As far as determination is concerned, a person should follow the example of the sparrow whose eggs were drowned in the waves of the sea. It is said that a sparrow laid eggs on the sea shore, but the vast sea took them in its waves. At this the sparrow became very upset and asked the sea to return her eggs.
But the sea did not pay any attention to her request. So she resolved to dry up the sea. She started taking out the water of the sea with her tiny beak. Everyone started making fun of her impossible determination. News of her deed spread everywhere, and finally Garuda, the great bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard of it. He felt pity for his bird sister the sparrow, and went to meet her. Garuda was very pleased with the determination of the little sparrow, and promised to help her.
Translation by Srila Prabhupada : One must engage in Yoga practice with determination and faith and must not deviate from the path. One must absolutely give up all desires that arise from the mind and thus subdue the senses on all sides by the mind.
Meaning: The practitioner of Yoga should be determined to practice patiently without getting distracted. His success is certain in the end. Thinking this, he should follow this path with great patience and should not get discouraged if there is a delay in getting success. The success of such a determined practitioner is assured. Regarding Bhakti Yoga, Rupa Goswami says -
Utsahannishchayadhairayat tattakarm pravartanat ।
Sangatyagatasato vriteh shadabhirbhaktih prasidhhyati ।।
A person can follow Bhakti Yoga completely with full enthusiasm, patience and determination by staying with the devotee, performing the prescribed duties and being fully engaged in good deeds. (From Upadeshamrit Shloka no. 3)
As far as determination is concerned, a person should follow the example of the sparrow whose eggs were drowned in the waves of the sea. It is said that a sparrow laid eggs on the sea shore, but the vast sea took them in its waves. At this the sparrow became very upset and asked the sea to return her eggs.
But the sea did not pay any attention to her request. So she resolved to dry up the sea. She started taking out the water of the sea with her tiny beak. Everyone started making fun of her impossible determination. News of her deed spread everywhere, and finally Garuda, the great bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard of it. He felt pity for his bird sister the sparrow, and went to meet her. Garuda was very pleased with the determination of the little sparrow, and promised to help her.
Garuda immediately asked the ocean to return the sparrow's eggs to him, or he would have to come forward himself. Frightened by this, the ocean returned all the sparrow's eggs, and the sparrow became happy by Garuda's grace.
From this shloka of Shrimadbhagwadgita we have to understand that the person practising yoga should be determined and he should practice yoga patiently without getting distracted, and if he does so then he will definitely get success.
If a person wants to get success in any work then he should do his work patiently and with determination, if there is delay in getting success then he should not get discouraged, and in this way a person working with determination will definitely get success in the end.
For example here the example of a sparrow has been given that the sparrow laid eggs on the sea shore but the huge sea collected all its eggs in its waves, and then that little sparrow asked the sea to return all its eggs, but the sea refused to return its eggs. Then that little sparrow resolved that now she will dry up its water, and will take back her eggs from the sea.
Now she started drawing water from the sea with her tiny beak. Then Garuda, the bird lord who is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, heard this. He was pleased with the determination of the little sparrow and he promised to help her. He asked the sea to return all her eggs. The sea returned all the eggs to the sparrow. This means that the person who helps himself, God surely helps him. Similarly, in Krishna consciousness, bhaktiyoga seems very difficult, but if we follow all the rules of bhakti with a firm determination like that little sparrow, then God surely helps us, because when we help ourselves, God will surely help us.
