Obstacles Bhakti - Kunjeshwari Home

Obstacles in Bhakti
‘Vaishnav-jivani’ tells us another fact. A certain Mahâtmâ had promised,
“Even if someone spits on me, or throws stool and urine at me, I shall never
tell anyone anything. If I do, I shall cut off my head with this weapon. If I do
not fulfill my vow may I eternally perish in hell. I pledge in the name of Sri
Bhagavân.” He always kept a sharp knife with him, so that he may cut off his
head if he broke his vow. See, what ‘protest’ means. It is very easy to speak
up against other evildoers; but what step do we take against the evil
tendencies in us? It is immensely difficult to recognize these tendencies,
what to speak of protesting against them.
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We have come here to reform ourselves, not to reform others. If
we want to protest then it is better to protest against our own
wrong doings. If we want to discipline someone, let that someone
be we. Let us reform ourselves. If we wish to pick faults, let us
pick our own faults.
want to protest against the injustice in this world? When we ourselves are
ridden with so many follies, how can we rid the world of its evil? When our
own hearts are black, how can we purify others? We ourselves are in
darkness, how can we hold the torch for others? We are in material bondage,
how can we liberate others? We are so impoverished, how can we distribute
the priceless treasure of Prem to others?
Are you talking of doing good to the world? If we want to do some good,
then let us first think of our own well-being. If we cannot do good for
ourselves, how can we do good unto others? If we can reform ourselves,
then we should think we have really done some good for this world. If we
become pure and attain Prem in the lotus-feet of the Divine Couple, we
should realize we have done a lot of good to this society. The one who has
memorized all the books in all the libraries of the world is not necessarily a
well-wisher.
If we can bear
everything in silence,
we are chaste. If we
cannot, we are
prostitutes.
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Gour Kripa continues ----
If our hearts are unclean, we cannot
do well for humanity by protesting
against injustice. Such acts give rise
to enmity. The faulty person does
not reform. Therefore, if we have
the slightest wish to gain Bhakti
Devi’s mercy then we must stop protesting against others. Instead, we
should seek our own flaws and get rid of them. The Lord of the world will
worry for the world. I am begging for my own upliftment; how dare I think of
uplifting others? If, by the mercy of Sri Bhagavân I manage to reform myself
then I will not need the trumpet and drum to preach Pure Bhakti. It will
happen on its own. This is why Sriman-Mahaprabhu has ordered us to be
tolerant as a tree. If we can bear everything in silence, we are chaste. If we
cannot, we are prostitutes. A ‘sâdhu’ is one who has forbearance.