Obstacles and Tests: If I want to serve Krishna why are ...



Obstacles and Tests: If I want to serve Krishna why are there external difficulties in my spiritual life?

Definition:

Examples:

Sources:

Obstacles or Test?

Is it possible to have a simple, external solution?

Will that simple external solution be good for me and others morally, legally, and spiritually?

If it’s a test….

Purposes:

Detachment from maya

Change our behavior, thoughts, or feelings/attitudes in order to overcome

"My dear Lord, one who constantly waits for Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him and who goes on suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim." (10.14.8)

One's greatness has to be estimated by one's ability to tolerate provoking situations. (KB 89: The Superexcellent Power of Krsna)

Srila Madhvacarya has quoted from Vedic literature that if one offends the Lord's devotees and does not learn to associate with them, Lord Visnu personally places barriers in the path of such a person so that he may not enter into the Lord's company. (SB 11.12.1-2 purport)

Change our relationships—what we get from others we are giving out

If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness, his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and benevolent.

PURPORT excerpt: Everyone should be unhappy to see others in distress and happy to see others happy. Atmavat sarva-bhutesu: one should feel the happiness and distress of others as his own. (SB 6.10.9)

But you harm yourself. Because you are a rascal you do not know what is your future. You do not harm others, but you are harming yourself. You do not know what you are and how you are harming yourself. You are such a rascal. You pose to be that you do not make any harm to anyone, but you are doing harm to yourself. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. You do not know what is the harm to yourself. You are such a fool. So what is the use of...? Nobody can do any harm to anyone. Everything is going on nature's law. But you are doing yourself harm for your interest. You are such a fool. (Morning Walk -- Perth, May 17, 1975)

Attachment to Krishna

Give us an impetus to develop real love for Krishna

Persons devoid of atma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction. (SB 2.1.4)

Lord Krsna is the only shelter (KB 80: The Meeting of Lord Krsna with Sudama Brahmana)

The real cause of one's difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one's forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. (Bg 5.25 purport)

Show our sincerity—not fair weather friend

With great pleasure I have noted your unbounded enthusiasm to carry out this great mission of spreading the light of love of Godhead in this hellish material world. That is the only requirement for successfully completing the perfection of the living condition, that you should always be enthusiastic to perform services unto the Lotus Feet of the Lord despite all obstacles, and then you can be assured that all of the other qualities or necessities for pure devotional service will be met, such as patience, determination, etc. and then without doubt you shall be delivered to the realm of unlimited bliss, freed from all anxieties. (Letter to: Hamsaduta -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972)

I am very much pleased that you are going on with your work in Krishna Consciousness despite so many obstacles which Maya has placed in your path just to try to deviate you from going back to Home, back to Godhead. (Letter to: Krsna dasa -- Calcutta 24 February, 1972)

I am very much encouraged that despite so many difficulties and tricks of Maya that you are still desiring Krishna so much. Thank you very much. In order to attain the topmost perfection of this human form of life one simply has to try for Krishna with enthusiasm and patience, and all obstacles will be overcome. If you are determined in this way to be His devotee, Krishna will provide some happy solution. But even if He puts us into extreme difficulty, we must always be prepared to consider everything as His special Mercy, that He is testing my sincerity, or that this trouble is nothing to what I deserve. (Letter to: Patty Dorgan -- Delhi 17 November, 1971)

Even while suffering in the midst of difficulties, devotees simply offer their prayers and service more enthusiastically. In this way they become firmly fixed in devotional service and eligible to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. (SB 6.9.40 purport)

Take pleasure in Krishna’s satisfaction, not an arrangement for our personal pleasure

Sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. (SB 2.8.6 purport)

This will help me serve Krishna better: Once when a cowherd boy named Vrsabha was collecting flowers from the forest to prepare a garland to be offered to Krsna, the sun reached its zenith, and although the sunshine was scorching hot, Vrsabha felt it to be like the moonshine. That is the way of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord; when devotees are put into great difficulties -- even like the Pandavas, as described above -- they feel all their miserable conditions to be great facilities for serving the Lord. ( NoD 42: Fraternal Loving Affairs)

Strategy:

Mentality of a materialist

Let me eliminate the difficulty

Let me eliminate or change the people

Change the externals

I’m a victim

Devotee

Recap:

Is it possible to have a simple, external solution?

Will that simple external solution be good for me and others morally, legally, and spiritually?

Strategies for tests:

• What in me needs to be fixed or improved?

• Change of internal thought and understanding

• Change in personal behavior

• Change in attitude toward the people or circumstances

• Change in how I treat others

• Who or what is my shelter?

• Do I love Krishna unconditionally or only when it is pleasing?

• Pleasure in Krishna’s pleasure

“Being pleased with the devotee, the Lord turns all his material impediments into spiritual service. “ (SB 6.4.27-28 purport)

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