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The duty must be done. Even it is little suffering. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means we must proceed with our Krsna consciousness business in spite of all dangerous and calamitous condition of this world. This is called tapasya

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"The duty must be done. Even it is little suffering. That is called tapasya" |"Tapasya means we must prolong or proceed with, with our Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in spite of all dangerous and calamitous condition of this world"

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Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like in your country it is very chilly in the morning to take bath, a little difficult task. But does it mean that those who are devotees, they will stop taking bath? No. Even it is chilly, cold, one must take bath. The duty must be done. The duty must be done. Even it is little suffering. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means we must prolong or proceed with, with our Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in spite of all dangerous and calamitous condition of this world. This is called tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting the difficulties of life.


So this question was there by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa that: "Whatever You are speaking, it is all right. That I am not this body, I am soul. Everyone is not this body. He's soul. So on the annihilation of this body..." (Aside:) Stop that. "On the annihilation of the body the soul will exist. But when I see my son is dying, or my grandfather is dying, I am killing, how can I solace me that my grandfather is not dying, my son is not dying, the, simply it is changing? Because I am accustomed to think like that. So there must be grief." So Kṛṣṇa replied: "Yes, that's a fact. So that you must have to tolerate, that's all. There is no other remedy." Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.

Kṛṣṇa never said that these are not facts, what Arjuna explained that: "I know that when my son is dying, my son is changing the body, or my grandfather is dying, changing the body, I know this, but still, because I am affectionate on the skin, so I must suffer." The Kṛṣṇa replied: "Yes, the suffering is there. Because you are also on the bodily concept of life. So suffering must be there. So there is no other remedy than to tolerate. There is no other remedy." Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ BG 2.14.

Just like in your country it is very chilly in the morning to take bath, a little difficult task. But does it mean that those who are devotees, they will stop taking bath? No. Even it is chilly, cold, one must take bath. The duty must be done. The duty must be done. Even it is little suffering. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means we must prolong or proceed with, with our Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in spite of all dangerous and calamitous condition of this world. This is called tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting the difficulties of life. Sometimes tapasya, in the system of tapasya, in hot season, summer, in scorching heat of the sun, still they ignite some fire all around and sit down in the midst and meditate. There are some processes of tapasya like that. In chilly cold one goes into the water up to the neck and meditates. These things are prescribed in tapasya.

But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not give you such prescription. He gives you very nice program: chant, dance and take prasādam. (laughter) Still we are unwilling. We cannot accept this tapasya. You see. We are so fallen. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam BG 9.2. This is a kind of tapasya which is very easy to do and it is very pleasant. Still, we are not agreeable. We shall rot in the street, lie down anywhere and everywhere and still, I shall drink and have sex and lie down. So what can be done? We are giving good facilities. Come here, chant, dance and live very peacefully and take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Be happy. But people will not accept. That is called misfortune.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said: etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ CC Antya 20.16. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. In the transcendental holy name of God, Kṛṣṇa, there is all potencies. As Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited potencies, similarly in the name, holy name of Kṛṣṇa, there is unlimited potency. So nāmnām akāri bahudhā. And there are many names of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got thousands and thousands of names. Kṛṣṇa name is the chief name. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And there is no hard and fast rule, that you have to chant in this time or that time. No. Any time. Any time you can take. And the name is identical with Kṛṣṇa. On this logic, the name, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, is Kṛṣṇa. He's no other than Kṛṣṇa. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is living in Goloka Vṛndāvana and the name is different. Just like in material world we have got this conception. The name is different from the fact. But in the Absolute world there is no such difference. That is called absolute. Name is as potential as Kṛṣṇa is potential.