Merciful Tolerance of a Devotee of God

Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently highlights that a devotee of the Lord is adorned with all good qualities, among which tolerance and mercy are paramount. In the material world, duality and distress are inevitable, but a devotee remains undisturbed by understanding that he is not the body. This article explores the nuanced nature of a devotee's tolerance—how he accepts personal hardship with the humility of a blade of grass, yet remains fiercely protective of the Lord and compassionate toward the ignorant.

Qualities of a Sādhu

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that a true sādhu, or saintly person, is defined by his ability to tolerate the miserable conditions of material life while simultaneously maintaining a compassionate nature toward all living entities.

• A saintly person eligible to enter into the kingdom of God is very tolerant and very kind to all living entities. He is not partial; he is kind both to human beings and to animals.
• Anywhere, those who are actually sadhu, saintly persons, they are very tolerant. Ksama-rupa tapasvinam. That is the qualification of sadhu: titiksava. At the same time karunika, merciful. The others are torturing him, but still he is merciful.
• This is sadhu: titiksavah, tolerant. The very great example of tolerance, Christ, Jesus Christ. So similarly, Haridasa Thakura. There are many saintly persons, sadhu, who were very tolerant.

Tolerating Personal Tribulations

A core instruction from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is that a devotee must be humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. Śrīla Prabhupāda elaborates that just as a tree does not protest when cut or ask for water when dry, a devotee accepts personal insults and bodily suffering as the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, never allowing these reverses to disrupt his chanting or service.

• A Vaisnava is always tolerant and submissive like trees and grass. He tolerates insults offered by others, for he is simply interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord without being disturbed.
• Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the material nature, and because he is so much absorbed in serving Krishna, he takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some fault, no.
• As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, taror api sahisnuna. Just like a tree, a devotee can tolerate all kinds of curses and reversals in life. This is the excellence of a devotee.

Compassion Amidst Persecution

Tolerance in a devotee is not a sign of weakness but of spiritual strength deployed for the welfare of others. Śrīla Prabhupāda cites powerful examples like Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Lord Jesus Christ, who endured severe physical torture and persecution without retaliation, solely to continue their mission of delivering the fallen souls from the clutches of māyā.

• Lord Jesus Christ is so tolerant that he was crucified; still, he did not curse anybody. This is sadhu: titiksavah, tolerant. The very great example of tolerance, Christ, Jesus Christ.
• Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityananda, was violently attacked by Jagai and Madhai. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen souls.
• A Vaisnava is personally tolerant for the benefit of others. When he does not show his prowess, this does not mean that he is lacking in strength; rather, it indicates that he is tolerant for the welfare of the entire human society.

Limits of Tolerance

While a devotee is advised to tolerate personal insults, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that there are specific boundaries. A devotee cannot tolerate blasphemy against the Supreme Lord or other Vaiṣṇavas. Furthermore, the intense love a devotee feels makes it impossible for them to tolerate even the thought of Kṛṣṇa experiencing discomfort, such as a thorn pricking His lotus feet.

• A devotee of the Lord cannot tolerate blasphemy of the Lord or His other devotees, and the Lord also cannot tolerate blasphemy of a devotee.
• It should be noted herewith (in SB 4.6.47) that a Vaisnava should not tolerate the blaspheming of Visnu or Vaisnavas, although he should tolerate personal insults to himself.
• The devotees cannot tolerate even the pricking of the Lord's lotus feet by a thorn. This tribulation in the heart of a devotee cannot be understood by karmis, jnanis or yogis.
• Without being devotee a man will become cruel, cruel, cruel, cruel, cruel, in this way go to hell. And devotee cannot tolerate. We have studied in the life of Lord Jesus Christ.

Historical Examples of Perfection

The scriptures are replete with examples of mahājanas who exhibited exemplary tolerance. Śrīla Prabhupāda often points to King Ambarīṣa, who remained silent before the wrath of Durvāsā Muni, and Prahlāda Mahārāja, who tolerated his father's demonic torture. In these instances, the Lord Himself often intervenes because He cannot tolerate the suffering of His devotee.

• The King (Ambarisa) tolerated everything, patiently depending fully on the mercy of the Lord. The Lord, however, is situated in everyone's heart (sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah (BG 15.15)), and He manages things as He desires.
• This Hiranyakasipu father tortured Prahlada Maharaja in so many ways, but he tolerated. There are many other examples. Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. The only fault was that he was preaching God consciousness.
• Although he (Jada Bharata) did not protest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His agent could not tolerate the injustice of the dacoits; therefore he was saved by the mercy of Krsna, and the dacoits were killed.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the merciful tolerance of a devotee is a manifestation of his complete surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that by tolerating the dualities of this world—happiness and distress, honor and dishonor—a devotee qualifies himself to return to the kingdom of God. This tolerance is not a passive resignation but an active expression of love for Kṛṣṇa and compassion for all living beings. As the devotee tolerates personal tribulation to spread the holy name, he becomes dear to the Lord, who protects him in all circumstances.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Tolerance of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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