Fear

Aum Sairam

In nature, when two individuals meet, either they are attracted to or
repelled by each other, i.e., they meet as friends or foes. Their
respective strength, position, powers; sympathies and attitude towards
external objects will determine the question of friendship or enmity.
In the case of divine beings, the attributes in question include
superior power, vast strength and protection or help to all creatures.
So, normally, fear and awe are the first responses to be aroused when
such a creature encounters the divine. These responses are followed by
gratitude and service, and the creature may subsequently rise to or be
raised to the level of being in friendship and love with the divine.
The spirit of perfect unreserved surrender ending in merger accompanies this.

Salvation begins with fear and humility and ends with transmutation of
the fearing and separate individual self into the supreme self. Fear,
like many other emotions, is seen to be a transient phase. Fear, though
natural at first or early stages of contact must pass or be changed
into higher emotions and sentiments. Fear of Sri Sainath is the
beginning of wisdom. However, it cannot even in the lowest forms,
remain unalloyed fear. In higher cultures especially, it is seen to be
soon transformed to awe. Awe, which recognizes the sublimity of Divine
power, marks a distinct cultural advance. Even awe must be transient.
If not, one would contemplate their life's time on witnessing Sri
Sainath's miracles and stay at distance from Sri Sainath. It is
unhealthy for one to remain longer in this stage of spiritual ladder.
As fear is the most common, almost normal beginning of devotion, it is
held to be a virtue. However, it is a virtue only at one stage. Fear is
the teething ring or a rattle that has to be shunned away at one point
in order to see the higher states of bliss.

Allah Malik