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A devotee or saintly person should not be dreadful to others, nor should anyone be a source of dread to him. If one treats others with nonenmity, then no one will become his enemy. There is the example, however, of Jesus Christ, who had enemies, and they crucified him. The demonic are always present, and they find fault even in saintly persons. But a saintly person never becomes angry, even if there is very great provocation. (More...) When one is engaged in devotional service, he is often surrounded by envious people, and often many enemies come to try to defeat him or stop him. This is not new in this present age, for even in the days of yore Prahlada Maharaja, who was engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, was harassed by his demoniac father, Hiranyakasipu. The atheists are always prepared to harass a devotee; therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu suggested that one be very tolerant of these people. Nonetheless, one has to continue chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and preaching the chanting of this mantra because such preaching and chanting constitute the perfection of life. One should chant and preach about the urgency of making this life perfect in all respects. One should thus engage in the devotional service of the Lord and follow in the footsteps of previous acaryas, beginning with Lord Brahma and others. (More...) Because we have to think something. Without thinking we cannot remain. This is the simple process. Instead of thinking so many things, you simply think of Krsna. The sadhu will teach that. Sadhu's business... Why sadhu, to associate with sadhu, sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]? Now, sadhu will not teach anything else. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. This is the process of making spiritual advancement. If you have got any faith for making spiritual advancement, then you must associate with sadhus. Adau sraddha. Just like here people come. Here there is no other thing because here all the boys and girls and devotees, they are concerned with Radha-Krsna. That's all. The whole business, whole day's business, whole night's business, is Radha-Krsna. From early morning at three o'clock to night, ten o'clock, they have only business of Radha-Krsna. That's all. Therefore they are sadhu. Therefore they are sadhu. This is the symptom of sadhu. And so many people are criticizing. So many enemies we have got. We are not getting the sanction because there are so many enemies. We are creating "nuisance." We are chanting Hare Krsna mantrathat is nuisance. This complaint is going to the police. (More...) So that is very difficult. Therefore a sadhu is advised, titiksavah, tolerate! Tolerate all this nonsense! What can be done? We have no other alternative, to tolerate. Nobody's coming to help us. Our business is so thankless task. Because we are trying to create one temple, so many enemies, they are giving hindrance, "You cannot do it." Therefore titiksava. You have to remain sadhu. You cannot become asadhu. You have to tolerate. What can be done? Titiksavah karunikah [SB 3.25.21]. At the same time, you have to become merciful. You know what has happened in this place, Hare Krishna Land. So much attack by the police, by the Municipality, "Break this temple." So we could have gone, that "What is the use of taking so much botheration? We have got hundreds of temples outside India. If Bombay people are not liking, let us go away." No. Karunikah. We have come to distribute Krsna consciousness movement. We must tolerate and give this message to the people. Karunikah. Very merciful, in spite of all trouble. What is the use of...? These boys, these American boys, they have come to help menot that they are hungry, they have come here. No. My mission is that "You American, your, you chant Hare Krsna so that India, people of India will see, 'Oh, Americans, they are also chanting. Why not ourselves? It is our property.' " But unfortunately, so much dull brain. But that is not coming. But still, we have to do it. We have to tolerate and we have to become karunikah. (More...) There is no use to become envious of a devotee because a devotee, a pure devotee, will always be protected by these Visnudutas as they have protected Ajamila. Parebhyo. Parebhyo, Sridhara Swamiji's gives satru, enemies. In this world, although a devotee is ajata-satru, he does not do anything which will create enemy, but the nature of the world is that they will become envious. Any person, he has done no wrong to you, but he is making progresshis friends and his neighbors will be envious: "Oh, this man is becoming so successful." So the nature of this world is envious, enviousness. Therefore, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the beginning it is said, nirmatsaranam satam. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam: [SB 1.1.2] "This is understandable by persons who are freed from this quality of enviousness." Here is a quality in the material world. Anyone who is here, he will be envious of his... Para utkarsa asahanam. They cannot tolerate that his friend or his brother is very much, I mean to say, advancing either material or spiritual. They cannot tolerate. This is the society. Therefore my Guru Maharaja used to say that "This is not the place for a gentleman to live," because surrounded by envious persons, especially to the devotees. Especially when a man becomes devoted to the Lord, he creates... He does not create, but the atmosphere is suchmany enemies. (More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=1256 Previous: [none] Next: [none]
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