Human Life is not for working hard like animals
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13)
Unfortunately, this spiritual education is completely absent from modern human civilization. No one understands his real self-interest, which lies with the spirit soul, not with the material body. Education means spiritual education.
To work hard in the bodily conception of life, without spiritual education, is to live like an animal. These days people are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization, because the spirit soul has to transmigrate from one body to another. Without spiritual education, people are kept in dark ignorance and do not know what will happen to them after the annihilation of the present body. They are working blindly, and blind leaders are directing them.
A foolish person does not know that he is completely under the bondage of material nature and that after death material nature will impose upon him a certain type of body, which he will have to accept. He does not know that although in his present body he may be a very important man, he may next get the body of an animal or tree because of his ignorant activities in the modes of material nature. Therefore the Krishna consciousness movement is trying to give the true light of spiritual existence to all living entities. This movement is not very difficult to understand, and people must take advantage of it, for it will save them from the risky life of irresponsibility.
Materialists who work hard like dogs and hogs simply for sense gratification are actually mad. They perform all kinds of abominable activities simply for sense gratification. Materialistic activities are not at all worthy of an intelligent man, for as a result of such activities, one gets a material body, which is full of misery.
The purpose of human life is to get out of the threefold miserable conditions, which are concomitant with material existence. Unfortunately, fruitive workers are mad to earn money and acquire temporary material comforts by all means; therefore they risk being degraded to lower species of life. Materialists foolishly make many plans to become happy in this material world. They do not stop to consider that they will live only for a certain number of years, out of which they must spend the major portion acquiring money for sense gratification. Ultimately such activities end in death. Materialists do not consider that after giving up the body they may become embodied as lower animals, plants or trees. Thus all their activities simply defeat the purpose of life. Not only are they born ignorant, but they act on the platform of ignorance, thinking that they are getting material benefits in the shape of skyscraper buildings, big cars, honorable positions and so on. The materialists do not know that in the next life they will be degraded and that all their activities simply serve as their defeat.
Those who are blind about understanding the soul have got many thousands and thousands of subject matters for hearing. However all these subject matters are useless.
Human life is meant for understanding what I am, what is God and what is my relationship with God. That is the real purpose of human life. Otherwise, “Where is food?”, “Where is shelter?”, “Where is service?”, “Where is sex?”, these are the inquiries of the animals only. The hog also inquiring, “Where is stool? Where is stool?” The stool-eating hog is also working hard, “Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?” Do you think that is very credable task, to work hard day and night for finding out where is stool? This is hog’s business.
At the present moment, modern civilization is going on, “Where is food?”, “Where is apartment?”, “Where is sex?” and “Where is defense?” But these are the inquiries of the animals. They are also searching “Where is food?”, “Where is shelter?”, “Where is sex?” and “Where is defense?”
The human life is meant for inquiring “Where is God?” That is human life. Not “Where is stool?” That is hog’s business. So we should not encourage this hog civilization. Hog civilization is to work hard day and night to find out where is food, where is shelter, where is sex, and where is defense. This is the wrong type of civilization. Human civilization means “Where is Brahman, the Absolute Truth?” “Where is God?” “What I am?” These are the inquiries of civilized human beings.
A human being should not work hard like dogs and hogs for sense gratification. Human life is especially meant for the revival of our relationship with the Supreme Lord, and to this end all kinds of austerities and penances should be accepted. By austere activities, one’s heart can be cleansed of material contamination, and as a result one can be situated on the spiritual platform. To attain this perfection, one has to take shelter of a devotee and serve him. Then the door of liberation will be open.
Those who are materially attached to women and sense gratification gradually become entangled in material consciousness and suffer the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. Those who are engaged in the general welfare of all and who are not attached to children and family are called mahatmas. Those who are engaged in sense gratification, who act piously or impiously, cannot understand the purpose of the soul. Therefore they should approach a highly elevated devotee and accept him as a spiritual master. By his association, one will be able to understand the purpose of life.
Under the instructions of such a spiritual master, one can attain devotional service to the Lord, detachment from material things, and tolerance of material misery and distress. One can then see all living entities equally, and one becomes very eager to know about transcendental subject matters.
Endeavoring persistently for the satisfaction of Krishna, one becomes detached from wife, children and home. He is not interested in wasting time. In this way one becomes self-realized. A person advanced in spiritual knowledge does not engage anyone in material activity. And one who cannot deliver another person by instructing him in devotional service should not become a spiritual master, father, mother, demigod or husband.
In the conditioned state, under the influence of maya, the materialist is thinking so many nonsense things, “I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this community, this is my business,” he simply forgets Krishna consciousness. All other business, he will remember, but when he is requested to become Krishna conscious, to understand Krishna, he doesn’t like it. Except Krishna consciousness, he will take all responsibility and work hard for that purpose.
To get to our original, spiritual position we must perform tapasya. Tapasya means to revive our original normal life of Krishna consciousness. This tapasya is not possible by the cats and dogs or animals. Tapasya is meant for the human being.
Why is a man given a better chance to live than pigs or other animals? Why is a highly posted government officer given better facilities for a comfortable life than an ordinary clerk? The answer is very simple: the important officer has to discharge duties of a more responsible nature than those of an ordinary clerk. Similarly, the human being has to discharge higher duties than the animals, who are always busy with filling their hungry stomachs. But by the laws of nature, the modern animalistic standard of civilization has only increased the problems of filling the stomach. When we approach some of these polished animals for spiritual life, they say that they only want to work for the satisfaction of their stomachs and that there is no necessity of inquiring about the Godhead. Yet despite their eagerness to work hard, there is always the question of unemployment and so many other impediments incurred by the laws of nature. Despite this, they still denounce the necessity of acknowledging the Godhead.
There are four classes of men—the karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, and the bhaktas—and each achieves a different goal. The karmis work for some material profit. For example, in the city, many people work hard day and night, and their purpose is to get some money. Thus, they are fruitive workers, or karmis. A jnani is a person who thinks, “Why am I working so hard? The birds, bees, elephants, and other creatures have no profession, yet they are also eating. So why should I unnecessarily work so hard? Rather, let me try to solve the problems of life—birth, death, old age, and disease.” Jnanis try to become immortal. They think that if they merge into God’s existence, then they will become immune to birth, death, old age, and disease. And yogis try to acquire some mystic power to exhibit a wonderful show. For instance, a yogi can become very small: if you put him into a locked room, he can come out through any little space. By showing this kind of magic, the yogi is immediately accepted as a very wonderful man. Of course, modern yogis simply show some gymnastics—they have no real power. But a real yogi has some power, which is not spiritual but material. So the yogi wants mystic power, the jnani wants salvation from the miseries of life, and the karmi wants material profit. But the bhakta—the devotee—doesn’t want anything for himself. He simply wants to serve God out of love, just as a mother serves her child.
There is no question of profit in a mother’s service to her child. Out of pure affection and love, she cares for him.
So our Krishna consciousness movement is teaching people that “You have no other business than to work for Krishna. That’s all.” This is Krishna business. This is called Krishna consciousness business. That is called the highest perfection.
“Why I am working so hard day and night for simply for sense gratification, for satisfying the tongue, to fulfill the belly, and satisfy the genital? This is my business and the same thing is being done by the dogs and hogs?”
When one comes to understand, “Shall I work like the cats, dogs, and hogs, or do I have another business?” this is human life. Unfortunatly the modern civilization means keep them in the darkness, “Let them work hard like hogs and dogs, and don’t give them any knowledge.” All of them are working like hogs and dogs. They do not know there is something else. This is the position.
They do not know, and also their so-called leaders do not know, what is the perfection of the human form of life. They think, “This is life: work like hog and dog, and then die like hog and dog, finish all business.” This is not human life.
Therfore Krishna says they are mudhas, asses, rascals. And if we repeat Krishna’s words, the rascals, they become angry. Actually they are rascals. We plainly say. Because he does not know. If I ask him, “What is your next life?” he cannot answer. Then what is the difference? If I ask the dog that “What is your next life?” he cannot say. “Gow! gow!” That’s all. So if I ask any human being that “What is your next life?” and he replies “I don’t bother about that thing.” It is the same answer as the dog, “Gow! Gow!” That’s all.
The rascals are thinking “If I don’t work hard, how shall I satisfy my senses? At night I must have this intoxication, this woman, this club, this If I don’t work hard how shall I get this enjoyment?” But this kind of enjoyment is available to the hogs. It is not very good type of enjoyment, sense gratification. The hogs are enjoying by eating stool and having sex without any discrimination, don’t care for mother, sister So this kind of sense gratification civilization is there amongst the dogs and hogs, but human life is not meant for that.
Human life is meant for tapasya, austerity, so that human life you can stop your repetition of birth and death and come to your eternal life and enjoy blissful eternal life of knowledge. That is the aim of life. Not that “Never mind if we become dogs and hogs in the next life.”
They have been educated so that if a university student is informed that “If you live irresponsibly, then you may become a dog next life,” so they say, “What is wrong if I become a dog?” This is the result of modern education. He doesn’t care. He is thinking, “If I get the life of a dog, I will have no restriction of my sex life, as a dog I will be able to have sex life on the street.” That’s it. He is thinking that is advancement. “If now in the human body there is restriction, then in the dogs body there is no restriction, I will get sex life on the street, that is better.”
Here in this material world you cannot get food without any labor. Just see. These laborers here, they have come. Whole day they are working. But if I say that “Why you are working so hard? Come here, live here with us, take a little prasadam, and make progress in Krishna consciousness,” nobody will come. Nobody will come. “No, no. I am very happy here working hard all day.”
The human form of life is not meant for that purpose, to work so hard. Actually, we do not want to work hard. That is our tendency. But we want more profit for sense gratification. Therefore we utilize other’s service, who will work for me, and I shall take the profit. This is the defect of the modern civilization.
Actually, when a man gets some money, he does not work very much. He takes some profit, either keeping in the bank some balance, and lives in a comfortable place. That is the tendency. Because we are spiritual entities, our natural tendency is to enjoy life. Spiritual entities means by nature they want to enjoy life. That is the spiritual nature.
As Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is by nature joyful, similarly, we being part and parcel of Krishna, we are also by nature joyful. But unfortunately, we have been put into such condition, material condition, that we are trying to enjoy life in this material condition. That is not possible. So the materialists are trying their best to make material adjustments and enjoy life. They are called karmis. But when they are wiser, that “We have worked so hard, but actually we could not enjoy life. Then what is the problem of life?
” that is the platform of the jnanis and the yogis.
Sometimes we are accused that we’re escaping labor, we are parasites, we are dependent on the society. We are not dependent on the society; we are dependent on Krishna. Krishna is supplying us this nice building, nice food, nice opportunity. Not only one—we have got hundreds of buildings like that, without any labor. We are not working like these laborers. Just see. I went to your country with forty rupees, and now I have got forty crores of property. So I did not work like them. Yes. The people are bringing money. Krishna is sending money, daily one to five lakhs of rupees. So this is Krishna consciousness. Why one should work hard? Human life is not meant for that. Take Krishna’s shelter. Krishna will supply everything.
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
Related Posts
Why don’t we feed the Driver Petrol? →
Questions From A Muslim With Answers From Khan →
Dog Race in a Dangerous Place [Prabhupada Speaks Out] →
Hare krishna !!
So What will happen to those person who do pooja daily and do 2-4 rounds of japa and also do Ekadashi fast and he has no desire.. he do his duties without ego selfless desire but occasionally drink liquor in party with neighbors Freinds in get together during some events .
1 .What sinful reaction will get to these person ?
2.does his devotion service vanquished
3. Does he got animal birth in next life ?
He is just a materialist. Everyone is like this in the material world. They have some faith, they believe in God, they do some pooja. But ultimately they are attached to the material world. They want the material world. They want to party with their friends and drink alcohol. So yes they have no desire for Krishna consciousness, no taste for Krishna consciousness. Just pious materialists. That’s all. Same as every religious person who goes to the church, temple or mosque, having faith that there is a God, but not surrendering to God, rather wanting God to serve them, help them live a more comfortable life in the material world.
Devotee is a completely different thing. You should read Prabhupada’s books and find out what a devotee is and try to become one.
Thank you. Krishna Consciousness has saved my life. I serve the Lord. Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Salutaions to Srila Prabhupada!
I have been reading” Bhagwath Geetha as it is ” by his devine grace Srila Prabhupada and it has impacted me a lot. I am able to understand the rights and wrong of human life.
Am a married women and have a daughter.I want to follow Krishna conciousness at my home.As per you we need to offer the food prepared first to Krishna and have it but as we use garluc and oinion in our food i m not able to offer it to Krishna.I am from a meat eating family but has restricted to vegetarianism though my family is oppsing me. My mother and all the family members are saying how can you derive your daughter and husband of the food items they like.They say you should also give proper nutrition to your kid. I am very confused as what to do.
Please help me into this!
Thank you
Priyadarshini
Proper nutrition is grains, milk products, vegetables and fruits. That is the foodstuff meant for human beings.
So the point is the meat eaters will not understand it. So we just have to be firm and practice Krishna consciousness to our best ability according to the time and circumstances.
Sometimes we may not be able to do everything perfectly because of the circumstances. But we can regret the imperfections of our service in our minds and pray to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna for forgiveness and for the strength so we can increase and improve our devotional service more and more in the future.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Salutaions to Srila Prabhupada
I thank you for your valuable time and advice.
I am very fortunate to have got the opportunity to understand Krishna through books of Srila Prabhupada and will try my best to perform Krishna conciousness.
Hare Krishna
Nice article .Thought provoking and helpful.Hare krishna .
Hari Bol Prabhuji, Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I am living in Western Europe. After reading your article, isn’t it so that I should accept all kinds of work (doesn’t matter what, since we are in a crisis here at the moment) as long as I take the result (the money) and spent it all on Krsna Consiousness (my own rented room, where I can chant and listen about Sri Krsna’s Names and Pasttimes, to buy ingredients, fruits to make Prasadam). Is this the idea? Since I got offered a job as a cleaner, I wanted to mold my life in this way. Previously I thought of joining ashrams in here or in India but now after the whole GBC fiasco, I thought of staying here in the material society and working hard and earning the money which I spent 100% on my own progress of Krsna Consiousness. Also by buying Original Srila Prabhupada books and distributing them, since here I see modified books being distributed. Is this idea a good one? Please advice Prabhuji, I thank you in advance.
Hare Krishna,
Hendrik
Hare Krishna Hendrik
Yes. That is a very good idea. Work, get money and spend it for Krishna. Gradually you can just get Prabhupada’s books and go out on the streets and sell them to the people. That is the best type of work you can do, it is the most pleasing thing to Srila Prabhuapda, distributing his books, and pleasing Srila Prabhupada is the secret to making rapid advancement in Krishna consciousness.
So best thing is to sell books and use the money for Krishna, but in the beginning of course you can work as a cleaner and use the money for Krishna and distribute some books and gradually as you become better at selling the books you can collect whatever money you need while you are preaching, distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. That would be the best thing.
The idea of living in the association of devotees is a very good one of course. Living in the association of devotees is very favorable for advancing in Krishna consciousness. But the problem is these days we can not find any place where there are actual devotees living who are really surrendered to Srila Prabhupada. Everything is totally messed up in ISKCON and also in India in the holy places there. So I think your idea to stay where you are and preach is the perfect idea. That is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabbhu’s instruction also: amara ajna guru hana tara ei desh. ‘Stay where you are and become the guru for the people in that place and teach them Krishna consciousness.’
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hari Bol Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I thank you for your reply. I will follow up on you advice. Also, lately I do not go to the ISKCON temples anymore. I do have a couple of devotee friends who, like me, are also aware of the deviations. Occasionaly persons come to us and start attacking us. They talk about God and why he is not helping the poor and why is there war. Thanks to Srila Prabhupada’s books and also your articles, I can give them a fitting reply but when seeing with how much anger there is in them, I say to them: I can answer you but it would only hurt you. Since he is not ready to accept Bhagavad Gita As It Is, how will he be ready to hear? So I have decided to altogether stop visiting any temple (both ISKCON and Hindu) and also, as far as possible, avoid non-devotee association. Again I thank you Prabhu.
Hare Krishna,
Hendrik
Every one has to do his work sincerely with out expectation of the fruits of action. first one should be able to give up his desires and surrender to Lord Krishna completely. one who is in body consciousness will be thinking only if he works hard and earns more he can live comfortably. also if every one decides that Lord Krishna will take care and provide their needs, from where do we get those requirements.
Krishna does not suggest that we give up work. He suggests, as you point out, that we work without attachment to the results. Not that we stop work. So we keep working, where is the question of anything changing? Things will go on but it is the attitude in which we work that changes. Instead of working for ourselves we work for Krishna. But the work does not stop.
The new letter is very good to understand. In this letter it was said that human soul is different to that of animals. A man should realize that the God has given this body only to pray God to reach him and not to do things which animals does.
Hare Krishna!!!
Thank you very much for sharing the details. But Krishna, sO many people living happily without realizing their soul, then what is the necessity of us to sacrifice everything. They are healthy wealthy happy in all the ways without sparing such extra works or sacrificing time, food, etc etc. Please clear me in this regard.
Thank you
No one is happy in the material world. Everyone is full of anxiety, full of ignorance and they are identifying with a temporary material body which is constantly changing and is getting old, sick and will die…
In this situation no one can be happy.
Hare Krishna very nice information I will work but the center will always be kriahna…….hare Krishna
Thanks for your help in making me true spiritual…..
