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Mahaprabhu has taught in Çikñäñöaka (Cc. ädi 17.31):
tåëäd api sunécena taror api sahiñëunä
amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hariù
This is the most important teaching in Çikñäñöaka.
uttama haïä äpanäke mäne tåëädhama — This
is the nature of a real vaiñëava. He is the topmost
paramahaàsa, but he thinks, “I am the lowest of
the low, much humbler than a blade of grass in the
street. All those who are walking on the street may
step on me.” A real vaiñëava submits and tolerates
everything. He never retaliates against anyone.
dui-prakäre sahiñëutä kare våkña-sama — One
should be as tolerant as a tree. There are degrees of
tolerance. A tree doesn’t ask for water. In the summer
season when the scorching heat of the sun is drying
everything up, the tree will never ask for water. It
tolerates. It may dry up and die, but still it never asks
for water. A vaiñëava is as tolerant as this.
Madhavendra Puri is the example. He never
asked for anything. If he was hungry or thirsty he
tolerated. He never asked Krishna to help him. One
who tolerates like this becomes as tolerant as a tree
and becomes much humbler than a blade of grass
lying on the street. He can chant the pure name.
The pure name means Krishna. So Krishna comes.
Krishna told Madhavendra Puri, “What sort of
sannyäsé are you? A sannyäsé goes out to collect
some bhikñä, mädhu-karé. You are thirsty and
hungry. Why are you not going out to beg alms?”
“Who are you?”
“I am a cowherd boy. I live in this village. I tend
the cows here.”
“How do you know that I am hungry and thirsty?”
“I heard. Some women were taking bath in that pond.
They were talking amongst themselves: ‘That sannyäsé
sitting underneath the tree is very hungry and thirsty.’
So I have brought this pot of milk for you. Take it.”
Caitanya-caritämåta (antya 20.24) states:
yei ye mägaye, täre deya äpana-dhana
gharma-våñöi sahe, änera karaye rakñaëa
A vaiñëava is as tolerant as a tree. A tree gives its
cool shade to whoever sits under its branches. It
gives flowers, fruits, leaves, twigs, and branches. It
will give its whole body for someone to cut. It never
complains. It tolerates the scorching heat of the
sun, torrential rain, the pelting of stones, beatings.
He tolerates and gives everything. He always does
good to others. A vaiñëava should be like that.
Caitanya-caritämåta (antya 20.25) states:
uttama haïä vaiñëava habe nirabhimäna
jéve sammäna dibe jäni’ ‘kåñëa’-adhiñöhäna
A vaiñëava is uttama, paramahaàsa, the
topmost person, but he thinks, “I am the lowest
of the low.” He never demands respect, rather he
respects one and all thinking that Krishna is there in
the heart of every living entity. He never demands
respect. This is amäné mänada. ·
— From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 23 April 1992