never avoids risks. However it is certain that he would achieve something which is so far has not been achieved.He is a genius.He is capable of making the impossible possible.He is innovative.In one way or another,
he contributes to the welfare of this world. He is seldom influenced but influences everyone. He is totally dedicated to the tasks that he undertakes and never thinks at any time that his goal is over.He thinks more of others than of himself. He lives for great causes.In fact,he would not be aware of his greatness at all.He never thinks either of fame or name. He is always willing to be little.Through sacrifices only he becomes a great man.He is always broad minded and he pardons even those who did him wrong. He is epitome of simplicity & modesty.He never thinks that he is above the laws of land nor transgresses any law at all. His deeds make him immortal. He makes his parents feel proud of him. They wish he were their son again and again. A great man will always be remembered.
Unless one proves greatness, they would never be called "a great".One who gets a status in a society through muscle or money -power is not a great man. Such an ascendancy is temporary one only. In fact ,one has to undergo numerous exams in life to prove their greatness. A great man comes to prominence wherever he may be. He is a self made man. Only one who deserves and one who has outstanding and remarkable qualities becomes 'a great man'. A great man is a visionary. A great man may or may not receive an award at all. He is not after them at all. Here,we can remember that even Mahatma Gandhi has not been awarded Nobel prize for peace.
In our daily life when we solve a problem friends say "you are great." It is only a compliment. We are not a great man. A great man is not only known for his deeds but also is known for his thoughts. Many great people are a little known or unknown during their life time because they live like a fruit hidden behind leaves. There are occasions when a great man comes to light posthumously also. He is looked upon with respect at all times all around the globe. He is an important key personality who cannot be either forgotten or ignored . A great man brings in transformation of one kind or another to this universe. Of course, he also cannot escape from criticism at one time or other.
It is difficult to define greatness. Greatness knows no class, race or distinction. Individuals are not compared as a great man, a greater man and the greatest man. Greatness is a tribute to Man’s spirit. Greatness comes in many forms to immortalize a person. Greatness can also be referred to individuals who possess a natural ability to be better than all others. A great man is worth emulating in every respect whether it is behavior,thinking or any other matter.Many times a great man is considered as an incarnation of God and worthy of worship. He is a legend. He is generally regarded as one of the founding fathers in his country. Mahatma Gandhi is known in India as Father of Nation. The most objective evaluators of a person's greatness are people. A great man is a friend, philosopher and guide to everybody.
The pen is mightier than the sword. A writer can turn an ordinary man into a great man. When we think of great people many revered personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Swami Vivekananda Nelson Mandela ,and Gautam Buddha etc enter our mind. Who is great among the greats. This question arises in our mind too. It is a question which cannot be answered easily also. It is difficult to make a choice among the greats .We cannot differentiate between greats. In one way or other every great man is the greatest.
Life of every great man is a different story. It is always worth reading and worth pursuing .It always depicts where there's will always there's a way. It is always a success story.A great man always sets an example. A great man is an ideal man .The history of the world is nothing but the biography of great men. Life of a great man could be called an era.They contain numerous lessons worth emulating in our life. Life of a man is full of incidents.The way a great man responds to incidents and the way an ordinary man responds is quite different. The ease and way a great man responds to every incident in life depicts his greatness.He grows in stature with every incident in his life. He normally impresses everyone with his lifestyle. Becoming great is not at all easy. Greatness is not a commodity to be bought or sold. It is hazardous and is normally compared to conquering Mount Everest, the highest peak in Himalayas.Life of a great man is not at all a bed of roses. Further,his life after he achieves greatness , is too neither easy nor comfortable. In fact, he has to undergo a lot of turmoil there afterwards also.He starts paying the price for his greatness then onward. Majority of great men have tragic death. Further, all great men do not become great for the same reason.They become great for different reasons.
