Hare Krishna Devotees
I am having ambitions to achieve. The intentions behind these ambitions is all related to Krishna.
One such ambition that I should fullfill right now is to get a job. By getting a job I can visit Krishna temple everyday and inspire my family to do so. If I don't then they'll get wrong perception about Krishna Consciousness. I can also engage myself in charity as per Krishna's will. It will help me elevate my state of living. Now, I'm in my final year of degree college(yet to start). By the time I graduate, I should have a job in hand otherwise it is difficult to search for it off campus.
I know I should work for it to achieve it. But thoughts such as: what if I won't be able to get a job, what if I will not get a chance to serve Krishna, what if I'll stay unemployed forever and bring a bad name to Krishna bhakti and so on pops up in my head whenever I think of studying. I fear that I'll become aimless in life and put Krishna down.
Devotees please help me.
Replies
Hare Krishna,
I GET A JOB-
I get a job -- then, I can go everyday to temple
I get a job-- then, I can inspire my family to do KC
I get a job- then, I can I can elevate my state of living
I get a job-- then, I can do charity as per krishna's will.
I DON'T GEtT A JOB-
I don't get a job-- there is no chance to serve Krishna
I don't get a job-- I will bring bad name to Krishna bhakti
I don't get a job-- I fear that I am going to be aimless in life.
I don't get a job-- I will put Krishna down.
Mind is so wavering .. I mind sometimes thinks of .. If I get .. If I dont get... there is a constant dwandwa yudh between two if's
Change this mindset and see:-
I get or not get job.. I can do Krishna bhakti.
I can go to temple ( job there not there).If I don't have money.. I can sit and home and do japa.
I can do charity. ..( it may not be money always...) I can donate...one holy name of LORD chant count to any bhikari from my daily rounds. .
I cannot maybe make anyone of my family members happy but I will certainly make Krishna happy and proud.
I may not be having a big home, great life but certainly my home is going to be much much bigger because Krishna is mine.. who owns the whole world. To the world i maybe imporverished but they don't know My beloved is a King of all the worlds Jagat Pati.
If I achieved Krishna bhakti... and get the love and attention of Krishna do I even require my family members to appreciate me?
If i am unemployed...I am most happy because I am in full time service of Krishna.
I may look like a fool .. aimless goal less in life. But I have biggest aim in life. and a purpose of life that is to get Krishna bhakti and Krishna prema.
Now look at your mind..
Mind lost the dwandha yudh .. between if I get ....If I dont get.
mind has .. one thought now.. I am just blissful with krishna.. every other thing is unnecessary.
NO MORE if's ..and if not's
HINT:-
To get out of this dwandha yudh..and fear
You need to surrender to Krishna and make HIM and give Him first priority.
If you do so... Everything will fall into its space automatically.
Hare Krishna
Thank you so much Mataji
I'm relieved now
Hare Krsna
what if I will not get a chance to serve Krishna
Anyone who is willing to serve Krsna will always be able to serve Krsna.
what if I'll stay unemployed forever and bring a bad name to Krishna bhakti
Unlikely.
It is a fallacy to think - I need achieve Goal X to be able to serve Krsna. Whether X is achieved or not, we can serve Krsna in all circumstance. Example - Prahlad
Hare Krsna
Thank you Prabhuji
Hare Krishna
Hare Krsna
Krsna doesn't want you to give Him charity. Krsna wants you. That is highest. Krsna explains this in 12th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita As it is very beautifully
Highest Level - 1 - Complete Absorption
mayy eva mana ādhatsva
mayi buddhiṁ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayy eva
ata ūrdhvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ
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.( BG 12.8)
This is done by pure devotees like mother Yashoda, Prahlad etc. This is the highest - Full absorption in Sri Krsna. If one can do this, that is highest possible perfection. Krsna is most pleased. No need of money, work, charity, sense control, health, security etc. For those who are unable to do it ->
Next level - 2 Complete & Direct Engagement
atha cittaṁ samādhātuṁ
na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram
abhyāsa-yogena tato
mām icchāptuṁ dhanañ-jaya
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. BG 12.9
If unable to fully absorb one's mind/intelligence in Krsna, then Follow regulative principles of Bhakti, which involve engaging gross senses directly in Krsna seva (described in very detail in Purport of BG 12.9) and thus induce mind and intelligence to absorb in Sri Krsna. Eg - Worshippin deities, hearing Krsna katha
For those who cannot do this ->
Level 3 - Direct Engagement
abhyāse ’py asamartho ’si
mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmāṇi
kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
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. BG 12.10
If one cannot fully engage their senses in Krsna's seva, then they should engage their senses, resources, capability in directly working for Krsna. This is described in detailed in in Purport of BG 11.55 . Eg - Book distribution, Clean temple for money. Sell flowers near temple, sell deity clothes
If one is unable to do this then ->
Level 4 - Engagement with Complete Detachment
athaitad apy aśakto ’si
kartuṁ mad-yogam āśritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ
tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
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. ( BG 12.11)
If unable to work for Krsna, then one is advised to perform work but renounce or give-up all results of one's activities.
Within this there are 2 scenarios
Level 4 A - Renounce results of work for Krsna (Eg Do charity for temple construction, chaity for prasad distribution, charity deity worship).
Level 4 B - Renounce results of work for something else. (Eg Give charity to beggars, education, health, diaster reilef and such causes)
In both the above emphasis is on detatchment from results
From Levels 1 to Leve 4A , attachment and progression directly towards Sri Krsna is involved to varying extents. From Level 4B onwards, Attachment towards Krsna's may not be directly involved .Those who cannot follow Level 4B ->
śreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj
jñānād dhyānaṁ viśiṣyate
dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas
tyāgāc chāntir anantaram
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. BG 12.12
Level 5 - Meditation - Dhyana
Those who cannot renounce results of work may take up meditation. Eg - Hiranyakashipu did this This is described in 6th Chapter of BG in detail. Those who cannot meditate ->
Level 6 - Cultivate Knowledge -Jnana
Those who cannot meditate are advised to cultivate knowledge or Jnana.This is covered in Chapters 13- 18 of BG
So this is like a hierarchy which Sri Krsna has described. What does Sri Krsna want from us is very clear -> Complete Absorption. But not everyone may be at that level, so one should situate oneself in the next lower level and be engaged progressively.
Hare Krsna