Difficulties: Opportunity for introspection or opportunity for blame?

In the conversation between the Personality of Religion and Maharaja Pariksit where Dharma is asked to identify the cause of his suffering Dharma gives a very wonderful understanding:

1. Some philosophers claim it is one's own karma
2. Some say it is caused by Brahman- The Lord's Supreme Effulgence
3. Atheists say no cause exists beyond material nature

So based on these he advises the kin to reach his own conclusion.

How would I respond when asked this question?

1. Generally on reflecting on the cause of one's difficulty, one would answer with less philosophy and more accusation.
2. By identifying someone as a doer and viewing the person as an enemy, one comes to seek vengeance than practice introspection.
3. While one tends to justify thoughts of retaliation and the ensuing plan of action, one may not realize that those actions will implicate him/her in painful exchanges birth after birth
4. In addition by meditating on another's bad qualities , one will develop those bad qualities themselves. One's mentality is formed by the object of one's meditation
5. SB 7.1.28: A grassworm confined in a hole of a wall by a bee always thinks of the bee in fear and enmity and later becomes a bee simply because of such remembrance.

Therefore on hearing the bull's extraordinary and philosophical reply to his simple question, Maharaja Pariksit concluded that this bull must be religion personified.

The king thus pondered Dharma's words:

SB 1.17.22: The King said: O you, who are in the form of a bull! You know the truth of religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who identifies the perpetrator. You are no other than the personality of religion.

Post continued at 

Difficulties: What prevented the bull from seeing Krsna's grace as the cause of his suffering?

Forgiveness: The Ornament of a Vaishnava

SB 4.6.48 :My dear lord, if in some places materialists, who are already bewildered by the insurmountable illusory energy of the Supreme Godhead, sometimes commit offenses, a saintly person, with compassion, does not take this seriously. Knowing that they commit offenses because they are overpowered by the illusory energy, he does not show his prowess to counteract them.

1. It is said that the beauty of a tapasvī, or saintly person, is forgiveness.
2. A Vaiṣṇava is personally tolerant for the benefit of others. When he does not show his prowess, this does not mean that he is lacking in strength; rather, it indicates that he is tolerant for the welfare of the entire human society.

SB 4.6.49 :My dear lord, you are never bewildered by the formidable influence of the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore you are omniscient and should be merciful and compassionate toward those who are bewildered by the same illusory energy and are very much attached to fruitive activities.

1. A Vaiṣṇava is never bewildered by the influence of the external energy because he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
2. A Vaiṣṇava should take care of those who are bewildered by this māyā instead of becoming angry with them, because without a Vaiṣṇava’s mercy they have no way to get out of the clutches of māyā. Those who have been condemned by māyā are rescued by the mercy of devotees:

How Krishna sees Racists and those who possess a differential outlook ?

SB 3.29.26

As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook.

Purport: 

There are bodily differentiations among all varieties of living entities, but a devotee should not distinguish between one living entity and another on such a basis; a devotee’s outlook should be that both the soul and Supersoul are equally present in all varieties of living entities.

Also Brahma says this to Lord Shiva in SB 4.6.47:
Persons who observe everything with differentiation, who are simply attached to fruitive activities, who are mean-minded, who are always pained to see the flourishing condition of others and who thus give distress to them by uttering harsh and piercing words have already been killed by providence. Thus there is no need for them to be killed again by an exalted personality like you.

Persons who are materialistic and always engaged in fruitive activities for material profit cannot endure seeing the flourishing life of others. Except for a few persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the entire world is full of such envious persons, who are perpetually full of anxieties because they are attached to the material body and are without self-realization. Since their hearts are always filled with anxiety, it is understood that they have already been killed by providence. Thus Lord Śiva, as a self-realized Vaiṣṇava, was advised not to kill Dakṣa. A Vaiṣṇava is described aspara-duḥkha-duḥkhī because although he is never distressed in any condition of life, he is distressed to see others in a distressed condition. Vaiṣṇavas, therefore, should not try to kill by any action of the body or mind but should try to revive the Kṛṣṇa consciousness of others out of compassion for them. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been started to deliver the envious persons of the world from the clutches of māyā, and even though devotees are sometimes put into trouble, they push on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in all tolerance. Lord Caitanya advises:

tṛṇād api sunīcena
 taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
 kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” (Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)

A Vaiṣṇava should follow the examples of such Vaiṣṇavas as Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Nityānanda Prabhu and also Lord Jesus Christ. There is no need to kill anyone who has already been killed. But it should be noted herewith that a Vaiṣṇava should not tolerate the blaspheming of Viṣṇu or Vaiṣṇavas, although he should tolerate personal insults to himself.

