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To control the mind corresponds to the happiness of goodness, says Sri Krishna. Initially it is bitter as poison, He says, but after some time it becomes nectar. With great patience and determination, we should cross the hard parts of the road. To start and to finish is easy, says Srila Sridhar Maharaja; it is the intermediate part that is the difficult one. But Srila Rupa Goswami asks us to be patient; determination and patience, step by step, there is nothing more to do, the rest is just a sin. Visvanath Cacravarti Goswami tells us that the devotee should be crowned by his strength after having gone through these tests; after having showed his tolerance, his patience and great humility. What will be this crown? It is the spontaneous attraction to the service of Krishna. Srila Sridhar Maharaja said that when the seal of the ego get broken, this attraction, this natural love, would flow towards the lotus feet of Krishna like the river of Ganges. This seal will break with the weapon of humility. It is so soft and so powerful, it is an invincible weapon. It goes slowly but sure and it ties us to eternity.

Trying to be small is more difficult than to be big, says Sridhar Maharaja. When everything is venerable for us, it is because we will put our heart in everything. Until now we have only put our exploiting desire, and this means the sexual desire. It is only the service that gives satisfaction, to be the little servant, but out ego does not permit us to, it does not permit us to see Krishna; that big is this ego. One only has to become small and humble, and there one can see Krishna. One does not have to attend this crazy mind that deprives us the nectar of surrender and only set off for the exploiting and selfish pleasure. Only through prayer we can reach this mystic altitude. It is only by the power of Krishna's grace that one can elevate above the misery of Kali Yuga. From so many sins we can see so much frustration, but they cannot get rid of this pain without the grace of the Guru and Krishna. Once a diplomat said to me: "I know I will go to hell when I die." It was like a confession once when I went for a visa. In this way they live in such a frustration. We should not forget this pain and therefore it is very good to preach. So one gets reminded when one sees the sufferings of the others, and in the trying to alleviate them one is not selfish.

So we should then have faith in Krishna. He says to us: Control your mind; there is happiness. And the demons say: To have a good time, one has to behave badly. Whom are we going to believe? I think that a devotee has already made his decision clear, because the world has already proved its madness. In this way our approach to Krishna's feet is with reason and it is scientific. Once I read that a monk went to the Saint Benito, saying that he could no longer live in the monastery, and Benito let him leave. The monk returned at once and fell to Benito's feet, saying that when he left the monastery he had seen a big dragon that was about to swallow the town. Benito told him that he had seen sins in the town and the punishment that was waiting. So with this the monk stayed without going And this is the value of the association - one has to be protected. One does not know to which extent, but it is so. It is like when Krishna protected the carriage of Arjuna. Nobody knew about this, nobody noticed.

Krishna is like that. Many times He protects without us being aware of it. But the true devotee feels that this protection is going on, it is always there; yoga ksema vahamy aham. Krishna Himself says that He provides us. If we control the mind and renounce from the pleasures of the world, Krishna takes upon Himself to give us spiritual pleasures, because He knows that our nature is to be rasa-grahi, drinker of rasa, of loving relationship. Krishna is Rasaraj, He wants to give us the greatest pleasure, which is the eternal serving relationship with Him. He is more concerned about the maximum pleasure than we are. His eternal associate Sri Radha, hladini sakti, the energy of pleasure is distributed for to Vaikunta and to the heart of those who desire to serve Him. Krishna says: "This world is from suffering", and it is true. Nobody can avoid it, not even Indra on his planet. And He says that the surrender at His feet is the source of happiness. This is Krishna's desire, His plan, and nobody can go against that.

Krishna is Rasaraj, He wants to give us the greatest pleasure, which is the eternal serving relationship with Him. He is more concerned about the maximum pleasure than we are. His eternal associate Sri Radha, hladini sakti, the energy of pleasure is distributed for to Vaikunta and to the heart of those who desire to serve Him. Krishna says: "This world is from suffering", and it is true. Nobody can avoid it, not even Indra on his planet. And He says that the surrender at His feet is the source of happiness. This is Krishna's desire, His plan, and nobody can go against that.

So, if one decides to control his mind and proceed towards Him, Krishna, Yogesvara, Hrsikes, will help us with all His transcendental potency.