24. "Those who are unable to perceive that worldly inauspiciousness is in fact the mercy of Bhagavān are invariably unsuccessful in their continual search for happiness and progress in this world."


Question: Is the experience of worldly misery actually a manifestation of Bhagavān’s compassion?

Answer: Everything is the compassion of He who is the embodiment of compassion. “It is all for the best.”* Everything Bhagavān does, He does for our welfare, only. Wherever the embodiment of compassion may place someone, and whenever He may place them there, that person should stay there at that time with a smiling face and accept the gift or the chastisement of the Lord.

All the benedictions or punishments conferred by Bhagavān are for our benefit only. When the material energy (māyā-śakti) of Bhagavān rewards us, we tend to cherish it. And when she chastises us we consider it a source of pain. But the devotees even honour her chastisement, considering that its purpose is to help them achieve the Lord’s mercy. With a smiling face they accept it with patience and see it as the manifestation of the Lord’s blessings.

Those who are unable to perceive that worldly inauspiciousness is in fact the mercy of Bhagavān are invariably unsuccessful in their continual search for happiness and progress in this world.

_____________________

* This saying appeared in English in the original Bengali article.


- by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda

Translated by the Rays of the Harmonist team
from Śrīla Prabhupādera Upadeśāmṛta




Rays of The Harmonist On-line, Year 4, Issue 3 “Serve Cooperatively Under the Guidance of Śrī Guru” by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda , is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available. You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.


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