Hare krishna!
Why I feel I need a guru-
I have been reading gita for 1 year and read bhagwat gita marathi version daily almost thrice a day but sometimes find it difficult to stay away from distractions and do hardwork .Also unable to understand exactly how to devote my studies to krishna .Shrila prabhupad said bhakti is sweet but I feel the same.is the path of bhakti painful at the beginning .i am trying to wake early for chanting but unable to do that too.i have a lot more to ask and am confused I am ready to do hardwork but can't find a path as just reading books and through one's intelligence one can't progress in bhakti .that's why I feel I need a guru so .one temple is near me so exactly what protocols to follow so that I can get a guru?
Thanks very much
Replies
Hare Krsna dear prabhu,
PAMHO.
Wonderful that you started to read Bhagwad Gita and are wanting to progress on this path. So there are some ABCD of devotion. If you do those, progress is sure to happen.
A - Association of devotees. It is said that we are known by the company we keep. Like minded people naturally flock together. Therefore, it is natural for a seeker of the absolute truth to associate with similar mentality people. Please visit the nearest ISKCON temple and associate with devotees. Once you become regular, you will recognise the faces and gradually make friendship with them. This way, you will be able to observe them and learn from them.
B - Books. Read books written by Srila Prabhupada regularly. Most of your doubts will get cleared and faith will become strong with knowledge of philosophy.
C - Chanting. Presently you are doing 3 rounds. My suggestion is to start with 4 rounds and increase as and when it becomes comfortable.
D - Diet - try to eat only Krsna prasadam. That would be vegetarian food without onion and garlic, offered to Krsna. If its not possible to have prasadam every time, atleast ensure that the food is vegeterian, without onion garlic.
The path of bhakti is susukham kartum avyayam - it is pleasruable in the beginning, in the middle and in the end.
It is natural that there will be distractions. These are like waves in the ocean - they never stop. Sometimes we will give in to the distractions, sometimes we will not. The idea is to pick ourselves up at every fall and start all over again.
How to devote studies to Krsna - its like this - we are all having some duty as per our varna and ashram. For you, in student life, it is to study. So it you study thinking you are doing your prescribed duty as a service to Krsna, (not to get highest marks or to impress the cute girl in class or to get even with your friends), then it is good, You could mentally say a prayer - I offer the results of today's studies to You, Krsna. Tey and see how you feel when you do this.
Regarding waking up early - it is a factor of when you sleep. Sleep early, automatically you will wake up early. Whatever is your time to wake up currently (suppose 8 am), try waking 15 min before that time for a week (7.45 am). Then next week 7.30 am......like this continue till you reach your desired time to wake up. Remember to sleep proportionately early to achieve this. There are no breaks for festivals or weekends in this practise. Every single day we wake up at the same time. If there is some sleep deprivation, we sleep later in the day.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna,
Before you even get a Diksha guru you must need a Sikha guru. Go to the nearby iskcon temple and get in touch with the disciples there and ask them to guide you to a siksha guru.
Hare Krishna
Ok thanks very much