When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to
one's calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or
sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridasa Thakura was. He was a
great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the
Lord by preaching the Lord's glories. But Haridasa was punished at the hands
of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. Similarly, Lord
Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahlada Maharaja was put through so many
tribulations. The Pandavas, who were direct friends of Krsna, lost their
kingdom, their wife was insulted, and they had to undergo many severe
tribulations.
Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one
should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavatam's conclusion is that a
devotee is never disturbed by such reverses. He accepts even reverse
conditions as the grace of the Lord. One who continues to serve the Lord
even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Godhead, back
to the Vaikuntha planets.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 3.16.37 TRANSLATION
Bhismadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible injustices
you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified. You did
not deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you were protected
by the brahmanas, God and religion.
[...]
TRANSLATION
As far as my daughter-in-law Kunti is concerned, upon the great General
Pandu's death, she became a widow with many children, and therefore she
suffered greatly. And when you were grown up she suffered a great deal also
because of your actions. PURPORT
The sufferings of Kuntidevi are doubly lamented. She suffered greatly
because of early widowhood and to get her minor children brought up in the
royal family. And when her children were grown up, she continued to suffer
because of her sons' actions. So her sufferings continued. This means that
she was destined to suffer by providence, and this one has to tolerate
without being disturbed. TRANSLATION
In my opinion, this is all due to inevitable time, under whose control
everyone in every planet is carried, just as the clouds are carried by the
wind. PURPORT
[…] Everyone has to bear the actions and reactions of time as long as one is
within the conditions of the material world. Yudhisthira should not think
that he had committed sins in his previous birth and is suffering the
consequence. Even the most pious man has to suffer the condition of material
nature. […] One should not be disturbed by the tricks of eternal time. Even
the great controller of the universe, Brahmaji, is also under the control of
that time; therefore, one should not grudge being thus controlled by time
despite being a true follower of religious principles.
TRANSLATION
O how wonderful is the influence of inevitable time. It is
irreversible-otherwise, how can there be reverses in the presence of King
Yudhisthira, the son of the demigod controlling religion; Bhima, the great
fighter with a club; the great bowman Arjuna with his mighty weapon Gandiva;
and above all, the Lord, the direct well-wisher of the Pandavas?
PURPORT
[…]Despite the power of pious acts, the power of personalities, the power of
expert management and the power of weapons under the direct supervision of
Lord Krsna, the Pandavas suffered so many practical reverses, which can only
be explained as due to the influence of kala, inevitable time. Kala is
identical with the Lord Himself, and therefore the influence of kala
indicates the inexplicable wish of the Lord Himself. There is nothing to be
lamented when a matter is beyond the control of any human being. TRANSLATION
O King, no one can know the plan of the Lord [Sri Krsna]. Even though great
philosophers inquire exhaustively, they are bewildered. PURPORT
The bewilderment of Maharaja Yudhisthira over his past sinful acts and the
resultant sufferings, etc., is completely negated by the great authority
Bhisma (one of the twelve authorized persons). Bhisma wanted to impress upon
Maharaja Yudhisthira that since time immemorial no one, including such
demigods as Siva and Brahma, could ascertain the real plan of the Lord, and
so what can we understand about it? It is useless also to inquire about it.
Even the exhaustive philosophical inquiries of sages cannot ascertain the
plan of the Lord. The best policy is simply to abide by the orders of the
Lord without argument. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.9.12-16
|