Man is only truly great when he acts from his passions.Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.A great man is almost a perfect human being who would possess all qualities in due proportion. He always possesses an exemplary character. He need not try to be popular at all. Popularity knocks at his door.He becomes a household name.Children are named after him also. He needs no introduction.He wins everybody's heart.Number of great people in this universe is limited. A great man is only one among trillion or more number of people.He comes into existence once in a century or two only.Every man has an unique identity and a great man too has an unique identity also. Every great man is a specimen. A kind of him we would not find at all. He is a rare breed.He is always humble and never boasts himself as a great man. All are friends to him.He greets everybody with a smile.We need not fear him at all.He is simple and accessible to everyone. Simplicity is the hallmark of his greatness. He is always full of enthusiasm. He always brims with confidence. He always talks less acts more.He never displeases anybody.He never makes false promises to anybody too.He has no ego at all. He is patience personified. Whatever said or written about him it is a little only
Man to man differs. Similarly, one great man to another great man there is difference. It is impossible to give a complete sketch of a great man. All superlatives seem inadequate to describe his personality.One has to either meet him personally and understand his greatness or read his autobiography to know his greatness or know his greatness through others. His personality need not be an awe inspiring one. A great man need not be a rich man at all. He is normally a person from a middle class family. He maintains good relationship with everyone. He neither finds fault with anybody nor gives scope to anybody to find fault with him.He follows what he preaches.He is an inspiration to others. He loves and listens everyone. He always considers himself as a servant of society. He never demands respect but always commands respect of everyone. His presence of mind , vision, and intelligence are always praiseworthy. He has a firm mind and he is capable of facing any situation.He never runs away from any situation.
A great man is always unassuming and ready to shoulder any responsibility.He does not shrink from any responsibility at any time.Though he is great, he has no superiority complex whatsoever at all. He is sincere to the core. He always thinks positively. He never dictates though he is always right. He is always willing to be little. He is one who is always patience personified. Welfare of everyone is motto of a great man and he strives for that purpose A great man develops all the good qualities and becomes great. He is a sthitapragnya.One does not become a great overnight.He is not at all selfish.He always thinks more about others than about himself.He cares a little for his comforts.Money is not
everything to him.He never likes publicity.He is a benevolent and kind man.He is an enlightened personality.He works for others without
expecting anything in return. He sacrifices a lot for others He is prepared to bear others pain. He is always remembered and honored.
Those who follow his foot steps would be definitely successful in their life and may become a true disciple of him only. Whatever said about a great man, it is either incomplete or insufficient. We not only come across a great man but also we come across a great woman in our life too. There are many great women in the annals of this world. Here is a story of a great woman.
Miss Madeleine Slade was a devoted disciple of M. K.Gandhi. She came from a wealthy English family. Her father was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. She was brought up in the lap of luxury and opulence. Yet she left everything - her home, her parents, and her country in order to live in Gandhi's ashram. When she met Gandhi and sought his permission to join his ashram, Gandhi tried his best to dissuade her. He told her that she would not be able to live a life of austerity that his ashram demanded of all inmates. He said, "Many women from royal families have come to live in this ashram. But without exception, they have found it difficult to live under the rules, regulations and the strict discipline of our way of life."
But Miss Slade was adamant. She had come to India to live for her ideals, and no discipline could be too tough for her. In fact, the 'call' to go and serve the Mahatma had come to her even when she was a young woman. Having read his biography by Romain Rolland, she was inspired to dedicate her life to the service of this extraordinary human being. In preparation, she had practised austerity. She went through all the chores of spinning, became a vegetarian and a teetotaler, started learning the language, taught herself to squat and sleep on the floor. She subscribed to Young India. She spent a part of her training programme in Paris, where she read the Bhagavad Gita, and part of the Rigveda, both in French. And now, standing before Gandhiji, she said to him, "My Gurudev, I am willing to bear any hardship, if I am allowed to be with you."
Gandhi, looking at her beautiful cascading hair, said to her, "Can you sacrifice your crowning glory for me? Can you sacrifice your hair?" She left without replying. Everyone thought she was so taken aback that she had to leave. However, the determined Miss Slade went straight to a barber's shop and shaved off her hair. Placing the golden brown hair at the feet of Gandhi she said, "Bapuji, this sacrifice is for you."
Miss Slade bore witness to the teachings of Gandhi in deeds of daily living. After India won its Independence, Gandhi's associates demanded high positions in the government and in the party. But, Miss Slade whom out of affection, Gandhi named 'Mirabehn',did not wish for anything.
She wished to continue Gandhi's work in village development. She went to a remote corner in the sub-Himalayan region and lived a life of obscurity, offering her service and love to the poor people of the area.
Miss Slade had true love for Gandhi and his ideals. She served him faithfully till the end and bore witness to his ideals.