pamho, hare krishna,
In Chapter 2 of Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Krishna has advised Arjuna to give up petty and miserly weakness of heart, become detached and fight, give up attachment and aversion to sense objects, and follow the regulative principles of freedom.
What are regulative principles of freedom ?
Replies
No eating meat fish or eggs, no illisit sex, no intoxication, rise early and chant The holy names of the Head Gods, Hare Krishna & Rama.
Associate with the devotees & take the remnants of foods that have been 1st. offerd to The GodHeads.
Hare Krsna
What are regulative principles of freedom ?
Excellent question !
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)
To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasādam,and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God.(Purport BG12.9)
This may at first sound far fetched but the key is to go step by step starting with most important elements first.
1. Chant Hare Krsna mahamantra
2. Read/ hear Srimad BG & Srimad Bhagavatam (best if done in association of devotees)
3. Render any service in temple or to devotees or to cows like serving prasadam, cleaning temple, preferably physical, otherwise donation.
4. Offer respects to deities - Taking darshan (even of pictures) and appreciating beauty of Krsna, cooking and offering bhoga to Krsna, performing Aarati etc
5. Visiting holy places like Vrindavan, Mayapur, Jagannath puri, Tirupati, etc where Lord Krsna has performed wonderful pastimes and hearing about the activities performed by Krsna in those places with appreciation.
Wish you all the best.
YS Bharat