Prayers by Queen kunti- Verses 23- 25 Bridging the Gap

Bridging the gap between our consciousness and Queen Kunti's consciousness is a tall order.We are very far removed from the spiritual realm to understand her mood and consciousness. However a sincere attempt however insignificant will be pleasing to the Lord and therefore we try even if we know we may fail.

Below we will examine some of Queen Kunti's qualities that set her apart from us. We will also try to examine our own consciousness and based on the teachings of the parampara see how we can bridge the gap:

• The spiritual conception - identification as a spirit soul who is the servant of the Lord
• We have a strong identification with our material identity. This identification bewilders us in difficult situations as all that we identify with seems to be at stake. We become fearful and anxious about losing those gross and subtle "things" that define our material identity. We get further lost in trying to protect ourselves. Its a huge stab on our false ego because we realize we are powerless and are not able to do anything to protect ourselves.
• Kunti Maharani on the other hand maintains her poise because she was firmly situated in the spiritual conception
  
• She had full understanding of the Lord's position, she had full connection with her identity as a spirit soul - an eternal servant of the Lord and she was fully situated in her relationship as the Lord's servant and part and parcel. Service to the Lord and the Lord's association were the only things of value for her- nothing else mattered.
• She did not care if she lost "anything"  because she did not identify with anyone save and except the Lord and His service.
• Cultivating Gratitude:
• I read a quote by HH Radhanath Swami(on his facebook page) on gratitude "Of all disgraceful behavior, there is nothing worse than ingratitude."Kunti Maharani had gratitude for the Lord that He was present with them in times of difficulty- she was very thankful for the protection that He awarded on them- she was not complaining that why was there calamity in the first place if You were there with us- because of her spiritual conception she did not care for anything save and except the association of the Lord.
• We on the other hand because of our strong identification with matter feel incomplete in our lives constantly. Because we define our lives based on matter- anything missing makes us feel incomplete compared to others and hence we are constantly complaining.
• As we try to situate ourselves more and more in the spiritual identity we must mindfully  cultivate gratitude for all that Lord Krishna has given to us.What would our lives have been without all the opportunities for service, without the Holy Name, Srila Prabhupada's books, association of devotees, and prasad. We would not be able to get closer to Krishna at all.
• Mindfully reminding ourselves of our good fortune is a good exercise for us to brace ourselves in times of difficulty.
• We must also remember that each part of Krishna is a Complete Whole- we being parts and parcels of Krishna are Complete to the extent to which we identify ourselves as a soul is who is an eternal servant of Krishna. Our identification with matter makes us feel incomplete even if matter seems to be equipped to fulfill our desires- our identification with it makes us feel incomplete.
• Understand why this is happening to me:
• In HG Narayani Mataji's seminar on Prayers of Kunti Maharani she says that only if we understand properly why the difficult times are upon us can we respond in a proper way when the times way. What is that proper way- to respond as a servant of Krishna would.
• Why is this happening to me?
1. Past desire
2. Past prayer
3. Test us- we should not complain
4. Make us more dependent
5. To shake us from our complacency
6. To make us aware of our real identity- we are not controllers but servants
7. To show us how miserable this place is
8. Our own Karma
9. Krishna's plan
10. By giving difficulty Krishna takes away the bad thing

How should we respond to Difficulties?

1. Take shelter of the Vaishnavas
2. Depend on Him more - through chanting, hearing, reading, serving
3. Correcting our mistakes- Becoming free from my body
   From Bhurijana Prabhu's notes in "Unveiling His Lotus Feet"
   Understand what Krishna wants me to understand from this
   Bhurijana Prabhu says : Life's real challenge is to transform difficulties into sources of freedom- sever material attachment and seek Krishna's shelter. Hold on more tightly to Krishna
4. Krishna is minimizing my karma - like Kunti Devi
5. Prayer 
6. Engage in service- Prahlada Maharaja says 7.19.17 - only remedy is to engage in your service
   "Although there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves. Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct me in such service."
   Attempts to mitigate the miseries of material existence by material methods will never be successful. One must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to become really happy;
   "My Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man"
7. Change your attitude towards service 
8. Gratefully search for Krishna's love in that difficulty like Kunti Maharani did
9. Chance to remember Krishna
10. Somehow or other contact Krishna when in danger- if you have DS then you can use any of the 9 processes to contact Krishna
11. A servant does not complain - but accepts
12. even great exalted pure devotees go through difficulties- then what is my position and audacity to not expect difficulties
13. This is just a token - I deserve worse

How to care for yourself /others who are going through calamity?

