Namaste,
I am new to this forum and thanks for the admin and moderators for granting me membership with this esteemed community.
I have begun chanting 16 rounds of mahamantra recently, last month to be precise. I was reciting lesser rounds (like 4 or 6 rounds) of mahamantra for 2 years formerly.
As such, I am not so spiritually evolved from mahamantra japa, as one can see that is not possible for a newbie-chanter to achieve something so big so quickly.
Therefore, I remain a foodie and am also very much attracted to fine clothing and jewelry.
I would love to learn from other devotees their experience. Are they also controlling their urge to eat tasty food and also wear only very humble, simple clothing?
Is it ok to indulge once in a while.
Many thanks,
Jayashree
Replies
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
THank you for genuine inquiry. THe way to devotion is - we add Krsna to our lives, we continue to do whatever we were doing earlier. Gradually, as and when the higher taste develops, we automatically leave the lower taste, without stress or feeling of missing out.
To answer your question specifically, of course all of us are attracted to good food and most girls like to dress up/ look good. It is natural.
We can try to dovetail our desire to eat tasty food, after offering to the lord. This way, we are offering tasty food to the lord, and taking prasadam, which is purifying to ua. In case the food is prepared in a restaurant, then ensure that it is vegetarian food without onion and garlic and offer it to the lord and have. For beginners, it is ok. Certainly it is better than offering without eating. Or eating what is not recommended. Gradually, out of love for Krsna, you will want to cook and offer. Then you graduate to that.
Regarding dressing up - good clothes and jewellery - dress up for Krsna when you come to temple. Sometimes, when we have to go for parties or weddings,we dress up and it is natural. We need not force ourselves to become plain jane simply because we are in devotion. Be natural, Krsna is sitting in our heart and He knows what is going on there. So we cannot hide from Him. I am telling you the way to dovetail this desire.
Alongwith chanting, if you join some preaching group, maybe you will get some knowledge and realise that while dressing up is good, it is not the end all of life. It is ok if we are not looking our best or someone else is looking better than us. These elements of comparison and jealousy willnot be there, only appreciation whne we see someone else dressed up.
I hope I have answered your questions. If there are more queries, please feel free to ask.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Thank you for the kind reply, Radha Rasamayi DD ji. That really answered my query very well.