How to transform every situation into an opportunity for devotional service

Have you ever seen what elephants could do? I have personally seen big male elephants who wrap their trunk around a tree and just rip them along with the roots, right out of the ground and throw it. They are powerful. But when the elephant goes in to the current – the fast moving current of a river – he is just washed away to death.

But there is a little fish. What is the strength of a little fish compared to that of a male elephant? There is no comparison. The fish goes in the same river and it is swimming upstream, swimming across stream, swimming downstream, turning around, and going upstream, completely fearless. Prabhupad gives this example. The fish has learnt to take shelter of the river and the elephant is fighting against it. You cannot fight against material nature and win. Whose nature is it? It is Krishna’s nature! mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. But, when we take shelter of Krishna, when we are depending on Krishna, when we have faith in Krishna, then every situation is an opportunity, an opportunity for devotional service.