SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 13-14
advesta sarva-bhutanam
maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankarah
sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami

santustah satatam yogi
yatatma drdha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

advesta--nonenvious; sarva-bhutanam--toward all living entities; maitrah--friendly; karunah--kindly; eva--certainly; ca--also; nirmamah--with no sense of proprietorship; nirahankarah--without false ego; sama--equal; duhkha--in distress; sukhah--and happiness; ksam i--forgiving; santustah--satisfied; satatam--always; yogi--one engaged in devotion; yata-atma--self-controlled; drdha-niscayah--with determination; mayi--upon Me; arpita--engaged; manah--mind; buddhih--and intelligence; yah--one who; mat-bhaktah--My devotee; sah--he; me--to Me; priyah--dear.

TRANSLATION

One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me--such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

Here we find a discription of the pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada, in his purport, tells us of ways to acheive this state. One way is how we see our life and the circumstances surrounding us. He writes; Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks, "Thanks to my past misdeeds I should suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am just getting a little, by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient, despite many distressful conditions.