Tests in Krishna conciousness

[Guest guest]

My Dear Spiritual Nephew Jyotirmaya dasa,

 

Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thankyou for your letter cited below with my comments. I have noted the

contents carefully.

 

> Dear Jayapataka Maharaja,please accept my humble obeisances.

> All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

>

> In one lecture I heard that advanced devotee doesen`t see dificulties

> in his spiritual life as a direct test of Krishna,but his own maya and

> unability to surrender to Krishna.(In his humility he thinks that he is

> not so important that Krishna would personally test him).

>

> My question is,if this is right understanding ?

 

A devotee is always under the protection of Lord Sri Krishna. If one is

fully surrendered then he is fully protected. Maya does testing as her

devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna, but nothing can happen without Lord

Sri Krishna permitting it. By surrendering to Lord Sri Krishna when the

tests come then we can pass over them. This is Lord Sri Krishna's promise

in BG:

 

daiviyesa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya/mam eva ye prapadyante, mayam etam

taranti te.

 

Lord Sri Krishna sometimes personally tests His devotees. Like when He went

to the wives of the Brahmanas and asked them to feed Him and Balaram. They

asked their husbands permission who were performing yajnas. The husbands

refused and told them not to. Lord Krishna and Lord Balaram kept insisting

on how hungry They were so finally the wives of the Brahmanas disobeyed

their husbands and fed the Lords. They asked Lord Sri Krishna to take them

with Him, but the Lord preached to them to return to their husbands and

serve Him in seperation. The wives of the Brahmanas accepted that

instruction. The Gopis had been told the same, but they didn't accept and

finally Lord Sri Krishna accepted them. So the wives of the Brahmanas

passed some tests, but the Gopis passed all the tests.

 

 

> Can You please give some examples from sastras.

>

> Whishing to become your servant,Jyotirmaya das.

 

Sorry for the delay in replying. Seems there is some different name for my

conference and that confused me as it put a different directory in my wincom

program which I hadn't seen.

 

I hope that this finds you in good health.

 

Your well wisher,

 

Jayapataka Swami