HARE KRISHNA TO ALL THE DEVOTEES!
PAMHO!
Following are a few questions/doubts that i have. i would be really grateful and feel blessed by any of the guidance provided.
1. SKILL:
How to identify one's natural skill/talent through which one can serve Krishna and eventually be self realized? Like in the case of Arjuna, he was a gifted archer, and he knew his skill in archery very well. And with this skill, he served Krishna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra to establish Dharma. Similarly, how can one find one's own natural skill in order to serve Krishna?
2. REALIZATION WHILE EXECUTING DUTIES:
I have observed this that Lord Krishna reveals the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna while Arjuna was performing his duties. So is it correct to interpret that the All-mighty Lord reveals this great knowledge of the Gita to the person who is engaged in his/her duties, and not any other time when the person is not performing his/her duties?
3. EXECUTING ONE'S DUTIES:
With Lord Krishna's mercy/blessings, i am born into a business family and we have our own factory and a farm for growing various crops,fruits, etc. Therefore, i understand myself to be born into a vaishya family. And i interpret my duties to be earning, and executing the duties of a householder.
As earning is the duty of a vaishya, like fighting and administration are the duties of a kshatriya. So is it right for a vaishya keep a healthy financial goals/endeavors as it is his duty? is it correct to think of different ways for earning and profit?
I would be very thankful to any devotee who can provide any guidance from the scriptures, or any other practical tips for the above questions.
HARE KRISHNA!!!
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Skills - Each of us have some or the other talent. We need to identify that and put it in the lord's service. Even if we think we have no talent, then we can still serve the lord by serving His devotees, offering them menial service. Who needs to be taught to clean up, or keep and maintain shoe stand outside a temple.... so many things can be done, only desire to serve is required.
Realisation - this realisation is incorrect prabhuji. The knowledge of Gita was given when Arjuna wanted to deviate from doing his prescribed duty and only after he surrendered to the lord, accepting Him to be superior as against a friend.
The point to note is - Arjuna was a grihasta, a kshatriya before the discourse of Gita, and remained one after the discourse. There is no compromise on doing your duty at all times.
Executing one's duty - being born into a Vaishya family does not make you a vaishya. Are you in the same business? Are you also doing agriculture - directly or indirectly? If yes, then you are a vaishya. Every person who does business does with a profit motive. Without that, there is no point of doing business at all. Nothing wrong in having financial goals. Businessman has to think of ways of earning money and advance business.
Having said that, what the others have said is also true - that money that is earned - the whole amount is not for you to enjoy - there has to be charity, there has to be sacrifice to Vishnu, the money earned has to be offered to the lord and only a fraction used for own purpose.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
1. each one of us know our skills. one should approach iskcon or any vaishnav institute for "seva" and they will tell which job is best for us.
2. I did not understand. Krishna told entire BG to arjuna before the war.
3. a Kshatriya performs his duties for the people by protecting them. a brahmana gives spiritual education to the people similarly a vaishya or a shudra should help the people and not keep accumulating wealth. they can make donations to temples or use their wealth for good cause like helping unwell people financially. that will be executing ones duties otherwise Krishna calls such people THIEF!.
BG 3.12: The celestial gods, being satisfied by the performance of sacrifice, will grant you all the desired necessities of life. But those who enjoy what is given to them, without making offerings in return, are verily thieves.
By Vedic scriptures, if Vaishya doesn't share the profit with celestials by making sacrifices, with pure brahmanas by giving them donations, with those who are hungry by giving them a food, .....his profit will be the cause of his misery in this and next life.
Those who cant surrender to Lord need to follow varnashrama dharma for gradual spiritual progres, but those who completely live under Lords shelter are liberated souls no matter what they do in this world.
Without association of pure devotee Lord is usually unreachable even for a liberated yogis, what to talk about others.