
Chapter Eight:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.25
vipadah santu tah sasvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darsanam yat syad
apunar bhava-darsanam
TRANSLATION
I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.
JOURNAL:
Srila Prabhupada opens his purport on this chapter by reminding us; The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false. A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams.
He also mentions; This material world itself is dangerous. Therefore, our business now should be to cross over this sea of danger as soon as possible. As long as we are at sea, we are in a dangerous position, however strong our ship may be. That's a fact. But we should not be disturbed by the sea waves; instead, we should just try to cross over the sea and get to the other side. That should be our business.
He then uses a teaching from the Bhagavad Gita to remind us that we should tolerate the "waves" of this existence.
As mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (2.14), Lord Krishna told Arjuna:
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino 'nityās
tāḿs titikṣasva bhārata
"O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of heat and cold, happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."
So, as devotees, how should we approch danger? Srila Prabhupada gives this answer.
God is never dangerous to the devotee, and the devotee is never afraid of dangers, because he is confident that the danger is but another feature of God. "Why should I be afraid?" the devotee thinks. "I am surrendered to Him." (The devotee) doesn't regard danger as danger. Rather, he thinks, "It is Krishna's mercy." What kind of mercy? Bhunjana evatma-kritam vipakam: "Because of my past activities, I was meant to suffer very much. But You are mitigating that suffering and giving me only a little." In other words, by the grace of Krishna a devotee may receive only token punishment.
Srila Prabhupada reminds us of a final promise from Bhagavad Gita; Lord Krishna assures His devotees, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami: [Bg. 18.66] "I shall give you protection from the reactions of sinful life."
So, the best attitude on danger is expressed here by Queen Kunti. Danger is an oppertunity to remember Krishna.
Hare Bol Prabhus!
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