“Tulsi says that bad people with anger in their minds scold the devotees of Rama in the manner of the quail showing the eye to the child of the eagle.” (Dohavali, 144)

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तुलसी रघुबर सेवकहि खल डाटत मन माखि।
बाजराज के बालकहि लवा दिखावत आँखि ॥

tulasī raghubara sevakahi khala ḍāṭata mana mākhi।
bājarāja ke bālakahi lavā dikhāvata ā~khi ॥

In this verse from his Dohavali, Goswami Tulsidas refers to the sevakas of Shri Ramachandra, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The sevaka is the servant, and in this case the reference is to the devotee in general. They are devoted to Rama in service, and contrary to what someone might think, this is not always a popular decision.

From the Mahabharata history, one of the central characters is Maharaja Yudhishthira. He is sometimes addressed as Ajatashatru. The literal translation to this name is “one whose enemy is never born.” Yudhishthira is pious by nature. He is a devotee, utilizing the playing field of a kingdom, serving as its leader, in honor of the same Supreme Lord.

Since he is so pious, since he is a devotee, no one can be considered an enemy to Yudhishthira. At the same time, we find struggle throughout his life’s story. There are villains. There are aggressors. There are the envious.

The same is referenced by Tulsidas. He says that the servants of Rama are protected in the same manner as an eagle watching over its child. Another bird can give the evil eye. It can stare. It can hold contempt. But there is no field upon which to act on that jealousy. This is because the eagle is protecting the entire time.

While it is nice that Shri Rama provides the same level of protection, I may have misgivings about the transformation. My concerns might be as follows:

“Do I really want to be in a position where people envy me? I won’t be intentionally making offense, either. Simply based on my allegiance to Rama. Since I have no other interests, people will think that I am renounced. Even that will offend them. How dare I not take an interest in their petty matters? How can I refuse to chase after profit, adoration, distinction, money, wealth, and so forth?

“The envious are everywhere. But is it safe to go it alone? I am thankful for Rama’s protection, but what if I would rather have friends? What if I would prefer not to have others view me as an enemy?”

The choice is certainly there. The door is open. But does material life guarantee protection against envy? Are those mired in illusion filling their days with real friends, who have the best interests at heart? Can there be a greater well-wisher than the Supreme Lord, who accompanies me birth after birth?

The reality of the situation should be eye-opening. If someone is jealous of a devotee, for no good reason, what does that say about them? How far they must have fallen. How degraded they must be. Who would want to live in so miserable a fashion?

श्रीभगवानुवाच
प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव ।
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्‍क्षति ॥
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते ।
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥
समदु:खसुख: स्वस्थ: समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: ।
तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुति: ॥
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयो: ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीत: स उच्यते ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
prakāśaṁ ca pravṛttiṁ ca
moham eva ca pāṇḍava
na dveṣṭi sampravṛttāni
na nivṛttāni kāṅkṣati

udāsīna-vad āsīno
guṇair yo na vicālyate
guṇā vartanta ity evaṁ
yo ’vatiṣṭhati neṅgate

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ
sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras
tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ

mānāpamānayos tulyas
tulyo mitrāri-pakṣayoḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī
guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate

“The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they disappear; who is seated like one unconcerned, being situated beyond these material reactions of the modes of nature, who remains firm, knowing that the modes alone are active; who regards alike pleasure and pain, and looks on a clod, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is wise and holds praise and blame to be the same; who is unchanged in honor and dishonor, who treats friend and foe alike, who has abandoned all fruitive undertakings – such a man is said to have transcended the modes of nature.” (Bhagavad-gita, 14.22-25)

Whether someone hates me or loves me, whether they are a foe or a friend, whether they criticize my decisions or enthusiastically applaud them, devotional service remains above the modes of nature. Only the devotee can transcend those modes. That kind of living is known as transcendental.

In Closing:

With glorious name despite,
Sometimes envy to invite.

When for Sita-Rama to decide,
And all hopes to confide.

Because others hopelessly bound,
Not happy with what I’ve found.

But rather not in any other place,
Protected from whatever to face.

Categories: dohavali 121-160

Tags: dohavali, friendship, god, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry