HOW DO I LOVE MY ENEMIES?

Our dear godsister Urmila dd (Edith Best) has raised the question, "How does a Vaishnava love their enemies?"

It is an excellent question which raises many more questions while attempting to answer it. Some of the comments offered were... by seeing everyone as part of Krishna or by seeing supersoul within the heart of everyone. These are good answers but they do not answer the question, "How do we show that love and what do we do when we are attacked."

In the Christian teaching there is the instruction to turn the other cheek. In other words do not fight back even to the point of death which Christian history shows to be the case for those followers of Jesus who took this instruction as their life and soul. Certainly they were freed from the bodily concept of life and attained a higher realm.

But I am reminded of a Bengali story about the three boys in the jungle. A tiger is coming. One boy meditates, "Everything is spiritual" and stands there in meditation. The tiger eats him. Another boy meditates, "Supersoul is within the heart of the tiger" and stands there. The tiger eats him. The third boy asks Krishna, "Dear Lord Krishna, what should I do?" Krishna from within tells him, "Climb a tree."

Arjuna is faced with a tiger in the form of the Kurus. It is not always so easy as to just climb a tree. There are other considerations. Duty, responsibility. How does he balance duty and responsibility and not jeopardize his ultimate goal of life? What is the ultimate goal of life? Is there an ultimate goal of life? In a difficult situation these questions arise.

At first he is inclined to not even see an enemy. This is like the first boy in the jungle. Arjuna is ready to simply go back to the forest and take no action at all. As he allows himself to hear from Krishna, accepting Krishna as his teacher, the topic of supersoul is discussed and how, yes indeed, Krishna is within the heart of everyone. Great yogis can achieve transcendence by meditating on the supersoul.
But Arjuna rejects that. This is the second boy in the jungle. It is not practical for Arjuna. His temperament is not suited for such meditation. He is a warrior by nature how will he sit silently in meditation for years and years.

Ultimately everything is adjusted in devotional service. He does not have to hate his enemies in order to fight. He simply has to love Krishna. And do the needful. For the boy in the jungle it was climb a tree for Arjuna it is to fight. That is why it is said, "we may have so many relationships within society..duties and responsibilities, husband, wife, children, associates, animals, etc. but love is for Krishna."

That is one way to look at the question. Here is another:
Urmila dd has offered Bhrgumuni's offending Lord Vishnu as an example. Bhrgumuni is a son of Lord Brahma who was deputed by a gathering of sages who were attempting to reach a conclusion about who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhrgumuni was to test each of the three guna avatars, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu by offending them to see how they reacted. Lord Brahma became angry when not offered respect, Lord Siva became enraged when insulted, but Lord Vishnu became humble even when assaulted.

But this is not a very good example. Although the lesson is that a person's greatness can be seen by their ability to tolerate provocation, however the example is weak. First of all Bhrgumuni is not an enemy. He is a great brahmana sage and Lord Vishnu is famous for showing extreme affection and respect for brahmanas. So Bhrgumuni can hardly be seen as an enemy. An enemy is someone like Sisupala. When Sisupala attacked Lord Krishna verbally, Lord Krishna did not humbly submit and wash his feet. Lord Krishna cut off his head.

Where do we see the Lord or any of His Vaishnava devotees ever submitting and loving someone who attacks them? Here is where the incarnation of the Lord for our time... in the appearance of the Pancatattva... answers this question... "How do I love my enemies?"

We have been given something extraordinary in the great, great mercy of Lord Nityananda. He has delivered Jagai and Madhai. In this age Lord Chaitanya's sankirtana movement takes devotional service to a whole new level. Beyond, duties. Beyond responsibilities. Chant Hare Krishna. Feel the bliss...