Overcoming Pride By Gratitude

We, ISKCON devotees are made from head to toe only by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnava's. We are products of mercy. Nothing actually belongs to us. So, how can we be proud of borrowed plumes!

Think about it. When people applaud us for our classes, if we think properly none of the points we speak is ours. We are just repeating what we have heard or read. And even if we get some new insights it's by the mercy of Krishna in our hearts.

We should always remember that whatever respect, facilities and honor we get is only by the mercy of Krishna and the Vaishnavas. It's only because we have some connection with great souls, we are given respect.

All great devotees live their lives in alignment with this fact. When Lord Krishna left this world to depart to His eternal abode, Arjuna remembers all the incidents in his life where he achieved extraordinary success. But he doesn't take an iota of credit. He is fully convinced that it is only by Krishna's mercy that he could achieve anything in life.

Similarly, Srila Prabhupada even after achieving so much success in his preaching, he always gave credit to his spiritual master. In fact he said, "The only reason I am successful is that I have not deviated an inch from the instructions of my spiritual master".

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur captures this mood beautifully in his song to Gopinath

Yogyata Vichare

Kichu Nahi Mora

Tomara Karuna Sara

"O Lord, if I think of my qualifications, my conclusion is that I don't have any. Your mercy is what I am made of"

Our pride is not in our greatness but in the greatness of Lord Krishna that He is giving us a chance to serve Him even though we fall way below the mark.

Thus by always being grateful to all the great souls who have helped us in molding us to who we are now, we will be protected from pride.

In a heart which is filled with gratitude there can be no pride.

- Achyut Gopal Das

Comments

GLORIOUS LIFE OF A GLORIOUS DEVOTEE

"What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest." - Srimad-bhagvatam 2.1.12 THE WINNER OF HEARTS Today is the disappearance day of His Grace Jayananda Prabhu. He left his body, a day before Narasimha chaturdashi in the year 1977. Jayananda Prabhu is an example of a perfect devotee whom every devotee should follow. Born as Jim Khor, Jayananda Prabhu became one of the intital and senior most disciple of Srila Prabhupada. He was a mechanical engineer by education but he chose a simple, humble profession of a taxi driver in order to be free from an artificial life of name and fame. He was already a kind of spiritual seeker therefore, as soon as he came in touch with Srila Prabhupada and the Krishna Conscious movement, he got hooked onto it and took it up with all seriousness right from day one. He was enthusiasm ...

WHEN MASTER BECOMES A SERVANT..

" If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go for a picnic. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want happiness for a lifetime, serve others. " - Chinese Proverb When and where have we seen a master take the role of a servant? Probably never or if at all, very rarely. Here, I would like to briefly touch upon a few touching stories from the life of Lord Krishna, who even though is The Supreme Master of everything and everyone, still happily chooses to play the role of a servant to His devotees. THE RECEPTIONIST Much, much before the Mahabharata war, when Yudhishthira was performing the Rajasuya sacrifice to be crowned as the undisputed emperor of the world, all his friends and relatives were assigned different departments to take care of, depending on thier tastes and inclinations. Bhima was in-charge of the kitchen, Sanjaya was in-charge of the protocol and of taking care of Kings from various lands, Duryodhan was in...

MAKE IT A POINT TO MAKE THE POINT

A few days ago, as I was traveling on the ferry that takes us to our ISKCON Center at Chodan island, a relatively young man approached me and started to talk to me. My Vaishnava (devotee) attire probably attracted him to me. He was asking me if I was a preist in a temple. To which I said "Yes". I asked him where he stays and what he does. He told me that he stays in Panjim and runs a chicken shop in Porvorim. I asked him his name and as I guessed, he happened to be a Muslim. I could see marks of dried up blood stains in different places in his shirt. I at once told him to try to switch his profession to one which involves less violence. I suggested to him to start a vegetable or a grocery shop. He seemed to be taken a little aback by what might have appeared to him to be a stange suggestion by a stranger. I told him that killing innocent animals is not right. They too have life and feelings like us. He was hearing me out. He then asked me, if one can eat chicken ...

The Wisdom Park

Search This Blog