Hare Krishna
Few months ago I found out about ISKCON and fell in love with it. I found out about ISKCON through the internet. My family is not Krishna Consciousness so I am the only one. I cannot visit ISKCON temple because my parents are very busy with their jobs and its very very far away. I do not have any devotees friends. I have never attended any aartis, lectures, kirtans, and met any guru to whom I can take help from to go further in KC. I do not even have deities of God so I cannot enjoy decorating Krsna. I love reading Srimad Bhagavatam and other books of Srila Prabhupada but I cannot buy them because my parents think that I should first get good career and then I can buy KC books with my own money. I am a teenager. I live in the United States and life here is full of ignorance and everyone is lost in maya and many do not even believe in god. Everyone around me is deeply fallen into maya. There is no one who thinks like me. But I am not complaining about it. I know that it takes a lot of good deeds in order for a man to get even a thought of krsna. I feel like this world is an illusion. It feels as if nothing is real. And sometimes I dont even feel my body. I look in the mirror and the body I see is not me. I want to go back to the beautiful lotus feet. I feel so unfortunate to not have a life filled with kirtan, krsna's deities, lectures and etc. I know that this situation is due to my past life karmas but what do I do? All I have is my soul and the internet. The internet is the only source I have that will help me get closer to my dear Lord. Please tell me on the type of lifestyle a person with this situation should live in. By the way I want to let all devotees know that you all are very lucky to have a life in which you can attend temple and perform activities of KC.
When will Krsna take me out of this and give me a life of a regular devotee?
Thank You
Hari bol
Meera
Replies
i understand ur situation because i have also gone through the same course .infact many devotees have such problem . but ur thirst for krsna really inspires me .bless me that i too may have such devotion towards krsna .
i desire to share my story in krsna conscious .
i too practice krsna bhakti from childhood.but my family members hate iskcon . they believe that devotees have brainwashed me.
whenever my parents cook meat , i don't eat .so every one ridicule me ,they insult me & would force me to eat meat . they would never allow me to associate with devotees . it was very different for me to practice my sadhana . i would many time cry due to this condition. but i always prayed & prayed & prayed to krsna to help me . i tolerated all problem hoping that krsna will take care .
now today every things had changed by krsna arangement .
--**--now i visit iskcon daily ,i chant without fear ,i regularly talk with devotees,i read prabhupad books ,i have a bag full of books . every things changed after 2-3 years .
my parents have given me a separate room for study where i do my sadhana now .they don't force me to eat meat now .
even now I'm practicing bhakti secretly . i have connection with iskcon since 3 years but my parents don't know that till now .
all this appear to be a miracle .this is true .
i advice u to please tolerate the problem ur facing now .i will guarantee that everythings will change one day .wait until that time praying to krsna .
"""also please have atleast mobile contact with devotees .u will not feel alone ""'
hare krsna
yours servant
i understand ur situation because i have also gone through the same course .infact many devotees have such problem . but ur thirst for krsna really inspires me .bless me that i too may have such devotion towards krsna .
i desire to share my story in krsna conscious .
i too practice krsna bhakti from childhood.but my family members hate iskcon . they believe that devotees have brainwashed me.
whenever my parents cook meat , i don't eat .so every one ridicule me ,they insult me & would force me to eat meat . they would never allow me to associate with devotees . it was very different for me to practice my sadhana . i would many time cry due to this condition. but i always prayed & prayed & prayed to krsna to help me . i tolerated all problem hoping that krsna will take care .
now today every things had changed by krsna arangement .
--**--now i visit iskcon daily ,i chant without fear ,i regularly talk with devotees,i read prabhupad books ,i have a bag full of books . every things changed after 2-3 years .
my parents have given me a separate room for study where i do my sadhana now .they don't force me to eat meat now .
even now I'm practicing bhakti secretly . i have connection with iskcon since 3 years but my parents don't know that till now .
all this appear to be a miracle .this is true .
i advice u to please tolerate the problem ur facing now .i will guarantee that everythings will change one day .wait until that time praying to krsna .
"""also please have atleast mobile contact with devotees .u will not feel alone ""'
hare krsna
yours servant
Hare Krishna Dear Meera,
Dandavat Pranaam, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada & Gurudev!
You are so blessed dear Meera. You have a sincere desire to connect with Srila Prabhupada's movement -Krishna will facilitate everything :) All other devotees have already given wonderful suggestions for you to follow. You can also participate in Japa conference calls and Bhagvad Gita tele-conference calls. That way you will actually be connected to devotees,can ask questions, share concerns etc. there are many wonderful devotees doing this service in USA. i dont know ur time zone. if you wish i can connect you to some group. just message me your mail i.d.