1. Do not deny your/their feelings - it is natural to be affected emotionally
2. Give compassion to yourself/others for your situation
3. Resolve your feelings
4. Help yourself/others maintain your integrity as a devotee by not responding to difficulties in a non- Krishna Conscious way
5. .....
6. ......

Prayers by Queen Kunti - verse 1.8.25 Attraction to the Lord

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
 tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
 apunar bhava-darśanam

SB 1.8.25 — I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

In Texts 23 and 24 she expresses gratitude to the Lord for always being there with them. In this text she further reveals her ecstasy and wishes that those difficult calamities happen again and again because in all the difficulties the Lord was personally present with them to help them.

Kunti Devi had single minded attraction towards the Lord. Because of her exalted status as a devotee and being fully situated in love for the Lord she was oblivious to the external very difficult material situations she went through- in fact she was happy that those difficult situations came because of which Kunti and the Pandavas got association of Their object of devotion- the all merciful all loving Lord Sri Krishna. 

She is feeling immense separation from the Lord as the Lord is about to depart for Dwarka and they would miss the darshan of the Lord. Thus she prays " I wish the calamities happen again and again so that the Lord is always with us"

This is the greatness of a devotee of the Lord- The devotee is ready to go through any situation as long as they get the association and darshan of the Lord and the devotees. 

How do we bridge the gap?
Hearing Kunti Devi's prayers is an eye opener. Her prayers reveal the mood of a devotee who is very dear to the Lord.
One of the reasons that reading Srimad Bhagavatam is encouraged  is so that we can go deeper in the mood of these devotees of the Lord and try to follow in their footsteps.
Considering we are so fallen, covered, ignorant, attracted to matter and so far away removed from the goal how can we possibly try to emulate Kunti Maharani's poise in difficulties and her attraction to Krishna?

We will examine that and more in the next post:
Prayers by Queen Kunti- Verses 23- 25 Bridging the Gap
 

 

The Path to unlimited happiness:Detachment, A Lesson from the Hawk

In SB 11.9 " Detachment From All that is Material" the Avadhuta Brahmin speaks at length about how one can detach oneself from all that is material so that one can endeavor towards the highest perfection of life. He begins with what he learns from the hawk.

SB 11.9.1: The saintly brahmana said: Everyone considers certain things within the material world to be most dear to him, and because of attachment to such things one eventually becomes miserable. One who understands this gives up material possessiveness and attachment and thus achieves unlimited happiness.

SB 11.9.2:Once a group of large hawks who were unable to find any prey attacked another, weaker hawk who was holding some meat. At that time, being in danger of his life, the hawk gave up his meat and experienced actual happiness. 

Purport: Incited by the modes of nature, birds become violent and kill other birds to eat them or to steal meat captured by them. Hawks, vultures and eagles are in this category. However, one should give up the envious propensity to commit violence against others and should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereby one sees every living entity as equal to oneself. On this platform of actual happiness one does not envy anyone and thus sees no one as his enemy.

The Purport to the verse above is very instructive - it exhorts us to give up the envious propensity to commit violence to others and see every living entity equal to oneself. If I hate and berate the instruments of my karma - its because

• I do not have the humility to accept that everything that happened to me is my karma coming back to me .
• I fail to see the instrument of karma also as a soul who is part and parcel of Krishna
• I am envious of them being in a better and calmer position than me in spite of  them "harming" me
• I fail to see Krishna's will in whatever has happened in my life.

By continually remaining in such a consciousness I am actually committing violence to them in my mind and through my words and actions.Interestingly I am committing violence to myself also by wanting to hold on to such burning coals of my incorrect view of the situation and of them.

The hawk in the above verse could continue fighting for the meat in a losing battle which would eventually consume the hawk's life. However the hawk chose to give up its attachment towards the meat and thus experienced true happiness.

