The demigods have respect and love for Visnu, but the demons have only hate and envy. Therefore, although the demons and demigods are brothers, they are opposed. Their natures are completely different. But still, sometimes they have to cooperate, like at the time of the churning of the ocean to bring out nectar.
The demons are in tama-guna. The government cannot stop all wine and these things, because people like them too much. So they have their own places and they drink wine, eat meat, and so forth.
Visnu tells the demigods, “You are more elevated then the demons, but sometimes you must cooperate.” Some people accept the Lord’s help and always remember it. And some are careless, thinking, “It is only his duty.” Some children neglect their parents and think they have not done anything very helpful for them. Visnu has done everything, but the demons are careless and neglectful. The demons will not respect Visnu.
Why doesn’t God feed the starving people? Here we are distributing maha-prasada freely. If you are hungry in Vrndavan, you can come here. But if you won’t come, what can God do? Many times beggars will ask for money on the street, but when we tell them to come live in the matha and take prasada, they will not come. God’s mercy is everywhere. He helps everyone. But not everyone wants to accept.
People say, “Why do good and innocent people suffer? Why do little babies die of horrible diseases?” The soul is not a baby. When the soul has done harm to others in its past lives, it is punished as part of the law of karma. Punishment is necessary, because without punishment, one will not become better and progress. If a baby is punished, then it means in its last lives, it did some great harm was done to another. This is necessary.
When you are punished, you will be humble and more empathetic. No pain, no gain. Pain is very good. Punishment is very good. If God were to take away all your anarthas and sin at once, you would become very proud, more then Hiranyakasipu.
If you become detached from the world completely, then all things will be yours. If you give children drugs and loaded guns, they will harm themselves and others. So until the jivas are qualified and capable, God will not bestow upon them great powers, like His own.
When you are always serving the Lord with love, following: anyabilasita sunyam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam—then you are with Him and will receive qualities like His. Before that, your bhakti is only like a fashion. It is not real bhakti. You are a student in school. But you are not a real bhakta. Bhakti is a very high thing. When any problem comes, if you have bhakti, you will still serve God with love. Khanda khanda haya yadi jaya deha prana, tabu to na chadi harinama. Even if you body is cut into pieces, you will not give up harinama.
When you are serious like this, then God’s blessings will come. At that time, you will realize, “I will not go far away from God. Tat te nukampam. I have been punished because of my past wrongs. This has come and will go. Summer came and left, winter came and left. But I will continue my bhakti, seva, and sadhana.”
When God sees, “He is serious. He has strong love for Me. He is serving Me by his soul,” then He will empower you and you will be able to progress to His abode. The body and mind are only instruments. But the soul is most important. When the soul is active, and not wasting one moment, using all his time for God’s service, then God is very pleased. When we try to be with Him, He will always be behind, helping us.
Most so-called religious people are always only praying for help from God, give me this, give me that. They are trying to make God and everyone else worship them. This is not bhajana or bhakti. These kind of people go on the side of demons. They are not following bhakti.
God gives strong chastisement and punishment because of His love for the jivas, to help them progress. If a parent has love for the child, they will chastise the child when he misbehaves or harms others. This will make them good and serious. But if the parents never say anything to the child, never chastise the child, then he will become a rogue, a dacoit and a thief.
Therefore, punishment is necessary. By punishment one becomes strong and serious. Then one day he will be a scholar and all will respect him. God wants us to become elevated like this. He wants to give pure consciousness, to make the soul divine and respected, like God Himself. God wants to elevate the soul to a position like His own.
People who don’t have tolerance think, “Everyone is hating me, torturing me,” this is your sentimentality. Then bhakti and bhajana is not possible. You must be serious. Have a do or die attitude. This is diksa. Diksa is not a simple thing. Just taking a mantra and then doing as we like is not diksa. Real bhaktas have the do or die attitude. They are very serious like this. Whatever may happen, they will never give up.
[CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav]