By His Divine Grace Srila B.R. Sridhara Dev Gosvami Maharaja,
We should not think that our path will be very smooth. So many troubles may come from outside. In India, when you go out in the streets with the kirtana party, so many may come and say, “You monkeys! Lal-bandara — you red-faced monkeys!”
These things must come to you from so many directions, in so many forms of hindrances and opposition. They will come and try to affect you, to dissuade you from this path. But, taror api sahisnuna — the example of a tree is given and that is analyzed. If somebody does not pour any water, the tree does not say, “Oh, give some water to me!” If anyone is coming and disturbing, snatching the leaves, cutting the branches — even cutting the whole thing, the tree is silent. No opposition. We should rather try to see that insults, poverty, punishment, and unfavorable dealings are all coming to purify me. These things are necessary and with the least punishment I am going to be released. I have become connected with the highest object of life, but what prize am I going to pay for that? What prize? I am confident that I am going to attain the highest fulfillment of life, but what prize is sufficient for that? It is inconceivable. Whatever little demand comes to be exacted from you, with a smiling face you have to accept that in consideration of your highest goal. If you are really confident and you have faith in your brightest future, then whatever small prize nature wants through these miscreants — that must be accepted.
Submissiveness and modesty –that is the law of Mahaprabhu. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena – these things must be repeatedly preached. Trnad api sunicena means I must not be so rigid that I may not accommodate others. Taror api sahisnuna – if still someone is aggressive towards me, I shall try to tolerate. And amani – I must never insist on any fame from the environment, still I will always be ready to give honor to all. With this attitude we should march on our way. This maxim should be given a very broad circulation. To become a Vaisnava we must be deceit-free and have discipline of this type and this comes from none other than Mahaprabhu Himself.
Once we were told that our Gaura-kisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja was doing madhukari-bhiksa and was returning to his quarters. The people did not spare him either. The boys were pelting him with some small stones and he remarked, “Krishna, you are cruelly dealing with me! I shall complain to Mother Yasoda about You.” That was his outlook. Harmonized! When anything came he would say, “Oh Krishna, by philosophical calculation, without You nothing can happen. You are with these children and You are disturbing me and I shall teach You a lesson. I know how to deal with You.” In that way, he took everything like that. That is our beacon light to adjust with things that are apparently unfavorable. A sweet adjustment is there.
Don’t give any opposition –still opposition will come to disturb you and you must forbear. You will accept them in such a way. We should not create resistance for the environment. If there is some attack, some undesirable things come towards me, I am to forbear that to my utmost patience. I am to silently tolerate. I won’t harm.
Our attitude should be this –whatever comes, this is earned by my previous karma. My previous karma has earned such an environment and it is a necessity to teach me. And whenever my teaching will finish, the environment will change. Whatever the circumstance, the environment may be undesirable but if we are sincere we must take it with a good motive because the Lord has sent it. Without His sanction nothing can happen. Not even a straw can move. I am put in such an unfavorable environment – He is seeing this thing and as soon as this necessity ends it will be removed and I shall be placed in another environment . There is no error in His decision. In the Divine decision there cannot be any error. We have to face all circumstances with such an attitude.
tat te’ nukampam su-samiksamano
bhuñjana evatma-krtam vipakam hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
One who lives his life while joyfully seeing everything as Your mercy even as he experiences the adverse conditions arising from his past deeds, and constantly pays respects to You with his mind, body and words, is certain to attain Your lotus feet, the object of all devotion. (Bhagavatam. 10.14.8)
It is our environment, our own past deeds. I must not quarrel with what my own deeds have produced, but I must finish this effect. It is necessary for me. And as soon as the necessity will be finished, it will be withdrawn and I will be put in another separate environment. We have to wait for the decision, the divine dispensation. That will be the highest policy. The most sacred, desirable and helpful policy is everywhere. It will increase our faith in the Supreme. The supreme command of all environments may come now or in the future. This policy of a devotee will be most suitable and helpful. Tat te’ nukampam su-samiksamano – the undesirable things have not come suddenly to punish me, but it is necessarily self-acquired and it will get its fulfillment and then vanish, and then I shall get another chance. But if I avoid this, it may be finished for now but again it will come to clear my debt. With this attitude we should face all circumstances, and that will be the best attitude of any progressive devotee.
Excerpt from a talk by His Divine Grace Srila B.R. Sridhara Dev Gosvami Maharaja, compiled in the book “Sri Rupa Gosvami’s Upadesamrta” by Gosai Publishers.