Saints Suffer for Others - Swami Pranavananda

In the Uttarakhanda section of the Sri Ramacharitamanasa of Goswami Tulsidas, Kakbhushandiji says, ‘To be charitable to others in thought and word and deed, O king of birds, is the innate disposition of the saints. The saints endure pain in the interest of others, but evil wretches do so to give pain to others. Tender-hearted saints, like the birch tree, submit to the direst distress (even allow their back to be torn off) for the good of their neighbors.’ (U.K: 120.7-8)

Whenever a saintly sun has risen, clouds in the form of opponents have tried to envelop him. Whenever saints have incarnated on this earth, they have suffered the storms of difficulties caused by cyclonic defamation. Therefore, the wise ones who wish India’s welfare and serve her culture, should remain united – it is time to put this idea of Madan Mohan Malviya into practice. But saintly souls have never given up their good wish and efforts towards doing good to the society. The good people have been elevated by them and as for the vile, the saints have either suffered quietly or admonished them in gentle terms.

When Guru Nanak warned such people, the slanderers left no stone unturned. They even instigated Babar to imprison Guru Nanak.

Ask any Sikh, “Was Guru Nanak imprisoned for any fault of his?”

The Sikh will reposed, “It was no fault of his but the fault of oppressors due to which the true Emperor had to go to jail.”

At that point in time, the environment was created as if Guru Nanak was at fault and so he was imprisoned. Devotees know that Nanak was not at fault, Kabir was not at fault, Socrates was not at fault and Mirabai was not at fault but they suffered on account of false accusations made by scandal mongers.

The slanderers outraged Tukaram terribly. Shivoba Kasar, who was a slanderer turned devotee of Tukaram, had invited Tukaram to his house for Bhajan. Observing that the husband was becoming a devotee of the saint, his wicked wife laid an evil plan. When Tukaram reached their house, he was invited to take a bath. When he sat down for the bath, the wife poured boiling water on his back.

Tukaram prayed to God, “Now you are my savior.”

Although the boiling water was poured on Tukaram’s back, boils erupted on the back of Shivoba Kasar’s wife. Lots of medicines were applied but to no avail. Then someone advised,

‘Make your fortune, if you can, by assisting the saints in their divine works. If you do not want to make your fortune why invite misfortune by slandering him. Now go and pray at the feet of Tukaram Maharaj. Bathe him with the water from the Ganges and apply the soil wetted by the water over the boils.”

Shivoba Kasar prayed to Tukaram and when the soil wetted by the bath water was applied to his wife’s back, the boils disappeared.

Had God and nature not been favorable to the saint or not been on the side of truth, the slanderers and opponents would pour so much venom against the saints and the religion that no one would like to become a saint on this earth. Nature and God co-operate in the saint’s divine endeavors and they punish the opponents severely. So thousands of slanderers came and died. The fame of the saints is spreading even this day. Faith and love for the saints is ever increasing in the hearts of devotees.

‘Those opposing the saints turn into owls for which the sun’s knowledge is extinct and they only embrace the nights full of delusion.’

Saint Kabir said,
‘O Kabir, those men are indeed blind
Who think the master is other than God
If the Lord is angry.
The Master is your asylum.
If the Master is displeased,
There is no refuge
In the entire creation.’
Sukhmani Sahib states,
‘The slanderer of the Saint
is the worst evil-doer.
The slanderer of the Saint
has not even a moment’s rest
The slanderer of the Saint
is a brutal butcher.
The slanderer of the saint is
cursed by the Supreme Lord.
The slanderer of the saint is
eternally in limbo.
He does not die,
but he does not live either.
Hopes of the slanderer of the saint
Are not fulfilled.
The slanderer of the Saint
departs disappointed.’

Extremely vile persons do not desire for Saint’s darshana. One whose sins have come to an end, can have unflinching faith in saints and sadhus. One who commits wicked actions increases his sins and he becomes an opponent of saints and sadhus.

If you want to know whether one’s family will grow or get destroyed, see if he has faith in the saints and sadhus or he is a slanderer of sadhus and saints. Find out whether the person is given to high thinking or base thinking.