We may try to become happy by not suffering, but it is an illusion, because suffering will come by its own accord. Therefore, an intelligent person endeavors for neither. He knows that by endeavoring to please Krishna and by remembering Krishna, he can transcend happiness and distress, honor and dishonor.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 143, 5th paragraph
Spiritual strength comes by the association of devotees whose instructions infuse us with faith in the goal.
Even if such association is not available by physical proximity, we should keep their instructions within our heart. Similarly, if somebody gives you something very valuable and it means a lot to you, you will put it in a prominent place in your residence so that you can see it regularly or use it regularly. You will not put it in the closet. Thus if Vaisnavas give something natural in the form of instructions, if it is valuable, we should put it in a prominent place. The most prominent place to put it is within the core of our heart. Those instructions will help us to remain steady on the path of devotion and prevent us from slipping again and again. Even though we are blind, we will still be able to make progress towards the goal because those instructions within the heart will lead us.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 136, 4th paragraph
One has to associate with those who have strength and get strength by remembering their instructions. There is no other way to tolerate the austerities of material life unless one has faith in the goal of Krishna consciousness. Such faith is the only requirement for pure devotional service and for obtaining real fruit. Whereas the false fruit of the material world is some temporary achievement, the real fruit of one’s spiritual endeavors and the real criterion for success is to achieve love for Krishna. The topmost fruit is the pure holy name dancing on one’s tongue and causing his senses to become inert, which brings great joy within the courtyard of the heart. If we do not aspire for this fruit, and we have no faith in achieving it as the final goal, it is very difficult to make progress. Spiritual strength is thus required. We should therefore pray to keep ourselves in the association of persons who give us that strength.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 136, 3rd paragraph
Lord Balarama infuses one with spiritual strength to overcome the obstacles of material life. He gives that strength to those who always strive to achieve Him by the right means. He does not give strength to those whose austerities are inappropriate and to those who are wild and careless. We see many people willing to undergo so many personal inconveniences for fruitive (material) gain. These are inappropriate austerities. Those who are wild and careless are those who perform these austerities and do not make any effort to remember the Lord. They are careless in the application of their austerities, and they are not fixed in the goal. The result is that such persons will never enter the spiritual world and will never perceive the Lord.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 135, 1st paragraph
We have to be able to discriminate between what we need and what we want. To have this power or strength, there must be sadhana. Every day a devotee must execute sadhana: hearing and chanting the holy name of the Lord. Before he begins his chanting, he should pray to Lord Balarama, “I am in ignorance. I cannot get rid of this big heavy load that I am carrying by my own strength. I am completely dependent upon You to dispel my ignorance. Please give me the strength! I don’t have it on my own. Please, give me the strength to chant my rounds attentively. Give me the strength to overcome these anarthas.” That is sadhana. If we do that every day, we will feel that we get some strength.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 134, 6th paragraph
The Supreme Lord reveals Himself to those who are always endeavoring to achieve Him by the right means. Only such persons enter into the spiritual world. We must make the endeavor, and by so doing, we will also be bestowed with the strength to overcome difficulties. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that before one chants the holy name of the Lord by his own endeavors, he must pray to the Lord to overcome these different obstacles in chanting His holy name. First these demons have to be fought by our own endeavors and then Lord Balarama comes and gives us strength and helps us to overcome them. Thus we must endeavor.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 132, 3rd last paragraph onwards
Prabhupada gives the example in the Srimad-Bhagavatam of how material desires are like the waves of a river. One may enter into the river and try to stop the movement of the waves by his own strength. He may flap his arms to push back the waves, but he will have very little effect upon the influence of those waves. However, when the waves of the river enter into the ocean, then because the ocean is more powerful than the river, the ocean will push back the influence of the river’s waves. Because the ocean is more powerful than the waves of the river, one should take shelter in the ocean of devotional service. By the power of devotional service, we can be protected from the waves of material desires. One who takes shelter of devotional service is protected by Krishna, and by the power of Krishna, the waves of material desires can be pushed back.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 132, 3rd paragraph onwards
Saranagati requires a higher power of discrimination, based on the spiritual platform. We should know what is favorable for devotional service, and that which is unfavorable should be rejected. However, even if we know, still we cannot fully reject it. Arjuna asked Krishna,“What compels a person to act even if he knows that it is not right?”. To be able to overcome lust is not simply based upon the strength of our own intelligence. We may think we can discriminate and identify what lust is, but we need strength to carry through with not engaging in those activities. We cannot do that on our own strength. A devotee must always feel himself dependent on Krishna. That is the safest position for a devotee. As soon as he thinks, “I can overcome this by my own strength,” he will be defeated by maya. Our strength in comparison to the strength of the illusory energy is very insignificant.
LFD Vol 3,Spiritual Strength Pg 131, 4th paragraph onwards
We should therefore aspire for this taste in taking shelter in hearing and chanting. This is the safest position to be in, and the best guarantee to be protected by the Lord. For those who are taking shelter of this process, they will be able to face even the most dangerous situation, just as a small fish having taken shelter of the ocean can face a big tsunami. Everybody is fearful of tsunamis, but the fish do not fear them because they have taken shelter of the ocean. In this way we must take shelter of the Lord and overcome fear.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 129, 2nd last paragraph
Those in the bodily conception of life are not protected or cared for by the Lord, but those who take shelter of the Lord—utilizing the tongue, ears and all other senses for the service of the Lord—can transcend the bodily conception of life. They understand that real pleasure comes from something different than this body. They can enjoy without this body even when Krishna takes it away at the time of death.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 129, last paragraph