Facing Austerity

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, late morning class
5 February 2020, part 1

Actually, the problem is to have a strong desire. Mainly, when will Hari-katha or Krishna-katha enter our ears? When we have a great strong desire. If we have such strong desire, then everything will be proper. Therefore, whatever you want to do, you must have the strongest desire, "I must do it! I will do that!"

I have seen it myself also—I will try and try, and not become discouraged, I will try three times times, four times, five times, a hundred times, more than a million times, it is not a problem—I can and I will keep on trying and trying until I have succeeded, until I have reached my goal. I will not stop trying, that is the main thing.

You said you have missed your flight, but if you have a strong desire, "I must come!", Krishna will anyhow fulfil your desire. You can see that all the kings, all the big personalities who have got the blessing from the Lord had gone through so much austerity. We are afraid of austerity, but it is those who have a very strong desire that succeed. This is true about anything. Whatever you do, it is necessary to have a strong desire. This is true in the case of Dhruva Maharaj, Pariksit Maharaj.

Those who want liberation (mukti-kami loka) do not want austerity—they say, "Oh, I do not want problems!" What is service? Even in the material life, does anything come without austerity? No. Whatever you want to achieve, it is necessary to have some austerity. We must not be afraid of austerity, and we will not run away from austerity.

"I want austerity! I want problems! If more problems come, it is OK, let them come! Let more and more problems come. I am asking for more problems, I want to see how many problems you can give me, Prabhu. I do not mind it at all. I want problems, I will never run away from problems. In fact, I want more and more problems."

When more problems come, it is mercy. Those who want liberation seek some quiet hiding place, want to go to the forest, etc. They go to some hill, stay alone, thinking, "I do not want any austerity." This is not our service mood. Service mood means always welcoming austerity. There will always be so many problems. This is the main thing. Problem and problem, and this is not a problem!

তোমার সেবায় দুঃখ হয় যত,
সেও ত' পরম সুখ ।

tomara sevaya, duhkha haya yata,
seo ta' parama sukha

"All the distress I encounter in Your service is also my greatest happiness."

(Saranagati 16.4)

That is happiness.

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