Devotional Service and the working class

[Guest guest]

Definitely, Lord Krishna is very merciful to those who perform their duties of taking care of their family, doing their assigned jobs with an attitude of self-less service.This is because the work has to be done.Family obligations cannot be ignored.Thus, for the working class it is not always possible to maintian long hours of chanting. In their free time the best thing they can do is chant, instead of watching TV or surfing the net.On holidays they can devote their time on chanting.They can spend time visiting temples of the Lord, visiting the Holy Dhamas, and performing service to the needy. Daanam, Tapam and Japam should never be given up, everyone must remember this.

In this way they will be busy and free from worldly entanglement.The rules are also not so strict, and it is easy to find time to chant.However as one advances in Bhakti, one automatically starts following more strict rules. For starters, a person aspiring should try to purify the body by giving up eating things that harm us. Coffee,Tea are intoxicants.and must be given up. The four principles that form the basis of a pure spiritual life are :-

1. Avoidance of Meat,Eggs and Fish2.Avoidance of Drugs,Alcohol or any other intoxicants like Tea and Coffee3.Avoidance of Illicit sexual relationships4.Avoidance of Gambling, speculation activities.

Having perfected himself/herself in these four principles, one can advance quickly on the path to Krishna.

What Krishna is looking for is the Bhava in the heart of a devotee, not the superfluous external symptoms which we normally see from the outside. Only Krishna can see the hearts from inside. Only Krishna knows the feeling of a devotee.

One day, I was feeling very upset that being in an Islamic Country I cannot wear the Vaishnava Tilaka outside. At home I can wear Tilaka, but it has to be avoided outside in public, as it might arouse unnecessary reactions from the muslim public. So when I was asleep, I saw in a dream that I had a Tilak on my forehead already. It was Lord Krishna's way of telling me that I am a Vaishnava already. So the external symbol, although very auspicious to wear, is not a necessity under some circumstances, as long as we are performing the four principles properly. and doing the Japa regularly.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna, and please accept my humble obeisances.

 

We have to progress as devotees and be more progressive in this

Kaliyuga age. That is just the way it is.

I have to do everything in moderation, if I do not, I end up being

alone and my responsibilities do not get done.

I once was even chastised for speaking the same philosophy of

Srila Prabhupada.

For example I once told an impersonalist type that we need a prime

example to follow. I came on way too strong to this person because

they did not understand this, they had their own philosophy.

It helps to take our time with others and how we preach to them.

I am not initiated but I do have Krsna in my life, as we all do, I

just notice it more than others that I know.

 

I drink tea, I drink coffee, I drink sodas, it makes no difference

at all in my life, and nor should it. If we are transcendental

these things should not bother us, and nor should, meat, fish, eggs,

onions or garlic. I live in the Western Hemisphere and here people

eat these things, and so what. The only way any of this will change

will be if others decide to give up on these things.

I live near fast food restaurants and I am currently unemployed,

still I have to tolerate all of this and not chastise other people

for eating hamburgers, etc.

 

It is a good thing to put the regulative principles in practice but

that is so we are focused on Bhagavan and not just desiring what we

want via our desires. After awhile though, He insists on giving us

what we want which is Himself and whatever else we want. The same

happened to Sudama Vipra, though he wanted nothing.

 

 

I was raised on italian food and I find it impossible to give it up,

in fact Lord Krsna himself has rewarded me accordingly and is

allowning me to do whatever I like, because no matter what I do, I

always think about Him. I have pictures of Him all over my room, so

am I less of a devotee if I break rules every now and then?

 

Cowherd boys do break the rules every now and then, they are playing

with Bhagavan and are not just trying to be good in His eyes just

for perfection, that becomes nonsense after awhile.

We have to live in Joy as devotees and that really sums it up.

I have known other devotees that are not very happy because they are

too strict towards themselves, I have been the same way at times and

it has limited my life.

 

As I advance in my chanting I have to learn to be with everyone else

as a devotee and that is real humility. We need to be free from

idealism. It is not good to be isolated as a devotee unless we are

learning to be focused on Bhagavan.

Still we have to relate with others. Now I am really missing the

previous association I have had with devotees. The ones I knew

moved away and I am sad over this but I am learning the value in

others as well as myself.

 

This is not my opinions but realizations that I have had.

 

Haribol

Jaya Nrsimhadeva

Bhakta Aaron

 

, " sanjeev " <punjsanjeev

wrote:

>

>

> Definitely, Lord Krishna is very merciful to those who perform

their

> duties of taking care of their family, doing their assigned jobs

with an

> attitude of self-less service.This is because the work has to be

> done.Family obligations cannot be ignored.Thus, for the working

class it

> is not always possible to maintian long hours of chanting. In

their free

> time the best thing they can do is chant, instead of watching TV or

> surfing the net.On holidays they can devote their time on

chanting.They

> can spend time visiting temples of the Lord, visiting the Holy

Dhamas,

> and performing service to the needy. Daanam, Tapam and Japam should

> never be given up, everyone must remember this.

>

> In this way they will be busy and free from worldly

entanglement.The

> rules are also not so strict, and it is easy to find time to

> chant.However as one advances in Bhakti, one automatically starts

> following more strict rules. For starters, a person aspiring

should try

> to purify the body by giving up eating things that harm us.

Coffee,Tea

> are intoxicants.and must be given up. The four principles that

form the

> basis of a pure spiritual life are :-

>

> 1. Avoidance of Meat,Eggs and Fish

> 2.Avoidance of Drugs,Alcohol or any other intoxicants like Tea and

> Coffee

> 3.Avoidance of Illicit sexual relationships

> 4.Avoidance of Gambling, speculation activities.

>

> Having perfected himself/herself in these four principles, one can

> advance quickly on the path to Krishna.

>

> What Krishna is looking for is the Bhava in the heart of a

devotee, not

> the superfluous external symptoms which we normally see from the

> outside. Only Krishna can see the hearts from inside. Only Krishna

knows

> the feeling of a devotee.

>

> One day, I was feeling very upset that being in an Islamic Country

I

> cannot wear the Vaishnava Tilaka outside. At home I can wear

Tilaka, but

> it has to be avoided outside in public, as it might arouse

unnecessary

> reactions from the muslim public. So when I was asleep, I saw in a

dream

> that I had a Tilak on my forehead already. It was Lord Krishna's

way of

> telling me that I am a Vaishnava already. So the external symbol,

> although very auspicious to wear, is not a necessity under some

> circumstances, as long as we are performing the four principles

> properly. and doing the Japa regularly.

>