Hare Krishna,
I see that when we become more and more into Krishna Conscious we become less ambitious towards materialistic things.. For eg a materialistic student, say if he is in engineering field may think that he has to become a great engineer, open big companys like Infosys etc, a medical student may think he has to build a big multispeciality hospital and become a very famous doctor, a MBA student may think he has to become the next Mukesh Ambani, richest in the country etc.. They will be so passionate.. some of them will achieve it and they ll become big shots, highly respected, highly influential persons in the society.. But when a student is in Krishna Consciousness he wont be ambitious in that direction.. He just thinks let me be a simple employee in a company or a simple doctor in a medical college, just do my job and spend as much free time as possible in Krishna Conscious activities....
isnt this true.. I dont know if this is a correct attitude.. Materialistic people may think you are less ambitious in life.. what to do..?
Replies
no matter how many powerful hospitals they are opening still many diseases are not curable.
No matter how they grow technologically still in many parts of the world people are suffering of hunger. On the contrary technology is polluting the atmosphere and health of all living entities.
So what is the use?
We do not eat iron we eat wheat made chapatis and butter out of cow milk!
So Srila Prabhupada told that a Devotee should work very little for material earnings and spend other time for spiritual progress. This can be done if one stays in village areas and has land to grow grains, fruits, vegetables, look after cows.
And in this way people will eat healthy food, no need for huge hospitals. For medicaments for better sleep or depression. Because Vedic style of life prevents problems.
So one should work as much time so that one will have time for his personal life and for his spiritual practices. Personal life means some hours a day spend for family members and spiritual means for chanting and reading.
Over work will destroy health, mental world.
Your servant,
Dear Bhaktin Maral Mataji,
Do you live in a village ? We know that you live in Mumbai. I would rather not advice Sanjay Prabhuji to give up his profession and migrate to a village to become a farmer, as people in cities are comparatively much more spiritually active than the village folks. I would rather give a practical advice to Sanjay prabhuji to live in a city carrying on his present profession and live a simple and devotional life, it is because only when we face hardships of city life, we get closer to God. I have seen several villager's life. Mostly they are ignorant, bereft of any spiritual knowledge and extremely poor. City gives a human being an opportunity to evolve materially as well as spiritually. You can not negate the value of money in life. Only because of money, ISKCON can build it's temples and spread satsang worldwide. You must have noticed that our city devotees are much spiritually, intellectually and materially evolved than those who live in villages.
I hope that you won't take any offense.
Hare Krishna,
Your servant in serving Krishna
Harshikesh Bhattacharya
that is true Harshikesh Prabhu,
but that is ideal as Srila Prabhupada wanted us - to live in Krishna Conscious Farm Communities.
But those who can not change their cities so at least they have to try to have time for healthy spiritual life, isn't it?!
Your servant,
"Srila Prabhupada wanted us - to live in Krishna Conscious Farm Communities.
But those who can not change their cities so at least they have to try to have time for healthy spiritual life, isn't it?!" - Bhaktin Maral Mataji
That's it Mataji...This is the crux. Thanks for not taking any offense.
Hare Krishna !
Your servant in serving Krishna
Harshikesh Bhattacharya
Hare Krishna Harshikesh Bhattacharya Prabhu,
Dandavat pranam. PAMHO. AGTSP. Very true. Your reply is exactly to the point. Sometimes though we know the truth still we want some devotees to constantly back us up to keep our spirits up in Krishna consciousness, when we are in this material world..
thanking you
your servant
A pure devotee does not even want to stop the repetition of birth and death. To a pure devotee, it does not matter whether he has to take birth again in the various species of life. His only ambition is that he not forget the lotus feet of the Lord
Expressions researched:
"A pure devotee does not even want to stop the repetition of birth and death. To a pure devotee, it does not matter whether he has to take birth again in the various species of life. His only ambition is that he not forget the lotus feet of the Lord"
Contents
[hide]Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
By asking this benediction from the Lord, the sage Nārada showed the ideal prayer of all pure devotees. A pure devotee never asks for any kind of material or spiritual benediction from the Lord; his only prayer is that he may not forget the lotus feet of the Lord in any condition of life. A pure devotee does not care whether he is put into heaven or hell; he is satisfied anywhere, provided he can constantly remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Lord Caitanya taught this same process of prayer in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, in which He clearly stated that all He wanted was devotional service, birth after birth. A pure devotee does not even want to stop the repetition of birth and death. To a pure devotee, it does not matter whether he has to take birth again in the various species of life. His only ambition is that he not forget the lotus feet of the Lord in any condition of life.