Hare Krishna sir
Thank you very much for sending me news letters regularly
I am very blessed
Thank you
Hare krishna prahuji. Hmmmmm nice talk nice info on the topic that says human life is not for working hard like animals yes the purpose of man is to know who GOD is who am i and realationship between him and his GOD my case study is on the bhaktaa devotee who does not want anything in return but only to serve krishna or GOD this is a devotee that live in the temple and he needs. a new doti because his old one has worn out. his sandal has worn out his bathing soap has finish he has to recharge his phone suddenly all this need run out of him and he became frustrated within himself for a long time suddenly he left the temple in search of a work. so as to keep the body and soul together what do you say.
I say you have no idea what a devotee is and no idea what Krishna consciousness is…
Sir,
If person is suffering form cancer, whether hare Krishna mama mantra will help for survival
Hare Krishna Jayanthi
Body will not survive. We are not very concerned about the body. We are concerned about the soul. So the notice of death is there for all of us. We have very short time. So we need to use this brief human life to elevate our consciousness from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness, Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada has presented a very effective and scientific process for this in his books. We need to study Srila Prabhupada’s books and become Krishna conscious and remember Krishna at the time of death.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hare Krishna prabhu
why i am not able to control my senses even if i know right or wrong but i select the thing which is give me pain mentaly as well as internally in future and it disconnect me to bhagwan sri Krishna why i am so connected with temporary happiness why ? i feel like my mind is blocked and i have no stamina to think.
hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna Sushil
Everyone in the material world is more-or-less in the same position. In the bodily concept of life, trapped by the illusion of temporary happiness of sense pleasure. Krishna consciousness is a scientific process that does enable us to control our senses by providing us with a higher spiritual pleasure. When we are experiencing that higher spiritual pleasure then we no longer find this temporary material sense gratification attractive. And the process for achieving this Krishna consciousness is very carefully and elaborately described by Srila Prabhupada in his books. So I suggest you read Srila Prabhupada’s books and guarantee you will find the answers you are looking for there.
This search for material happiness always ends in suffering, anxiety and distress. The only way we can experience real pleasure is spiritual pleasure in Krishna consciousness. That is because we are not these material bodies, we are not these material senses, we are the spirit soul within the material body. The material body is a machine, like a motor car, and we are like the driver of the motor car. We have mistakenly misidentified our selves with the car or the material body. And we are mistakenly considering the needs of the car or body to be our needs. But in actuality we are not the material body. We are the spirit soul and the needs of the spirit soul are spiritual not material. No amount of material sense gratification can give any satisfaction at all to the soul. It is like trying to satisfy the driver of the car by supplying petrol to the car. The driver will never be satisfied by the petrol. The needs of the drive are different from the needs of the car.
All our problems are coming from misidentifying the body as the self.
This misconception can be cleared by chanting:
Hare Krisha Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
v v good article, a really eye opener and value and utilize rare human life.
pradeep saxena
Hare Krishna prubhu. Namaskar. Thank you very much for your valuable news letters . I hope i will slowly slowly improve. I understand that we human beings are not meant only for sense gratification. Of course we have to work hard for our livelihood but not I dogs. I have one question. Is carefully listening to maha mantra is equally good to chanting ? I have asked this question as I enjoy listening than chanting
Hare Krishna Sudakshna
Yes. Hearing and chanting are two of the nine processes of bhakti. Hearing a pure devotee of Krishna chanting Hare Krishna is very good. But what is a pure devotee going to tell you? “Chant Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds every day.” So if you don’t follow his instructions then you become an offender and that is not good. So yes. Certainly we hear Srila Prabhupada chanting Hare Krishna, we listen to his classes and his bhajans. But his main instruction to us, his order to his disciples is that we must strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and we must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. These regulative principles and the chanting of at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra are the vows that devotees promise to strictly follow at the time of initiation. So we can not break these vows. We have to follow them. That is the most important thing. So chanting has to be there. And when you chant the idea is to hear the chanting. So chanting means you are hearing yourself chant Hare Krishna as well. So it is chanting and hearing.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Yes Prabhu, you are absolutely right. Even our parents want us to work day and night to earn money so that we can live in a good house and enjoy materialistic nature. But why the world has become like this where without working hard like hogs day and night, we can’t earn money. Without money life becomes very miserable in this material world. What should we do?
You are actually mistaken. It is not that one has to work hard like the hogs and dogs. Actually Krishna is providing everything for everyone, particularly for his devotees. Any devotee who actually surrenders to Krishna and works for Krishna has no problems living in the material world. Krishna looks after His devotees. What to speak of His devotees. Krishna is providing food for all the birds, all the ants, all the elephants in the jungle. And we think Krishna will not provide food for us if we surrender to Him and serve him. So this idea that one has to work hard like dogs and hogs is nonsense. Human life is not for working hard like dogs and hogs. Human life is for pondering the deeper meaning of life. For understanding why we are here, understanding what is this material world, why we are suffering, and how we can get out…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I LOVE RECEIVING THESE MAILS, THANK U PRABHUJI FOR ENLIGHTENING US.
So true. I’ve alway felt that there was something wrong when working 50-60 hours per week to enjoy my “free” time.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa das
Please accept my humble obeisance’s
All glories to Srila Praphupada
I am blessed once again to receive this information. Every word is the truth.
Before coming to Krishna Consciousness I was a complete fool. Since taking time to nourish my soul I have started to feel like I am living, Not struggling to survive. I used to think I did not have time for this or that. In fact I was wasting my time. I chant 16 rounds every day and often 20 rounds and still feel I have time to do more.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Haribol Prabhu.
I am a little bit confused about the last paragraph. If people are not working hard out there, how can they donate and grow that 4 to 4 crores.
Hare Krishna
You do not understand Srila Prabhupada. The whole point is he did not work to grow the forty rupees into forty crores. He was not concerned about that at all. He was just concerned about preaching Krishna consciousness. So if you look at Prabhupada’s life, his activities when he came to the West to preach, he never worked to make money. No. He just chanted Hare Krishna and gathered other people around him and convinced them to chant Hare Krishna and spoke to them the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and distributed prasadam. That is all. Chanting, dancing and feasting. And Prabhupada worked to write his books to distribute the knowledge of Krishna consciousness all over the world. That is all. No hard working for making money like the karmis do.
No. Human life is not meant for working hard like the animals. Human life is meant for Krishna consciousness. It is meant for chanting Hare Krishna, dancing in kirtan and taking Krishna prasadam. Not hard work for making money.
Devotees don’t work for making money, they work for Krishna and Krishna sends them everything they need. So Krishna can send unlimited amounts of money and unlimited men to help in the preaching work. That is the point.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Nice Article, i impressed with reading this article.
17 Aug. 2015
Prabhu Hare Krishna
Dear Sirs: Namaskarams.
I read with interest the News letter captioned that a human-being need not work like an animal and today spiritual education is lacking in the school syllabus or curiculam unfortunately. Mass piritual education promotion is necessary from an elementary school level to overcome the present day large scale varying evil practices in the society thus mass realization to good practices of human life transformation. As my humble beginning, I could succeed for promotion of Hare Krishna message and one of my close relatives joined ISKCON as a life patron / life member recently. It is my small effort without asking Lord Krishna for any material favour. Whatever is written on my forehead based on my Karmas, I will get it good or bad.
Hare Krishna
Thank you Sirs.
It is very good that we can do whatever is possible in our own lives to speak to all the people we meet about Krishna. That is the order of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Amara ajna guru… “Whomever you meet simply speak to them about Krishna and in this way you become guru.” So this is the point. We have to know something about Krishna from reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, we need to live our lives in an exploratory manner by strictly following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and we have to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and read Srila Prabhupada’s books daily at least 1-2 hours. Then when we speak to all the people we meet about Krishna our speaking will have some potency and it will act on their hearts and awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness that is dwelling within everyone.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna! That point is extremely important indeed: people who don\’t worship God will have to take birth in lower species (as animals). After reading your post, I told it to 2 abhakta friends. Great result! They immediately understood THE point, and told me they will talk to their family! Wonderful you sent me those Prabhupad\’ s precious words! Thanks again! Hare Krishna!
Very nice, Hare Krishna!
i agree 100%tly, i love krishna and want to do tapasya, can anybody guide me on how to do tapasya.
Basic tapasya is strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication. And chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. This is the beginning. These things are not difficult but are ecstatic. However in the beginning, when we are materially contaminated, it may seem to us to be a great austerity to strictly follow the regulative principles, chant the Hare Krishna mantra every day at least 16 rounds and read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day at least 1-2 hours. So it may seem like us to be austerity in the beginning. We have to surrender to these basic principles. If we are not prepared to surrender to and strictly follow these basic points we will never be able to understand what Krishna consciousness is. This is the austerity we must practice.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishana Madhudvisa dasa,
Nice Lecture about Lord Krishan, I am very much impressed about the spiritual life.
Thank you so much
Regards
Swami Naidu
I agree this comment.
Very interesting , all facilities and income are providing by Krishna. I also want same. I have seen many youg people are living well doing nothing in holy places, Om santi, Asrams, Churches, Mosques etc.
If all people follow krishna , can they have food, shelter etc. or only devotees can have such opportunities. They had earned in last life.
However human beings is doing work and produce many things all over the world. So they are doing more than animals.
I Gita also, Sanyasi depends on Grihasthi. Grihasti is major ASram among Four.
Yes. Krishna is supplying food for everyone. The point is that if we surrender to Krishna and work for Krishna then Krishna will obviously supply us with food and shelter and whatever we need to serve Him.
Not that we do not work. We are working for Krishna. Everyone has to work. Our nature is we are servants. We have to serve. The question is who to serve. We can choose between serving Krishna and serving maya. That is all. We have to work, we have to serve. But it is better to work for Krishna and serve Krishna.
I want to be educated with both spiritual and physical education. So what should I do now?
Just read Srila Prabhupada’s books. You will get both spiritual and physical education automatically.
I feel I am very much blessed to be in association with all of the devotees and I pray god to give me right thought and guide me in my goal of going back to godhead.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji.
Thank you so much prabhuji for this nice one article. I have a one question from this article, Srila Prabhuapad says we are human being are not body, we r soul part and parcel of the suprem personality of Godhead. When we simply using this human life for sense gratification then our life become worthless and we get next life lower body like dog and hogs etc. So at modern days no one believes in that, how can we believe this matter and argue from other.
Please prabhuji explain this point. Again Thank You so Prabhuji.
It does not matter if people believe it or not. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending are the base animal instincts and if we live our lives simply trying to eat nicely, to have a nice place to sleep and to have sex nicely and to try and keep ourselves and our families safe then we are two-legged animals and our next birth will be in the body of an animal.
This is the way nature works and nature’s laws will work, it does not matter if people understand them or not. Natures laws will go on.
If we are devotees of Krishna then we know these things of course and believe them because we hear them from Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita and devotee means we believe what Krishna says. There is no other way of knowing things as they are. Only the devotees can know things as they are. So if people want to understand things as they are they have to become devotees. And the way of becoming a devotee is very elaborately described by Srila Prabhupada in his books. So we need to read Srila Prabhupada’s books ourselves and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to others. That is the solution to all the problems.
read this kinda fast and not retaining so good. But agreement is absolutely there
This was a great article. The best I have read so far. After reading it, I had the thought “but what if you lived in a remote area, without society; who would provide then?” But the answer is still the same: Krishna. Krishna provides thru the land, and when people occupy all the lands, Krishna provides thru the people who occupy the lands. Excellent article!
HARE KRISHNA
PRABHU ji
I have a question in my mind that what is my main motive on this earth.
i am very confused in my life. i am gatting annoyed day by day because every day i think is am going on a right track.
please help me out
reply soon
hare krishna
thank you
Read Srila Prabhupada’s books. All your answers are there. Prabhupada is just waiting for you to read his books. He will answer all your questions. But you have to get his books and read them.
Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare.
May loard krishna guide me the path of life.
Hare Krishna
HARE Krisha. thanks for the news letter pls let me know what is GOD and is jesus the son of GOD finally is krisha the father of jesus
Hare krishna prabhu
Thank you very much for kindly sending the Newsletters to me.I just have one doubt in the newsletter that you had sent me recently.To work hard without spiritual education is like an animal is there in that one.My doubt is we are living in a society that without working we can’t survive.From the childhood onwards we people learnt what they thought in the schools like helping others and kind hearted and little bit bhagavadhgita. It is not the situation there in the olden days like one guru will teach every thing. so obviously most of the people are unaware of that one.one proverb is there ” MANAVASEVE MADHAVASEVA”.If we follow that one it is more than enough no prabhu than reading bhagavadhgita for the whole day.Chanting krishna name for 24 hours is better than giving food to the people in krishna name is better no prabhu.Working hard for my sake is better than working for the people who are dependent on me.Tell me whether what i asked is correct or not.U are lika my guru.I don’t want to keep any thing in my heart.so i asked.If anything wrong i asked sorry.
Once again thank you for sending the Newsletters.
Hare Krishna Lavanya
It does not matter what the people think. The people are in maya. We have to work of course, but a devotee works for Krishna. That is all. The fools and rascals work very hard thinking that if they work hard they will enjoy. But they are just like the ass. The ass works very hard all day for the washerman thinking at the end of the day the washerman will give him a few handfulls of grass. But the stupid ass does not realize that he does not have to work so hard all day for a few handfulls of grass. The grass is growing everywhere. He could just eat that grass. He does not have to work for the washerman. The grass is growing everywhere.
So we do not have to work like the ass. We can just work for Krishna.
A devotee does not work for his own sake, nor does he work for his family, he only works for Krishna. We can work very hard for Krishna. That is OK.
In reality we are all getting whatever we are destined to get by karma. It is not that by working hard one will get more or less. He will get whatever he is destined to get. So there is no point in this hard work in the material world. Devotees don’t bother with this. They just work for Krishna…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji and mataji,
‟Time” is the most valuable thing. It takes much time to earn money for collecting material resources. When material resources are collected more than necessity then it wastes much time in maintenance of them. Those who neither like to listen nor speak about Krishna; they waste our most valuable time in talking which is only for Krishna. Any person, who is true devotee of Krishna e.g. one who makes beautiful garlands, makes beautiful dresses, makes best food to offer Krishna etc. And some people wish to be good for Krishna so that they can become good devotees.
‛To please Krishna is the goal of life’
|| Hare Krishna ||
Hare Krishna…
Really nice article
This is a wonderfully written article. I gained so much perspective in so little time just reading this article.
I would like to kindly ask I have a question that I seek some guidance on.
I would like to kindly ask is it possible for me to forward you my question or is it ok for me to post it here?
Thanking You.
If you want me to answer it you have to post it here.
The realisation comes little late in life for people. Here Krishna Conscious takes an important role, which I see. Very nice to see this.
We must always get connected to Sat Sang in the first step and the rest will follow.
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
hare krishna
please tell me more about balancing the spiritual and materialistic world. It feels at peace to receive your mails. thank you.
Hare Krishna prabhu,
I feel I am a different person these days, reading ur emails reminded me who I am and why I am here. Regarding family life, I am married and by Sri Krishna grace have two kids. Life seems to slip out of hand so quick with only work ,responsibilities towards family. For past week I am fasting for Lord Venkateshwara and by his blessing I am able to perform puja every morning. I don’t know if I should say fortunately or punishment for my past sins that I am suffering from bad health that I am not able to go go to work and thus this allow me to perform my daily prayers, cook for the deities and read about Krishna. Everyday there is the need to know more about him and how to serve him. I am a nurse and I always believe its a profession that serve others and so doing serving God. Am I wrong ? Or what am I missing? And how do you perform Deity puja at home for beginners. What I know up till today is what I have seen doing for years in my parents house without the knowledge. I would appreciate if you could give me the steps to follow and the purpose or why we do it. Much appreciated and may Lord Krishna bless us all.
Hare Krishna.
Guddi.
Hare Krishna Guddi
Nice to hear from you Prabhu. Yes. Everything is Krishna’s mercy, a devotee sees it like that. So you are not able to go to work and therefore you can properly worship the Deities in your home and cook for them. It is Krishna’s mercy, very good.
But somehow we need to organize it so that even when going to work we do not miss these things. I know the world is moving very fast but somehow we need to get out of bed early in the mornings, before 4:00 am, and take bath and then engage in worshiping the Lord and chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. We must do these things every day without fail. That is the most important thing in our lives. So somehow we have to organize our life so we can do it.
It is not that we have to only do worship and nothing else. If we get up before 4:00 AM then there are four hours between 4-8 and we can have a nice regular program of worship, chanting and reading in that time and then go about our normal daily affairs.
As far as serving others being serving God that is not correct. Serving others is serving others and that is quite different from serving God. You have to learn how to serve God, and serving God is serving others, it is absolutely not true that serving others is serving God…
So this science of learning how to serve Krishna 24 hours a day Srila Prabhupada is teaching us systematically in his books. Therefore if we want to learn the science we have to read Srila Prabhupada’s books. And it is not something that one can explain in a few paragraphs. It is a course of study and we have to go through the courses by systematically studying Srila Prabhupada’s books.
As far as the deity worship is concerned the most important thing is to do it every day and do it punctually and regularly. The idea is you are offering things to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and the aroti that you have seen your family members perform over the years is probably quite OK. But the point is you have to do it every day at the same time in the morning and evenings without fail. The deity service is offering some foodstuffs, then offering aroti, then offering Kirtan and after the kirtan you can read something from Srila Prabhupada’s books and if you have other family members there you can engage them in hearing the kirtan and hearing from Srila Prabhupada’s books and in accepting the maha prasadam. So like this. But them main point is you set up a regular daily program of worship and you do it every day at the same times without fail. That is most important. The actual details of your worship may vary from the worship of someone else, and you can increase it over time, but we need to become regular in the worship and do it every day.
If you just keep on reading Srila Prabhupada’s books you will get so much more information about the worship and also Krishna is there in your heart and as your heart becomes more and more purified by chanting Hare Krishna and serving Krishna then Krishna will also guide you from within your heart how you can serve Him nicely.
So this is my suggestion. Set up a very regular morning program and evening program which you can maintain even after you go back to work and then follow this program regularly and punctually every day without fail and as far as possible engage the other members of your family also in the worship.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Is it correct to leave all your duty and work to become Krishna Conscious. Although we don’t need to work, but what about our family, who will feed them. We can’t force them to come in path of spirituality. If they fully depend on us for their food, cloths and other thing. What to do then. Hope You understand my question. I still a student of Engineering.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Dillp
Lord Caitnaya was not encouraging this Prabhu. Leaving one’s duty to become Krishna conscious. It is better to become Krishna conscious in whatever position in life we find ourselves. And nowadays there is nowhere to go to become Krishna conscious. Where would you go? The temples are all full of bogus gurus and bogus disciples and you will not become Krishna conscious there. Vrindavan is full of materialistic people. Of course it is Vrindavan still, but most people who go there these days do not become Krishna conscious. So where will you go?
It is better to follow Lord Caitanya’s instructions and become a pure devotee of Krishna wherever you are and (amara ajna guru hana tara ei desh) in that place you can become the guru and teach everyone there about Krishna. So you can create a whole community of Krishna conscious people around you from your family members and friends and together you can all engage in serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
So you have to decide what you want to do. If you want to get married and have a family then you have to be able to feed them and clothe them, etc, you need some money to do that, so you have to do something to make that money. You can not be married and support a family if you don’t have some way of making some money to support them. So if you want to be a grhastha like this then you have to have some business, some employment, etc.
But if the family is not interested in spirituality then really what is the point of working for the family?
You know there is no point. So Prabhu, really, we have to make spiritual advancement and get spiritual intelligence and inspiration from Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to actually understand what Krishna really wants us to do. It is not that there is one rule that fits everyone. It is an individual thing and I can not say what you should do in this regard. You have to understand what you should do from Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. But you can understand it very clearly that if you are not very fixed up in following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication), if you are not strictly chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, every day and if you are not getting out of bed before 4:00 AM in the morning every morning and offering Mangal-aroti and chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books then you are in maya and you will not be able to make the proper decisions about any of these things.
So the thing is Prabhu, we have to become Krishna conscious first, wherever we are. It does not matter where we are or what is our position in life, we have to become Krishna conscious, and the process to become Krishna conscious is being taught to us by Srila Prabhupada in his books. We have to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, wherever we are. And if you are following the four regulative principles, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day and getting out of bed before 4:00 AM and offering Mangal Aroti, etc, Krishna will give you spiritual intelligence and you will be able to understand what Krishna wants you to do. And really that is what we have to do, what Krishna wants us to do….
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasa
I’m just beginning the process of becoming a devotee/Krishna Conscious and have been following the four regulative principles, chanting the Hare Krishna at least 16 rounds, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day and eating prasadam.
You mentioned in one of the posts here about getting out of bed before 4:00 AM and offering Mangal Aroti, and doing a morning and afternoon program.
For some of us who are not familiar with what else needs to be done can you explain what other instructions we need to follow or is it in one of Srila Prabhupada’s books so that I can refer to it ? At the moment I’m reading the Bhagavad-gita As It Is along with listening to your podcast and other audio and video from A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
thanks
Andrew
These are the things you have to do and you will find out everything else by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. That is the point of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, so you can hear from Srila Prabhupada what you should do…
I needed breaths just after I was born. Did I create air? No. Krishna supplied that and till now He regulates my breaths and each heartbeat. Why should I worry? Did I had to work hard for heartbeat, air, water, parents etc? Krishna gave all which was required. So this is Krishna’s limitless compassion, not our works which determine our survival or anything else. We are here just to take taste of His Divine Love, the Ultimate Bliss.
I could not understand the lines below.
Not only one—we have got hundreds of buildings like that, without any labor. We are not working like these laborers. Just see. I went to your country with forty rupees, and now I have got forty crores of property. So I did not work like them. Yes. The people are bringing money. Krishna is sending money, daily one to five lakhs of rupees. So this is Krishna consciousness. Why one should work hard? Human life is not meant for that. Take Krishna’s shelter. Krishna will supply everything.
Can u clarifiy from “So I did not work …. supply everything..”
Srila Prabhupada is explaining that he came to the United States with only forty rupees and after a few years his ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, grew into a very big organization with many temples and devotees but Prabhupada did not have to work hard to build this. He spent his time talking about Krishna and chanting Hare Krishna and Krishna sent all the men, money and properties.
So the idea is that the human form of life is not meant for working hard like the dogs and hogs. Human form of life is meant for cultivating Krishna consciousness. And if we simply take Krishna’s shelter and cultivate Krishna consciousness then Krishna will supply everything.
So there is no need to work hard like the materialists do, we simply have to take shelter of Krishna and practice Krishna consciousness and Krishna will supply everything…
Hare Krishna,
Its a nice topic to have read. Really we are by and large imitating animalism and teaching our children to do so. As a result we are sad, without real happiness. We give much importance to earn for food, comfort, fear and creating perishable things and never think or thank Krishna for bestowing me the human body, only in which we can get rid of our “Anarabdha” and “arabdha”. Actually, I feel that the 10 “Indriyas” that is 5 Jnanendriyas (sense organs, as soon as come in contact with the objects of the phenomenal world, they do think and pearceive a thought. That though make us work and thus we build attitude. But we ignore Godhead. This continuously leads us away and away from him until we confront death and become sure that nothing can save my material body.
Very well written article. Bhagavad Gita is a way of Life. I seek blessings from you so that I can soon get back in the correct path of consciousness.
hare krishna i will like to share something with you guys sins we have link up on this website i have lorn a lot from what you have teach me .. so just keep sending g email to me i will read . can you just send me your address plz thank you hare krishna . i from guyana ..
A very nice article by Madhudvisa Prabhu. Yes! even I was told the same thing by everyone including my parents in India that Bhagawad Gita is an inspiration for working hard. It was only by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada books, lectures and Caitya guru that I understood what Lord Krishna actually is saying in Bhagawad Gita. Many Indians have totally misunderstood the message of Bhagawad Gita. The message of Bhagwad Gita is not to do our work nicely and later enjoy our senses like animals, but to surrender to Lord Krishna, become his pure devotees and return back to the original spiritual world, our real home, Kingdom of Godhead.
Yes! Arjuna did his fighting, but he fought for Lord Krishna’s benefit only. If we have to work hard, it should be only for Lord Krishna’s service and not for our sense-gratification. Generally the so called followers of Bhagawad Gita want to work hard and later engage themselves in petty sense-gratification. They employ the results of their work in mundane sense pleasures of material world and not for Supreme Lord’s service. This is a great misunderstanding. After understanding Bhagawad Gita, Arjuna fought with great enthusiasm for Lord krishna, but he never fought for his sense enjoyment. For his sense enjoyment, he didn’t wanted to fight or work hard. But when he understood that Lord Krishna desires this great battle, he fought and employed his fighting skills for Lord Krishna’s service. And thus his fighting became devotional service. He was fully surrendered to Lord Krishna. He was a pure devotee. Lord Krishna is asking all the living entities to understand that this material world is a temporary place, full of miseries like birth, death old age and disease, and by working hard like a donkey here our problems won’t be solved anytime.
BG 8.15: After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.
BG 8.16: From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.
There is another world, spiritual Kingdom free from the dimension of material time and space. Lord Krishna describes about it in Bhagawad Gita and all the important Vedic texts like Srimad Bhagawatam, Brahma Samhita, Mahabharata, Isopanisad etc speak about it.
That spiritual sky is full of trillions & trillions of spiritual Vaikuntha planets where Lord Krishna resides in His different Visnu tattva expansions with trillions and trillions of pure living entities is our original home. That spiritual sky is eternal, full of knowledge and joy. There is no suffering there whatsoever. That is our ultimate destination.
“That abode of Mine is not illumined by the Sun, Moon, or Fire, one who goes there never returns to this material world.” (Bhagavad Gita 15th chapter)
“Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.” (Bhagavad Gita 8th chapter)
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Bhagavad Gita 4th chapter)
So, we should actually understand the message of Bhwagad Gita is to surrender to God, Lord Sri Krishna and to learn to work in such a way that we can remember Him constantly or else our nice worldly duties will simply bind us more in the dangerous repeated cycle of birth and death.
G 9.27: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.
BG 9.34: Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.
Just like Arjuna used his fighting skills for Supreme Lord Krishna’s service, we also have got our respective skills given to us by Supreme Lord and we can employ them in Gods service. Only then our desire to work hard and do our duties nicely will help us to get out from this temporary, miserable material world and return to the eternal & blissfull Kingdom of Godhead.
Yes! we don’t have to stop working. Lord Krishna never asks that, but we don’t have to work like animals simply for nice eating, nice mating, nice sleeping an nice defending. We have to work for Lord Krishna, we have to remember Supreme Lord Krishna as the only proprietor and only enjoyer while doing our worldly works. He should always be in our mind while we do our worldly works nicely. How it will be possible? By making a fixed program of hearing, chanting, worshiping, remembering Lord, reading and understanding Srila Prabhupada books daily we will be able to remember Lord Krishna while engaged in our worldly works nicely.
BG 11.55: My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being — he certainly comes to Me.
BG 9.34: Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krsna Aryan KrishnaPrabhu,
Wonderfully put. I enjoyed your succinct summary
Points of the essentials with scriptural references.
May Lord Krsna keep you close to Him in His Eternal Service.
Reading your comment which I received in my email in box,
made me revise the essentials of ensuring I myself Go Back Home to Krsna.
Thank you.
Haribol!
We need money for living in this world. We need food, shelter and clothes. We need to pay taxes, go to places. But if we stick to doing just what is needed, the money we need will be very less compared to what we try to possess, save and use. If everybody tries to earn just what is needed and spend it in the most sensible manner, then we can avoid so many fights and quarrels within our mind and outside. Our toiling like hogs and dogs will cease to exist. This is kaliyug in which even the prakridhi is polluted. Prakrudhi also counts for our swabhav. If we chant Bhagwatnama, great many changes take place within us and around us. If everybody chants, same thing happens everywhere and the adverse effects of the yuga can be minimised. I hope and pray that it happens. Krishna consciousness does a lot in this respect.
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
Hare Krishna,
Thanks for the nice article.
Firstly I am putting the below question and other questions in the follow up articles to address my ignorance and help me to get on the path of real knowledge.
Please note I am not asking any question in challenging spirit but rather with due respect and to address my genuine questions arising within. Hare Krishna.
I entirely agree that the human form of life is not for working hard like animals. But having said that if a young person within the family is not working to support his family i.e. Father, Mother,bother, and wife isnt that against the dharma. To serve krishna is great but thinking of walking away from the responsibilities the heart becomes heavy.
I really wonder reading the last paragraph of the article that what will happen if everyone human being on this planet is working to serve krishna and does the activities which you are prescribing.
Kind Regards
Devang
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Hare Krishna Devang
Working to serve Krishna does not mean not working to support your family. The idea is to engage your family in the service of Krishna and then work to support the service of Krishna. Serving Krishna does not mean giving up your work or giving up your duty. Arjuna made that mistake in the gita. In the beginning he wanted to leave the battlefield and go to the forest. But that was not what Krishna wanted. Krishna wanted Arjuna to do his duty and fight. So our duty is to surrender to Krishna and serve Krishna, do whatever Krishna wants us to do. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also did not encourage his disciples to change their position and renounce everything and follow Him in His travels. No. His advice was generally “Stay in your place and become the guru for that place by speaking about Krishna.” So the idea is to stay in your family and preach and make the family Krishna conscious.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasa
Thanks for your reply.
How the family can be made krishna conscious.
Haribol!
Devang
Hare Krishna
Everything we say relates to the family members as well. They are living entities, spirit souls and the process is always the same. Chanting Hare Krishna, accepting Krishna Prasadam, worshiping the Lord in the temple or on an alter in your house, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication]. It is the same for everyone.
The first thing you have to do is to become a pure devotee of Krishna yourself before worrying too much about making others devotees, because if you are not a pure devotee yourself then you will not have the potency to make others devotees. There is an English saying “first save yourself”, and it is very practical because if you are not in a very solid spiritual position yourself you can not actually help anyone else. And if you are nicely situated in Krishna consciousness then Krishna will guide you from within so naturally you will know what is the best thing to do.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna to All!
In reply to GUDDU’s predicament.
As a fellow devotee, I was inspired to just share from my understanding:
KEEP CHANTING NO MATTER WHAT. THE EFFECTS OF CHANTING WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT HOW “good” or “bad” your chanting was or “how many disturbing thoughts are coming inbetween”, do not even give your unwanted thoughts any more attention, just do not analyse the process of chanting, just carry on chanting and make it a habit.
Just chant, and gradually the Chanting itself will take care of the unwanted thoughts.The Maha Mantra is powerful transcendental energy and it embodies the Sound form of God, Krsna.
Analogy: Doctor and patient
Surgeon – Krsna and his energy “the Maha Mantra”
patient – All of us, conditioned souls
A patient does not need to analyse and dissect the way a surgeon will perform the surgery. He has to place his faith in the Surgeon in order to get better, after all the patient cannot operate on himself!
After the operation is done, the patient will feel effects of operation, but he does not need to analyse and precisely know and consider himself each each and every movement and cut and stitch the Surgeon performed, the patient simply has to let the effects of the operation happen, in no time the patient is back on his feet, with a new lease of life! The surgeon has done his job.
In the same way, let the Maha Mantra do it’s transformative postive effects on you ( it can do but only good to you), and rest assured you do not have to analyse its effects, especially the painful unwanted disturbing thoughts, just know that the new lease of life is happening, one Maha Mantra at a time and it will all add up!
Chanting the Maha Mantra is a HUGE step in the most right direction in this age of Kali, as kindly ,lovingly ,diligently & painstakingly revealed in Shastra and by all the past Acharya’s ,AC BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabupada and all Vaisnava devotee’s for the benefit of the masses.
Haribol!
Kalyani
Hare Krishna
Thank u mataji so much
Jai Gurudev
Jai Srila Prabhupad
Jai Sri Radha Nayananath jiu !!!
Hare Krishna
Dandvat Pranams
Maharaj
i have an important problem
though i m materially rich….but still due to certain unavoidable circumstances i m forced to take nonveg food and live like a prisoner
my circumstance is dead against following devotional rules and regulations and too much powerful for me to change it or escape from it
It seems from outside that i m materially happy but infact i lead a hellish life even unfortunate than a beast and which is too strong for me to fight with
all i can only do is read books and hear Harikatha and chant mentally from internet.
according to ur suggestion…i started chanting mahamantra
and suddenly i noted these changes and symptoms
since i m completely a newcomer plz instruct me
1) its too difficult while chanting when millions of thoughts disturbing me and millions of tensions and material desires rushing into my mind and giving me pains
2) after completing a round suddenly a wave of possitive energy coming into me i wonder and i start feeling happiness and peace
3) this feeling lasting only for a brief period and again waves of sexual thoughts and desires for taking food coming and giving me pains
4) sometimes i can fight but at other times when the waves of material desires bcom too strong.for me to control..i get defeated and stop chanting mahamantra and try to fulfil my lusty desires
5) actually this happened for the past 2 days….when i stopped chanting mahamantra and tried to go back to my old habbits
but after that i m feeling so so much frustrated …and depressed..
Neither i can fulfil my lusty desires …nor can i chant mahamantra
i shall again start.
how can i strongly fight my mind…..when the waves of bad desires attack to strongly and stops me from chanting mahamantra ?????
plz forgive me for writing such a long letter..but i m getting defeated to fight the bad thoughts..plz can u advice me ?
Haribol
i m a woman..and cannot leave family…
but live like a prisoner and cannot escape the environment which is too strong for me to change or escape from it.
Haribol
Hare Krishna Guddu
I understand your feelings. But we all live in a prison. Your prison may be more obvious to you than perhaps others who appear to be more free to do what they want to. But in the material world actually no one is free. Everyone is bound by the laws of karma, by the three modes of material nature. This is like being tied up with three very strong ropes. It is very difficult to escape.
But actually you can become Krishna conscious in any position of life. There is no need to change your position, no need to leave the family, you can just become Krishna conscious wherever you are. No one can stop you from chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. I am sure the family will not stop you from putting up a little alter somewhere with a photo of Srila Prabhupada and pictures of the Panca-Tattva and Radha-Krishna and you can offer Aroti in the morning and off the food that you cook to Prabhupada and Krishna and distribute the prasadam also to the other family members. In this way they will also make spiritual advancement by taking prasadam.
So I think you should not feel like this, that you are somehow unable to become Krishna conscious in the situation you are in. It is not true. You can become determined to read Prabhupada’s books and to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles and no one will stop you… Just try it, it will be very good for you and you will see that there is no bar to Krishna consciousness for anyone. It can be performed in any situation.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Guddu
I just replied to your other letter and what I have said there is good advice I think.
You have experienced a little taste of Krishna consciousness from the chanting. In the beginning this fighting with our material desires is natural. It is a battle. We are so long accustomed to trying to be happy by trying to satisfy our senses that this has become a habit and it is difficult to break.
You can not expect that immediately everything will happen overnight. It may take a little time before we are completely Krishna conscious but the success is that we become determined and follow the process, keep chanting Hare Krishna, even though our minds may be completely disturbed by material desires. If we keep chanting Hare Krishna the material desires will go away and be replaced with love for Krishna and in that position we will become completely transcendental to our material situation.
So like this a devotee can be happy in any situation. Also Krishna knows what is in your heart and if you chant Hare Krishna and serve Krishna He will adjust things in your life and your situation may change. Krishna can do anything. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and everything is under His control. So the main thing is to chant Hare Krishna at least 16 rounds and force yourself to follow the regulative principles.
I think you know actually that there is no real pleasure in this sex life and material sense gratification. If there is pleasure it is very short and it leaves us in an unsatisfied condition. So we can never become satisfied in this way, the more we engage in these activities the more our material desires increase… So it is hopeless. We have to just give it up and suffer in the beginning a little and chant Hare Krishna and soon we will be on the spiritual platform and no longer be desiring anything material…
You just have to tolerate your situation for the moment. Try your best to follow but if you are forced then what can you do. Krishna understands your hearts desire so do not worry so much. Just try your best. If you can cook yourself something, vegetarian food, and offer to Krishna, that is very good….
You know best your situation and if you surrender to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna He will give you the intelligence to understand what is the best thing to do.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dandvat Pravuji
thnx so much for this divine reply
my situation and environment is too much hostile to devotion and i myself is complelled to make compromises..against my own will
But as u adviced i will try my best whatever is ever possible from my end
Haribol
Hare Krishna
Don’t waste time………..
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
dear,prabhu,
i want to progress in krishna , but it a big challenge to do, both profesional life and devotional life, so pls advice me, can i give up my professionla life to serve krishna,
ur servent
sanjay
Hare Krishna Sanjay
Generally Krishna and Lord Caitanya do not recommend that you give up your material life to practice Krishna consciousness. They are very practical. Rather than give up your work you should work for Krishna. The point is to become a devotee first. Become fixed up in chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, follow the four regulative principles (no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and read Srila Prabhupada’s books seriously.
It means you have to get up early in the morning and chant Hare Krishna before you go to work and find the time in the day when you can read Prabhupada’s books, etc.
If you follow like this then your consciousness will become purified and you will be able to understand from Srila Prabhupada’s instructions you will read in his books and Krishna’s instructions from within your heart exactly what you should do.
There is unfortunately a class of very lazy men who decide that living in a temple as a brahmacary is a very easy life where they get free food and free accommodation and many take advantage of this particularly in India and just basically eat and sleep in the temples at the cost of others. This is a very big mistake. It is better to be an honest street-sweeper than a dishonest sadhu…
It is not that we take to Krishna consciousness to get free from our material responsibilities. Arjuna suggested this to Krishna but Krishna was not impressed. Arjuna wanted to go to the forest instead of fighting in the battle but Krishna convinced him that this was not the right thing to do. Krishna told Arjuna to do his duty, to fight, but to fight for Krishna. So that should be our business–working for Krishna. Not to give up work and eat and sleep in the brahmacary ashram as false sadhus.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
dear prabhu
thanku very much for ur reply, i will try to do that,
but,, i dont want to be married, i m unmarried and want through whole life not to go for married life, because i think , it may create more trouble toward progress in krishna , maried life may create more attachment toward material life, boidly relationship, so pls suggest me, i m wright or wrong
ur servent
sanjay kumar
PS Also as you say, if one cannot find a “soulmate” in the material world, then why have role models that tell us about such piety , loyalty of love between a loving couple? Why extol these types of stories when infact it is not attainable in this material world according to what you just wrote ,you said “mates are in the Spiritual World”)?
So my new question is, I read we have families in Vaikuntha – Spiritual world, so do we , living entities , have eternal soulmate/life-partner? ( like Lakshmi-Narayan)
Which mates are in the Spiritual world waiting for me, what do you mean exactly thanks.
We have an eternal relationship with KRISHNA. Krishna is our soul-mate. Actually Krishna is present within all our hearts as Supersoul so He is really our soulmate. Our relationships with everyone else are in connection with service to Krishna. Krishna is always the center and our attention is always focused on Krishna. Not on some other person, a “soulmate”. We do not have such a thing.
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you for yet another wonderful email sent to me on this topic.
Q:If the point of Human life is to get out of cycle of Birth,Old age, Disease and Death, then why do children get taught to model themselves on any number of virtuous people from Vedic lore only to find that their efforts have not really qualified themselves for the same tests , of their role models, in life?
eg Sita, Ram
Shiva Parvati
Bheesma, Prahlad etc?
ie A woman trying to be virtuous like Mother Sita or a man trying to be virtuous like Lord Ram, only to find that they have not met their soulmate or cannot be with their soulmate,thus be prone to face unecessary and uncalled for disappointments.
It would be better if nothing else is taught BUT to do devotional service and chant Hare Krsna Maha Mantra, as only these are the tools necessary for everything worthwhile – including spontaneously manifesting virtues of a devotee, then there is no disappointment.
Bear in mind the role models of Vedic lore, always had spiritual enlightened consciousness and their whole lives were based on spiritual advancement – Higher Life and acting accordingly.
I hope my question makes sense? 🙂
Do please enlighten me with your wisdom on what I have said, thank you.
Hare Krishna Kalyani
Your question does not make sense. If one follows the role models given by the Supreme Lord and His pure devotees in the Vedas he will become a pure devotee and go back home back to Godhead.
The whole point of Lord Rama is to show the troublesome nature and the ultimate uselessness of family life. So if one understands that he can not find a “soulmate” in the material world but that his soul belongs in the spiritual world and his mates are there then his life becomes successful.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
thank u so much prabhu for ur really inspiring mails. they has been changing my life and guiding me
Hare Krishna
Thank you for all these newsletters.
I like content of these letters.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Thank you so much for your letters.
Its really a bless for me.
Hare Krishna.
This article is an eye-opener for me. Human birth is absolutely necessary for reaching our highest purpose. So hopefully with the light of spiritual knowledge present in this article I’d be able to move forward in life as a spiritual person. God bless us all. Jai Shree Krishna, Hari Om.
Dear Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you for your informative news letters , moreover thank you for continuing Swami Prabhupada’s teachings. I am new to his teachings , and wish and pray Lord Krsna sends a true devotee to our remote place one day.
I would love to bath in the wisdom of a guru , who upholds Swami Prabhupada’s teachings. He can stay at our place for an extended period , in eastern Ontario Canada , on a lake , with lots of trees and nature all around us. I know it is a place with potential for a spirit filled sanctuary.
With best wishes to you, I remain a true seeker …
Jurgen
Hare Krishna,
i like this letter because it says the truth: human is different from animal. We don’t have knowledge about ourselves. We live in the ignorance. I think this ignorance is normal in the kali Yuga because the humans can’t destroy the nature if they know God.
Respected Prabhu Ji
PAMHO AGTSPSG&G
I have read this and thankyou for doing wonderful services and in fact you are taking immense pain in helping mission of Srila Prabhupad
Hare Krsna
y/s
radha keshav das
hare krishna,
when i do prayers, my mind slips and it goes somewhere help me to concentrate on krishna.
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
Hare Krishna Lakshmi
Best to chant Hare Krishna loudly so you can hear it. Silently praying is not much good. Because as you say the mind tends to slip. But if you chant Hare Krishna and hear it that forces your mind to come back to Krishna. Even if it does slip if you are chanting so you can hear when you hear again “Hare Krishna” your mind again comes back to Krishna.
We should not be too disturbed that sometimes our minds are wandering while we are chanting. But we should be careful to drag our minds back again from wherever they may wander by always chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
It the beginning it may seem very difficult and the mind may be very unsteady but if we keep chanting Hare Krishna the mind will gradually come under control and will stop disturbing us. So the main thing is to keep chanting Hare Krishna…
hare krishna
I remember many years ago I learned from teachings of srila prabhupad that half of the day be for earning money and other half of the day would be for self realization and for years I have been doing in such a way and this division is good .for earning money any work we can do god will keep it and never we become work less and for self realization anything we can do and then god will keep it and we can progress in both.although Maya is everywhere ready to hurt.
Hare Krishna Afsaneh
Yes. It is not that a devotee has to give up earning money. He has his family, his business and his responsibilities. And as you say he can spend half the time earning money and half the time advancing in Krishna consciousness.
Even Srila Prabhuapda, in his family life, was a businessman. He was a chemist and he had his business and he earned money for his family. Still he was a pure devotee of Krishna. So it does not mean that because one is a family man and has to earn money that he can not also be a pure devotee of Krishna.
You are setting a very good example in this way Prabhu.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Your servant
Madhudvisa dasa
Gaur Hari
sir,your newsletters are really very nice. I am very grateful to you. i have read many books written by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad and I am very thankful to him for his causeless mercy and his writings.Desperately waiting for the next article.
May Krishna bless you all.
hare krishna
Hare krishna prabhu ji,,,,,
Thanks for such a great newsletters to me. and u r right prabhu ji we are human beings we r not like animals. we have a great opportunity in this human life to serve krishna so we have to serve him(Krishna).
My question is………….
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said that
Take Krishna’s shelter. Krishna will supply everything…… and our supreme lord also said take my shelter i ll take care of you…….. so if we surrender to him krishna will arrange everything to us like material needs also?
I have a strong belief that krishna always with me.. im asking u he supply us everything ah if we surrender totally with full of trust and love?
kindly reply me…..
hare krishna your servent
Nagender
Hare Krishna Nagender
Krishna is supplying us with everything we need even if we don’t surrender.
He is supplying all the animals, all the birds, all the ants with their food and everything they need.
So certainly He will supply the devotees who surrender to Him and serve Him with what they need to engage in His service.
But it is not that we just sit back and expect Krishna to supply us with everything automatically. We have to work. That is why is it called “devotional service.” A devotee always wants to be engaged in serving Krishna 24 hours a day. He does not want to let a moment pass without service to Krishna…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Hare krishna prabhuji,
Thanks for such a great newsletters to me. and u r right prabhu ji we are human beings we r not like animals. we have a great opportunity in this human life to serve krishna so we have to serve him.
hare krishna ji
your servent
Nagender
thanks for replying to my question but sir its not exactly the ans what i want to ask its ok i hav one more question sir pls tell me why GOD create this universe, at one point he says he is a creator or he is a destroyer he is everything u also says same thing and i am also accepting this truth because i love him frm heart but pls give me rays on this point whats his puirpose to create this universe why he create whats the reason he create this for his own entertainment?
if not then why why why all human beings strrugle because where is krisna when some thing wrong happen in this world like rape of childs,abbortions,bomb blasts ,murderes of aged persons for money etc etc pls tell me abt this
Hare Krishna Sunil
It is a very good question. Why did God create the world, is it for His own enjoyment?
Krishna did not create this world for His own enjoyment at all. Although He is omniscient, He knows everything that is going on, He is not concerned directly with this material world and certainly His enjoyment has nothing to do with this material world. Krishna’s place is Goloka Vrndavan, a very large planet in the spiritual world which translated into English could be called “The Planet of the Cows.” There, in Goloka Vrindavan, Krishna enjoys with his devotees, the cowherd boys, the gopis, his parents, the cows, the calves, the trees, the water, the insects, everything…
So Krishna’s place of enjoyment is the spiritual world.
And that is were we belong also. Krishna is supremely, unlimitedly independent. We are all parts and parcels of Krishna, so we have the same qualities as Krishna, but in a very small quantity. Just like a drop of ocean water has the same qualities as the whole ocean. But you can not say a drop of water is equal to the ocean in quantity. So Krishna is independent, and we also, as part and parcel of Krishna, have a small amount of independence. So we can choose if we want to serve Krishna or if we don’t want to serve Krishna.
But really, constitutionally, our purpose is to serve Krishna. But what if we rebel? What if we don’t want to serve Krishna? So to enable us to exercise this independence Krishna has most mercifully created this material world. And he has put it under the control of his illusory energy called maya.
This world is actually a place of suffering. It is not meant to be a comfortable place at all. It was never designed to be a comfortable place. Everyone is brainwashed here and thinking it should be nice and should be comfortable and if they are not comfortable they think they can adjust things with their science and technology and make it comfortable.
But it will never be a comfortable place. It will always be frustrating, it will always be full of anxiety. The whole situation of the living entities in this world is painful. Everyone is forced to take birth, to get old, to get sick and die and then repeat this over and over in the cycle of samsara. It is all painful, it is all suffering.
This world is supposed to be a learning experience. We are supposed to learn, through the suffering, that it is not possible to be happy here, separate from serving Krishna. On one had this world gives the rebelious living entities who want to play god a place for them to lord it over other living entities. But even for these “gods” of the material world, everything ends in frustration and ultimately death.
So the idea is that after many lifetimes of suffering in the material world a thoughtful person will realize that he can not be happy here and will surrender to Krishna and go back home, back to Godhead.
So this world is created by Krishna as a place of suffering, as a place of death. Although Krishna has not actually created the suffering. The suffering we have created ourselves. Everything is going on in this world according to the laws of Karma. For example one women is killing a child in her womb and as a result of that when she dies she will be placed in the womb of one women after another and she will be killed in the same way she killed her child over and over and over again, she will never see the light of day. So in the future so many women will kill her, and they are killing her not because she is an innocent child in the womb, but because she killed her own child in her womb… So karma goes on like this.
It is said that this material world is like a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. So we can get some idea of what the spiritual world is like from the material world, because you can get some idea of a thing by seeing the reflection of it in a mirror or on water. If you see a mango tree reflected on the water of a lake you can see it. But if you try to taste the mangos in the reflection on the water you can not taste them. There is only water there. So this material world is something like that. We have the idea of love but the actual love we can not find here in the material world. Because this is just a reflection. The real thing is in the spiritual world.
As the mango tree is reflected on the water and the reflection of the tree is distorted due to the movement of the water similarly this material world is reflected on and distorted by our desires. So in some respects you can say that the material world has been at least shaped by our desires. Basically Krishna has created is as a place for us to exercise our desires to enjoy separately from Him. Here we can play as the master rather than take our real position as a servant of Krishna.
But the material world is a place of misery. And everyone is struggling and suffering here and that is coming from our past karma…
Better to chant Hare Krishna and go back home, back to Godhead. There you can be happy, not here.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasaji,
Im a follower of Iskcon and used to chant Hare Krishna maha mantra regularly. Many a times i used to chant 16 rounds. But recently i got some mental illness, psychosis and had been to psychiatrist and currently in depression and dont know what to do. I feel very much dull and no interest in anything. I have a girlfriend and i enjoy sometimes with her, but my intentions are not bad. Im planning to marry her only and lead a Krishna Conscious life in future. I have told this thing very clearly in front of Krishna’s diety. I feel Krishna is not helping me though im His devotee and my aim is to lead a Krishna conscious life.. Im currently in lot of depression and im having headache most of the times. I feel though Krishna has told words like “My devotee never perishes” but still He is letting me suffer without showing mercy. Prabhu, i want peace of mind. please guide me, help me, tell me what i can do now. I will follow your instructions.
Hare Krishna Anikesh
Krishna consciousness is a scientific process and you can not expect it to work if you don’t follow the process.
Krishna consciousness means to become Krishna conscious 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is not a religion, not something we do on Sundays or when we are meditating for an hour in the morning before going to work. It is a way of life. It is a completely different thing to the sort of life that the materialists lead.
You say “please guide me” but you are not following the basic things that Srila Prabhupada instructs. Like chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and following the four regulative principles. So you need to do these things. If you want to enjoy with your girlfriend you should marry her.
It is a process. These basic things, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and following the regulative principles are the beginning. But initially we find these things not very attractive. We don’t have any attraction for chanting Hare Krishna and we don’t want to give up the sinful activities. But if we want to advance in spiritual life we have to do these things, even it is an austerity and we have no taste for it.
But if we do these things and read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow the instructions he gives us there then gradually we will develop a taste for chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra and we will realize it is actually an ocean of transcendental bliss and at the same time will will loose our attraction for the material sinful activities.
As far as depression you should know that it is natural to be depressed in the material world. There is nothing strange about that. So do not take any of this “medicine” that is supposed to cure depression. The cure for depression is chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
how i deattached frm loved ones i mean as we love withour girlfrnd or wife i knw and i read ur articles this is materialiastic but sex is a body process how we stop it if sex comes in mind by boody hormones then feelings comes for girfrnd then attachment then exceptations how we deattached plz give wisdom on this
Hare Krishan Sunil
We can only give up the lower bodily so-called pleasures like sex by experiencing a higher spiritual pleasure.
We need to reestablish our relationship with Krishna. We need to understand that Krishna is a real person and we have a real relationship with Him. And that relationship is through service. So we have to engage in serving Krishna under the direction of Krishna’s pure devotee.
And Srila Prabhupada has given us all the instructions in this regard. The process is clear. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] We just have to develop a little faith in Srila Prabhupada and Krishna is saying in the Bhagavad-gita is true and then undergo this little austerity of chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and following the four regulative principles.
Also, to control the sex desire, it is essential to control the tongue. The tongue has two businesses. One is vibrating and the other is tasting. So if we want to control the sex desire we have to use the tongue only to vibrate the glories of Krishna, speak of the pastimes of Krshna and chant the Hare Krishna mantra. The other business the tongue has is to taste. So if we want to control our senses we have to only eat Krishna prasadam. Foods that have been prepared by devotees with love and offered to Krishna. It is no good to be just vegetarian. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna states it quite clearly that all foods that are not prepared and offered up in sacrifice for Visnu are only sin. So unless it is cooked for Krishna and offered to Krishna we should not eat it.
the
You know it is not so easy to break free from the clutches of the material energy, maya. If we really want to advance in spiritual life we have to be prepared to make some adjustments in our life. But the results will be wonderful. It is a great opportunity, this human form of life, to get free from the clutches of birth and death and to go back home, back to Godhead. We should take full advantage of this human form of life and the great opportunity we have had in coming in contact with Krishna’s pure devotee Srila Prabhupada and surrender to Srila Prabhupada and go back home Back to Godhead. Prabhupada has made it easy, but still we have to adjust the way we live and follow his instructions… Otherwise we will be stuck in this material world practically eternally…
We have come in contact with Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krishna. This is a great oportunity for us to go back home, back to Godhead. That and taking the other suffering living entites in this material world with us back home, back to Godhead, is the only important thing in our lives. We have to get our priorities right.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Hare Krishna
“The purpose of life is to serve Krishna” – This is Krishna’s message.
