Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva.

As per instructions of our beloved spiritual master HDG Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, I am trying to recite Srimad Bhagavatam in order to glorify the Supreme Lord Krishna and by his mercy, I found a very important quality of Vaishnava in verse 4.8.17. Sage Maitreya, while discussing the pastimes of Dhruva Maharaj with the great devotee Vidura, explains a very important Vaishnava quality found in Mother Suniti.

deergham shvasantee vrjinasya paaram
apashyati baalakam aaha baalaa
maamangalam taata pareshu mamsthaa
bhunkte jano yat para-duhkhadas tat

"She also was breathing very heavily, and she did not know the factual remedy for the painful situation. Not finding any remedy, she said to her son: My dear son, don't wish for anything inauspicious for others. Anyone who inflicts pains upon others suffers himself from that pain."

To understand Suniti's position clearly we need to read the translation of verse 4.8.16 also where in Maitreya muni says - "Usually people in general will try to get some remedy for the painful situation. Still they won't find any peace since the remedy itself is material which is under the control of three material modes of nature."

If someone insults us, immediately we will get anger and out of anger we will do harm to others and justify that our activity is correct. But here even though Queen Suniti and Dhruva Maharaj have full rights, they haven't taken any action against other Queen Suruchi. Queen Suniti tried to solve this without harming Queen Suruchi or the king. But we will first try to harm others first for their activities and falsely think that we have solved the problem by taking revenge against them. Also she advised her son "Don't wish for anything inauspicious for others." This is very important quality of Vaishnava.

Why this is very important? People will have different characters and those who have less strength will try to scold others by words. If we don't find any remedy then we will scold in mind which is very powerful and painful to others. Thats why she asked her son not to wish inauspiciousness to others. This is very difficult to follow but we should follow this. One can ask question why I should tolerate insults when we are not at fault. The answer is if we are not ready to tolerate then we will try to insult others which we think as remedy for our insult caused by others. But the truth is, at least out of selfishness we should follow. Otherwise we must be ready to face another practical instruction - "Anyone who inflicts pains upon others suffers himself from that pain."

We should be careful to follow this quality of tolerance according to time, place and circumstance. We should not take any actions against others when they insult us. We should tolerate the insult caused by others. Its very difficult but still by the mercy of Gurudev, acaryas and Lord Krishna we can try to implement it in our life. On the other hand we should not be idle when others insult Vaishnavas or Lord Krishna or Vedic literatures. Hanumanji is the great example and we should try to follow his footsteps.

Our beloved Gurudev has practically shown such instances of tolerance so many times in his lives. One such instance was when a person acted very cunningly and stealthily stole away money from the temple. All the devotees were devastated and Maharaj was all the more upset that Krishna's money was stolen away. But instead of cursing the person who took away the money, Maharaj was very much worried about how this great sin committed by that person would destroy his whole family. He knew that the family was innocent and so he was praying to Krishna not to punish his family and asked all the devotees to pray for the family's welfare. Such is the mercy of Gurudev. All those who have met Gurudev can say from our hearts how he has mercifully been tolerating so many offences committed by us and still whenever he meets, never keeps the pain/offence in mind - but lovingly inquires our well-being and as a perfect well-wisher extends himself to somehow push in the nectarean message of Srimad Bhagavatam into our steel-framed hearts.

I pray to the lotus feet of our beloved Gurudev HDG Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna so that I follow Their instructions always.

Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva,
Hrishikesha Krishna Dasa,
Chennai.