The Devotee Tries to Awaken Everyone

The devotee engages himself and the world around him as fully as possible in the service of Krishna. And whatever is beyond his power to engage in Krishna's service he tolerates. In this way he is peaceful and happy throughout his entire life and in the end he goes back to home, back to Godhead. Due to ignorance only the entire human population is now missing out on this sublime process and is thus suffering like anything. The devotee, therefore, fully dedicates his life to awakening everyone to the sublime process of Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy In Portland  

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question:
What Meaning to Derive from Material Loss?Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I read about the unfortunate event of fire on your Austin ashram and was very sorry for the material loss and inconvenience following it. It indeed is Krishna's grace that you and Mataji were not present in the ashram at the time so one was hurt. I was glad to read that the wonderful devotees rushed to help immediately. I hope that you and Mataji are doing ok and this is not causing too much hindrance in your preaching activity.

There was an unfortunate event in my house as well a few weeks ago. Our house was burglarized and several material things including my passport were stolen. Fortunately I came home just a few hours after the thieves left. Had I come home while they were inside my life probably would have been in danger. Another good thing to find out after the fact was that the thieves did not touch anything around the altar and the deities were safe.

I had several questions in mind after both the fire and the burglary event happened. Even though I was thankful for a lot of things, I questioned why this happened in the first place. I was not performing any offences knowingly but was there something I was doing I was not supposed to do? I thought to myself that I knew I am insignificant and full of faults so maybe this is fit what happened to me but why would Krishna allow something like this to an ashram of a pure devotee? How do I reconcile with the unfortunate events like these? I did not have a problem getting over the loss, but I kept thinking do I take everything as Krishna's mercy given the fact that I am not purely situated on the bhakti path? Or are some events to be taken as a stop and check to see if my activities are indeed on the right path? Gurudeva please give me instructions if you wish to do so.

Your fallen servant,
Suparna
Roswell, New Mexico

Answer:

 Krishna's Special Liberating MercyWhen reverses happen the devotee accepts them as a minimization of what he actually deserves for his previous sinful activities. The devotee’s mood in such situations is nicely described in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8:

tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

"My dear Lord, any person who is constantly awaiting Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him, and who goes on suffering the resultant actions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible to become liberated, for it has become his rightful claim."

If we accept reverse situations in this mood, they no longer remain reverses. They become perceived by the devotee as Krishna’s special mercy to help him become liberated from this material existence. In this way the judicious devotee is never overcome by bewilderment and anxiety and is always feeling the all-merciful protection of the Lord.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari