Haribol.
Please accept my Humble Obeisance.
I recently attended a Bhakti Vriksha Course and as part of discussion, one of the devotees raised a question:
Think about the most wanted desire (job,house,degree) and Krishna? Whom would you choose Maya or Krishna? This will indicate how Krishna Conscious you are.
This has really affected me quite a lot. I do love Krishna but when i think of progressing in my career so that i can earn a bit more to support my family - does it mean i am in maya? I think i am doing my dharma. How do you distinguish between dharma and maya in such case?
I am sometimes so busy at work that i dont get a chance to finish my 16 rounds and i feel well, thats fine i dedicate my work to Krishna and as it says in BG that we have to do our dharma first (in my case my job role). But again going back to the first question - do i have to reduce my responsibilities at work and just ensure that i finish my 16 rounds.
A troubled devotee seeking answers!
Hare Krsna.
Replies
Hare Krishna dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Dear Harini Priya Mataji, of course it will be difficult to accept but for each of us are given special duties in life. Special roles. In this way for a soul in female body the best job is to become a chaste wife and caring mother. Taking care of house, children, guests, Deities...by cooking fresh food, keeping house clean...
It is a big mistake that women are looking for happiness in earning big money. It is not their field. They may earn much and provide their family members with money but they won't have time to provide them with peaceful home and love.
Even in the family wife wants to earn money she used to work less hours than her husband and save time for home duties. If she does that she will be happy and lets her husband to be happy by giving him chance to perform his duties which is going out and providing family with money and protection.
This means healthy cooperation.
Your servant,
hare krishna...
if every thing is in hand of lord.then by the mercy of lord we do studies and get the job..think as like that the job is given by lord ,order of lord do it also as become a servant of lord krishna,,.,. if lord want to promote u to higher position then he only gave you the oppurtunity you have to do karma for that....
WE have nothing in our hand .. lord also give us mind , which we have to use like that the centre points remains KRISHNA.. like the MAHABHARAT BATTLE>...
DESIRES like job, house, arealso neccassry in life but most important is krishna.. KRISHNA is our father. if we are under the protection of father then he also knows our requirement,...according to our require ment he give us oppurtunity but to grabb it you have to do KARMA<... but if you forgot that this oppurtunity given by lord and then you are in maya....if you remember that this is lord order then krishna is also with you in your mind....but again you have to do karma like that if you fail to achieve dont be upset .....its will of krishna...
Hare Krishna Mataji. Dandavat Pranam. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
There is one prescribed duties (Naimittik Dharma) and another is eternal duty (Nitya Dharma), When prescribed duties is performed to achieve the eternal duty (devotional service) ultimately then we are in the path to liberation and when prescribed duty is used for service of our senses then you are in maya. As long as we are in this material condition, we have to perform duty to maintain our body and soul together so there is no problem to aspire for a career which will give a good living condition BUT we should assure that our desire for good living condition should and only be for the aspiration to perform Krishna consciousness not to gratify our senses, wealth and prosperity if used in Krishna's service in other words if it helps us to practice Krishna consciousness smoothly then it is Yoga-maya means we are under Krishna's protection and is progressive BUT if wealth and properity are used to gratify our senses then we are under maya or illusion and we will suffer the consequences.
Regarding 16 round chanting we should try to complete it as before starting the day as by chanting 16 rounds daily we are accumulating Srila Prabhupada's grace and mercy. Chanting fixed round daily creates determination in us thus help us to organize the whole day in such a way thus we can think about Krishna.
your aspiring Servant
Hari Bol