Devotee working in questionable job

[suchandra]

In this age of Kali almost any work except direct devotional service for Lord Caitanya's Samkirtan mission is somehow linked with sinful activity. There're many devotees who work as teachers at karmi schools and who have to educate their students to become fit for successfully perfoming fruitive activities (karma). These devotees argue, I'm using the salary in the service of Krishna therefore it is karma-yoga and doesnt create future material bondage. Yesterday a grhastha devotee (his guru fell down) phoned me that he got a well paid job at a betting-agency which sells sport bets, and in that gambling casino they of course also serve alcoholic drinks and people smoke. Till now my understanding was that such kind of work for an aspiring Vaishnava-devotee is not acceptable and tama-guna - too heavy future karmic bondage.

Jayananda prabhu (ACBSP) was a taxi driver and Srila Prabhupada accepted Jayananda prabhu's chauffeuring the karmis to their different materialistic destinations and offer all his earnings to the temple. But where actually is the limit? Can a householder Vaishnava devotee argue, the salary is so big, therefore I'm working now in a butcher's shop, but use all that money in Krishna's service? What to tell that above mentioned devotee, any suggestions?

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Krishna's standard (as He mentions it in the Gita) is that every single action binds us in this world unless done as a direct sacrifice for Him. There are so many ways to convince ourselves that our actions are actually for some higher noble cause, but the truth is usually more like a 50/50 split (a little for Krishna and a little for us).

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

Although I admit that it is very difficult to work without aversion and attachment, it does actually free us from karmic bonds.

 

Any work, done with likes, dislikes or expectations is a source of misidentification and harm. I guess we keep assuming that "I am responsible for this" and "I did this" but sometimes we need to take into account the Gita's words about five elements of an action. One must give up the fruit - good OR BAD.

 

If you surrender and give yourself up to His mercy, He shows you the way out. I myself am waiting for Time to carry me into different circumstances. Meanwhile, it helps to give up results, and use as much of my time as possible to advance in Adhyatmic terms.

 

His words are very soothing: "Whatever happens is for the best and whatever will happen will also be for the best". I am driven by the hope that in the end, things will be ok.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

 

One must give up the fruit - good OR BAD.

But giving up the fruits must actually be done, not just mentally. One must actually offer the fruits to Krishna, then the karmic reaction can be nullified.