You have made me understand this truth. My obeisances to you and His divine grace A C Bhakthivedanta Swami Prabhupadha.
Iam residing in chennai(Tamil nadu- India). Where can i buy His divine grace A C Bhakthivedanta Swami Prabhupadha BOOKS? Where are his books available in chennai?
Hare Krishna
Please inquire at iskconbangalore.org
Jay Shree Krishna Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you for your latest reply regarding making the duty to serve Krishna the only duty. If you can please help me with my dilema at the moment I would be very grateful. I am 33 year old married to my wife who is the same age. Unforunately, she is suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis and her knees and other joints are deformed and in pain all the time. She is disabled. This happened at very young age. Now she requires my assistance emotionally and physically. What does Krishna say about my duty should be?
Human Life is not for working hard like animals
animals never work hard, man forced on animal to work hard but human being work hard to become animals.
my dear all,
hard work ? what is the measure of hard work, some speak about animal that meanse we differentiate. i would like shear one querry person A has 1 kg pure gold from that gold B made a ring & C made neckless if i asked B what he had he told it is a ring & similarly B told neckless, now i said B that is neckless but he refuse me he said it is ring actually both person forget that artical are made from gold & appearance is different but to get that appearance both articals passes from different phase. I have a question what is the unit of hard work ? how will we measure !
dont stress on mind it is so simple feeling of hard work, is presence of comfort.
hare krishna..
thnk u , itz a vry nice mail
can i use it for preaching new devotee
hari : ohm
respected gurugi,
i cannot agree with you. because, as krishna ,the God head sid in bhagavad geetha,either you work hard to do your duties,or donot do anything simply think of me.and do services for me like that.but i think we have some duties in this material world.the godhead send us to do these duties.so we have to do our duties
Hare Krishna Dilep
Yes we have some duties to do. But our actual duty is to in the human form of life question, “Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?” And to find the answers to these questions. And one who has some idea of the answers to these questions will realize that his real duty is to serve Krishna. And when he has this practical realization he has no other duties to perform, his only duty is to serve Krishna.
Because all the things in this world that are related to our body are temporary and in the big picture do not matter at all. Because our body is temporary, it will be gone in a few years. We are not the body, but the spirit soul within the body. It is the spirit soul and its eternal relationship with Krishna that is important and the actual purpose of this human form of life is to reestablish the soul’s eternal relationship with Krishna. In the human form of life we have actually no other duty to perform than this. And we have no work to perform except in connection with serving Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy.
Madhudvisa dasa
Congratulations again for a nice article which brings another brewing topic of endless useless unwanted competition in work place and in life in general.In this fast paced life, we forhet to take a deep breath for ourself leave alone think about krisna cosnciousness! that is what we ve become. But it is not impossible to cultivate working in krshna cosnciuoness as krisn aspekas about in the gita. As a doctor, i see every patient that comes to me as my guru in that form. That makes me more responsible for that patient and feel sorry if i ve not pleased him Still a large no of times, i forget that position and end up getting irritated when working for long hours, end up scolding some patients when they dont cooperate and so forth!iam trying to bring the consciousness to the level where it is involuntary and effortless as mere breathing….till then i will ve accept the small failures where i forget him at work and take resposnibility to myself to whatever iam doing good or bad…. still i would like clarifiation on this point, while we work with that sense, if we end up harming somebody unintentionally, should we hold ourselves responsible or should we take it as his wish to cause harm to that person thru us? do we ve to suffer for those actions?
Aparna
Hare Krishna! How important your emails have become to me, how I look forward to each one, and what I may learn.
Thank you.
I really enjoyed reading this article it was very sobering and inspiring at the same time.
I have a couple of questions.
“By austere activities, one’s heart can be cleansed of material contamination, and as a result one can be situated on the spiritual platform. To attain this perfection, one has to take shelter of a devotee and serve him. Then the door of liberation will be open.”
Is reading, talking about Krishna, and chanting considered service or does one have to be able to offer practical service to the Guru and devotees in order to be “really” serving.
And where it states, “Here in this material world you cannot get food without any labor. Just see. These laborers here, they have come. Whole day they are working. But if I say that “Why you are working so hard? Come here, live here with us, take a little prasadam, and make progress in Krishna consciousness,” nobody will come. Nobody will come. “No, no. I am very happy here working hard all day.”
I think I always would have been happier living in the temple and being engaged full time. For me I never was able to. Does having to work for a living mean I can not make much advancement?
I guess this forum is dead, my comment has been awaiting moderation for three weeks.
Sorry Prabhu, the forum is very busy actually but I have been involved in so many things and have not been able to moderate all the comments. I will try to keep up to date with this from now on.
Dear Prabhu ji
Hare Krishna!!!
I have been reading the all the divine messages but I only have one question and it arises whenever I read any text.
Why there is a need to criticize or discuss the nature of non-devotees, animals and comparing the people to various objects?
Can’t every text be talking fully about krishna, cant the text be full of pleasures of krishna?
Today in the morning I was reading Bhagvad Gita, there I read “krishna is living in everyone’s heart as isvara”.
Hari Bol!!!
Dheeraj
hare krishna,
prabhu ji! krishna says surrender to me i will look after you, on othere hand says you dont have any chetna of past life and future births , than why should we follow kirsna conciousness as we dont have any proof that were we land after death. i agree in kailluga jap is topmost for mukti or libreation, after following all the ruels and regulation there is no proof of liberation except faith on god
this is my favourite verse in bg.i thank lord krishna & lord arjuna,also lord vyasa,king dritashtran,sanjaya and above all my punditha guru srila prabhupada forever.:) <3
i have no words to say,
i would like to say thanks
know dont stop
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji, all respectful obeisances unto ur lotus feet. It is clear from the article that human life is very valuable and we should not waste it by running after material gains. Instead this life is given to us for making spiritual advancement and serve the Supreme personality of Godhead. It is very rightly said that the sense-gratification after which we r so much mad is available even to most abominable spp. of animals. Then what is the fun of us accepting the body of a human being and still looking for our sense-gratification . We should seriously think about this. Hare Krishna
hare krishna!! i think people have forgotten completely about their spiritual enlightenment and have engaged their senses in material plaesures…this needs to change and spiritual love and happiness be stressed upon…may lord give good direction to all….hare krishna hare rama!!
DEAR PRABHUJI ITS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING AND ACTS AS A GUIDE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
SANGEETA
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.
hare krishna!
this is an eye opener for the people who think by working harder for material gains they can make society more prosperous,happy and advanced.
guruji,
I trying to get consciousness of krishna, but in between that i am having bad dreams like attraction in sex ! why?
Hare Krishna Rakesh
It is natural that we will be distracted by material desires when we are trying to become Krishna conscious. We are attached to this material sense gratification for many, many lifetimes. It has become our habit. So to break this habit takes some effort.
We can not expect that immediately all our material desires will vanish as soon as we start chanting Hare Krishna. It will take some time. We have to transfer our consciousness from material consciousness to Krishna consciousness. And the process to do this is the science of Saddhana Bhakti. And Srila Prabhupada has very elaborately explained this science in his books. So please very seriously study all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. If you understand the science of Krishna consciousness and are completely convinced of the power and potency of the process then that will give you the strength to continue chanting Hare Krishna and serving Krishna even though you are being disturbed by material desires.
The desires will be there but we should not act on the desires. It is like if you have some itch on your skin it is better just to tolerate it and if you leave it alone it will go away in a short time. But if you start scratching it it will get infected and there will be so many complications. So this desire for sex is like that. It may come into our minds but if we simply reject it and do not act on it and put it out of our minds it will go away quickly. But if we meditate on it, instead of meditating on Krishna, and if we try to satisfy that desire, instead of trying to satisfy Krishna, then we will be again lost to maya.
The idea is that in the beginning we have to accept the austerity, tapasya of following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, and if we do this then gradually the material desires will disapper and will be replaced by desires to serve Krishna in different ways. It is not that we can stop desires. The desires have to be transformed. From serving maya to serving Krishna.
To get the desired results you have to actually follow the process set out in Srila Prabhuapda’s books. And there are many aspects to this and all the points have to be followed. Very important points include only eating Krishna prasadam. It is not enough to just be a vegetarian. Even vegetarian food, if it is not cooked by devotees and offered to Krishna, will be full of sinful reactions and eating this will cause so many material desires to come up within our minds. So if we want to control the sex desire we have to control the tongue. And the tongue has two functions. One is to taste. So we have to restrict the tongue to tasting only Krishna prasadam, the other activity of the tongue is to vibrate. So we have to restrict the tongue to only vibrate the glories of Krishna, the pastimes of Krishna. We should not allow the tongue to vibrate any mundane subject matter.
So you see in one sense it is very easy. Simply eat only Krishna prasadam and only speak about Krishna. But who will accept these simple things? Therefore to find a devotee is a very rare thing…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hello soul,
i was waitng for some one to ask this…
I wil tell u how to control it n get rid of that thought os sex…
Its the most easiest thing to get rid off..
First all u need to do is write hare krishna on each of ur thoughts..
I will tell u how
imagine u r gettng a trophy(this is a thought)
now imagine on that thought u r puttng a stamp of Hare krishna..
Now this thought till end will only do good things..
Now make a list of all things u do in ur day to day life..
Imagine them n stamp hare krishna on dem..
Now by doing this u wil remember hare krishna in each time ur think upon a thought..
Now when evr a thought of sex arises in ur mind..
Stamp hare krishna on it..
Later it wil bcam dark n go away..
Only for one day
u try it out
whenevr u see girls
stamp hare krishna on dem in ur imagination..
N dey wil bcam ur sisters..
By doing dis regularly for one week
u will automatically chant hare krishna fr atleast 10 lakh times..
All u hv to do is stamp hare krishna on each of ur thoughts..
Problms u wil face..
U may forget abt stamping in a hour or two frm now
soo better write hare krishna on both of ur hands
n dis wil mek u remembr to stamp hare krishna on ech of ur thought..
Summary
1.write hare krishna on both of ur hands
2.stamp ech thought wit hare krishna in ur imagination for one week
3.hare krishna
4.hare krishna
5.krishna krishna
6.hare hare
got me
harry7589@gmail.com
Mayuresh
Hare Krishna Madhudvasa dasa
Intelligent topic
Thanks for sharing this wonderful article
Whatever is written in this article is right …………but we have to work and we cannot surrender like what arjuna did ……..we have to do our job and remember krishna
Hare krishna Hare Ram.
Prabhuji, I have many questions regarding dedicating life to Krishna whilst living in the materialistic world. On behalf of all of us living in the materialistic world and believe in the dedication to Krishna, I just want to say that it is very difficult to fix your mind on Krishna when there are modern life duties to be performed such as, meetings, telephone calls, dealing with customers, dealing with bills, satisfying wife’s expectations, etc. I totally agree with the fact that the way we are living nowadays is totally diabolical and useless. Although, we all know that we are going to die one day and will leave everything here, we are still after one thing (money). The main reason behind it is that we cannot give up the luxuries and competitiveness. My car is posher than next door neighbour’s or brother’s. My house is bigger than my brother’s. I have just come from the Carribbean Cruise and it was absolutely fantastic. This would certainly make other people jealous. These are the topics of conversation of the modern society.
I suppose, us humans have forgotten how to live and the real purpose of life. The other day I started the conversation with my sister and my brother (both happily married with kids) regarding Bhagwad Gita and they thought you shouldn’t get into the God too much at this age and should enjoy the life’s luxuries like nice house, etc. instead. They also said that what would happen to my wife (she can be very materialistic sometimes) if I got into God too much. They also said I should wait till I am really old. Is that true?
It is very difficult to dedicate the life to Krishna when the people around us are blinded with materialistic things. We, humans love to copy each other. If one person buys a big house, the other person starts feeling inferior and does his best to buy a bigger house than that. However, if the people around us started dedicating their life to Krishna, we would be influenced too. How is this possible?
hello soul,
how can u dedicate urself to the one who already owns you ?
krishna is sumthng which u will never undrstnd unless u personally experience it..
U should control the way ur thoughts are..
Krishna is evrywhere n evrpresent in all things livng n non living,visible n invisible,mortal n immortal..
In ur work in ur wife in ur dreams in thoughts..
He is evrywhere..
U dnt have to sit quite at a place and think abt krishna to be dedicated..
All is ur way of thinkng..
Believe it in each atom n thought..
N wil find krishna in each atom n thought..
I hear Hare Krishna in each sounds made on earth
in laugh n in cry
i hear krishna..
In songs n speechs
i hear krishna..
I see krishna everywhere..
On my hands
on this webpages..
In bad deeds also i see him
n also in good deeds..
I see krishna in water n in air..
I feel krishna evrywhere
in my heart n in my thoughts..
In ur feelngs n in all feelngs..
In my dreams n pleasurefull satisfaction i feel krishna..
I dnt need to close my eyes or meditate..
Nor i need to chant hare krishna..
Cuz in ech n evrythng i hear i see n i feel krishna wit me around me n in me..
This is written for all the readers of world..
If u need guidance i m alwez der for it
Mayuresh
harry7589@gmail.com
thank you
prabhuji I subscribed to Krsihna Connect Newsletters But please send short emails ,,recently I got very very large emails not easy to complete them
make them short or send them in two or three days
hare krishna
all glories to Srila prabhupada
i think without a guru its hard to stay steady in faith..im stil struggling for material detachment.its difficult to stop worrying more about work than getting close 2 God. i think we need a living example.the problem is..where 2 find THE guru?!
all we have is this moment..dedicate it to the Lord. Jay shri Krishna.
Prabhuapda is the guru, open your eyes!
..dear prabhu..Sri Prabhupada has left us a long time ago..and even if he was still with us i doubt he’d have accepted me as a disciple. And he was such a great personality that i find other gurus so pale beside him..thats the main reason y im stil not an Iskon member n y im stil without a guru. yet..human mind is so fickle..would not listen 2 the heart..and i think a guru essential 4 further progress.
Jay Shri Krishna!
Yes. Guru is essential for progress.
But for progress Guru has to be a pure devotee and guru has to be liberated.
If one accepts a guru who is a conditioned soul he is doomed to failure.
Association with guru means hearing from him. Please get the Prabhuapda MP3 set and hear from Prabhupada…
Srila Prabhupada is not dead and gone. He is available in his books, his lecture tapes and his videos. He even commented in one letter that he was present in his picture. To associate with him in this way is as good as his “personal” association. It is up to the individual to make the committment to do so and thus benefit. In this way if you understand this you will never fell that you are, “without a guru”. Srila Prabhupada said that he was never separtaed from his guru maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. Shouldn’t we strive for the same feeling of Srila Prabhupadas presence by culture of the spiritual practices Srila Prabhupada requested? So, yes guru is essential for spiritual progress but it is up to us to take advantage of his association.
Happy day & NOW – Hare Krsna! Hare Krsna! Krsna! Krsna! Hare! Hare!
Hare Rama! Hare Rama! Rama! Rama! Hare! Hare!
Thank you, most graciously, for your words and lesson – our work should be viewed as our service and love – and in IT the Krsna Conciousness, our work is not work at all but loving service and thankfulness for the gift of life and liberation in Lord Krsna!
With smiles to share 😉 😉 😉
Hare Krishna,
he is the most laudable and he is the care taker of all the souls what ever we do all by his grace and he knows every movement in our life from the day one till the day we leave this material world, we have to work hard to fulfill our desire on god, he wants us to be more and more vigilant in this material world, no matter what ever the felons try to deceive you supreme power is there always to protect us
Regards
Karthik
i totally agree with prabhpada.it is essential to be in krishna consciousness.even though we have so much money misery always exit in this material world .i am impressed by”Those who are materially attached to women and sense gratification gradually become entangled in material consciousness and suffer the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death”.
we all are surely materially entangled and to disconnect krishna consciousness is necessary
god is the real friend
real wellwisher
the real goal to all
hare krsna swamiji,
i m anxiously waiting to have ur company.i h’ve an doubt. u told that our work is for krsna only.but if we dont work for a living then what about the bread? i know everything belongs to god.but saying that god will give everything makes one into retirement of work.actually working hard to increase a business will not be materialistic if we relate the work with krsna. we do whatever we want.but our work should have yhe fragrance of krsna.
if u meet krsna tell him when he will come and taste me his love.
if there ‘s any New Vrindavan like community in Delhi….
out of which they must spend the major portion acquiring money for sense gratification.
article is really thought provoking but u should n’t have added this “must”
word in this article its ruining the importance of entire article.& coveying a wrong message
and this is really an effective tool to spread the message of krishna cosciousness.
other human beings who are spoiling their time,energy & usful natural resources in watching materialistic movies in threaters & who are just clung to Tv so much as i was during my childhood .this message if coveyed properly with some perfect scense and voice over performance just perfectly .
then this will definetely will prove as boon for KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS & also for entire of human civilization which is dying after sense gratification.
and it will surely cure human civilzation form most deadly ailments spreded by (1)OSHO
(2)SO CALLED GOTHIC CULTURE WHICH IS EVEN IN MANY TERMS MORE DANGEROUS THAN OSHO & TERRORISM,BECAUSE IT SUPPORTS AETHISM& ALL EVIL DEEDS,EVIL TENDENCIES IN HUMAN BEINGS
And Im some how very suspicious that human civilization may ends up resulting to these evil tendencies So its your duty now to keep all evil minds engaged in Krishna consciousness it would be most difficult for you But the person who is so Intelligent (GYANI) like you would definetely will ressussicate Human Civilization from these man made banes or frailities.
