“If you don’t have enthusiasm, nothing will ever happen, but if you don’t have faith, you will give up if you do not see immediate results.” – Radhanath Swami
In China there is a type of bamboo tree; you have to water it every day. When you plant that seed nothing even comes out of the ground; there is no growth for the whole first year; the second year, no movement; the third year, no movement; fourth year, nothing. Why waste water anymore on this lazy tree?
But people have faith and they keep watering the tree. In the fifth year, within six weeks, it grows 90 feet!
We can understand life very much through nature. It’s not that we always get immediate results for what we do. If we have faith, one of the symptoms of faith is patience. Bhakti rasamrita sindhu describes the two symptoms of surrender as enthusiasm and patience. How to combine the two is a great art; if you don’t have enthusiasm, nothing will ever happen, but if you don’t have faith, you will give up if you do not see immediate results.
Just like, while raising a child you don’t see much result. But little by little if you raise a child, by proper disposition, with proper values, your child can grow up to be a saint or a leader of humanity.
Radhanath Swami
If you don’t have enthusiasm, nothing will ever happen, but if you don’t have faith, you will give up if you do not see immediate results
Thanks for wonderful article. Hare Krishna.
Amazing example of Bamboo Tree. Thank you Radhanath Maharaj for making this equation of faith and enthusiasm very simple.
Thanks for sharing it!
Wonderful application-Just like, while raising a child you don’t see much result. But little by
little if you raise a child, by proper disposition, with proper values,
your child can grow up to be a saint or a leader of humanity. we can see example in the life of Radhanath Swami only……
Great point indeed! In spirituality also, we must learn to have patience. The famous book “Nectar Of Instructions” talks about having patience in every aspect of life.
Rupa Goswami has said in Upadeshamrita- utsahan niscayat dhairyat.. Patience and enthusiasm are very important in devotional life.
Very important point is made by Radhanath Swami. Today, we have forgotten the word “patience” in this fast moving world, where almost everything is expected to be done immediately
Hope giving quote for our chanting, wat I feel keep on chanting without expeting instant result someday it will come…… Where our devotional bamboo will rise upto 90ft high.
Very aptly put. Thanks.
Yes very true. We must be patient for getting any result.
Here Radhanath Swami has given wonderful analogy of a bamboo tree. We must have to learn the art of patience. Slow and steady approach can lead us to a great success. Just we need to have complete faith the process and the Lord, then we can continue our path in absence of any positive result.
And for having that faith, we must associate with those who have faith.
Enthusiasm and Patience seem to be an absurd combination in a persons character as a person who is highly Enthusiastic will not care to be patient, while a person who is very Patient will hardly seem to be enthusiastic.
But when pondered deeply we can surely conclude this is actually the true formula for success in any stream of life. We have example of many great personalities like Thomas Edison- who demonstrated these principle in their lives
very well said. Thank you.