“A tree laden with fruits always bends down - फल देने वाला पेड़ हमेशा झुकता है |"
This is a very popular proverb which means that a person full of knowledge and virtues is humble. This proverb shows the importance of humility and wisdom which are considered the mark of great people while ignorant and dry trees remain standing straight. The same sayingbhas been highlighted in Sanskrit too, it says ;
नमन्त्ति फलिनो वृक्षाः नमन्ति गुणिनो जनाः|
शुष्क वृक्षाश्च मूर्खाश्च न नमन्ति कदाचन||
Namanti phalino vrukshaah namanti gunino janaah. Shushka vrukshaashcha moorkhaashcha na namanti kadaachana.
Namanti = bow down.
Phalino = fruit bearing.
Vrukshaah = trees.
Gunino = righteous and learned.
Janaah = persons.
Shushka = dry.
Moorkhaashcha = moorkhaah + cha.
Moorkhh = foolish persons.
Cha = and.
Na = not.
Kadaachana = never.
i.e. Fruit bearing trees when laden with fruits bend down due to the weight of their fruits and similarly learned and virtuous people also bend down (become humble) due to their knowledge. But dry trees and foolish people never bend down. They are always rigid.
The more fruits a tree has, the more its branches bend downwards due to the weight of the fruits. In the above verses, the learned and righteous persons have been compared to fruit bearing trees and the foolish persons to dried up trees, to highlight the importance of courteous behaviour.
A person having great knowledge, ability or qualities should be humble and modest. They do not become arrogant due to the burden of their knowledge, but rather use that knowledge for the benefit of others. This verses teaches that humility, respect and letting go of ego are essential to move ahead in life and achieve success. There are many example, where the egoistic people like Ravana, Kauravas and Kansa who never bowed down ultimately faced downfall and destruction. Only a person who abandons ego and respects others can make real progress.
People who walk with arrogance get destroyed because of their ego, while a person who bows down and learns and adapts is respected by society and life and helps him move ahead. The person who is humble, modest and respects others by giving up his ego, he is the one who succeeds in life and rises high.