GOD IS WATCHING ON YOU SO,
NOW BEING PART OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUS MOVEMENT ITS your prime duty If you too think so to curb human society from these Ailments .
This message is also for all those who are reading this message because its prime Aim and duty for everyone to read Bhagwad Gita while carrying on their current duties which they are liable to do + to cultivate such circumstances so as a better human society can be cultivated and we can be proud of such a society .
Now if you look upto Prevailing Human society You would n’t be definetly not proud of it .
But I m really Proud of our Ansesters who had made possible by their pure selfless efforts to be a part of better society for us but
DO PEEP INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AND FIND OUT IF WE ARE REALLY CREATING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR SUCH A SOCIETY FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATION ?
AND I KNOW YOUR SOUL WILL FINE ONLY ONE ANSWER “NO”.
We had forgotten that a tree whch gives Most sweeet & Nutricious Fruits requires Patient & consistent efforts
If you too agree with me do read ‘Bhagwad Gita as it is not any other book on ‘BHAGWAD GITA”
Because it has been written by Purest of Lord devotee who know God very well and also his wishes
WITH AN IMPORTANT CAUTION that TO GRASP IT FULLY YOU NEED TO BE A DEVOTEE
BE IN LOVE WITH KRISHNA ,WITH LORD OF ALL LORDS………READ IT GET TO KNOW HIM MORE CLOSELY AND WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION YOU WILL FIND YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE HALF OF THE WORK TO CREATE A BETTER HUMAN SOCIETY,FOR HUMANITY TO FLOURISH .
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE……
SHREE KRISHNA ARPANAM NAMSATU
Sorry,
for all the grammartical errors except CAPITALISATION WHICH I HAD DELIBERATELY USED FOR READERS TO REMEMBER MAIN MESSSAGE INHERIT IN ENTIRE COMMENT.
SHREE KRISHNA ARPANAM NAMASTU………
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE .
sorry Guruji,
These two comments were Written out of Ignorance,Desperation,to prove my intelligence .actually i had less time as i need to handle other works as well due to whichi was able to read only half of the article & thought that i had understood whole of it.
which was definetely a sheer stupidity indeed..
Sorry for these two Ignorant comments because these will not have that magic as these two are just like materialistic crap ..
SORRY LORD ….SORRY KRISHNA
SO ACCEPT MY GREVIANCES LORD KRISHNA
SHREE KRISHNA ARPANAM NAMASTU……..
SO PLEASE EXCUSE ME YOU TOO GURUJI….
Wonderful. I wish that I could embrace God rather than work hard. Oddly I have enough money to work less but I still work hard. I can not quite find the balance. I am going to try to come to your temple sometime. I would especially like to chant. I think kirtan is different than your arati – right?
thanks
Mark
nohunger@yahoo.com
HARE KRISHNA PRABHUJI,
I LIKE YOUR ARTICLE VERY MUCH. I WANT TO ASK YOU RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE.IAM WORKING FOR CALL CENTER.IUSE TO CHANT SIXTEEN ROUNDS I HAVE DEITY OF RADHAKRISHNA AT HOME. I STILL FOLLOW THOSE RULES OF WORSHIPING DEITIES T HAVE FINISHED READING GITA AS IT IS ,SRIMAD BHAGVATAM, N SIAM ABOUUT TO COMPLETE MY READING OF CAITANYA CARITAMRIT.MY PROBLEM IS THAT,BCOZ SOME TIMES THERE IS OVERTIME AT WORK PLACE AND I CUDNT DO MY SIXTEEN ROUNDS THERE IS GAP N SOME EVEN I AM NOT ABE TO WORSHIP THE DEITIES BCOZ OF WORK PRESSURE. SUDDENLY I FELT SICK. I HAD LEAVE FOR 1 MONTH FROM MY JOB. IN THAT PERIOD MAY BE ITS KRISHNAS ARRANGEMENT. I WAS ABLE TO WORSHIP DEITEIS EARLY MORNING BY CLEANIN THA ALTAR N DRESSING DEITEIS.DECORATINF WITH FRAGRANT FLOWERS. OFFERING ARATI AS WE DO IN ALL ISKCON CENTER.OFFERING BHOGA AS BREKFAST.LUCH AND DINNER TO DEITIES.IN AFTERNOON I USE DO MY CHANTING 16 ROUNDS N READ PRABHPAD BOOK. I GOT SUCH WONDERFUL TASTE BY DOING THIS I FEEL I SHUD LEAVE THIS JOB N SIMPLY ENGAGE WHOLE DAY IN KRISHNA SERVICE VCOZ OF THIS JOB I WONT BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON KRISHNA.IF I LEAVE JOB WILL KRISHNAPROVIDE ALL NECCESITIES. MONEY WHICH I SPENT IF MY BANK BAL GETS OVER THEN AGAIN I HAVE TO WORK.IWANY GET RID OF THIS JOB SIMPLY WORSHIP DEITY N CHANT 16 ROUNDS SO DURING DEATH I WILL THINK OF KRISHNA ,I WORKED FOR 10 YEARS NOW I AM VERY HABITUATED TO THIS PROCEES OF DEVOTION PLEASE REPLY.
hare krishna
It has been 2 months since i started going to the rhadakrishna temple in durban south africa. Im guilty of doing all the wrong such as meat eating,intoxication etc..i did find however that i do nt want red meat anymore. I believe that my daily chanting to krishna has ensured that.
However im finding it extremely difficult to detach from the materiak world,also i attend the weekly sunday programme but feel very out of place since im not an iniated devotee. How do i seek a spiritual master?
I am entangled in work for social causes, and for survival also. But I can clearly see the point of the writings. Having still a child to raise all by myself, I do not see it easy to put it into practice at the moment. But, these writings are touching me deeply. I recognize their truth, and they are helping me work towards that goal fo simplifying.
Thank you, Madhudvisa for you kind feeding of our spirits.
Your krsna connect mails are very interesting… I would like to read about the life in Goloka Vrindavan, where the enlightened liberated souls live away happily serving the Supreme Personality. What sort of Universe is that? Are there flora and fauna there? I would like to have a descriptive read of the whole Goloka Vrindavan so that I can visualise it when I chant the MahaMantra !!
Hare Krishna
Thank you for your very knowledgfull articles, it really make differce in my life. Awaiting your next e-mail.
When I chang Hare krishna my mind is not concentrated on Krishna, it goes around thinking on food, work, family, sex, etc. I
Can you chanting be accepted by Krishna if you have these thinking while chanting?
How can one can concentrate on Krishna only? Thank you
Hare Krishna Milan.
AGTSP, PAMHO.
This is the first stage of chanting the offensive platform, but it does not means one dont have to chant. When we fall down, we need the floor the stand up. many people says: “As i am doing offences, then I don´t chant” It is not so.
This is what the Lord Chaitanya calls the cleaning of the hearts mirror, (Cheto darpana marjanam.) An analogy given in this regard is that when one puts clean water in a vase, all the mud from the bottom starts to goes out on top, similarly when one chant holy names all the contamination found in our heart begin to emerge through our mind. Then afterwards when our minds purifies one gradually becomes more philosophical and tries to advance in the spiritual knowledge, this inspired by the Supreme personality of God in our hearts (Chaita guru.) It is said that when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was chanting his rounds he usually travelled to the spiritual world. Also happens that when one eats food not offered to Krishna, (Bhoga or food that comes from a impure source) our mind is contaminated.
Srila Prabhupada says:
“The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is a transcendental sound vibration, because it comes from the spiritual platform, which is the abode of Krishna. Because there is no difference between Krishna and His name, the holy name of Krishna is so pure, perfect and liberated than Krishna Himself. The chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra with faith leads one to understand the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord and will liberate us of designations that arise from the gross and subtle bodies the concept of “Me and mine….”
“The chanting of Hare Krishna is the essence of all knowledge of Vedic literature, when you chant Hare Krishna without offences can be free from the material contamination and be placed in the liberate platform. Is understood that someone who chants Hare Krishna has studied all the Vedic literature, it is said that all the mantras, rituals and Vedic understanding are contained in these sixteen words of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. It meants to counteract the influences of this age of Kali (the age of iron) which represents the quarrel and hypocrisy. To escape of the contaminations of Kali, there is no other alternative for the self realization than to chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra….”
“There is no difference between the name and the form of Krishna; throughout the name of Krishna one could be able to see the form of Krishna and to develop love for Krishna. Just as a doctor does not give candy to a patient who is suffering, but when he gets better he allows to appetizing dishes, so we should wait to cure of the material disease (the bodily concept of life) and when we are recovered of disease then the complacent things comes automatically. We must know that there is nothing more complacent than Krishna consciousness. When we be able to realize the transcendental pleasure of chanting the Maha Mantra (great song) this is the sign that we are recovering….”
“A kanistha Vaisnava chants the name of Krishna occasionally, a madhyama Vaisnava chants the name of Krishna constantly, and an uttama Vaisnava causes others to chant sri-nama by his very presence. According to Mahaprabhu’s instructions, we do not need any other criteria to discern who is a Vaisnava….”
“When you abandon all material doubts and mundane logic, and constantly apply yourself to sri-nama, spiritual realization will quickly arise within you of its own accord. The more you resort to mundane logic, the more you will subjugate your mind to material bondage. The more you strive to initiate the flow of nama-rasa, the more your material shackles will become loosened. The spiritual dimension will then manifest in your heart.”
“There is no difference between nama, the holy name, and nami, Bhagavan, who possesses the holy name. If you chant Nama without offence, you will very quickly attain all perfection. All nine forms of bhajana are automatically carried out when performing nama-bhajana. When one utters sri-nama, he is engaged in both hearing and chanting. As one chant, one also remembers the pastimes of Hari, and within the mind one serves His lotus feet, worships Him, offers prayers to Him, serves Him in the mood of a servant or friend, and offers one’s very self to Him.”
The spiritual dimension begins in this material platform but by the upper side of the mundane logic, what is called pragmatism or “the practical sense of a message” It goes beyond the logic. Because the logic only reaches the message but understanding the practical sense of message is in the spiritual dimension. In this regard Srila Prabhupada says:
“There is a very nice story. One rat, he was troubled with cat. So he came to a saintly person: “My dear sir, I am very much troubled.” “What is the difficulty?” The rat said, “The cat always chases. So I’m not in peace of mind.” “Then what do you want?” “Please make me a cat.” “All right, you become a cat.” After few days, the same cat again came to the saintly person, says, “My dear sir, I am again in trouble.” “What is that?” “The dogs are chasing me.” “Then what do you want?” “Make me a dog.” “All right, you become a dog.” Then after few days, again he comes. He says, “I am again in trouble, sir.” “What is that?” “The foxes are chasing me.” “Then what do you want?” “To become a fox.” “All right, you become a fox.” Then again he comes. He says, “Oh, tigers are chasing me.” “Then what do you want?” “I want to become a tiger.” “All right, you become a tiger.” And when he became a tiger, he began to stare his eyes on the saintly person: “I shall eat you.” “Oh, you shall eat me? I have made you tiger, and you want to eat me?” “Yes, I am tiger. I shall eat you.” Oh, then he cursed him, “Again you become a rat. Again you become a rat.” So he became a rat.”
This story refers to a devotee who becomes very expert and afterwards confronts his spiritual master. It was what happened to ISKCON leaders they become strongest than Srila Prabhupada and said: “Now wee will eat your flashes.” What will happen to this tigers?
Please forgive any offense and bestow me your blessings. Your servant Goura.
Hare Krishna dasa Ji
thank you for all such wonderful articles, i am enjoying each and every article from you. i wish to tell you that i am reading Sri madbhagwad geeta , yatharoop and i am on fifth chapter, karmyog.Iin geeta it is written that one should have a spiritual guru to understand all this, reading on its own will not serve any purpose. sir, i want to know that how to get a real guru or how to recognise the real guru in this material world. please suggest me .
Hare Krishna.
Lata Prajapati
THANKYOU MADHUDVISA FOR YOUR WONDERFUL ARTICLES..
MAY YOU HAVE LORD KRSNA’S GRACE ALWAYS….
hi
I see on the top of my comment is writen “is awaiting for moderation”what does it mean?,then I thought may be I shouldn’t write anything here,
actualy many years ago I left Iscon ,after 10 years,the spiritual master was died and our teacher also left the movement,but the reason for me was that:I felt this movement prefer hindu to Islam and I heard they consider Islam impersonalist and also so cheap
….
anyway I left this movement but
,once I was in frustration I felt one voice came out from me ,it was harekrishna mantra , so deep and amazing relation with this mantra apeared and since then althouh I don’t like to read Prabhupad’s books or any association with Iranian devotees ,this mantra has come in my life again.I know you are devotee of god but I don’t know if I can write here or not.because actualy I have closed this movment in my mind except harekrishna mantra ,
thanks
hi sir
hari bol madhu ji
i am vary impressed with this article, no doubt man is running after materialistic things, gathering comforts of life, when ask they say this also the result of good karmas they have done in previous life, and also the wish of god krishna… any how i believe that a person should work hard but also remember god who give him such luxury in life… must remember god… but no he is after wrong deeds, may god krishna give them subudhi.
Why, from his own point of view, and apart from general humanitarian considerations, should anyone care what happens in future incarnations, since, if I understand correctly, those will be different personalities?
Hare Krishna Forrest
No. The person remains the same. It is still you in your next incarnation. It is just like going to sleep. In the morning you wake up. In one sense your body is different from the body you went to sleep in. But you are still the same person when you wake up in the morning. So death is like that. Going to sleep and waking up in the womb of your next mother. It is a continuation of the same person, the same personality. So it would not be very intelligent for you to not care about what happens to you tomorrow. So an intelligent person will care what will happen to him in his next life.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hi sir,
its been since sep 11 i havent recieved any of the mail from you.
kindly mail your letters to me so that i remain in touch with Krishna through your mails.
Hare Krishna, dear Madhudvisa Prabhu!
The article really calls people for stopping working like hogs and dogs, wasting precious time given to us for self-realization. My view of modern society is this: people are just blind, this is so obvious. If one starts speaking about God, birth and death, about our responsibility in this life, no one will listen. But still my heart is full of hope and happiness when some of my dear people accept certain things.
Thank You very much.
Hare Krishna ,
This article is indeed the very picture of human society today .
Actually , for almost all of the people living in the society today enjoying the material comforts more than others has become a sign of superiority .
But this is not the case . Its because of krishna’s will they are thinking like that .
the same goes with people who are not able to enjoy material comforts be it good food , sex or sleep .
its happening because of pure will of krishna.
so one should not be very depressed or feel very joyful because of material nature of life.
Everything that is happening is because of krishna’s will .
Hare Krishna!!
This article is an eye opener. it is a mirror of modern human being. i must thanx to you that some way or the other iam getting Krishna’s Blessing throug your teachings which are like drops from The Ocean Of Nectar.
This article is indeed a magic to which i was like mesmerised. Each word has something to say something to teach.
Keep on writing such Newsletters on how to live in this Modern World amidst so many realtionships and work and still in The Consciousness of Krishna!!
I have been following the valued articles for quite sometime. I am not thinking of a big business man or a software engineer who amass money for self-gratification or material comforts. They are the blessed life in this materialistic world. Think of a comman man with bear minimum earnings, to support the family who follows the footsteps of their parentage. They live and die, yet cannot think of God Almighty or what would befall on them in the next birth. Not that they are not aware of the supreme Godhead. They infer that it it is there fate and God wished them to live so. God is certainly aware of such beings, They, are self satisfied in their lifetime.Is this the God’s wish?
Anyone can think of God, no matter what position he is in. Everyone has to work even to maintain his body. While working he can think of God. Why not? Our position in this life is not God’s wish, but it is a result of our karma. It is a result of the activities we have performed in our previous lives. But being poor and living a simple life is not at all a disqualification for becoming God conscious. Rather a simple farmer may be a very great devotee while a big “successful” professional making a big salary may be completely distracted from spiritual life and may be a complete materialist.
To Madhudvisa Dasa
i am(sunil) sorry not to respond to your letter, please excuse me if i dissapointed you. since i did not responded you doesnot mean that i haven’t read your mails or comments from others…………
mails on krishna’s knowledge is great and making me realize and assess my self that how i lived my childhood and what i am going through now, because through these mails on krishna’s knowledge allowed me remember my past experiences, so iam thank full for your service…………..
i would be more happy if you keep sending me more emails on this knowledge and now i am ready for eam as well, hope you will read my comment……
wish you long life in krishnas knowledge……..
thanking you
sunil
HI, it’s a very nice post. But I have a doubt. Krishna said in Gita that a person must do his duties, he must work (but he must work without expecting results). But in this posts you say that we musn’t work very hard. Isn’t it a bit contradictory? Can you please help me in this matter
thanks
It is not that we are saying on “must not work very hard.” That is not the point at all. The point is one should not simply work hard like the animals to fulfill the demands of the body for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Animals do only four things, they eat, the sleep, they mate and they defend.
So if we, as humans, spend our life working very hard to eat nicely, to sleep nicely in a big costly apartment, to get a beautiful wife to have sex with, and once we have all these things to work hard to defend our family and our things, then we are no better than the animals.
Human form of life is not for this. Hard work for eating nicely, sleeping nicely, having sex nicely and defending nicely. No. Human form of life is for serving Krishna. So we can work very hard for serving Krishna.
