Hare krishna
I wanted to ask for some suggestions from dear devotees. I belong to a middle class family and have been facing a lot of problems one faces from not being so rich ever from when I was a child. So this has lead me to want to do progress in the material world so that my parents would not have to face these problems anymore during their old age and also so that I could provide a better environment for my children. I also want to do a lot of advancement in the spiritual world, get to know God, experience God and always follow the path shown to us by Bhagawan Shri Krishna. But the thing is that due to my wish to advance in the material world, i have been getting a lot of stress that is very diffivult to handle. It has been a very long time that even a single thing that goes wrong in my path to do something worries me a lot and i have been suffering from a constant stress and worries and fear for a very long period of time. What should I do?
Hare krishna!
Replies
Hare Krsna PRabhuji,
PAMHO.
I understand and empathise with your situation. My take on this is - as long as we think we are the doer, we will be under stress. When we give up the ownership of the act and the result to Krsna, we will be relieved of all stress. We will continue to do our activities with due diligence and sincerity, but the associated tension will not be there.
YOu can pray to Krsna and Srila Prabhupada - please let me improve my financial situation, to provide security for my dependents, so that I can then concentrate on your devotion completely.
Having done the above, you can now do your endeavours without taking stress.
To be able to do this, you have to be very strong in your sadhana - no compromise on number of rounds committed to be chanted, if you are doing mangalaarati, please continue. Start mangalarati if you are not doing. Associating with devotees and hearing lecture, taking prasadam are other activities one has to schedule time for.
All the while, have firm faith that Krsna will take care of you and your family. He will never give what you want, He will always give what you need.
Best of luck,
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna,
As Bharat Prabhu has given reply aptly. There is no need to add much to it.
But I would like to tell you a katha to boost your confidence.
The Katha goes like this...
Once Narad muni being proud that he is best devotee of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu as he always chanted Narayana Narayan all the time 24/7 openly challenged and said.. Is there any devotee like me who chants 24/7., 365 days. and asked lord Narayan that who is the best devotee in all the 3 worlds.. similing internally self praising himself internally was expecting lord Sri Hari would chose him only as best devotee none else.
To this.. Lord smiles and replies understanding that Narad ji was proud of his devotion. He says.. and shows Narad muni. .. Inside that mud hut.. there lives a great devotee of mine Narad muni take look at him. Narad ji now became very curious. He wanted to find out who this man was so he waited outside the hut whole day to observe his activities..At around 4am the next morning,an old man came out of the hut.He went to the river nearby and took a bath.While bathing,Narada heard him utter"Hare Rama hare rama rama rama hare hare..hare Krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare" a few times.
After his bath,the man began with his daily chores of milking the cow,tending to his hens,going to the market to sell milk and eggs,ploughing the small piece of land next to his hut,sowing seeds,weaving a few baskets with hay and straw,cooking a frugal meal of rice and dal in between for himself and so on and so forth..During each of these activities Narada heard him chant "Hare rama hare Krishna" a few times. After sunset,the man had an early supper and went off to sleep.
Narada was furious.He stomped went to the milky white ocean,the abode of Lord Vishnu and asked,"O Lord,how can you insult me thus?How could you compare my devotion with that of this frail old man who does not take time out for prayers,who does not meditate,does not visit a temple and does not even have an idol of yours in that pathetic house of his? All he does is say "hare rama hare krishna" a few times while doing those daily tasks of his and you call him your greatest devotee?
On the other hand,I chant your name 24X7.I sing your praises and spread your name everywhere.Oh,this is so unfair !!"
Lord Vishnu said nothing,instead handed Narada a brass pot filled to the brim with oil and said,"Dear Narada,near to that hut,you will find a small hill.Take this pot of oil in your hands and circle that hill thrice.But be careful that you dont spill a single drop of oil on the ground."
Narada was curious to know the purpose of this strange task.But he knew better than to question the Lord's order.He did as he was told.With utmost care and concentration,he circled the hill thrice with the pot of oil in hand.Once he completed the rounds,he rushed back to Lord Vishnu and said "I carried out the task perfectly.Not a single drop was spilled."
Lord Vishnu said "Very good O sage,now tell me how many times did you chant my name and remember me while circling the hill?"
Narada was taken aback.So engrossed was he in concentrating on the pot that he had completely forgotten to utter the Lord's name or to even think about him.
Lord Vishnu smiled and said,"So,now do you understand why I called the old farmer my greatest devotee? He thinks of me and chants my name while performing each and every task of his, which require an equal amount of concentration and hard work while you who call yourself the most supreme among my devotees completely forgot about me while performing a simple task?"
Narada realised his folly and fell on Lord Vishnu's feet.He apologised for his arrogance and vanity.Never again did he boast of being the best devotee of all.
Most of us remember GOD only during our scheduled prayer time,during times of trouble,when we visit a temple or when we have nothing much to do..but true devotion lies where and when we remember him always, whether we are working or resting..whether we are happy,sad or worried.Only then can we be called real devotees...
SO, Adarsh Prabhu ji.. Lord gives you hardships and all problems it is all becoz of ur previous deeds that you suffer this life.. and He gives you memory of Him a bit also.. had you have no memory of Him you would never been here on this site asking this doubt. Prabhu ji, just like that farmer even when you are busy in your material affairs if you are able to be reminded of lord and appreciate LOrd in all your works, ( MANASA VACHA KARMA).. in words, deeds and karma whatever you do.. If you are able to think remind of lord it is all becoz of the Mercy of Lord. Chant whenever possible remember his leelas and praise him when ever possible read a bit listen to lectures go to temple... Say God becoz of you I am able to go ahead on this difficult path somehow managing please see that Your name always keeps on rolling on my tongue. Give me this much blessing for this life.. Thank you.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krsna
It has been a very long time that even a single thing that goes wrong in my path to do something worries me a lot and i have been suffering from a constant stress and worries and fear for a very long period of time. What should I do ?
We have to add Krsna in our lives
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra
loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya
mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage. (Bg 3.9)
The "chronic stress" that described is what Sri Krsna calls bondage. In order to be free from it we need to perform our duties for Krsna. Till the time we do it for ourselves we will be bound to the work, its results etc.
If we do our work for Krsna we will be bound to Krsna, which is called yoga.
How to work for Krsna is very well described by Krsna & Srila Prabhupada here.
Please read this well, it is very deep. If we can apply this we will definitely be liberated from cycle of birth and death what to speak of stress.
Also we need to understand, everyone has their share of Karma, even our family members. We cannot change what anyone is destined to get materially.
Hare Krsna