Similarly I can continue fighting a losing battle while holding onto such personally debilitating thought processes and never be able to grow as a devotee and also never receive the love, mercy and blessings of the persons who I think have "harmed" me. Instead I must learn from the hawk and give up the attachment to such a thought process. I must bring my consciousness to the point mentioned in the purport to the verse: "However, one should give up the envious propensity to commit violence against others and should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereby one sees every living entity as equal to oneself. On this platform of actual happiness one does not envy anyone and thus sees no one as his enemy."

I must see that I am a servant of Krishna and my job is to serve Lord Krishna and His parts and parcels.I must accept what is happening to me as a token of the reactions I deserve. As a servant I must cultivate my relationship with Krishna through connecting with His parts and parcels. If I cannot connect with that which is KRISHNA'S how will I connect with Krishna.

The success of my devotional service depends upon the depth of my relationships with Krishna nd His devotees. Why is that? To have deep relationships based on service with devotees I will have to work on my false ego. Thus deep relationships with devotees are possible only when one is situated in the real ego- I am Krishna's servant , He is my master, they are His parts and parcels and my duty to is to serve them favorably with love.
I must respect and love the individual because they are a part of Krishna by separating the act from the person. The act was ordained by the Lord.

Patience, Tolerance, Self-control & Faith- Lessons from the python

The Avadhuta Brahmana was asked by Maharaj Yadu to explain the reason for his great internal happiness and ecstasy. He responds by saying that he has taken shelter of the 24 gurus. One of those Gurus is the python and the Avadhuta Brahmana shares different lessons that a saintly person must learn from the python.

We discussed one of those(SB 11.8.1)  in the post

Material Happiness comes of its own accord- do not waste time seeking it.

Further the Avadhuta Brahmana speaks the following verses:

SB 11.8.2: Following the example of the python, one should give up material endeavors and accept for one's maintenance food that comes of its own accord, whether such food be delicious or tasteless, ample or meager.

SB 11.8.3: If at any time food does not come, then a saintly person should fast for many days without making endeavor. He should understand that by God's arrangement he must fast. Thus, following the example of the python, he should remain peaceful and patient.

Pythons are ambush predators/hunters. Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture prey by stealth or cunning, not by speed or necessarily by strength. These organisms usually hide motionless and wait for prey to come within striking distance.Also once they eat they can stay without food for a very long time.Also the pythons will not kill unnecessarily if they are not in need of food unless they fear harm to themselves.

In these verses the Avadhuta Brahamana is indicating that just like the python we must also not indulge in atyahara - we must not overindulge for unnecessary things.

Another important point has been raised in 11.8.3 above that if at any time food doesn't come one must fast without making an endeavor and we must take it as Gods arrangement and remain peaceful and patient.

As explained in the purport:

" If by God's arrangement one is forced to suffer material hardship, then one should think, "Due to my past sinful activity I am now being punished. In this way, God is mercifully making me humble." The word śayīta means one should remain peaceful and patient without mental agitation. Diṣṭa-bhuk means one must accept the Personality of Godhead as the supreme controller and not foolishly give up one's faith due to material inconvenience. Tat te 'nukampāḿ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaḿ vipākam (Bhāg. 10.14.8). A devotee of the Lord always accepts material hardship as the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa; thus he becomes eligible for supreme liberation."

Thus we learn three things from the Python:

1. Do not indulge in atyahara
2. Remain peaceful and patient without mental agitation in the face of material distress
3. Accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Supreme controller and not foolishly give up one's faith due to material inconvenience
4. Tolerate every situation because it is God's arrangement for us to become humble.

 

 

 

Lesson from the mountain

While describing the beauty of Vrindavana in rainy season and autumn, Srila Sukadeva Goswami, says in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10.20.15

 

girayo varsha-dhaaraabhir / hanyamaanaa na vivyathuh
abhibhuyamaanaa vyasanair / yathaadhokshaja-cetasah

 

"Just as devotees whose minds are absorbed in the Personality of Godhead remain peaceful even when attacked by all sorts of  dangers, the mountains in the rainy season were not at all disturbed by the repeated striking of the rain-bearing clouds."

 

When situations are favorable, we are cool and calm and keep doing our normal duties properly. But the moment we face a slight change or disturbance in our normal routine of life, our mind gets agitated and disturbed. Infact these disturbances are real test to our level of sadhana and devotional service. In the above verse Sukadeva Goswami very nicely explains the glories of tolerant nature by taking the example of mountains.