After departing from the palace of Rukmiṇī, Nāradajī wanted to see further activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa's internal potency, yogamāyā; thus he entered the palace of another queen. There he saw Lord Kṛṣṇa engaged in playing chess with His dear wife and Uddhava. The Lord immediately got up from His personal seat and invited Nārada Muni to sit there. The Lord again worshiped him with as much paraphernalia for reception as He had used in the palace of Rukmiṇī. After worshiping him properly, Lord Kṛṣṇa acted as if He did not know what had happened in the palace of Rukmiṇī. He therefore told Nārada, “My dear sage, when Your Holiness comes here, you are full in yourself. Although We are householders and are always in need, you don’t require anyone's help, for you are self-satisfied. Under the circumstances, what reception can We offer you, and what can We possibly give you? Yet, since Your Holiness is a brāhmaṇa, it is Our duty to offer you something as far as possible. Therefore, I beg you to please order Me. What can I do for you?”
Nāradajī knew everything about the pastimes of the Lord, so without further discussion he simply left the palace silently, in great astonishment over the Lord's activities. He then entered another palace. This time Nāradajī saw that Lord Kṛṣṇa was engaged as an affectionate father petting His small children. From there he entered another palace and saw Lord Kṛṣṇa preparing to take His bath. In this way, Saint Nārada entered each and every one of the sixteen thousand residential palaces of the queens of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and in each of them he found Kṛṣṇa engaged in different ways.
HARI BOL PRABHU JI!
HARE KRISHNA
JAI NITAI GAURAHARI
GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA
These quotes and sites may be more helpful:
http://www.vaniquotes.org/wiki/Category:Ambition
Devotional service is so nice and pure that it purifies the devotee, and he forgets all material ambitions as soon as he engages fully in the transcendental loving service of Krsna. A practical example is Dhruva Maharaja
Expressions researched:
"Devotional service is so nice and pure that it purifies the devotee, and he forgets all material ambitions as soon as he engages fully in the transcendental loving service of Krsna. A practical example is Dhruva Maharaja"
Contents
[hide]Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Generally people come into the association of devotees in order to mitigate some material wants, but the influence of a pure devotee frees a man from all material desires so that he eventually comes to relish the taste of devotional service. Devotional service is so nice and pure that it purifies the devotee, and he forgets all material ambitions as soon as he engages fully in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa. A practical example is Dhruva Mahārāja, who wanted something material from Kṛṣṇa and therefore engaged in devotional service. When the Lord appeared as four-handed Viṣṇu before Dhruva, Dhruva told the Lord: "My dear Lord, because I engaged myself in Your devotional service with great austerity and penances, I am now seeing You. Even great demigods and great sages have difficulty in seeing You. Now I am pleased, and all my desires are satisfied. I do not want anything else. I was searching for some broken glass, but instead I have found a great and valuable gem." Thus Dhruva Mahārāja was fully satisfied, and he refused to ask anything of the Lord.
The living entity, transmigrating through 8,400,000 species of life, is sometimes likened to a log which is gliding down a river. Sometimes, by chance, a log washes upon shore and is thus saved from being forced to drift further downstream. There is a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 10.38.5) which encourages every conditioned soul in this way: "No one should be depressed by thinking that he will never be out of the clutches of matter, for there is every possibility of being rescued, exactly as it is possible for a log, which is floating down a river, to come to rest on the bank." This fortunate opportunity is also discussed by Lord Caitanya. Such fortunate incidents are considered the beginning of the decline of one's conditional life, and they occur if there is association with the pure devotees of the Lord. By associating with pure devotees, one actually develops attraction for Kṛṣṇa. There are various types of rituals and activities, and some of them develop into material enjoyment and some into material liberation, but if a living entity takes to those ritualistic activities by which pure devotional service to the Lord is developed in the association of pure devotees, then one's mind naturally becomes attracted to devotional service. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.51.54) it is stated by Mucukunda:
"My dear Lord, while traveling in this material world through different species of life, a living entity may progress toward liberation. But if, by chance, he comes in contact with a pure devotee, he becomes actually liberated from the clutches of material energy and becomes a devotee of Yourself, the Personality of Godhead."