These days practically I am working very hard. From four in the morning till ten at night stopping for lunch only really. But I am not working for comfortable eating, nice sleeping arrangements, sex or defense. I am working for Srila Prabhuapda, for Krishna. So you can work as hard as you like for Krishna. But to waste your life working hard for eating, sleeping, mating and defending means you are simply living like and animal and the danger is that if you live like an animal your next birth will be in an animal’s body and you will have lost the great chance of this human form of life.
It is only in the human form of life that we can ask the valuable questions like “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” “What happens after death?” “What is the purpose of life?” The only value of the human form of life is that we can ask questions like this and get the answers. Other things, eating, sleeping, sex and defense, we can do in the animal bodies even better than we can do them in human bodies.
So I think you get the point. We should not waste this human form of life working hard for sense gratification.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
is every struggle i am having in this life now karma for example depression hare krsna thanking you
helen
Hare Krishna Helen
Depression is mainly due to a heavy atmosphere or the tension in ambience. It is important the environment in which you perform, the atmosphere should be clean and so our minds will also be clean. Both can be cleaned by the chanting of the holy names of God.
Srila Prabhupada said that all health problems come from food. It says “Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are.” You are what you eat. The Bhagavad Gita 6, 17 the lord Krishna say; “He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.”
PURPORT BY SRILA PRABHUPADA:
Extravagance in the matter of eating, sleeping, defending and mating — which are demands of the body — can block advancement in the practice of yoga. As far as eating is concerned, it can be regulated only when one is practiced to take and accept prasādam, sanctified food. Lord Kṛṣṇa is offered, according to the Bhagavad-gītā (9.26), vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains, milk, etc. In this way, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes automatically trained not to accept food not meant for human consumption, or not in the category of goodness. As far as sleeping is concerned, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is always alert in the discharge of his duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore any unnecessary time spent sleeping is considered a great loss. Avyartha-kālatvam: [Cc.Madhya 23.18-19] a Kṛṣṇa conscious person cannot bear to pass a minute of his life without being engaged in the service of the Lord. Therefore, his sleeping is kept to a minimum. His ideal in this respect is Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, who was always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa and who could not sleep more than two hours a day, and sometimes not even that. Ṭhākura Haridāsa would not even accept prasādam nor even sleep for a moment without finishing his daily routine of chanting with his beads three hundred thousand names. As far as work is concerned, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not do anything which is not connected with Kṛṣṇa’s interest, and thus his work is always regulated and is untainted by sense gratification. Since there is no question of sense gratification, there is no material leisure for a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And because he is regulated in all his work, speech, sleep, wakefulness and all other bodily activities, there is no material misery for him.
I hope this help and refer to the following address
https://krishna.org/psychology-can-therapy-and-drugs-save-us-from-stress-and-depression/
Your holiness Madhudvisa dasa,
I had submitted a post regarding this article, but i didnt get your answer, nor am i getting any e-mails from you.
Piease reply and start mails as they are very interesting.
Hare Krishna Nanda Prabhu
I apologize that I did not reply to your post. Thanks for the encouragement. I will restart the Krishna Connect emails this week.
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
I’m working in Bahrain.From this topic I think you mean that no need to work.Only chanting is good for life.I also like it.But how is it practical?B’kos we want atleast food for survival.what you mean by that?please clear my doubts?
Yes. Everyone has to work.
The point of the article is that work like this, very hard, for simply getting food and shelter, is not the purpose of life.
The purpose of life is to elevate our consciousness so that at the time of death we go to a better place.
Still work has to be there for everyone. But not all the time. There has to be time in your life for the spiritual search, which is the most important thing.
Yes I also believe in that.Inorder to chant we need to survive.That’s what I mean.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obedience.
Eagerly awaiting next news letter.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I go through all your newsletters, and i must say i literally relish them, i really take them as it is and dont have any kind of queries regarding them and i have a very much clear concept about krishna consciousness.
i follow the 4 regulatory principles and chant the Hare Krishna mantra, its absolute peace . But prabhuji i have a request, i have been downloading your Bhaghvad Gita podcasts but i received only upto chapter 2 part 1 could you please help me with next podcasts . Actually i also read Bhaghvad Gita as possible , but as it is said that it is more beneficial to hear Bhaghvad Gita from a devotee himself , so i request you to please help me as possible .
your unfeigned servant,
Gaurang Patil.
Hare Krishna Gaurang Prabhu
Thank you for your encouragement. I will try to restart the Bhagavad Gita podcasts in the upcoming weeks. But do not let that stop you studying the Gita. You are a devotee of Krishna and if you read Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is aloud you will also be hearing from a devotee of Krishna, yourself, and you will get the full benefits, do not worry.
I always read Srila Prabhuapda’s books aloud and find that I get a lot more benefit in this way. So please try this and see what you think.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
How to get Krishna consciousness even while working. Without doing any work will it not lead a person’s mind to become idle.
We have to work for Krishna.
That is the point, devotional service.
Instead of working for someone else we should work for Krishna…
Your holiness,
Madhudvidasa
I do no understand the concept that without working hard, how will we get money which is the necessity of today’s life.If there were no labourers how would we get a house to live in? If there were on businessmen,or servicemen how would Krishna give the daily donations of lakhs of rupees on daily bases.Even for Krishna Conciousness, we need money.So in a way we are using that money which is earned by working like dogs!Please explain.
Hare Krishan Nanda
The way we are living in the “modern” world is far from ideal.
That is why Srila Prabhuapda wanted to start an “International Society for Krishna Consciousness” where the members would not have to work hard like cats and dogs just for getting food and shelter but they can instead spend their time working for Krishna.
The idea is to work for Krishna. That is what Krishna suggests in the Gita and ultimately we need to adjust our lives so we can work for Krishna…
For devotees who really want to work for Krishna Krishna will make some arrangement to provide for their material necessities. You need not worry about this. There are so many animals and they are not starving, they are eating, they have the place to sleep, all their necessities are supplied without working hard day and night in the factory or office.
So if Krishna is supplying all necessities for the animals even, He will surely supply the necessities for His devotees who are His surrendered servants. It requires some faith, that is all…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thanks a lot to post such an interesting article…but I have a question…
If human life is not for working…how will we pay our live debts???
According to the Bhagavad Gita, we humans are born with debts and we must repay those debts.
If we just think in how to grow spiritually, how will we be able to back to Godhead, without repaying our debts…is there any way we can repay our debts and also be with Krishna Consciousness???
As a human being, don’t we have some responsibility toward parents, teachers, nature how gives us food, etc?
Hare Krishna Bhumika
Our real debt is to Krishna. Everything here in this world is created out of the energy of Krishna. The air that we breath at every moment is provided by Krishna, the sunlight that we need for our existence is provided by Krishna. We can not even take a single breath without the help of Krishna. For everything we are in debt to Krishna. And really this is the only debt we need to repay.
We are all servants of Krishna and becoming Krishna conscious means realizing all of the bodily and family relationships we have accepted in this world are temporary and false. Our real relationship is with Krishna. And that is eternal. In this life you have a mother and a father and a few brothers and sisters, and in your last life you had a different set of mother, father, brothers, sisters, and the previous life a different set again. In this way you have lived millions and millions of births and each time had a different set of family members and friends. So these people are only with you for a moment and then they will be switched for a completely different set after death.
The example is given that there are some twigs floating down a river and for a short time the twigs are together and then there is some turbulence in the river and the twigs are separated, never to meet again.
So it is like that with our family members and friends and teachers, etc. We are only with them for a moment and then they will be gone and we will never meet them again.
Therefore our real business is to reestablish our eternal relationship with Krishna and repay our unlimited debts to Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
PAMHO
Dear Madhudvisa:
I am still waiting for your next email
since june 28 2009 you stopped sending emails
what happened?
I like them a lot
Yours Faithfully
Mario
I, too, have not received any Krishna Connect e-mails for the last 10 days or so. I miss them.
If every body do krishna concisiness then no body in the society will be left out to do any work then there will be no organization or business then we will like ancient civilization .
It is not that we are suggesting that people do not work. Everyone has to work to maintain the body. But not the crazy hard work of the modern technological society that consumes practically the whole energy of the living entities leaving them no time or energy to fulfill the real mission of life, spiritual advancement.
The bodily necessities should be simplified and the work for the maintenance of the body reduced so that the bulk of one’s time can be spent in making spiritual advancement.
And the work can also be spiritualized. If instead of working hard for ourselves we work hard for Krishna that then becomes a transcendental activity.
And in any case it will not happen that everybody will become Krishna conscious. Krishna consciousness can not be understood or accepted by everyone. If one is attached to the material world he can not understand Krishna. So you need not worry if a few devotees dedicate their lives to serve Krishna that the whole society will fail…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Maduvisa Dasa Ji,
Just one point I want to make. I consider myself a relatively rich man and I have amassed my wealth by working hard( By God’s Grace). I do have a small temple in my house with Radha and Krishna Deities. Ofcourse I do pray every morning before going to work and in the evening after coming back from work and also offer some food to Radha and Krishna Deities but thats about it. I am very much attached to my family ie my wife and my children, close friends and family as well. But I spend atleast 30%-35% of my yearly income on buying food for poor children, poor family, donate some money to specific charities, etc and what I have noticed that the 30%-35% I spend, I get nearly double that back in monetary terms every year. What I have also noticed that I only spend a very little fraction of my money offering food to Krishna but I think somehow Krishna is happy with and he givs me more wealth. So am I right in saying that as long as I think about Krishna and do more Charity work I can advance spiritually?
Hare Krishna Bhavesh
Thank you for your very interesting question. There are two types of work. A materialist works very hard and he is very attached to the fruits of his labor and wants to use these for his own sense gratification and the sense gratification of his family and also maybe extended for his society, for the country or even the whole world. This is all materialistic and on the bodily platform of life. A devotee, on the other hand, also works, but he works for Krishna and he is not attached to the fruits of his labor.
A materialist may be pious or impious. A pious man believes in God and feels that he should do something to help his fellow beings. So if he becomes wealthy he naturally wants to perform some welfare work to help those who are less fortunate than himself. An impious man does not believe in God and is completely selfish and greedy and is simply working for his own sense pleasure and also maybe extended to his family, society, etc.
The way you are describing your life is that you are a pious materialist. You believe in Krishna and worship Krishna, but there is some attachment there and some thought that if you worship Krishna and give in charity then Krishna will be pleased with you and your business will be more successful and you will make more profit. You also understand that whatever charity you give will come back to you with interest in the future. And this is true. Pious acts generate good karma and as a result of that good karma you will be prosperous and successful in the future from the material point of view. And by worshiping Krishna and offering Krishna bhoga then Krishna will be happy with you and you will get His blessings.
However a pure devotee does not want to become entangled in Karma, even in good karma. The pious acts you are doing mean that the people who benefit from your gifts become obliged to you and in some future life they will have to come back and give some benefit to you in return. Which means you also have to come back to the material world to receive that benefit which they owe you. Because of the pious activities you are performing you may get a very good birth in a high planet and a very comfortable life, but a pure devotee is not satisfied with any position in the material world, even if he is promoted to the platform of Lord Brahma.
There is suffering everywhere in the material world, even on Brahmaloka. There is birth, old age, disease and death everywhere. And you will see in the Vedas that also there are many wars going on between the demigods and demons even in the heavenly planets. So you will not find any peaceful place in the material world.
Therefore a pure devotee wants to live his life in such a way that he does not generate any karma, good or bad, and he wants to spend his time and energy serving Krishna. Of course for a family man he has the responsibility to support his family and he has to work for this. But this sort of work is not for the entire life. The Vedas prescribe that at the age of 50 a man should retire from family life and take to the Varnaprastha ashram. By the age of 50 or a bit later there should be some sons who can take over the business and look after the family and the devotee can leave home, at this stage his wife can accompany him also, and they can visit all the holy places of pilgrimage and live their lives simply for the service of Krishna. At this varnaprastha stage all material life is left behind and there is no more sex life between husband and wife and the purpose of life is changed from maintaining the family and the business to reestablishing one’s forgotten eternal loving relationship with Krishna.
This family attachment and business attachment has to be given up. Otherwise at the time of death if we are still very much attached to our family and our business then naturally at the time of death we will think of family members and the business and that will cause us to take birth in the material world again for another life of suffering the various miseries and ending in death…
So the summary is what you are doing is OK but when you are 50 or a bit older the Vedic culture instructs you to leave everything in the hands of some qualified son, and dedicate the rest of your life to becoming Krishna consciousness.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Quote from BG 12.6-12:
But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pṛthā — for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.
Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt. My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me. If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage. If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, then try to act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated. If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.
Hare Krishna,
I am not a householder Prabhuji, i am an 18 year old college going girl. i’m sorry if i made any mistake by thinking the way i have replied in my previous post. so the right thing is we have to work hard but but not be attached to the results. but the duty of a married man is to take care of his wife and children. if he works hard to get a good salary so that he can take good care of them and not use anything for his own and thinks that this is the way he worship god will he be wrong? i am not understanding this exactly. how are we supposed to work for this material world and yet advance spiritually?
Hare Krishna Archana
Really every family man is working very hard to get money to take good care of his family. Even the animals are doing this also. Working hard for the family members. In itself this is not spiritual life. It is service to the family, not service to Krishna. It is however the duty of a family man to work to support his family. So for a family man not to work to support his family is sinful.
This work can be spiritualised if in the home the business is to worship Krishna. So if the Deity of Krishna is installed in the house and all the members of the house are engaged in spiritual activities, worshiping the deity, chanting Hare Krishna, respecting Krishna prasadam, then the man can work hard at work to get money to worship Krishna at home. That work then becomes a transcendental work, worship of the Lord. Because the purpose of his house is to worship Krishna.
So we need to transform our lives like that.
Every family man is working very hard to get money for his family and the sad thing is that no matter how much money he gets, no matter how hard he works, the family will never be satisfied. They will always want more. That is the nature of the material world. No matter how much money we get we will never be satisfied unless it is spiritualised like this, instead of working for money for the family he can work for money so the family can worship Krishna…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
Does it mean that if a CEO of an American software company who has one small room in his office dedicated to Krishna for worshipping and that CEO forces his employees to work hard day and night to earn more profit for the company, then I would like to know whether CEO is doing his work in Krishna consciousness by making all his employee working like a bull but at same time maintining a small temple(room) for worship of Krishna.
Pranam,
Hari Bol
Hare Krsna AmitPrabhu!
Amusing comment by you, which made me LOL!
I personally feel integrity and true devotional service to Lord Krsna is real KK.
KK is not even about having any outside paraphernalia – such as temple, deities etc – although it helps.
At it’s basic , KK means being of devotional mindset and acting accordingly in life, everything is of Krsna and for Krsna. One can worship Krsna with the mind – this is the ultimate worship as mind is focussed on Krsna and absorbed in Krsna. When this happens, naturally one wants to act accordingly and hence the actions of deity worship,aarti,puja,offerring prasadam.
Outward worship of Krsna with paraphernalia reinforces the mind to be absorbed in Krsna and vice versa, absorbing one’s mind in Krsna reinforces and prmotes outward worship to Krsna.
This type of humanbeing, a pure devotee, will not be making other’s “work like a bull”, his own attributes will be improved, his intelligence and strength of character will be vastly improved in such a profound way ( by Krsna’s reciprocal Love & Grace towards him )that material success will be achieved smartly , efficiently and ethically but more importantly his life will be very spiritually inclined and he will be having attitude of service to his employee’s from a spiritual perspective and hence will be inspiration to them to follow in his footsteps and imbibe KK into their own lives.
He will do his duty ethically and with alot of integrity and higher values. KK means duty in spirit of service to Krsna.
Someone in KK will have sharper conscience and it will bite and they will act to rectify asap, their hearts will be compassionate and yet they will be very very capable.
I’d like to meet a KK CEO like one I described someday! I am sure there are a few. 🙂
Hari Bol!
Hare Krishna Prabhu Ji,
It is indeed a very thought provoking article. More i read it more realization
comes that we really don’t have to work hard. Simply our life, have minimum need,so we have time to inquire about our ” Real work- Working for Krishna & sincerely trying to please Him.
Prabhu JI, i beg to know from you how to keep & practice it daily. Sometimes
there is no enthuiasm, Spritual life becomes secondary.
Article mention about performing tapsya,austersity.
People who are coming from the background, where “4 Regluative principles’ are way of living, really don’t pefrom any tapsya & stilll don’t improve in spritual life.
Could you instruct them about some activities they must do to improve.
We try to do on our own, but after a while forget.
coming from you will make them to do it.
Thank you so much for helping so many fallen soul.
Reply
Hare Krishna Meera
Krishna consciousness is very rare actually. Many claim to be devotees of Krishna, and are of course devotees of Krishna to some degree. But to actually find someone who is “Krishna conscious” is rare. A Krishna conscious person is always conscious of Krishna. He always remembers Krishna and never forgets Krishna. He does not do anything except serve Krishna. He does not speak anything except about the topics of Krishna, the glorification of Krishna, Krishna katha, and he does not eat anything which is not first offered to Krishna by devotees with love and devotion.
So rather than trying to tell others to become Krishna conscious we had better become Krishna conscious ourselves. If we decide to do something ourselves then it is within our power to do it. But it is not within our power to make others do something. What we need to do is become Krishna conscious ourselves and by our association, by our successful devotional service, others will also automatically be inspired to try for pure devotional service.
Really we have to change our life completely and adjust everything so that we can always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna.
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu Ji,
It is indeed a very thought provoking article. More i read it more realization
comes that we really don’t have to work hard. Simply our life, have minimum need,so we have time to inquire about our ” Real work- Working for Krishna & sincerely trying to please Him.