All the best!
Jai Jagannath!
YS
DeviRadha Dasi
I also live in USA. Please let me know If I can be any help!
Actually it's hard to find balance b/w worldly and spritually duties and tasks..............that's all we r searching for that firmness and consistency in our faith in krishna inspite of all our difficulties...............clinging to our ideal would make us strong and strong......like yr parents my parents too wanna see me progressing in career and life;they even said that I hv abandoned non-veg so I would find difficult to live everywhere........but I kept adamant...............yet not able tp practise kcon and attend to guru or japa for long time at home...........but we hv to find way,internet is very useful...........and the foremost bhagwadgita is always inspiring in this path.....I recommend u to purchase a hardcopy if u can
You are sincere and thats all that is required in Krishna Consciousness. You will be blessed.
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Hare Krishna! Jai Chaitanya! Srila Gurudev!
Dearest Meera! I hope these replies let you know that you are not alone! I am a woman in my mid thirties facing the same difficulties that you do. Your story made my heart scream out to help you! I get very lonely and discouraged some times but I have resources that help me. I started practicing Krishna Consciousness a little over a month ago.
While some of the temples are closer to me, they are very difficult for me to get to. You still have many sources that others do not! I do not have deities in my small urban apartment but I use pictures I have framed on an altar. Make your bedroom your temple! Do a search online about creating your own altar. Work around that altar and practice your service to Krishna by offer something as simple as a small cup of water. You can also do a search online about offering vegetarian cruelty free food to Krishna by placing it on your altar. Practice chanting the holy names before your altar. You may be surprised to discover how you can use your own resources without spending any money or waiting for your parents to give you permission to buy things.
The internet is an excellent resource! There are free lectures by great gurus on youtube and through this site. My favorite is radhanathswamiradio.com.
Most importantly practice with your heart. Offer something to Sri Lord RadhaKrishna even if it's simply your ears and eyes. You will move in the right direction organically. Let time be your friend. You are so fortunate to have come across Krishna Consciousness as a teenager. Many do not ever come across the practice in their lifetime.
Namaste!
-Melissa
Hare Krishna Mataji!!! I am very happy to see your dedication for K.C. Keep always this sprit high to achieve highest advancement in your sadhna. It is your beginning towards K.C. so do not be hope less and do not feel demoralize as Lord looking at you siting in your heart as a super soul. Never ever think that Lord Persist only in temple or in his abode. This body is also just like a temple of Lord Krishna and our heart is the place where he sit and observe our all movment. If the parents stop you doing chanting or for other activity toward Lord Krishna so better do not open your Love towards Krishna in front of them. As they are not very advance in their devotion that is why they are very much concern about you, specially on your carrier and at one sight that is correct also but they do not know that adding the K.C. in their life alongwith the daily routine of life they can make their life more easy, more happy with more simplicity. You please special take care of your study and take it as a challenge that you have to get marks and achieve lot of goal in your carrier where you will fulfill the desire of your parents and at the same time give your rest of the time in your Bhakti for Lord Krishna. I promise you that you will be always happy in your life. Read Sri Mad Bhagwad Gita (Srila Prabhupada, As it is) , Chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily. Watch Vrindavan Live T.V. where you can find the daily Programme Schedule of ISKCON. Hope you would have got information.
Your Humble Servant
Bhuwan Dutt Bawari
Hare Krishna
Thanks a lot for all the websites and I will surely change my lifestyle to the one you mentioned.
Hare Krsna
Meera
Hare Krsna dear Meera mataji,
PAMHO.
First of all, let me give you the good news. Krsna is everywhere -- even in America. So you are not alone. He is residing in your heart and guiding you. You have to be able to understand His guidance.
For starters, you should chant - if parents dont like, then hide from them and chant. You can chant on beads, on counter, on excel in computer, on fingers....just about anyway. Just chant.
Secondly, read Bhagavad Gita As It Is. You dont even need to buy it yet, start by reading the e book. You can access either of these sites - www.asitis.com or www.vedabase.com. In the second website, you will also get all the books on Srila Prabhupada in e form.
Then you can do what Sushant prabhu has mentioned.
At all times, be very careful to do your studies properly. Only if you excel in studies will parents accede to your requests and if you neglect studies thinking - after all, you are not the body, then parents will blame your spirituality and force you to give up chanting and reading. You are now an ambassador of Krsna to your parents and to the world around you. How you behave will have a bearing on how fast parents and everyone around you take to KC. Remember everyone is a future devotee, therefore be polite to parents at all times and do not try to preach to them at all at this stage.
Do keep writing, we will keep giving you pep talks so that your sadhana goes on fine. Rest will follow.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
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