Tolerating the heat of the sun, the cold snow of the winter, the wind and rain in the monsoons, the tree is simply supplying all benefits to others:supplying shade to us, while it suffers in the sun; supplying firewood to warm us, while it suffers in the freezing winter. Although it stands alone without a home, it provides its limbs in the form of wood for us to build houses to live in. Trees are immersed in the mood of service to all living entities without discrimination. They are compassionate.

This is the standard of a saintly person: to be like a tree, always willing to accept all kinds of inconveniences to bring happiness and relief to others.

A saintly person is not so concerned with his or her own problems, but is more concerned with others’ problems. If we do not care about the problems of others then we drown in our own problems which are endless and which bring our consciousness down. But if we are concerned with the problems of others, then we don’t have time to think about our own problems.

This is a saint: like a tree, always eager to serve others, in all regards, in every possible way.

- Radhanath Swami

trinad api sunicena / taror api sahishnuna

amanina manadena / kirtaniyah sada hari

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. from Sri Caitanya’s Sikshastikam (8 Instructions)