Be Courageous

When we reach the stage of collapse, this medicine will help us – at least I have found it to be like that in my own life, and I have also experienced its application in many places:

তত্তেঽনুকম্পাং সুসমীক্ষমাণো
ভুঞ্জান এবাত্মকৃতং বিপাকম্ ।
হৃদ্বাগ্­বপুভিবিদধন্নমস্তে
জীবেত যো মুক্তিপদে স দায়ভাক্ ॥

tat te ‘nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidhanam namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

‘Those who live bowing in obeisance with their thoughts, words and deeds in expectation of Your mercy while reaping with detachment the result of their previous actions, are eligible to attain liberation.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8)

I have repeatedly told about it. To paraphrase a famous saying from the English literature, 'A bad workman quarrels with his stool.' Whatever circumstance we find around us, it is earned by our own karma, none is be blamed for it. First and foremost, we are to take it in this way. It is the truth, the stern reality. Our situation is earned by us, there is none to be blamed for it.

Then, we should not only adjust ourselves with our present circumstances, but we are to advance further. What is the next step? It is more important to realise that our circumstance is actually not an adversity but the grace of the Lord. 'It has come to me, and this is what is necessary for me – this is my medicine at my present stage.' We are to accept our environment in such an optimistic way without any reluctance. The circumstance seems adverse to us, but we should take it that we are face to face with our friend, not an enemy. We are to invite, to welcome any adversity. This should be our spirit, then it will immediately change its face. The best and the highest type of medicine is to face any danger realising that it is our friend.

So, the first step is to realise that what I am going through is my own earned outcome, none is to be blamed for it; and the second step is to realise that this is the real necessity at my stage – this medicine will uplift me because no event can occur without the sanction of the Absolute. No movement can be possible without His sanction, and He is friendly to me. He is an affectionate guardian, and whatever comes to me comes from His affectionate hand. This is the necessity for me, so He has sent this to me. If I hesitate, I will have to suffer. Instead, I must welcome it, 'Welcome! This is coming from my Lord, my real Lord!' If we can approach every circumstance, whatever may come, with this attitude, then at once the sky will clear and just the opposite will come – we will see His smiling face; such an atmosphere will come.

Suppose a boy disobeys his affectionate mother. The mother punishes the boy, but as soon as the boy comes to realise, 'Yes, Mother, I have done wrong. Please punish me more heavily. I know I deserve this punishment; I deserve even more than that. Please punish me more. Beat me more and more!' – as soon as the boy changes his consciousness and realises this, the motherly heart will at once come out, full of affection, 'No more punishment! He has learned it. He has come to the right consciousness, so no more now.' The mother cannot punish her son out of vindictiveness – she only does it to mend and purify him. This is the sole necessity of punishment.

So, the Absolute's punishment or dispensation has got no vindictive will or wish at its back. The ultimate Reality, without whose consent nothing – not even a straw – can move is always all-alert in my and everyone else's cases. He is omniscient and omnipotent, and He is all-mercy, so we are not guardianless. We have our guardian, and He sees everything. We need not be afraid of any misdeed or any wrong being done towards us. It is not an anarchical land. The government is good, and the highest authority in this government is our sympathetic friend.

ভোক্তারং যজ্ঞতপসাং সর্ব্বলোকমহেশ্বরম্ ।
সুহৃদং সর্ব্বভূতানাং জ্ঞাত্বা মাং শান্তিমৃচ্ছতি ॥

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam, sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam, jnatva mam santim rchchhati

'I am the enjoyer and objective of the sacrifices performed by persons of action, and of the austerities performed by persons of knowledge. I am Narayan, the indwelling monitor of all planes of life, the worshippable Supreme Personality who awards liberation. I am Krishna, the well-wisher of all and the dear friend of the devotees. One who knows Me thus attains the bliss of knowing his own original divine identity.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 5.29)

We can find peace only when we can understand that He whose satisfaction all activities are meant for is friendly to us. He has no vindictive spirit – He is not interested in retaliating anything to anybody. He sends what is necessary for our purification, so we are to tolerate it, and as soon as our purification finishes, we will no longer have to deal with any punishment. So, when we can truly realise that He is the friend of all beings, then all troubles and all apprehension will disappear from our hearts forever.

তত্তেঽনুকম্পাং সুসমীক্ষমাণো
ভুঞ্জান এবাত্মকৃতং বিপাকম্ ।
হৃদ্বাগ্­বপুভিবিদধন্নমস্তে
জীবেত যো মুক্তিপদে স দায়ভাক্ ॥

tat te ‘nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidhanam namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

‘Those who live bowing in obeisance with their thoughts, words and deeds in expectation of Your mercy while reaping with detachment the result of their previous actions, are eligible to attain liberation.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8)

We are to inspect our circumstances with a clear and real vision, with very close attention. Samiksa means scrutiny, and su-samiksa means a perfect, well-meaning scrutiny, or inspection. For example, we may see something that looks like a ghost coming towards us, but if we inspect it closely, we will find that it is actually not a ghost but my affectionate (anukampa) father approaching me. It is something like this.

Bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. At the same time, whatever difficulty comes to make us suffer, we will not allow it to go away because this difficulty is the result of our own (evatma-krtam) deeds (vipakam), then why should we allow it to go to anybody else? We must embrace it; otherwise, we will be cowards. We have done wrong, but another person must suffer the result for us? What is this? It is we who have done wrong, so we must be the ones to bear the reaction. This is being gentlemanlike. So, we will not allow the suffering, the result of our own bad karma to go away – we must take it with a gentlemanlike spirit.

Hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidhanam namas te. Simultaneously, we will show our heartfelt gratitude towards the Providence, 'Your action has no fault. There is no error on Your part. You have done justice by sending this to me.' When we suffer, we should show gratitude to the authority and thank the agents of our suffering thinking that now the result of our bad deeds is going to finish and very soon we will get out of that reaction. Such should be our attitude. Whatever misdeed we have done, we must finish that, and those who help me finish the consequences of those bad deeds are my friends. Then, very soon I shall be pure. Our gratitude should not be just some lip-deep thanks – we must feel heartfelt gratitude to the authority, with all our thoughts, words and deeds (hrd-vag-vapurbhir).

Jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. If we can lead such a life (jiveta yo), then very soon we will get rid (mukti) of all the trouble we are dealing with. This is the recommendation, 'Do this, and you will be very soon released from all trouble. Do not try to avoid it, neither try to suffer through it with much reluctance or hesitation; rather, invite it because this is justice coming from your Lord, it is for your own good. Welcome it and very soon it will be finished, you will be liberated from all this trouble.' Srimad Bhagavatam comes to teach us to face any danger, any adverse circumstance with this spirit. This should be our real spirit when facing trouble, then we will get relief very soon, we will not have to wait long.

We are in the midst of this world, and we are always hunted by problems. Srimad Bhagavatam advises us, 'Be courageous. Do not allow yourselves to go into despair.' So, we must not be disappointed. We must have courage. We must face everything courageously and well-meaning in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Even in our words, we can chant these slokas from Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavad-gita and other scriptures – if we try to take it in and apply it in our activities, in our lives, then very soon we will get real and honourable relief. We can work out our liberated state, where we become eligible for the service to Lord Krishna, not by bribing but by dint of our own rights.

This is the negative side, but there is also a positive side. It involves many things, including union in separation. For example, we find that Vraja-basis, who are eternal friends, eternal companions of Krishna, also suffer sometimes from separation from Krishna. That is another thing. That kind of suffering is actually joy. From here, we take it as they are suffering (for example, Yasoda suffers so much in separation from her affectionate son), but that suffering is not suffering in its real sense, it is a form of joy.

Even in the ordinary poetry we find this expression, 'Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought' (Shelley). Sometimes, we can read a book and shed profuse tears when we come across a piteous story. We read the story of Rama and Sita, some ordinary, mundane poem or even some religious book and shed tears. Although we cry, we cannot give up the book – we go on reading, devouring the book more and more, tears running down our faces. Why is this? Because we feel some sweetness, some taste, 'Oh, they are religious people, but they suffered so much for the cause of God!' For example, Christ was crucified because he said, in a general way, that God is everything, that He is our master, and that we must worship Him. We cannot but feel aggrieved to hear about his crucifixion; at the same time, we cannot give up the book – we want to read more and more about his great magnanimous sacrifice for the good of the mankind, for God. His sacrifice was for something good, and it is sweet in some sense. So, if something has to do with Krishna, in any way, it must be sweet. Separation is also sweet, and union cannot but be sweet.

Sometimes, there can be separation in union also. This is prema-vaichitra: diversity of loving dealings. He is there, but, like a wave, a thought comes to your mind, 'Oh, if He leaves me, what will become of me?' So, some grief captures your heart at this time, even though the object is right there in front of you. This is the case of Srimati Radharani. She felt this wave of affection that the object of Her affection is right in front of Her, but still She felt some apprehension, 'If He leaves Me, what will become of Me?' We can dread this and suffer intensely, but because there is affinity towards the truth and divine love, then it also produces joy and ecstasy (anandam). Wherever there is love, there is beauty.

So, this is another kind of suffering. In reality, it is happiness because the background of the whole thing is reality, not deceitfulness. It is just the opposite in this world. Here, people can have opulence, but at the back of their minds, they still know, 'This is transient,' and it makes them feel uneasy. Even if one is a king or a great general, still the relativity in which they exist is deceitful and treacherous, so they cannot find there any blissfulness, fearfulness or happiness in a real, substantial way. So, Srimad Bhagavad-gita repeatedly encourages us, 'Go on discharging your duty and do not try to look for any result or consequence. The consequence is in My hand.'