Prabhu JI, i beg to know from you how to keep & practice it daily. Sometimes
there is no enthuiasm, Spritual life becomes secondary.
Aricle mention about performing tapsya,austersity.
People who are coming from the background, where “4 Regluative principles’ are way of living, really don’t pefrom any tapsya & stilll don’t improve in spritual life.
Could you instruct them about some activities they must do to improve.
We try to do on our own, but after a while forget.
coming from you will make them to do it.
Thanyou so much for helping so many fallen soul.
i have a doubt. if u say that human life is not meant for working hard like animals then krishna himself says in bhagavadgita that work is worship. according to what i have read he says whatever you are doing do it with utmost sincerity but don’t be attached to it. i don’t think he asks us not to work hard. he asks us to work but in a detached manner. for example arjuna never sat in one place meditating to attain salvation. even he worked hard to be one of the greatest warriors and yet attained salvation. because he did his duty. his duty was to fight like a kshatriya and win his battle. my conclusion is we’ll have to work hard at times but be detached to it. if we are asked to leave working then we should not be shocked. as the saying goes ‘work is worship’. we can also worship krishna by working sincerely and in a detached way. a software engineer can think he is worshipping krishna by creating softwares and do his work. his work will also be done well and he will also get the satisfaction of worshipping god. but if he is sacked out of his company then he should not feel deppressed. he should think maybe krishna wants me to worship him in some other way and start thinking of another work. we dont have to leave all our works and chant hare krishna. that is quite impractical. we can keep doing our work and yet advance spiritually. it all depends on ones’s mind set
Prabhu, this is a misunderstanding. “Work is worship.” Krishna never says such a thing.
One has to perform his duty and be detached from the results.
So if you are a householder then you have to work to support your family. That is your duty and you have to perform your duty without attachement. But performing that duty is not worship. The only way that such work can be worship is if instead of using the fruits of the work [ie your salary] for yourself and for your family, you use the money for worshiping Krishna.
We have to be honest here. If you are working hard for a software company you are working for the money. So the only way that work can be worship is if you use the money you are working for to worship Krishna. If you simply work for money and then use the money for maintaining yourself and your family then there is no worship there at all.
But Krishna does not advise giving up work. For one has to work. But he advises working and using the fruits of the work [the money you get from the work] for worshiping him.
Human life is not at all meant for working hard for some US software company or call center and using the money to support a comfortable lifestyle for oneself and his family…
Human life is meant for finding the answers to the real problems of life: birth, old age, disease and death. Human life is meant for ending the cycle of samsara, the cycle of birth and death…
We need to work in this life in such a way that we always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna so that at the time of death also we will remember Krishna and then as Krishna promises in the Bhagavad gita: “Whatever state of consciousness one has at the time of quitting his body, that state he will attain without fail…” If you are working for the US software company and always meditating on their programs and the bugs in them, what is the chance that you will remember Krishna if you happen to have a heart attack because of the stress and deadlines and very long hours they are forcing you to work? The chance that you will remember Krishna in such a situation is practically zero…
Life is not meant for working hard 24 hours a day for a US software company…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
But why would I have the desire to work hard if it not “latent” in me? I have a full time job at a US software company and a friend of mine has asked me to join a startup. Very soon, I will be working 90-100 hours per week and I know it will be painful. The main motive is so I can get enough money to retire early, maybe provide wealth for my potential spouse and also to make something for my country. However, I have a close relationship with God (don’t ask me how) and know that Krishna will be merciful to me when I die. Even if I get a heart attack while working I know that my karma will put me in a good position. “Remember Arjuna, for my devotee never perishes” was Krishna’s advice when Arjuna was unsure whether to take up karma-yoga fully.
Do we ever stop working even during sleep, isn’t it better that this body of ours which we get due to our “bad karma” be dedicated to work, to server our material ambitions while indirectly serving mankind than just sit quietly under a tree?
Hare Krishna Arvind
Human life is not meant for working hard like the hogs and the dogs. It is meant for self-realization, it is meant for Krishna consciousness. Devotees have a full time occupation working for Krishna. They do not have time for such a 100 hours per week job. Then you are a servant of your boss, a servant of your work, a servant of your family. This is called maya.
You are right of course we have to work, we have to serve. But the idea is to work for Krishna, to serve Krishna. That is Krishna consciousness. So for a devotee the work does not stop. But a devotee stops serving maya and instead uses his time and energy to serve Krishna.
I am also working hard of course, well over 100 hours per week, but I am working for Srila Prabhupada, so my hard working has not stopped. I am still working hard. But I am working hard for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. So that is the proper utilization of my energy. I could also work for maya and make a lot of money as a computer analyst for some big company, but then I would be using all my time and energy to serve maya and I would not be able to work 100+ hours a week for Krishna then…
You see we have a very limited amount of time and energy. A devotee realizes this and does not want to let even a second pass without some connection with service to Krishna. So that is the difference between a devotee and demon. A devotee serves Krishna and a demon serves maya. They are both working hard. But a devotee is working hard for Krishna and demon is working hard for maya.
Of course there is karma yoga where a devotee may be working in the material world but the purpose of his working is to make money so he can use that money to serve Krishna. That is also devotional service. Karma yoga. But if you are working to make money for your potential wife and country and for retiring early, etc, this is karmi life, that is what everyone in the material world is working for, and they are all frustrated. None of them succeed in the ultimate issue. That is the way the material world works. It looks like we can be happy here by making money but money will never make us happy. Only serving Krishna will make us happy because that is our nature. We are servants of Krishna by nature. We can not be happy serving anyone else except Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Anyway, a year after that comment, I think I have seen the error of my over-materialistic ways. I now have a job that allows me to spend roughly less than 40 hours a week, while paying me very well, which allows me more time for hobbies, meditation and also for reading and thinking about God, not necessarily in that order. I also have decided not to get married and have children, since I do not want to get immersed more into maya. (although i have thanks to His grace, experienced some aspects of the spiritual reality of the existence of Brahman first-hand in this life itself, so giving maya less importance is easier than for others)
Hare Krishna Arvind
Yes. I think you have made the right decision to accept a job that pays well but does not consume all your time and energy. As devotees we do not want to spend all our time and energy simply being concerned with making money and ‘advancing’ in the material world. Of course, particularly if one is a family man, he has to make some money to support himself and his family, but for a devotee Krishna will make some arrangement so we can do this while still leaving plenty of time to cultivate spiritual life.
Becoming Krishna conscious requires significant time and effort on our part every day. We have to at least chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra and read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day 1-2 hours. So that is a commitment of at least 3-4 hours every day minimum and of course devotees will want to spend more time than this on Krishna conscious activities. Actually the goal is to be engaged in serving Krishna 24 hours a day, not just 4 hours a day.
So the so-called modern lifestyle where one spends all his time and energy at work, working overtime and becoming totally stressed and having no time and energy to spend on cultivating spiritual knowledge is not practical for one who wants to advance in spritual life. We need to have the time in our lives to cultivate Krishna consciousness. So I think you have made a good move here.
And if we want the time to cultivate Krishna consciousness Krishna will help us. He will make some arrangements in our lives so we have the time for Krishna consciousness.
Of course we can make some simple adjustments that immediately give us many extra hours in our day for Krishna consciousness. If we just set our alarms and get out of bed before 4:00 AM in the mornings we immediately have 3 or more extra hours in our day and that included the Brahma-muhurta, which is a period of time approximately 45 minutes that starts approximately 1.5 hours before sunrise. The Brahma-muhurta is the most auspicious time in the day and if we are serious about Krishna consciousness we need to make sure we are up out of bed and chanting Hare Krishna at least 1.5 hours before the sun rises.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeiscans. I thank for the wonderful article. It has really be a blessing not only to my life but to the lives of my siblings, friends and my wife too.
Pls Maharaj, I want you to help me to really detach myself from all the sense gratifications and learn how to serve Lord Krishna well. Thank you. Hare Krishna
Bhakta Emmanuel Tandoh
great article. sarcastic but so very inspiring and true..
Jay Shri Krishna
What can be done when I do realize what is being said here is true and want to practice it that way, but family members do not agree and rather try to convince me out of it. ?I want them to realize too, but my speaking will only antagonize them so I try my best by keeping mum and maintaining peace.
However; I sometimes feel that my bad karmic reactions have led me into such situations and to avoid any further bad reactions, it is best to suffer this out and not argue over this.
Yes. We can not force others to understand Krishna consciousness.
There are ten offenses in regard to chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. One of them is “Preaching to the faithless persons.” So it is not at all recommended that we preach to people who do not have at least a little faith that the things we are saying may be true. When you come across people like this who are negative it is better not to preach to them at all. You can offer them some prasadam and they will hear you chanting Hare Krishna and maybe they may read one of Prabhuapada’s books, but if they do not want to hear from you about Krishna you should not try and force them to hear you. They will just become offensive.
So we should find favorable people to preach to. And there are plenty of innocent, favorable people out there who are very happy to hear something about Krishna from us.
So you should practice the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra yourself and speak about it to other people you meet who are interested to hear about it. And you will find many people who want to hear you speak about Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Dearest Madhudvisa-Dasa ji
your article is really great and strong support to develop Krisna C.
I dont know much about the neccesity of working hard day and night to earn, but everybody near me tries to convince me about this hard work.
I have doubt now: dont you accept the fact tnat one has to work hard in this age to survive onself, since there is strong competition among the educated people and if we dont work day and night we will be thrown out of company and we even become unable to provide ourself with basic requiremnt like food and shelter?
i shall be grateful to you if cud provide me some idea on this problem of life,
thank you so much.
Hare Krishna Sushmita
This is an artificial and hellish type of life. Work hard day and night for the company to get money so you just have enough money to pay for rent and food. This is actually worse than animal life and it is what all the schools and colleges all over the work are brainwashing the people to think.
As you point out nowadays the people actually think that if they do not work hard day and night for the company they will starve,
But actually human life is not at all meant for this. Human life is meant for making spiritual advancement so that at the time of death our consciousness will be on Krishna and we will go back home, back to Godhead, instead of taking another birth in this miserable material world.
Actually our necessities are supplied by Krishna. It is not that we have to work for the company to get them.
You know in India still 80% of the people live in villages and they are not generally working for the company. They have some land and some cows and some bulls and they cultivate the land and produce food and build simple houses from the materials that are available locally. And they have time to cultivate spiritual life.
So we need to realize that this so-called modern society is actually worse than animal life and we need to reject this way of life and live a more simple lifestyle that does not require us to work hard day and night for the company, but rather gives us the time we need to practice spiritual life.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
yes , i have always felt that human beings are superior beings and therfore should pursue higher goals in life. The dilemma is what about your duties towads your parents who brought you to this world. you may require to earn to support their needs , give them better life. One may require to marry also for the same reaons.
more over i have a question is that if every soul in this universe decides to remain unmarried and do not produce a progeny , will not the functioning of universe come to s standstill?
Really nice article!!!!!
Hare Krishna!
I loved the article. It seems that the world is always looking for that something else that will bring them happiness, complete, and unending. For those who have sought, and found GOD, the search is over, He is that something else. I love practicing KC, it is my way of Life, and I enjoy it too the fullest. Hare Krishna
Namaste Madhudvisa Prabhuji.
First of all let me congratulate you for that Brihat Mridanga that you’re playing, which is like the discovery channel of the Hare Krishnas.
In regards on this article the point is not what we have but what we are, this is the real value.
In the beginning when you were looking for translators for the dvds of Srila Prabhupada I felt motivated but it was not possible for me to join this group something I be sorry.
I sent you an essay entitled “God is Light” for the purpose of seeing if you like. If it is so, I would like them you include on your page as an article. My fear is that the English language that I use be incomprehensible. I learned English by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books but I think I have a lot to learn yet. If you agree I need your review and corrections. Feel free to make any changes and corrections where necessary, either to cut copy and paste, add, erase, etc. This work is yours. As the American say “make my day.”
That kind of readings is almost at the level of pure chanting of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, the source of all light, all knowledge and all truth, Krishna.
I have another article called “Take me to Vrindavana” That I wrote some 15 years ago, and I want to translate it into English to send you. This is a conversation between a guest and Prabhu Das, who spoke from the most basic knowledge of Krishna consciousness towards a description of the spiritual world, where at the end Lord Krishna spokes you personally.
I’m living now in Margarita island in the Caribbean with my three sons, Nitay, Gopal and Syam, 16, 14 and 12 years respectively. They are devotees from the birth and never has gone to any school because they know that the smallest knowledge of Srila Prabhupada is worth more than many years of study in karmis schools.
I hope you be fine and ecstatic in Krishna conciousness.
Receive a big hug, your servant Goura.
Hare Krisha and thank you very much
for your messages for to help us
and edgucate us for the spiritual advancement.
Please keep me inform.Whenever you have time and posting your message then
please include me [email mail me so] in your list.
I read some of your messages and it is very very helpful.
Prabhupadji came to America for this reason.
His gurudeva has told him to do so and so Prabhupadji had to struggle to get the American Visa and had to wait and then he stil had many difficulties.
I had came to America in a freighter Jal Azad in 1972.My purpose was to
work as I had no good guidance.So I got it.Long and a sad story.
i do not want to waste time on it.
Please do not forgetto putme on your list.
Thank You,Hare Krishna.
I do not know if I am allowed to post my email address here so you can get it.
rashmiahya@yahoo.com Feb.8,2011 Houston Texas,USA.
With this teaching it has been discussed that, all human beings should do their karma (it could be their daily job, business, or what ever they do) without expecting result. Dedicate yourself and your job and everything to Krishna and he will get you the best for you
Revered Maharajji,
It is indeed a nice article that I have enjoyed to the fullest extent.
It has been my earnest desire to stop working for money. I have been praying God to enable me to serve him only.
I would be extremely happy if you could please urge the Almighty Krishna to bless me with truth and only truth.
With respectful pranams,
Debasish
Amazing article,
We could see the different classes of men.
Serve god out of love
Hare krishna
The article is very good and inspiring. I can pick some of the comments from this article and preach to new people..
Yes, nice article. We are spirit souls part and parcel of Krsna and really have nothing to do with the external mater. The corporations do not want anyone to actually know this and work hard only for the profit someone else. Keep them in ignorance leading to a dangerous result in the present and the future. Its strange to think that one places themselves as the center instead of Krsna as the actual progress of de-evolution of modern society. The real technology is being conscious of Krsna, that all unlimited energy’s come forth from Krsna and are his including our self’s. Its very easy to see through the smoke screen, once one takes up the actual process of self realization Krsna Consciousness, that the leaders are blind and are leading the blind. That’s very easy to deduce that they are breaking the principals and using technology to rapidly crank out sinful karmic reactive activity. Slaughter houses, brewery’s, Casinos, Medical and Drug company’s to alleviate ones suffering due to sinful activity which are all unclean and unhealthy even from the material perspective, as well as producing things that have already been in use for thousands of years already.
Rocanadeva
I agree that the address of Geeta given by Lord Krishna is to bring out the normal human beings from mundane existence. However at the same time Krishna never says that you have to leave your responsibilities, smear ash on your bodies and do tapasya in himalayas. I feel that would be cowardice, it takes more courage to perform your worldly responsibilities while dedicating the effort & its causes to Lord Krishna. If on your advise people absolve their responsibilities then there would be chaos, why dont you use your profound intellect & knowledge to stem the rot scene in current political and business scenarios. The need of the hour is yogic warriors who end the evil of political corruption & sufferings of average humans in India & across world by annihilating the evil beings running amok in the guise of industry captains & cruel, corrupt politicians.
I totally agree with Milind and other thoughts expressed here. We need to create a new world order where consciousness of life is instilled in people and need dictates possessions and not greed. People should be educated and motivated to give up whatever they possess more than their needs and adopt simple life style and make themselves transparent and accountable for their acts of commission and omission in life. Everyone should realise they have a duty to themselves, their family, community and society, in the same order to realise godhead. Discharge your duties faithfully and without expecting reward and you attain moksha.
I agree wholeheartedly.Shree Krishna gave us a body with a brain and
conscience..so we must use it-while still living in society,fulfilling our
responsiblities and setting an example.Mahatma Gandhi did just that-that surely is the true’purasharth’ instead of absolving ourselves of our duties.We have to work hard to achieve anything (including trying to get India recognised as the mother of the world not just indians).This can only be done by living by Shree Krishnas principles AND going about our day to day business.This can be achieved more easily if the leaders of our communities and country set an example and the messages filter down in society.We have potentially everything in India except the confidence and courage to live by the messages left by our rishi fathers who gave their entire lives for the good of mankind.We should have the courage to say ,no our society does not revolve round alchohol,yes we will respect our elders and question them if we do not understand anything,our family unit shall consist of grandparents,parents and children,birthdays mean giving thanks to Shree Krishna by giving to His children who are in need and to parents who gave us life and any presents received are blessings from family and friends…etc Shree Krishna Himself says nobody can escape karma -‘you will either do something or do nothing ..but cannot escape doing something’-and hopefully that doing shall be in accordance with His wishes!These times we are living in ,I think ,are the perfect opportunity for India to set an example to the world.No ,I think we have to work hard for Shree Krishna in the real world.
Hare Krishna Kiran
Yes, India has the spiritual but mostly the Indians have given this up now and are completely engaged in materialism and sense gratification.
So it is a very sad situation in India these days.
The real problem is most of the preachers and so-called acharayas and gurus in India are Mayavadis and this Mayavadi philosophy has actually created this hedonistic sense-gratification centered society we now see in India.
So the solution is to defeat the Mayavadis and establish Krishna consciousness as the yuga-dharma..
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa