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Revitalising association

Question: Sometimes we get discouraged for one reason or another in our spiritual life. How can we best keep our enthusiasm strong?

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: We must always follow the directions of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. Then we will be enriched with humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others, and more and more our searching spirit will increase. It is necessary to develop within ourselves the qualities and qualifications for association with sādhus. Without humility we will not receive anything from others, without tolerance we will not be benefitted by others, and without giving honour to others we will always be disturbed. If we will try to cultivate these three qualities within ourselves, then quickly proper results will come to us.

Whatever spiritual wealth you have, that is your property. And whatever spiritual wealth I have, that is my property. If I want to increase my spiritual property then I will have to look to you and find what more you have than I. In this way the tendency to associate with and learn from others will grow within us through the quality of humility. This is the best process to get association.

If we can sincerely practise in this way we will get proper association with the Lord’s servants. By the grace of Sādhu, Guru, and Vaiṣṇava our enthusiasm in spiritual life will increase more and more. They are always giving us hope; they are never making us hopeless. Any situation may come before us, or we may commit any offence, but they are always giving us some hope and some service to the Lord. Our enthusiasm will grow through their association. Association is the best thing for conditioned souls to get more enthusiasm in their practising life.

We should not be frustrated. The ego is very bad. Ego destroys so many things. But our ego will go down if we cultivate and increase within ourselves the qualities of humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others. I am seeing that ego destroys our enthusiasm. What can I do? I can only give advice. If anyone will follow it they must be benefitted. Ego is very dangerous for everyone, and to leave ego is very difficult.

(Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj: Revealed Truth - Recognising Devotion)

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