Nectar of Insturctions...By Srila Rupa Goswami...continued

वाचो वेगं  मनसः क्रोध वेगं

जिव्हा वेगमुदरोपस्थ वेगम्

एतान् वेगान यो विषहेत धीरः

सर्वामपीमां पृथिवीं स शिष्यात्  ॥

Translation

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

PURPORT

continued...

First one must control his speaking power. Every one of us has the power of speech; as soon as we get an opportunity we begin to speak. If we do not speak about Krishna consciousness, we speak about all sorts of nonsense. A toad in a field speaks by croaking, and similarly everyone who has a tongue wants to speak, even if all he has to say is nonsense. The croaking of the toad, however, simply invites the snake: "Please come here and eat me." Nevertheless, although it is inviting death, the toad goes on croaking. The talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Mayavadi philosophers may be compared to the croaking of frogs. They are always speaking nonsense and thus inviting death to catch them. Controlling speech, however, does not mean self-imposed silence (the external process of mauna), as Mayavadi philosophers think. Silence may appear helpful for some time, but ultimately it proves a failure. The meaning of controlled speech conveyed by Srila Rüpa Goswami advocates the positive process of Krishna Katha, engaging the speaking process in glorifying the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. The tongue can thus glorify the name, form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. The preacher of Krishna Katha is always beyond the clutches of death. This is the significance of controlling the urge to speak.

The restlessness or fickleness of the mind (mano-vega) is controlled when one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Krishna. The Caitanya-charitamrita Madhya 22.31) says:

krishna - sürya-sama; mäyä haya andhakära

yähäì krishna, tähäì nähi mäyära adhikära

Krishna is just like the sun, and mäyä is just like darkness. If the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, if Krishna is present in the mind, there is no possibility of the mind's being agitated by mäyä's influence. The yogic process of negating all material thoughts will not help. To try to create a vacuum in the mind is artificial. The vacuum will not remain. However, if one always thinks of Krishna and how to serve Krishna best, one's mind will naturally be controlled.

Similarly, anger can be controlled. We cannot stop anger altogether, but if we simply become angry with those who blaspheme the Lord or the devotees of the Lord, we control our anger in Krishna consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu became angry with the miscreant brothers Jagäi and Mädhäi, who blasphemed and struck Nityänanda Prabhu. In His Shikshashtaka Lord Caitanya wrote, trinad api sunichena taror api sahishnuna; One should be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the tree." One may then ask why the Lord exhibited His anger. The point is that one should be ready to tolerate all insults to one's own self, but when Krishna or His pure devotee is blasphemed, a genuine devotee becomes angry and acts like fire against the offenders. Krodha, anger, cannot be stopped, but it can be applied rightly. It was in anger that Hanumän set fire to Lanka, but he is worshiped as the greatest devotee of Lord Rämacandra. This means that he utilized his anger in the right way. Arjuna serves as another example. He was not willing to fight, but Krishna incited his anger: "You must fight!" To fight without anger is not possible. Anger is controlled, however, when utilized in the service of the Lord.

Join the Ultimate self realization course at: www.backtohome.com

Chant.... 

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE 

HARE RAM HARE RAM RAM RAM HARE HARE

 ....and be happy.