Hare Krishna dear Devotees! please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
As we know that preaching about the glories of the Holy Names is the essence of our Spiritual Life.
We can preach by distributing books, giving lectures, lectures in educational institutions, web sites...But these things are usually done by brahmacharis, sannyasis.
But how practically Devotees in grihastha ashram preach? They do not have much time. At least husband works for 6-7 hours, wife works at home taking care of children then when will they preach?
Or does it mean that they do home programs? or just donate money to those who preach full time?
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There are different types of Devotees:
who are with Vaisha inclinations-they take care of cows, do business and can donate much lakshmi.
who are with Kshatriya inclinations-they can manage Temple, money, organize Festivals, yatras. It is their preaching.
But those who have brahmanical qualities - can not earn much, can not rule nicely but just teach. So in this way how these grihasthas should preach?
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Please, beg You to give also examples from the lives of Devotees!
thank You!
Your servant, bhaktin maral
P.S. but please do not tell me that only taking care of children and making house a Temple is very big thing and enough for grihastha people. I think grihastha people can try to do more things for the benefit of Lord Gouranga's mission.
Replies
In Mahabharata it says that Kashyapa Muni was going to the place where Parikshit Maharaja had to be killed by the snake. Because he had the power to bring back dead people to life, so wanted to bring back Parikshit Maharaja to life and get nice charity.
But on the way snake Takshaka stopped him and told him to go back...
But if Kashyapa Muni was eager to come to hear the Bhagavatam before 7 days and hear Bhagavatam what would happen?
He would hear Bhagavatam plus bring back Parikshit Maharaj to life. But because he missed Bhagavatam class he could not help.
In this way how it is important for Grihasthas especially to hear Bhagavatam.
Your servant,
Hare Krishna Bhaktin Mataji
Very nice post.
A month back I had asked one devotee from ISKCON to come and preach in our apartment in the party Hall.
I tried my best gathering people to come and listen.Though it was the first session, I was totally discouraged the way people were going in and out of the lecture. Some attended for few minutes, some didn't show up, some were blabbering all the time. It ruined my enthusiasm to organize another lecture.
So left it all to Krishna to decide what next...
Jai shree Krishna.
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that among millions of people only few look for the real truth. And among them only one achieves the ultimate goal of life.
In this way do not loose Your enthusiasm, please! So many people come to the Temple nearly 3000-6000 and among them only 3-4 really get enlightened by listening lectures, reading books.
Krishna says that one is very dear to Me who wants to share this knowledge with others and try to make them happy.
And also He told to Arjuna to fight by doing his best but not to worry about the result. In this way we have to preach as good as we can and Krishna will take of the result.
You are so fortunate that You can organize such like programs!
Your servant,
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/profiles/blogs/bhakti-vriksha-manua...
in one lecture heard that if Devotees live far away from the Temple then they can do morning programs by calling neighbor Devotees to do it in each other's house.
At least once a week or twice. And chant together.
Your servant,
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...
not at all hurts Prabhu! Thank You for Your answers!
Yes, first i have to be myself an example and then enthuse others. As like Maharaj says if nobody enthuses you then you enthuse others.
At least seem that you are enthusiastic.
Thank You! Your servant,
I heard in a lecture by HH Romapada Swami that charity is the main thing. Also in another lecture by Maharaja, he cites the CC verse where Lord Caitanya advises His grhastha devotee to 1) serve the Vaisnavas and 2) chant the Holy Name.
yes, Prabhuji i heard it also. But how they can serve to Vaishnavas? What are the practical ways of serving to Vaishnavas? And under these Vaishnavas do You mean also the same Grihastha Devotees?
Does it mean that they have to serve to each other?
Thank You!
Your servant,
From my limited understanding, you can serve the other devotees by inviting them to your house and serving prasadam, discussing the Bhagavatam, having kirtan, etc. At the temple, you can do the temple service under the guidance of other devotees. Also, you can take on other service that you want to initiate, also under the guidance of the devotees. For example, my wife runs the Sunday school at the temple because the temple president and other devotees asked her to do it. We also started seeds for food crops to plant outside when the weather gets warmer. So the devotees can give you different ideas and then you can carry out the service under their guidance. Also, going on harinam and distributing books is service. Serving grhastha devotees is also serving Vaisnavas...if what you mean, should the grhastha devotees serve each other, as in husband and wife, then definitely, because how can you have a relationship if you dont try to serve each other.
hope that helps
hare krsna!
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