Fwd: Unfavorable Situations are Beneficial for One's Upliftment

January 16, 2009

Hare Krsna. He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me. A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear to Me. One who neither grasps pleasure or grief, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things, is very dear to Me. One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from

contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me. Bhagavad Gita 12:15/19 Human body is considered to be the greatest of all. "Labdhva Sudurlabhmidum Bahusambhavaante, " (Srimad Bhagwat 11.9.29) Bhagwaan who showers His grace without any reason, gives this human body - "Kabahun kari karunaa nar dehi. Dait is binu hetu sanehi." (Manas 7.44.3)"Rarely does God, who loves the jeeva (embodied soul) without any self-interest, graciously bestows on it a

human form" (Manas 7.44.3)As Bhagwaan (God) graciously gives us this human body, similarly whatever situations He has given us, that too He has given us graciously. Whether our karma (actions) might be good or bad, whatever karma (actions) we have done; but the decision-maker of the fruit of those karmas (actions) is our selfless friend – "Suhrdam sarvabhootaanaam" (Gita 5.29)From a worldly point of view there are two kinds of situations - favorable and unfavorable, but from a spiritual point of view there are not two kinds of situations. For the seekers of God-realization a situation is not segregated into two categories; because if God has given this human body for attaining Him, then whatever situation he has given, that is also given for attaining Him. Thus if a situation is most favorable, or a situation is very unfavorable, or the situation is mixed, it has been given only for our redemption.

Whatever situation we have received, it is only a means for attaining God – `It is a tabernacle suitable for spiritual endeavors, gateway to liberation.' "Saadhan dhaam moksha ker dwaaraa" (Manas 7.43.4). That person who is a pleasure-seeker (bhogi), only in his perception there are two kinds of situations - favorable and unfavorable. From a yogi's (sadhak) perspective there are never two kinds of situations. Rather than favorable situation, unfavorable situation is more beneficial for salvation . Why is it beneficial? In favorableness, due to attachment there is every possibility of falling in the trap of world, but in an unfavorable situation there isn't a possibility of falling into worldly traps, but emphasis is on walking towards Paramatma (God, Supreme Consciousness) . There are only two things for a sadhak (spiritual aspirant) - To move away from the world and walk towards God. In favorable circumstance

we cling to world; so it requires an effort to move away from it; but in unfavorable situations, no effort is required to move away from the world. So in an unfavorable circumstance, half the work of the sadhak is already done!Unfavorable circumstances are a primary means in attaining God. If we don't like unfavorable situations, then we have not become a true sadhak. We will be true sadhaks only when we accept that whatever situation God has sent, it is for our good. This is a very firm principle. In scriptures it has been said - "Just like - while nurturing a child or either scolding him - in both instances the mother never lacks any compassion or mercy; similarly, at no time is the Eternal and Supreme Lord, not showering His grace and mercy in monitoring everyone's goodness-badness"