When a conditioned soul becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, by His causeless mercy, trains him in two ways: He trains him from without through the spiritual master, and He trains him from within through the Supersoul. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.29.6): "My dear Lord, even if someone attains a life as long as Brahmā's, he would still be unable to express his gratitude for the benefits derived from remembering You. Out of Your causeless mercy You drive away all inauspicious conditions, expressing Yourself from outside as the spiritual master and from inside as the Supersoul."
Somehow or other if one gets in touch with a pure devotee and thus develops a desire to render devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, he gradually rises to the platform of love of Godhead and is thus freed from the clutches of material energy. This is also explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.8) where the Lord Himself says: "For one who is attracted by My activities out of his own accord—being neither lured nor repelled by material activities—the path of devotional service leading to the perfection of love of God becomes possible." However, it is not possible to achieve the stage of perfection without the favor of a pure devotee, or a mahātmā, a great soul. Without the mercy of a great soul, one cannot even be liberated from the material clutches, and what to speak of rising to the platform of love of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.12.12) in a conversation between King Rahūgaṇa of the Sind province in Siberia with King Bharata. When King Rahūgaṇa expressed surprise upon seeing King Bharata's spiritual achievements, Bharata replied:
"My dear Rahūgaṇa, no one can attain the perfected stage of devotional service without being favored by a great soul or a pure devotee. No one can attain the perfectional stages simply by following the regulative principles of scriptures, or by accepting the renounced order of life, or by prosecuting the prescribed duties of householder life, or by becoming a great student of spiritual science, or by accepting severe austerity and penances for realization." Similarly, when the atheist father Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his son Prahlāda Mahārāja how it was he became attracted to devotional service, the boy replied, "As long as one is not favored by the dust of the feet of pure devotees, he cannot even touch the path of devotional service, which is the solution to all the problems of material life." (SB 7.5.32)
Thus Lord Caitanya told Sanātana Gosvāmī that all scriptures stress association with pure devotees of the Godhead. The opportunity to associate with a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord is the beginning of one's complete perfection. This is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.18.13) where it is said that the facilities and benedictions which one achieves by association with a pure devotee are incomparable. They cannot be compared to anything—neither elevation to the heavenly kingdom nor liberation from material energy. Lord Kṛṣṇa also confirms this in the most confidential instruction in Bhagavad-gītā, wherein He tells Arjuna:
"Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend." (BG 18.65)
Such a direct instruction from Kṛṣṇa is more important than any Vedic instruction or even regulative service. There are certainly many Vedic injunctions, ritualistic and sacrificial performances, regulative duties, meditative techniques and speculative processes to attain knowledge, but Kṛṣṇa's direct order—"Always think of Me and become My devotee"—should be taken as the final order of the Lord and should be followed. If one is simply convinced of this order and comes to His devotional service, giving up all other engagements, one will undoubtedly attain success. To confirm this statement, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.9) says that one should follow other paths to self-realization only as long as one is not convinced of the direct order of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is the conclusion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā that the direct order of the Lord is to give up everything and engage in devotional service.
Firm conviction to execute the order of the Lord is known as faith. If one has faith he is firmly convinced that simply by rendering devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa all other activities are automatically performed—including ritualistic duties, sacrifices, yoga and the speculative pursuit of knowledge. If one is convinced that devotional service to the Lord includes everything, no other activity is required. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.31.14):
"By watering the root of a tree, one automatically nourishes the branches, twigs and fruits, and by supplying food to the stomach, all the senses are satisfied. Similarly, by rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, one automatically satisfies the requirements for all other forms of worship." One who is faithful and firmly convinced of this is eligible to be elevated as a pure devotee.
