One who does Good is Never Overcome by Evil

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

Though people in general believe that bhakti and performing pious activities helps one in accumulating unseen merit and gives protection from miseries, when they go through difficult situations in life, this faith is shaken by various degrees. For neophyte devotees like me, this slackening of faith due to miserable situations in life affects bhakti very much. We blame the Lord and bhakti for our miseries and try to move away from the path of bhakti. Arjuna asked the same question to the Supreme Lord, "What happens to one who deviates from spiritual path due to worldly mindedness?". The Lord gave him a very encouraging answer through verse 6.40 in Bhagavad Gita as follows.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśas tasya vidyate
na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid durgatiṁ tāta gacchati

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Son of Prtha, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.

One of my uncles, was showing lot of interest in reading Gita, Bhagavatam, Chanting and doing lot of service 2 years back. Of late, I could feel that he was not putting that much enthusiasm in reading and talking about spiritual subjects and he avoids me when I try to talk over phone on these subjects. I asked him for the reason and he said, "Nowadays I'm facing lot of problems in the family. By reading Bhagavad Gita and worshipping Lord Vishnu, He gives lot of tests in life and His devotees are always put into trouble because of Him. I was alright before involving in spiritual activities. So I want to take a break now and improve my situation." 

Actually such emotional statements are not endorsed by scriptures and great acharyas. They instruct that all our miseries are due to our past misdeeds ONLY and by surrendering to the Lord and invoking His mercy it is possible to get free from them, if the Lord wishes so. Even if He does not remove the miseries one should continue in the spiritual path tolerating them, because it is the only way to escape from birth and death. There is a nice story in the Puranas explaining this fact.

In a village, there lived two brothers Sukesha and Sukanta and they were doing business together. Sukesha was a very much devoted to God and was a strict follower of spiritual principles. Sukanta was an outright atheist and did not believe in sin/piety/bhakti. For business reasons they had to travel to nearby town. Sukesha left for the town first. On the way, the road bifurcated at one point and there was an ancient temple of Lord Narasimha at the juncture. Even though the path to temple was thorny, Sukesha proceeded in that path, had darshan of the Lord. While doing pradakshina (circumambulating) he was hurt by thorny bush and there was heavy bleeding. However Sukesha tolerated and completed his pradakshina and went to the town.Sukanta who started on next day did not even wait to offer obeisances to Lord. He thought it is wise to take the clean road on the other side and on the other side he found a diamond ring on the road. He happily picked it and reached the town. In the town, the brothers met and shared their experience of the journey. Immediately Sukanta mocked his brother and decried the power of Lord and bhakti. Sukesha tried to explain his brother and it was fruitless. At that time a great sage, who possessed great powers of clairvoyance came that way. When he heard what had happened, the sage by his mystic powers granted both of them supernatural vision so that they could see their past Karma. Actually Sukesha was destined to be bitten by a snake that day if he had gone on the other side without worshipping the Lord. However his pradakshina to the Lord saved him from snake bite and he got a small injury in his leg. Sukanta was destined to find a jewel box full of costly diamonds in the thorny bush side. Because of his atheistic temperament and indifference towards Lord Narasimha, he missed it and got only a ring. The sage asked Sukanta, "So tell me now, who's really blessed ?". 

The laws of karma are inexorable and unfathomable. However, we can be sure of one thing that pursuing spiritual path never brings inauspiciouness to any one. We alone are responsible for all our suffering. We should pray to the Lord so that we'll gain full faith in his encouraging words and not leave the spiritual path bewildered by miseries. 

I pray at the feet of Gurudeva and all Vaishnavas so that I'll realize the power of devotion sooner than later and follow them in life. 

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Narahari Krishna das 
Chennai.