Pay Any Price

Commentary on the third verse of Sri Siksastakam by Srila Sridhar Maharaj, published in Sri Samadhi Mandir Stotra Mala.

trnad api sunichena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirttaniyah sada harih
Bhagavan Sri Chaitanyadev, Sri Siksastakam, 3

One who is humbler than a blade of grass, more forbearing than a tree, who gives all honor to others without desiring it for himself, is qualified to always chant the Holy Name of Krishna.

Cent-percent optimistic we shall have to become. There is no room of pessimism for the Krishna-bhakta. We will apprehend that we will not commit any offense, especially against the Vaisnavas. Very alert, we shall have to become. So gracious, so valuable a fortune we are aspiring after. So we must be very very careful. It will arouse envy, jealousy on different parts. That we are connected with such a great fortune. As much as possible we must be very cautious, careful that no disturbance may come from outside to do away with our pure aspiration.

So Mahaprabhu told, trnad api sunichena, taror iva sahisnuna, amanina manadena, kirttaniyah sada harih. In one word you must be conscious that you are living in a place which is worthless. It has no value. Trnad api sunichena, don’t go to oppose anyone. There is no meaning to giving any opposition. It is all fictitious. Why should I lose my energy to give opposition to something that is all fictitious? Taror iva sahisnuna, if any opposition comes to you, don’t care for that. Their motive is only superficial. That may not affect your inner train of thought. Don’t be careful about any opposition coming to you. Don’t create any opposition to others, and still if any opposition comes to you, try not to care. It is all futile.

Amanina—and don’t hanker after any position from the ordinary public, any name and fame, appreciation. They do not know. Their appreciation has got no value at all. They are all madmen. They are besides themselves. Their own good, they do not know. So their appreciation has got no value. So don’t hanker after any appreciation from the public. Manadena — and still you must be alert to give them due respect otherwise they will come to disturb you. Like a bribe, offer some respect to them and go on with your own campaign. As much undisturbed as you can be, try to make progress as rapidly as possible. Your circumstances may cut up this opportunity and connection. So as much as the present circumstance you will be able to utilize, try to do that.

Trust no future however pleasant. Let the dead bury its dead. Act in the living present, heart within and God overhead.
Henry Longfellow

With this policy, go on.

By what process should we try to utilize ourselves for this nama-bhajan? Mainly you are to couch yourself in this way: trnad api sunichena. You are to think that you are the meanest of the mean. Even a blade of grass has got its value but you have not got so much value. Bhaktivinod Thakur has come with his analysis of the meaning:

The straw has got some material value. But in your case, you have got no positive value, all negative. A man may not be educated but a madman is less; minus. He can think but his thinking is going in an abnormal way.

So, Bhaktivinod Thakur says:

I have got some consciousness, some intelligence, some this and that. But that is all misdirected. But a blade of grass it has got nothing, no misdirection tendency to go towards the opposite direction. So I am meaner than a blade of grass. A blade of grass can be taken away here or there by the storm, by the external wave. But for myself I will always be reluctant in a particular direction. If the wave wants to take me, I shall try to go towards the opposite.

So when we are taking ourselves in the relativity of the infinite goodness we should think that:

I have got no value but some negative value. I shall oppose, if He wants to grace me I shall try to resist it. I am constructed by such element that I will go to suicide. That the energy which is left in me, that will try for suicide. He will come to grace, I shall oppose. This is my position. But the blade of grass will not oppose. I have got such a nasty position.

You must realize that you are such. So with care, you will come to accept the goodness available by nama-bhajan.

From so many directions so many forms of hindrance will come and affect you to dissuade you from this path. But taror iva sahisnuna, the example of a tree is given that if anybody does not pour any water on it, the tree does not say, ‘Oh give some water to me.’ Then if anyone is coming and disturbing, snatching the leaves, cutting the branches… some cut the whole thing! But the tree is silent, no opposition. So with no opposition, you will try to see that insult, poverty, unfavorable dealings or any other punishment are coming to purify you and that they are necessary.

With the least punishment, I am going to be released. I am going to be released! I have been connected with the highest object of life, the highest fulfillment of life. But what price am I going to pay for that? What price? If I am confident that I am going to attain the highest fulfillment of life and just pay any price is sufficient for that?

That is inconceivable.

So whatever little demands come to be exacted from you, with a smiling face you have to accept that in consideration of your highest goal. If you are really confident and you have faith in your brightest future then you will give what little price is there that nature wants through these miscreants apparently.

Our Gaura-kisora Babaji once, we are told, he was going for madhukari bhiksa and returning to his quarters. Sometimes some people may come to others and they did not spare him also. So those boys they were pelting some small bricks and throwing some dust and he was remarking, “Oh Krishna, You are cruely dealing with me. I shall complain to Mother Yasoda about this.” That is his outlook. How harmonized is he? If anything comes to him he thinks, “Oh Krishna, You are there.” In philosophical calculation, without his will, nothing can happen. But in His concrete form—“You are with these children. You are disturbing me and I shall teach you a lesson. I know how to deal with You.”

So in that way, those great souls are established there and they take everything like that. That is our beacon light to adjust with things that are apparently unfavorable. A sweet adjustment is there.