How Much Can You Tolerate?

By Giriraj Swami

As long as we are in the material world, we must suffer—pain caused by others, pain caused by our own bodies and minds, pain caused by acts of nature. And unless we can tolerate, we cannot live in this world.

But how much can a person tolerate? Should we not on occasion resist? Why should we tolerate? And if we must, what will enable us to endure the difficulty without being disturbed?

Srila Prabhupada told the story of a young boy who tolerated more than I can imagine, giving some idea of why the boy did not resist and how he was able to abide without being disturbed:

“Prahlada Maharaja—his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even giving him poison. He knew that ‘My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Krishna likes, He will save me. Father is giving poison. Who can check?’ And his father was such a big, powerful demon—Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada’s mother cried, requested, but his father forced her: ‘Give your son this poison.’ She begged so much, but he was a demon: ‘No, you must give.’ So the mother knew, and the son knew, that the father was giving this poison. What could he do, a small child? ‘All right, let me drink.’ He was not agitated. ‘All right, if Krishna likes, I will live.’ ”