ṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 10.10): "A devotee who is engaged always in My service, I look after how his necessities of life will be fulfilled." A practical example is that in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have got one hundred centers, and each temple, not less than twenty-five, up to 250 devotees live. So we have no fixed-up means of income, and we are spending in all the branches eighty thousand dollars per month. But by grace of Kṛṣṇa we have no scarcity; everything is supplied. People are surprised sometimes, that "These people do not work, do not take any profession, simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. How they live?" So that is no question. If cats and dogs can live at the mercy of God, the devotees can live very comfortably by the mercy of God. There is no such question.
But if somebody thinks that "I have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I am suffering for so many things," for them or for all of us the instruction is, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14): "These pains and pleasure is just like winter and summer." In the winter the water is painful, and in the summer the water is pleasing. So what is the position of the water? It is pleasing or painful? It is neither painful, neither pleasing, but in certain season, by touching the skin it appears to be painful or pleasing. Such pains and pleasure is explained herein: "They are coming and going. They are not permanent." Āgama apāyinaḥ anityāḥ means "They are coming and going; therefore they are not permanent." Kṛṣṇa therefore advises, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "Just tolerate." But you do not forget your real business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't care for these material pains and pleasure. Of course, we shall try our best if there is some pains and pleasure to counteract it, but even it is not done, don't be misled by these so-called pains and pleasure.
So one of the devotional quality is titikṣā, tolerance. That should be learned, how to tolerate in every condition of life. Just like those who are actually brāhmaṇas in India. . . We have got also brāhmaṇas in the Western countries, now created. So because it is pinching cold, they do not forget to take bath early in the morning. It is simply practice. It may be painful for one day or two day, but if you practice, it is no longer painful. So one should not give up the practice of taking bathing early in the morning because it is severe cold. That is not. Similarly, in the summer season, because it is scorching heat, one should not decide that "We shall stop cooking." Because in the kitchen it may be too hot, but for that reason we cannot give up cooking. Similarly, all the rules and regulation that are there, it may be painful, but we cannot give it up. We have to learn how to tolerate. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "My dear Arjuna, the good descendant of Bharata Mahārāja, you try to tolerate this."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised, therefore, just to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how one should be tolerant. He has said, tṛṇād api sunīcena: "Just you become humbler than the grass." Just like one grass so many people are trampling over, it does not protest. Tṛṇād api sunī. . ., taror api sahiṣṇunā: "And tolerant more than the tree." Just like tree: somebody is taking his branches, somebody is snatching its fruit, sometimes cutting it, but still, the tree is giving you shelter, fruit, and leaves and fruits and flowers. Very good example. So anyone who is desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead, he has to learn to be tolerant and forbearing. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena: for himself, one should always think that he has no respect. He doesn't require to command any respect. But all respects he offer to others. In this way, if we become practiced, then we become fit for going back to Godhead, back to home.