The Heart of a Vaishnava

Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

In the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam (7.10.15), Prahlada Maharaja prayed to Lord Nrisimhadeva to forgive his father's offenses. Even if someone does something wrong to a Vaishnava, the devotee does not become envious. He never develops an inimical attitude toward any living entity, even an envious person. Although envious people and demons harass devotees, a Vaishnava never thinks ill of them. Rather, he prays to the Lord: "Please excuse him. Please change his nature." As the verse (Bhag. 5.18.9) says, khalah prasidatam — "Let envious persons be pacified."

You can pacify a snake using a mantra or ausadhi (medicinal herbs). But envious persons cannot be pacified. Only the Supreme Lord can do it.

Therefore, a Vaishnava-sadhu prays to the Lord for their deliverance. Such is the nature of a Vaishnava-sadhu.

The Lord's Sudarsana Cakra weapon was rushing to the scene. The Sudarsana Cakra protects devotees. At that moment, Haridas Thakur offered prayers to the Supreme Lord: "O Gopijanavallabha! O Jagadishwar! They are devoid of pure knowledge and proper consciousness. They are completely under the influence of ignorance and possess a very degraded consciousness. They do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them and inculcate Krishna consciousness — bhakti-rasa — in their hearts." He prayed for bhakti-rasa to enter their hearts so that they would never again commit such acts, harass devotees, feel envious, or persecute anyone. He prayed for their welfare.

Therefore, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, taror iva sahisnuna — be as tolerant as a tree. A Vaishnava-sadhu is exactly like that; he is as tolerant as a tree. If you cut a tree into pieces or burn it to ashes, it tolerates. If you do not give it water, it will dry up, but it will still not ask you for water. It simply tolerates. A Vaishnava is that tolerant.

Look at Nityananda Prabhu! The two brothers Jagai and Madhai were great pasandis — most sinful persons. They struck the forehead of Lord Nityananda Prabhu with a piece of a broken clay liquor pot, causing profuse bleeding. But Nityananda Prabhu tolerated it. He did not become angry at all. Instead, he embraced them and said: "O my brothers, please chant: hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare / hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare."

A Vaishnava is as tolerant as a tree. But when Mahaprabhu heard this, he became angry. He is the Supreme Lord; He cannot tolerate it. Mahaprabhu called for the Sudarsana Cakra. He was filled with anger. But Nityananda Prabhu reminded him: "In this incarnation, you will never wield any weapon. You will never see faults. You will never punish any envious person."

Immediately, the hearts of those envious persons changed. They fell flat at the lotus feet of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. But Mahaprabhu said: "You have committed aparadha at the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu. Go there!" Then they went and fell flat at the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu is so merciful, so compassionate. He embraced them: "O my brothers, please chant: hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare / hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare."

Nityananda Prabhu was beaten! Still, he gave prema to such dustas — most sinful persons and greatly envious individuals. See how merciful he is! Is there any prabhu like Nityananda Prabhu, who was beaten and still gave prema?

Therefore, this is Mahaprabhu's instruction: taror iva sahisnuna — be as tolerant as a tree. A sadhu thinks of the welfare of all living entities. The heart of a real Vaishnava is like that. They only see krsna-sambandha — the relationship with Krishna. They see that Krishna's jivas, the conditioned souls, are suffering and acting this way because they are devoid of true knowledge and proper consciousness. Otherwise, if they possessed true knowledge and proper consciousness — Krishna consciousness — they would not have done such things.

Therefore, they offer prayers to the Supreme Lord: "Please excuse him. Please inculcate proper consciousness and bhakti-rasa in him. Thereby his heart will undergo a complete change in consciousness, and he will never act like that again." That is a Vaishnava's prayer.

Therefore, Mahaprabhu says, taror iva sahisnuna — be as tolerant as a tree. You sadhus, you Vaishnavas — unless you shower mercy on these pasandis, how will their lives be changed? Please do not neglect them, just as Nityananda Prabhu was beaten by Jagai and Madhai but still showered mercy on them and delivered them. He tolerated their sharp words, their persecution, and all their harsh dealings — he tolerated it all and did good to them. Similarly, you must do the same. Tolerate harsh words, tolerate misdeeds, and tolerate mistreatment. Do you understand? Shower mercy. A Vaishnava, like Prahlada Maharaja, always acts in this way.

From a class given in Bali on October 6, 1995.

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