Patience, humility and respect

 

Patience, humility and respect, by Haripada dasa

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada always said that in this world of ignorance, which is contrary to serving God or Krishna, full of trials and tribulations, only patience, humility and respect for others are our friends to do devotional service to God or Krishna and His representatives.

Regarding patience, I am very clear that only people who live in the mode of goodness can have it, people who live in the modes of passion and ignorance cannot be patient. Also Srila Prabhupada talks about this quality in the Nectar of Instruction, verse 3.

On humility, Srila Prabhupada says in the Gita, 13, 8 that humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. Another point is that although one can do wonderful things to please God or Krishna and Srila Prabhupada, one understands that that is all pure mercy of God or Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.

About respect there is a very beautiful verse in the Bhagavatam, 5, 5, 26, this verse was spoken by the incarnation of Krishna called Risabadeva to his children, there it says that my dear children, you should not feel envy of any living entity, or mobile nor immobile. Knowing that I am in them, you must offer respect to all of them at all times. In this way, you will offer respect to Me.