'You have your quota given to you, so that is your duty, do that. The consequence does not depend upon your activity. Your activity produces a meagre wave, but there are so many waves outside you – they will all be combined and then the result will come out accordingly. It does not depend on you. You have no control over the result. As you produce a wave, there are also an infinite number of units producing waves in a similar way; and when all these waves mix together, they produce some common result. So, do not worry about the result – it is not in your hand. Be selfless. Think about Me and put your trust in Me. I am the all-controlling centre. Give your quota, contribute your partial energy, to this world of the infinite and keep your gaze fixed at Me, the all-controller.

'Otherwise, if you try to calculate your estimated result, you will be frustrated and your energy will be wasted. Do not take this wrong path. The consequence, the result is with Me, and only work (your partial duty) is with you. This is the naked truth, and you will have to accept it in your life; otherwise, you can never feel satisfied. If you keep making all these long calculations of the circumstances outside you, you will be frustrated at every moment. Do not make yourself a prisoner of frustration. I need you in your eternal life.'

This is the highest policy, the highest principle of life that Srimad Bhagavad-gita comes to teach us. 'Do not bother to modify the whole world. Only you mind, your own self is what is really in your command, and that, too, only partially because the circumstances are there to control you. Still, if you only give all your attention to your quota, you will be best benefitted. Leave everything else leave to Me.' This is the way to live a proper life. We can thrive by following these rules given here. We live in the infinite, and the infinite is not some stonelike substance. The infinite is all-conscious, all-intelligent, all-loving, He is infinitely superior than us in all respects, so we should not disbelieve Him when it comes to our difficulties. Do not think that He will only increase our difficulty. We should learn to believe Him who is the infinite represented by Om. This is the harmony in life.

Seek harmony, not discord. The ultimate reality, the ultimate controller is harmony Himself. He is beautiful, harmonious, loving. Harmony, beauty, love and ecstasy are all of a similar nature. He is harmonious, and it is only harmony that will satisfy you, not discord. Do not be a member to creating a world of discord but try to be a member of the world of harmony, and this is how you can, in no time, come in connection with that world.

It is like an ocean – there are so many waves on its surface, but dive deep and you will find no waves disturbing you there. On the surface, we see so many disturbing small waves clashing together, but if we connect with the deepest part of the ocean, there is no such wave-clashing there. So, there is such a nirguna plane. On the surface, there is a clash of consciousness and of separatism produced by the three modes of Maya (sattva, raja and tama); but dive deep and you will come in touch with the universal characteristic of the world. Vaikuntha is nirguna. Above that, there is a plane that is not only nirguna (independent of clash) but that is full of welcome, adoration and positive love – you will find all this if you go deeper and reach Vrindavan, Krishna consciousness.

Not only does Krishna consciousness produce no disturbance but it produces love. It is not merely a land of justice – it is a land of mercy and love. Love means self-dedication that compensates others' defects. That is Vrindavan, the land of love, the land of mercy. It is the deepest existence in Krishna consciousness, and it is above all, passing over even Vaikuntha consciousness, the land of justice.

Here, in this mayik world, we see clash and injustice. In each universe comprised of various planes (Bhur, Bhuvar, Svar, Maha, Jana, Tapa, Satya, etc.), everywhere there is a clash of separate interest. If we go beyond that and enter Brahmaloka, we will enter equilibrium. If we pass over that stage, we will come to Vaikuntha, the land of justice. Then, if we again go deeper and progress further, we will find Krishna consciousness, the land of divine love where everyone as if compensates each others' defects. In reality, there are no defects, but still the tendency there is like that. It is the world of love, mercy and self-sacrifice aimed to please others, to keep others happy and to sustain general happiness. Everyone there contributes something. It is a labour of love. This is the land of Vrindavan and Krishna consciousness which is given in Srimad Bhagavatam and by Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev. He came to point out that we will find different stages of advice in the scriptures, but the highest advice and goal of life that has ever been given to us is Krishna consciousness, Vrindavan consciousness.

Within this highest consciousness, there is also some differentiation. There is sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa, madhura-rasa, svakiya and, exclusively in Vrindavan, parakiya. In Vrindavan, almost everything is parakiya. Parakiya means 'that which is not mine' – it is not a relation acquired by any right but only by free choice, even crossing the socially accepted rules. You see, justice is a good thing, we cannot have any complain against justice, but still mercy is higher. If we can conceive of that, then we can conceive of that plane. Even crossing the social law, the religious law, the scriptural rules, they venture towards the absolute truth, but who is He? He is the master of everything.

He is actually the master of everything, but He arranged some distribution, 'This is yours', 'This is his,' 'This is a third man's.' In this way, there is justice. Justice means law and adjustment of rightful things, but when one is the absolute master, how can any law come there? No law can come there. He is the absolute owner of everything, absolute good. He is perfect, so why should He not be the owner? Should a defective person like me have the right to own anything? Why must the absolute intelligence, the absolute loving tendency, the absolute power not be vested in Him? Should the absolute power be distributed and vested in defective gentlemen? What is this? So, in Vrindavan, there is a good dictator, a good absolute owner who is above all law. That sort of consciousness is there within.

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