Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj discusses the tṛṇād api principles in depth.
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
We should take resort to kīrtan always, but Mahāprabhu recommends that our attitude should be such: tṛṇād api sunīcha, taror api sahiṣṇu, amānī mānada. It is generally upwards, all towards high. Our attitude will be humble, and if we think that we are being done wrong still also we shall take to patience. Amānī, under no circumstances shall we work for our own position and prestige. That should not be our aim.
Amāninā mānadena, and we shall try to respect everybody. It is all mostly connected towards the upper world, towards the Vaiṣṇava world. Tṛṇād api sunīcha, taror api sahiṣṇu, amānī mānada. Our conduct will be always like that, and then only can we thrive well in our campaign.
Slow and steady wins the race: it is a long journey, not a journey to finish within a few hours, or few days, or few years. It is a continued appointment. It is to go on a long way, so we are to adjust accordingly. It is not that we shall run quickly and then we shall stop and sleep, it is not a matter of that type. But it is a long way: we shall have to walk on, and so our attitude will be such, then we will be successful.
Tṛṇād api sunīcha, we should not extend any cause for resistance, which will create resistance. We won’t create such circumstance that invite resistance. Taror api sahiṣṇu: still, if any resistance unexpectedly approaches me, I shall try my best to forbear, being conscious that my guardian’s eye is over me. He is also eager to help me in my campaign. I am not alone; I may go on confident that there is a person above to redress any wrong that can be shown to me. So I may not take initiative in the beginning.
Amāninā, and I won’t allow any other object to come and pollute my aim, the pure purpose of my life. I will have such purity of purpose. The pratiṣṭhā will come, or any other temptation will come, and induce me to go ahead—I won’t, I should never allow anything other than the satisfaction of Guru, Gaurāṅga, Vaiṣṇava, etc. No other element can enter there on my path. The purity of purpose will always be maintained very scrupulously.
Mānadena, and I won’t shrink to give proper conduct, to show proper conduct to my environment. That is, I won’t expect that they will come and help me. Amāninā mānadena, I won’t think, “Why are they not coming to help me?” No: “They are engaged in their own business. It is my own, alone I shall go on with my duty, I won’t be always searching that someone must come and help me.” Mānadena, “They are doing, let them do their own duty; this is mine, I shall go alone with this.”
amāninā mānadena kīrtaniya sadā hariḥ
With this attitude we shall go on. Only with this sort of adjustment may my concentration be more and more intense; my confidence in Kṛṣṇa will be more and more increased and my duty will be purer if I couch myself in such a way. Kīrtaniya sadā Hari. Hari kīrtan.
This will also make us conscious that such sorts of hindrances, obstacles, are almost sure to come to attack us. So you are already given this instruction, that whenever you begin, all these things will come to attack you. But you are already being given this instruction that if they come on your way, and it is almost sure that they will come, you are to deal with them in such a way.
Gaura Haribol, Gaura Haribol, Gaura Haribol.
Source
Spoken 17 February 1982