There are three classes of devotees according to the degree of conviction. The first-class devotee is conversant with all kinds of Vedic literature and at the same time has the firm conviction mentioned above. He can deliver all others from the pangs of material miseries. The second-class devotee is firmly convinced and has strong faith, but he has no power to cite evidence from revealed scriptures. The third-class devotee is one whose faith is not very strong, but, by the gradual cultivation of devotional service, he will eventually be eligible for promotion to the second or first-class position. It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.45-47) that the first class devotee always sees the Supreme Lord as the soul of all living entities. Thus in seeing all living entities, he sees Kṛṣṇa and nothing but Kṛṣṇa. The second-class devotee places his full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, makes friends with the pure devotees, favors innocent persons and avoids those who are atheistic or opposed to devotional service. The third-class devotee engages in devotional service according to the directions of the spiritual master, or engages out of family tradition, and worships the Deity of the Lord, but he is not cultivated in knowledge of devotional service, and he does not know a devotee from a nondevotee. Such a third-class devotee cannot actually be considered a pure devotee; he is almost in the devotional line, but his position is not very secure.
One can thus conclude that when a person shows love for God and friendship for devotees, displays mercy towards the innocent and is reluctant to associate with nondevotees, he may be considered a pure devotee. By developing devotional service, such a person can perceive that every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme. In each and every living entity he can see the Supreme Person, and therefore he becomes highly developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At this stage he does not distinguish between the devotee and the nondevotee, for he sees everyone in the service of the Lord. He continues to develop all great qualities while engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12):
"One who attains pure unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a person who doesn't develop such service, despite all material qualifications, is sure to go astray, for he hovers on the mental platform." Thus material qualifications are valueless without devotional service.
To work very hard like dogs and hog for sense gratification is not the ambition of human life. Human life is meant for little austerity. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That is the mission of human life
Expressions researched:
"To work very hard like dogs and hog for sense gratification is not the ambition of human life. Human life is meant for little austerity. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That is the mission of human life"
Contents
[hide]Lectures
Festival Lectures
Our human life, the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve immortality. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), This is our..., we have forgotten this. We are simply leading the life of cats and dogs, without any knowledge that we can achieve that perfection of life when there will be no more birth, no more death. We do not understand even that there is possibility of amṛtatvam. But everything is possible. Amṛtatvam. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. Nobody wants to become old man, nobody wants to become diseased. This is our natural inclination. Why? Because originally, in our spiritual form, there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. So after evolutionary process down from the aquatics, birds, beasts, plants, trees, when you come to this form of human form of body after... Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tād jīva-jātiṣu. This is evolutionary process. We come to the human form of body. Then we should know what is the goal of life. The goal of life is amṛtatvam, to become immortal. That you can become immortal simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa says. It is a fact. We have to simply understand. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvataḥ, then, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), after giving up this body, you don't accept any more material body. And as soon as you don't accept any material body means you become immortal. Because by nature we are immortal.
So Kṛṣṇa advents, Kṛṣṇa advents to teach us this lesson, that "You are immortal by nature. As spirit soul you are part and parcel of Me. I am as immortal. So you are also immortal. Unnecessarily, you are trying to be happy in this material world."
Simply struggle for..., unnecessarily. The best thing is that you have enjoyed sense life in so many varieties of life, as cats, as dogs, as demigods, as tree, as plants, as insect. Now, in this human form of life, don't be captivated by sensuous life. Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of the śāstras. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). To work very hard like dogs and hog for sense gratification is not the ambition of human life. Human life is meant for little austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That is the mission of human life. Why I shall purify my sattva existence? Brahma-saukhyam tv anantam. Then you get unlimited pleasure, unlimited happiness. That is real pleasure. Ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29).
So, at least in India, all the great personalities, saintly persons, sages and ācāryas, they have cultivated this spiritual knowledge so nicely and fully, and we are not taking advantage of it. It is not that those śāstras and directions are meant for the Indians or for the Hindus or for brāhmaṇas. No. It is meant for everyone. Because Kṛṣṇa claims
Kṛṣṇa claims that "I am everyone's father." Therefore, He is very much anxious to make us peaceful, happy. Just like the father wants to see his son is well situated and happy; similarly, Kṛṣṇa also wants to see every one of us happy and well-situated. Therefore He comes sometimes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). This is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's advent. So those who are servants of Kṛṣṇa, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should take the mission of Kṛṣṇa. They should take up the mission of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version.
Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Just try to preach what Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the duty of every Indian. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says.
