Before joining the Krishna Consciousness movement, I was more arrogant, self-centered and inconsiderate. But I also had the confidence that I can get whatever I wanted. Though this was ignorant of me, this confidence would help me get things done.But after joining the movement, I realized the importance of being humble and am trying to be less arrogant. But at the same time, I have realized that I have become less confident. I sometimes depend heavily on Krishna for providing me with good results when I don't even work hard, thinking that Krishna will take care of his devotees no matter what.Please help me out by suggesting how I could change this lifestyle and be more productive and confident in my service.Hare Krishna!
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I highly suggest grabbing a copy of the Chaitanya Charitamrta and reading Srila Prabhupada's purports of these verses. The Sri Sikshastakam are 8 verses that are Lord Chaitanya's instructions to KC. Try to read it and try to understand the overlying significance of each verse. Do not make your own interpretations though.
It's good to be dependent on Krishna, because that is the natural mood of one who surrenders. However, we should not sit around idly thinking "Oh Krishna do this and this for me.. I am going to take rest" .. because this type of though reverses the relationship of master and servant; and as we all know Krishna is the original and only master. We are all his servants.
This isn't a full answer, but hopefully it helps a tiny bit.
Internally we should always depend on the mercy of Krishna.
But externally we have to do our best to get things done. I mean we should perform our duties as good as possible. But internally understand that whatever good is coming is out of mercy of Krishna and whatever bad is coming is my own bad karma.
So in this way in failure or success we won't suffer much. Because internally we are depended on Krishna. And understand that He does things perfectly.
He cares of us more than we can take care of ourselves.
Devotee is confident always. Because always he knows that there is no death; That he is eternal soul; and very soon he will go to Spiritual world;
He is confident because he trusts to Krishna that He won't cheat me.
He is confident because he knows that he is a soul - very beautiful, eternal soul.
But externally he does his duties with sincerity and responsibility and teaches others to do the same.
What you have described is a trap we all fall into when we first come to Krishna Consciousness. We read in the Gita that Krsna says give up attachment, the first attachment we give up to is our prescribed duty. That is not the way to do things. We have to remember that doing our prescribed duty with sincerity and diligence is pleasing to the lord. If we do not perform our duty and still expect results, then we are worse than karmis. Atleast the karmi is working for whatever he wants, we are simply being a parasite and asking from Krsna without working for it. Initially Krsna even gives, out of HIs causeless mercy. Then we tend to take it for granted that nothing bad will ever happen to us because we are praying to the lord. Gradually, the sincerity of sadhana also goes down and we are left with nothing - no material achievement as well as no spiritual gain.
That is not the way to go about things. We have to be very sincere in our prayers. Doing our prescribed duty is part of our daily sadhana. One way is to say at the beginning of each day - whatever I do today, Krsna, I offer it to You. Then you will see the difference in your own attitude. You know that Krsna is watching, therefore you will do your prescribed duty diligently.
Real humility is knowing your position vis a vis Krsna, that you are soul and Krsna is the supreme and that the duty of the soul is to serve the supreme. While we are trying to be humble in this manner, it should not take away our confidence that was there earlier. Like I said, if you think Krsna is watching and you are offering the day's work to Him, then the moment you get stuck or face any difficulty doing your work, you will realise that your first thought goes to Krsna and somehow or the other, the solution for your problem appears in front of you. In fact, you will realise that you are able to do a lot more like this than before you came into KC. Now that you are doing everything for Krsna, you know that the confidence is also coming from Krsna, it is not in your own abilities. And we all know that the only dependable person on earth is the Supreme Personality.
Pls try like this and see, if it works for you.
I am sorry if I have not been able to explain myself properly to you.
Replies
Darshan Prabhu! Hare Krishna!!
Have you read the Sri Sikshastakam?
http://kksongs.org/songs/c/cetodarpana.html
I highly suggest grabbing a copy of the Chaitanya Charitamrta and reading Srila Prabhupada's purports of these verses. The Sri Sikshastakam are 8 verses that are Lord Chaitanya's instructions to KC. Try to read it and try to understand the overlying significance of each verse. Do not make your own interpretations though.
It's good to be dependent on Krishna, because that is the natural mood of one who surrenders. However, we should not sit around idly thinking "Oh Krishna do this and this for me.. I am going to take rest" .. because this type of though reverses the relationship of master and servant; and as we all know Krishna is the original and only master. We are all his servants.
This isn't a full answer, but hopefully it helps a tiny bit.
Your Servant!
Thank you so much. I will definitely go through those verses.
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna!
Thank You for a nice question Prabhu!
Internally we should always depend on the mercy of Krishna.
But externally we have to do our best to get things done. I mean we should perform our duties as good as possible. But internally understand that whatever good is coming is out of mercy of Krishna and whatever bad is coming is my own bad karma.
So in this way in failure or success we won't suffer much. Because internally we are depended on Krishna. And understand that He does things perfectly.
He cares of us more than we can take care of ourselves.
Devotee is confident always. Because always he knows that there is no death; That he is eternal soul; and very soon he will go to Spiritual world;
He is confident because he trusts to Krishna that He won't cheat me.
He is confident because he knows that he is a soul - very beautiful, eternal soul.
But externally he does his duties with sincerity and responsibility and teaches others to do the same.
Your servant,
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
What you have described is a trap we all fall into when we first come to Krishna Consciousness. We read in the Gita that Krsna says give up attachment, the first attachment we give up to is our prescribed duty. That is not the way to do things. We have to remember that doing our prescribed duty with sincerity and diligence is pleasing to the lord. If we do not perform our duty and still expect results, then we are worse than karmis. Atleast the karmi is working for whatever he wants, we are simply being a parasite and asking from Krsna without working for it. Initially Krsna even gives, out of HIs causeless mercy. Then we tend to take it for granted that nothing bad will ever happen to us because we are praying to the lord. Gradually, the sincerity of sadhana also goes down and we are left with nothing - no material achievement as well as no spiritual gain.
That is not the way to go about things. We have to be very sincere in our prayers. Doing our prescribed duty is part of our daily sadhana. One way is to say at the beginning of each day - whatever I do today, Krsna, I offer it to You. Then you will see the difference in your own attitude. You know that Krsna is watching, therefore you will do your prescribed duty diligently.
Real humility is knowing your position vis a vis Krsna, that you are soul and Krsna is the supreme and that the duty of the soul is to serve the supreme. While we are trying to be humble in this manner, it should not take away our confidence that was there earlier. Like I said, if you think Krsna is watching and you are offering the day's work to Him, then the moment you get stuck or face any difficulty doing your work, you will realise that your first thought goes to Krsna and somehow or the other, the solution for your problem appears in front of you. In fact, you will realise that you are able to do a lot more like this than before you came into KC. Now that you are doing everything for Krsna, you know that the confidence is also coming from Krsna, it is not in your own abilities. And we all know that the only dependable person on earth is the Supreme Personality.
Pls try like this and see, if it works for you.
I am sorry if I have not been able to explain myself properly to you.
Your servant,
Rashmi