Experiencing Difficulty

Sunil, Jul 5 2011

Please accept my respectful obeisances

Is it true,that when one is experiencing difficulties then the intensity of devotion in chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra is enhanced?

Regards,

Sunil

Rahul Mangla, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna,

I also feel the same but if that is the case, it means that person is chanting for sense gratification. We should however feel eternal spiritual satisfaction while chanting.

Hare Krishna,

Rahul

Jagannatha dasa, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

This is a really nice question.  Thank you for posting it.

Difficulty is material. This is explained in Bhagavad-Gita (8.15) by Lord Sri Krishna.  He uses the phrase duhkhalayam asasvatam.  The material world is both miserable and temporary.  Whereas His own abode is free from misery.

Matter can’t give rise to spirit.  Spirit is eternal.  So it’s true that misery alone can’t make us more advanced in spiritual life, otherwise everyone who is intensely suffering would be more and more

Krishna conscious; however, that being said, misery can be used as a springboard to surrender, if we take it as the mercy of the Lord. This mood is perfectly shown by Srimati Kunti Maharani.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.24 and 25.

viṣān mahāgneḥ puruṣāda-darśanād

asat-sabhāyā vana-vāsa-kṛcchrataḥ

mṛdhe mṛdhe ‘neka-mahārathāstrato

drauṇy-astrataś cāsma hare ‘bhirakṣitāḥ

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaḿ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

My dear Krishna, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Asvatthama.  I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

So the question may be raised, why do some persons take direct shelter of the Lord in times of miseries, whereas others do not?

The first paragraph of Srila Prabhupada’s purport to text 25 begins by dealing with this doubt.  It says:

“Generally the distressed, the needy, the intelligent and the inquisitive, who have performed some pious activities, worship or begin to worship the Lord. Others, who are thriving on misdeeds only,

regardless of status, cannot approach the Supreme due to being misled by the illusory energy. Therefore, for a pious person, if there is some calamity there is no other alternative than to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.”

I hope this is helpful.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna Sunil Prabhu,

Yes, that is seen in the essence of Queen Kunti’s prayers… “vipadah santu” – “let there be calamities”,

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaḿ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

“I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.” SB 1.8.25.

http://vedabase.net/sb/1/8/25/en

Sometimes, Krishna may “turn up the heat”, just to increase the devotee’s feelings of dependence upon Him, in this case, the difficulty provides impetus to getting closer and closer to Krishna.

From the Bhagavad Gita, it is understood that Krishna personally sanctions everything that happens in a devotee’s life, and everything is simply meant to completely purify the devote of all traces of material contamination.

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaḿ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” BG 10.11

http://vedabase.net/bg/10/11/en

Please read the purport to these two verses very carefully, it has many deep significant statements by Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Manian VB, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna,

An enlightening and helpful explanation given.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, and other great saints.