So Indians, Indians are meant for para-upakāra. Indians are not meant for exploiting others. That is not Indians' business. Indian history is all along for para-upakāra. And formerly, from all parts of the world, used to come to India to learn what is spiritual life. Even Jesus Christ went there. And from China and from other countries. That is history. And we are forgetting our own asset. How much we are callous. Such a great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is going on all over the world, but our Indians are callous, our government is callous. They do not take. That is our misfortune. But it is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He says any Indian, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya janma, if he's human being, he must make his life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic literature and distribute the knowledge all over the world. That is para-upakāra. So India can do. They are actually appreciating. These Europeans, American young men, they are appreciating that how great... I get daily dozens of letter, how they are benefited by this movement. Actually, that is the fact. It is giving the life for the dead man. So I shall specially request the Indians, especially His Excellency, kindly cooperate with this movement, and try to make successful your life and others' life. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa, advent of Kṛṣṇa.
I THINK THIS IS ENOUGH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
HARI BOL
If one can give up his ambition to engage in hackneyed material life and take to Krsna consciousness instead, he will be liberated from the stringent laws of material nature
Expressions researched:
"If one can give up his ambition to engage in hackneyed material life and take to Krsna consciousness instead, he will be liberated from the stringent laws of material nature"
Contents
[hide]Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “The gopīs have fallen into the great ocean of separation and are being devoured by the timiṅgila fish of their ambition to serve You. The gopīs are to be delivered from the mouths of these timiṅgila fish, for they are pure devotees. Since they have no material conception of life, why should they aspire for liberation? The gopīs do not want that liberation desired by yogīs and jñānīs, for they are already liberated from the ocean of material existence.
The bodily conception is created by the desire for material enjoyment. This is called vipada-smṛti, which is the opposite of real life. The living entity is eternally the servant of Kṛṣṇa, but when he desires to enjoy the material world, he cannot progress in spiritual life. One can never be happy by advancing materially. This is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.30): adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Through the uncontrolled senses, one may advance one's hellish condition. He may continue to chew the chewed; that is, repeatedly accept birth and death. The conditioned souls use the duration of life between birth and death only to engage in the same hackneyed activities—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. In the lower animal species, we find the same activities. Since these activities are repeated, engaging in them is like chewing that which has already been chewed. If one can give up his ambition to engage in hackneyed material life and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness instead, he will be liberated from the stringent laws of material nature. One does not need to make a separate attempt to become liberated. If one simply engages in the service of the Lord, he will be liberated automatically. As Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura therefore says, muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate ’smān: "Liberation stands before me with folded hands, begging to serve me."
Dear Prabhuji,
We live in a society. We all have an intrinsic desire to receive love and respect of people. When we enter the path of Bhakti, our material desires diminishes gradually but the desire to enjoy this material world and receive fame, earning plenty of wealth, enjoying women remains dormant within our hearts. This dormant desire burns only when we attain the brahma bhutaha state, as mentioned in the Bhagvata Gita.
Till our desires are not burnt to ashes, the internal clash of our thoughts (to enjoy or not to enjoy this material world) continues. Hinduism does not instruct a householder to become desireless suddenly. Our religion has laid down 4 varnas and ashramas to diminish the worldly desires gradually. When one is a householder, he can pursue for wealth, woman, fame within the confines of dharma. Dharma, artha, kama and moksha are the four pursuits which a householder can pursue legitimately. However, while pursuing dharma (eg. charity), artha (wealth), kama (material desires), we should not forget the main goal of our life, which is 'moksha'.
Material minded people generally forget about moksha while ambitiously pursuing for dharma, artha and kama. It is not wrong if you are ambitious and earn wealth, fame etc. within the confines of dharma but the condition is to not forget the ultimate aim of life, which is moksha. This is expected from a Hindu/Vaishnava householder. But this path is risky as when you start enjoying, the desires increases. It does not decrease. When desires increases, a person starts deviating from the path of moksha.
Just to remained sticked on the path of moksha, great Acharyas since eons have advised jiva to remain desireless and stay focussed on the main aim of life that is moksha. That is why Shankaracharya has sung, "Bhaja govindam". In this bhajan, he says that our childhood was wasted in playing, our youth was wasted in running after women, our household life was wasted in earning wealth and our old age was wasted in lamenting our plight. In this way, he never chanted the divine name of govinda. So, the main thing he instructs is, to remain focussed on the path of moksha.
Our main principle should be"Santoshi nara sada sukhi" (A content person remains forever happy). Do not think of what materialistic people will think of us. They will go to naraka, we will go to Goloka. So, chant Hare Krishna and be happy !