 

Srila Prabhupada, in his marvellos purport to the above verse says, "When splashed by torrents of rain, the mountains are not shaken; rather, they are cleansed of dirt and become resplendent and beautiful. Similarly, an advanced devotee of the Supreme Lord is not shaken from his devotional program by disturbing conditions, which instead cleanse his heart of the dust of  attachment to this world. Thus the devotee becomes beautiful and resplendent by tolerating difficult conditions. In fact, a devotee accepts all reverses in life as the mercy of Lord Krishna, realizing that all suffering is due to the sufferer's own previous misdeeds."
 

From granthraj Message 1989 by Sudarshana Devi Dasi

Gratitude essential for Tolerance

From HH Radhanath Swami's Vyasa Puja address

To the degree we are grateful, to that degree we can access as more and more and more. If we are proud, proud means egoistically proud, we cannot be grateful. An egoistic proud heart always thinks “I deserve something more. I want something else” but a grateful heart he always things, “I do not deserve the gifts I am receiving”. And our acharayas tells us, “This is the qualification to attain the liberation of pure love of god.

“tat te 'nukampäà su-samékñamäëo
bhuïjäna evätma-kåtaà vipäkam
håd-väg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jéveta yo mukti-pade sa däya-bhäk 10.14.8
Even when there are reversals, tragedies, or immense almost unsurpassable obstacles that comes in our life. Even when people are not treating us the way we want them too or the things are just not coming in our way, if we can be grateful, grateful for the opportunity to learn to grow, to take shelter of god and to serve in that situation but we can access the highest wealth, Krishna’s mercy.

Gratitude gives us the power to digest and assimilate god’s grace. Even if we are given the most nutritious food, if we have no power to digest it, all there vitamins and nutritions just go right through us and will get no real benefit. Krishna’s mercy is everywhere and for a devotee, there is unlimited showers of mercy at every single second. If we are actually grateful, grateful does not mean it comes the way we want it. We have to be grateful for however it is coming as it is. That is gratitude. That gives us the power to digest, assimilate and deeply benefit. “Param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam”. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has told us that the prime benediction for all humanity is the name of god. “enechi auñadhi mäyä näçibäro lägi' hari-näma mahä-mantra lao tumi magi”. The holy name is a medicine that can cure us all sufferings and bring us to our natural hope of eternity knowledge and bliss “Sachida nanda”.

Through these qualities, we can have deep gratitude and then the name of God will have the maximum affect of awakening the inner wealth within us. A wealth that cannot be plundered by thieves, cannot be shaken by earthquakes, cannot be blown away by hurricanes or cyclones, cannot be burn by fire, or cannot be moistened by Tsunamies. A wealth that cannot even be touched by death. “Prema pumarto mahana” prema dhana. This is what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabh , this is what Srila Prabhupada has come to give us “The wealth of love for God” Krishna Prema. How much do we really want it? How much do we actually fill the necessity for it? Accordingly that’s how much we will make it priority in our life.

Tolerance

Why "Tolerance" in difficult situations?

1. Tolerance because its Krishna's mercy to correct us
2. Tolerance because its our karma
3. Tolerance because it is Krishna's plan for us - as a service tolerate, if we do not tolerate we are offensive to Krishna
4. Tolerance because we are not the controllers and cannot change the situation that is in Krishna's control
5. Tolerance so that I don't retaliate and create further entangling Karma
6. Tolerance because I have received so much mercy in my life and everything cannot happen the way I want it
7. Tolerance because this is an opportunity to grow, because Krishna is taking personal care of me by putting me in this situation - if I dont I will miss this opportunity
8. Tolerance because this is just a small token of what I deserve, I deserve much worse but Krishna is so merciful He is only giving me a token

What do we need to be able to tolerate?

1. Gratitude : it gives us the ability to assimilate the Lord's grace
2. Ask for Forgiveness in the mood of Lord Brahma asking for forgiveness in the Brahma Vimohana Lila
3. Forgive the perpetrators
4. Accept Responsibility

What do we learn when we tolerate difficult situations?

