I would assume that a devotee would have much better luck in finding a job than a non-devotee.
However, I met a young man who couldn't find a job here in Florida. He and his family had to move out of Florida because he couldn't find a job. Why would Lord Krishna arrange for a non-devotee to get a job and not the devotee? It seems to me that a devotee would have much better karma than the non-devotee. Please explain. Thanks.
Replies
For a non devotee, Maya devi does what is necessary to do better sense gratification. For a Devotee, Krishna puts more and more difficult situations in life in many different ways only to purify ourselves and be a better devotee. Queen Kunthi prays to Lord Krishna to put her in more and more difficult situations so that she can remember Him always. It is quite natural for a condition soul to turn towards Lord when we are in miserable condition than when we are happy.
In this case of the devotee who had to leave Florida for not having job, I think Krishna has a better plan for him. May be he will be redirected to another place/job which is more favorable for his KC. May be he will be put in a better association of devotees than he had here in Florida. We can only speculate, but what a devotee needs to do is just pray to Lord that no matter what happens, I should never forget remembering him. Mahaprabhu has taught this in his shikshaashtakam that Lord is completely free to put me in any conditions.
Lastly, a devotee should never ask for better material benefits from lord Krishna. Its like we are begging for pieces of glass from a diamond merchant who is distributing it for free. Utterly foolishness on our part if we do that. If one asks for better material comforts, Krishna will provide it but at a cost. It can be even our devotional life.
Regarding the kings who were devotees, then were never attached by the wealth they had. Ambrish maharaj would wear very simple dress and go bear foot to temple to see Lord. They would give lot of Gold, cows, food in charity to brahamans, etc...
Hope this helps.
Hari bol!!!
Hare Krishna dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
First here is the nice blog: http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/profiles/blogs/don-t-worry-if-you-d...
Srila Prabhupada says that not money is wealth but cows and some land.
The perfect house is that where no need to cross hundred miles in search for food.
Because in perfect house there are all food stuffs: ever fresh fruits, grains, milk, cow products as a medicine...
--not all devotees are poor or have to be poor.
Also in Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada says that mostly sex desire creates the power to earn huge amount of money.
But Devotees have to accept those jobs where they can perform it easily and honestly earn money. Also according to their qualities.
How to know what is my duty and which job should i choose? Devotee psychologists told that whatever you can do for the society in order to help them then it is your job. For example, if you can cook well, you may work as a cook for the others...
The secret of success is to give. in His lecture His Holiness Bhakti Vigyana Maharaj told that only thing you will take to your next life is what you gave to others.
--in this age most of jobs are based on cheating. They produce food stuffs for the eyes beautiful and for the tongue tasteful but for the health terrible. Using all those chemicals, and playing on the senses of ordinary people, children.
--media also attracts minds of people and creates in peoples' mind unneeded desires.
we lived for several years without hair straightener but now they advertise that without this, your life is impossible.
there only few jobs that we can perform and earn honest money.
i know people who are not Krishna Conscious but do not have jobs and some of them very poor. so it is not a question whether you are in KC or not. Everybody is bound by their karma until he or she achieves the Spiritual World and love for Krishna.
Thanks to all of you wonderful Prabhus.
Very good comments and words of wisdom.
I am lucky at my job. I sometimes get to work overtime and then can make a donation to my Temple.
Hare Krsna,
His Divine grace, A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has given explanations in several books which help to explain this complicated topic of luck, bad luck for devotees.
From the Srimad Bhagavatam, 1st Canto:
"We find that those who engage in Krsna consciousness are materially poor, but one who has eyes can see who is the greater. Although he appears to be materially poor, a person in Krsna consciousness is not actually a poor man, but the person who has no taste tor Krsna consciousness and appears to be very happy with material
possessions is actually poor. Persons infatuated by material consciousness are very intelligent in discovering things for materialcomforts, but they have no access to understanding the spirit soul and
spiritual life. Therefore, if anyone wants to advance in spiritual life, he has to come back to the platform of purified desire, the purified desire for devotional service. As stated in the Narada-pancaratra,
engagement in the service of the Lord when the senses are purified in Krsna consciousness is called pure devotion."
From the Srimad Bhagavatam, 4th Canto:
"In contrast, a Vaisnava, or worshiper of Lord Visnu, gradually becomes poorer in material possessions because Lord Visnu does not trick His devotees into becoming materially entangled by possessions.
Lord Visnu gives His devotees intelligence from within, as stated in
Bhagavad-gita (10.10):
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me."
Thus Lord Visnu gives intelligence to His devotee so that the devotee can make progress on the path back home, back to Godhead. Since a devotee has nothing to do with any kind of material possession, he does not come
under the control of goddess Kali, or the goddess Durga."
If more information would help, let me know. I can try to look for more explanations.
Hari Bol,
Hare Krishna Jai Krishna Ramaswami Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
But what about King Yudhishtra?! He was an Emperor! He everything good in His life, yes?!
What about Rupa and Sanatana Goswami Maharajas?!
What about Dhruva Maharaja?!
What about Shivananda Seva?
What about Bali Maharaj? Prahlada Maharaj? Nanda Maharaj?...
Please, we need some explanations for these also!
Thank You!
Your servant, maral
Jai Shri Krishnaa..
I think they did not use the wealth for life of comfort so that they would be entangled by Maya..
Although some nice explanation would be desirable..
HariBol!