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TEACHINGS OF QUEEN KUNTĪ
from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”
In America it may sometimes be very chilly in the morning, and that may make taking one’s morning bath a little difficult. But does that mean that those who are devotees will stop taking their prescribed morning bath? No. Even if it is chilly, they must take this regular bath. The duty must be done, even if there is a little suffering involved. That is called  tapasya , or austerity.  Tapasya  means that we must proceed with our business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness despite all the dangers and calamities of this world. This is called  tapasya , or voluntary acceptance of the difficulties of life.
Sometimes those who have undertaken strict vows of  tapasya  will ignite a ring of fire all around themselves, and in the scorching heat of the sun in the hot summer they will sit down in the midst of that fire and meditate. Similarly, in the chilly cold of winter they will immerse themselves in water up to the neck and meditate. Such vows are prescribed in strict systems of  tapasya . But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not give us such a prescription. Instead, He gives us a very nice program: chant, dance, and take  prasāda , food offered first to Lord Kṛṣṇa. But still we are unwilling. We are so fallen that we cannot accept even this  tapasya . Although this kind of  tapasya  is very easy to perform and very pleasant ( susukham kartum avyayam ), still we are not agreeable. We may even prefer to rot in the street. Some people prefer to drink and have sex and live in the street. So what can be done?
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving all facilities so that people may come here, chant, dance, live very peacefully, take  kṛṣṇa-prasāda , and be happy, but people will not accept it. That is called misfortune. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, portraying the people of this age, therefore said, “I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.” Lord Caitanya prayed:
nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ (Śikṣāṣṭaka 2)
Kṛṣṇa , the transcendental holy name of God, has all potencies, Lord Caitanya said. Kṛṣṇa has unlimited potencies, and similarly in the holy name of Kṛṣṇa there are unlimited potencies. Kṛṣṇa has thousands and