1. My real identity is I am Krishna's servant - difficult situations or people cannot change that
2. Since my identity is of Krishna's servant - my duty is to serve in all situations. I should not lament abt the externals
3. I cannot change Krishna's plan
4. I need to forgive - the instruments of my karma are not responsible for the situation- Myself and the three modes of material nature are responsible.
5. We become increasingly situated in the spiritual identity and conception of life
6. Dissolving of the false ego.
7. this brought me closer to Krishna - He is so merciful
8. Krishna is very merciful- He arranged the situation to teach me a specific lesson to target a specific anartha

We cannot change Krishna's plan : thus accept and tolerate

When I am in difficulty I try with all my might to come out of it, identify the perpetrator, indulge in the blame game and many such acts except "Accept whatever is in store for me". There is some acceptance however there is more retaliation to the situation.


In the Brahma Vimohana Lila - Lord Brahma was bewildered when he saw all the calves, cows and cowherd boys with Krishna even when he had stolen them a year ago. SG says:

SB 10.13.44
"Thus because Lord Brahmā wanted to mystify the all-pervading Lord Kṛṣṇa, who can never be mystified, but who, on the contrary, mystifies the entire universe, he himself was put into bewilderment by his own mystic power."

SB 10.13.45
"As the darkness of snow on a dark night and the light of a glowworm in the light of day have no value, the mystic power of an inferior person who tries to use it against a person of great power is unable to accomplish anything; instead, the power of that inferior person is diminished."

Lord Brahma wanted to mystify Krishna but he was put into beweilderment as a result of His own plan.

In the purport to 10.13.44 Srila Prabhupada writes:

"Instead of defeating Krishna, Brahma himself was defeated, for he could not understand what Krishna was doing. Since Brahma, the chief person within this universe, was so bewildered, what is to be said of so-called scientists and philosophers? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Krishna. Instead, whatever arrangements He proposes, we should accept. This is always better, for this will make us happy. The more we try to defeat the arrangement of Krishna, the more we become implicated in Krishna's maya (daivi hy esha guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya). But one who has reached the point of surrendering to the instructions of Krishna (mam eva ye prapadyante) is liberated, free from krishna-maya (mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). The power of Krishna is just like a government that cannot be overcome. First of all there are laws, and then there is police power, and beyond that is military power. Therefore, what is the use of trying to overcome the power of the government? Similarly, what is the use of trying to challenge Krishna?"

The difficulty hurts because of breaking of a certain relationship, loss of reputation, feeling betrayed, etc.It hurts because the material conception of life that I carry needs these things to be in place for me to happy and when these break down the material conception of a happy life suffers and thus cause pain.The pain and betrayal is too much for the false ego - if it accepts everything the complete conception of the self will break down and because that is intolerable we retaliate. 


Instead of wasting my energy on trying to fix the situation, or clarify my position, it is better that I continue doing my service to the Lord.None of the measures can give me any peace of mind because the difficulty remains for a reason in spite of me trying so many ways to overcome it. The reason it remains is so that I learn to accept it as Krishna's plan. The sooner I accept it as Krishna's plan the sooner I will feel mental relief. The sooner I realize that I am not the controller Krishna is , the sooner I get relief - the difficulty may remain but my perception would have changed.I can get relief from the difficulty only by accepting the situation and tolerating it. I cannot change Krishna's plan. Everything that is happening to me is under His divine arrangement and who am I to be able to change Krishna's plan or fool Krishna by trying creative ways to resolve the situation.
As long as I realize no matter what happens my identity as a servant of Krishna cannot be changed by any force.That identity remains and nobody and no force can change that. Nobody can take away my relationship with Krishna. As soon as I situate myself in such a conception no dualities will affect me, I will see everything as Krishna's loving hand of reciprocation.

Tolerance for being corrected

When difficulties come in my life, I at some point do think about the verse tat te nukampam and think that this is my opportunity to apply it. I also think about the fact that Krishna is the controller and I must surrender to His plan " mare Krishna Rakhe kaun rakhe Krishna Mare Kaun"
However these realizations come and ago during the face of difficulty. Eventually I start fighting it on my own, try to make arrangements to lessen the impact of difficulty which only cause more entanglement.

I sometimes have a spiritual conception while dealing with the difficulty and sometimes a material one. During the difficulty I realize I could have had a sustained spiritual conception during this time if I had performed good sadhana before and I resolve to do better sadhana.
I learn some lessons during that time, that Krishna is trying to teach me something here. He is wanting to correct me in some way, remove certain anarthas from me.

Once the difficulty is over I learn some lessons and miss some lessons and more or less revert back to my old ways.I get a little wiser in devotional service and a little sincere however I start forgetting many lessons. Whenever I remember the difficult time and I remember the painful things I heard, the painful situations I was in and it gives grief to my heart.

Why was it difficult for me ? 

 Obviously "I wasnt treated well but more importantly I could not "Tolerate being Corrected". The tolerance I needed was not to tolerate others and the pain but to tolerate being corrected.
I read this quote "Tolerate being corrected" in article BTG#29-04,1995, The Social Role of Cows
by Hare Krsna Devi Dasi. She writes "Probably no other animal is as tolerant as a cow. If by your daily care and affection you convince the cow or ox that you are its well-wisher, it won’t hold a grudge against you for reprimanding it. It won’t attack you. For example, once, by my foolish negligence, one of our milk cows got loose from her stall, and when I walked into the barn I found her eating from a grain cart. I knew she could die from overeating if she didn’t stop. So I yelled at her, but she didn’t stop. I hit her on the back with a stick, but she still kept eating. Finally, I had to hit her in the face, which I hated to do, especially since it was my fault she got loose. But she stopped eating grain and returned to her stall. In five minutes she was mooing softly for me to come and pet her. She wasn’t at all afraid of me, and she wasn’t angry at me. I knew a dog or cat or even a child would never have such tolerance.
If a person can develop tolerance for being corrected, it is a wonderful asset for advancing in spiritual life. Of course, a spiritual master doesn’t beat his disciple with a stick, but sometimes a disciple’s ego gets hurt when his actions or beliefs are shown mistaken. The cowherd can learn tolerance from the cows and oxen."


Just like Mataji first yelled at the cow, hit her on the back with a stick and then finally had to smack her on the face - Krsna also gives me mini indications of my mistake by giving me mini purification for the same bad habit. I don't end up learning then he gives me a little bigger purification but I still don't learn, because I cannot "tolerate being corrected" its too much for my false ego - I don't learn because I think I am perfect in that area - I don't have that problem someone else does. When I don't learn in-spite of numerous nudges by Krishna then he has to push me hard so that I fall from that false position of being perfect and can realize how I have been making this mistake repeatedly and I need to learn this lesson.

If I can tolerate being corrected it is a wonderful asset for my advancement in spiritual life. So tolerance is not of tolerating the people or the situation or the effects of our karma, it is also tolerating being corrected

10.14.8: tat te nukampam...

tat te 'nukampam su-samikshamano

bhunjana evatma-kritam vipakam

hrid-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te

jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.

About the verse:

1. This verse is the most quoted verse by Srila Prabhupada
2. VCT says that this verse verse describes Bhakti

This verse talks about how devotees accept reversals in their lives - they simply tolerate the reversals thinking them to be reactions to their past karma. They remain in Krishna Consciousness and continue doing their services and constantly offer obeisances to the Lord thanking Him for His mercy. They think that whatever they are suffering right now is only due to their past karma . Krsna being very merciful has reduced the reaction to a token actually they deserve worse. A devotee who behaves like that is eligible for liberation.

Why is this verse so important?

Tolerance is considered as the most important quality for a devotee as stated by Srila Prabhupada(BTG 1987 -A Body Free of Suffering). True tolerance appears when one is in the spiritual conception of life thinking that whatever is happening is like the appearance and disappearance of summer and winter months, I cannot change it. All the difficulties that are happening are under the Lord's control. Because of these events I should not get entangled and I should focus only on my progress in devotional service and not in correcting this.If I am in the material conception, I will get affected by it and will take some action only to get further entangled. The insult, hurt etc is actually affecting my false ego. However my position as a servant of the Lord cannot be taken away.

In fact the fourth verse that Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita is the verse matra sparsas tu kaunteya "O son of Kuntī, the non permanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."

They arise from sense perception which is again on the material platform and thus we should not be disturbed.This verse on tolerance is considered as the key to the Bhagavad Gita.If we remain with this attitude we can understand everything else in the Bhagavad Gita.

If one remains in such a spiritual conception then one can make progress in bhakti as such an understanding situates one in humility,frees one from the bodily conception of life and controller-ship.Thus the false ego is dissolved. However if one remains on the material platform - one is not humble enough to accept the reversals as reactions to their karma, one clings to the false ego that I am the enjoyer and nobody can harm me. Thus one remains in the bodily conception of life, nurturing the false ego forever.

Thus this verse is of significance as it situates one on the platform of humility and acceptance of the supremacy of the Lord and one's minuteness in relation to the Lord and his plan.This is a fertile ground for Bhakti.