Hare Krishna to all.
PAMHO
AGTSP
I wanted to know that how do I join ISKCON full time as I am now tired of mundane material life and want to make my life sublime by serving Krishna and make this birth of mine the last one on this miserable material planet as far as possible. I am a life member of ISKCON since 2006. Please let me know how can I join ISKCON full time. I live in Bangalore. Looking for enlightened responses and guidance from seniors.
Your Servant,
Avinash G.
Jai Shree Krishna
Replies
Hare Krishna,
There are two types of renunciation as per scriptures. Yukta vairagya and Phalgu vairagya.
The Vaiṣṇava philosophy therefore recommends yukta-vairāgya. It is not that all attention should be diverted for the maintenance of the body, but at the same time one's bodily maintenance should not be neglected. As long as the body exists one can thoroughly study the Vedic instructions, and thus at the end of life one can achieve perfection. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 8.6): yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram. Everything is examined at the time of death. Therefore, although the body is temporary, not eternal, one can take from it the best service and make one's life perfect.
While Phalgu Vairagya or Smashana vairagya is inferior type of vairagya which is temporary and it comes suddenly. Phalgu vairāgya means the so-called sannyāsīs, they have taken the dress of renounced order, but within the heart they have got all desires to fulfill.
Smashana Vairagaya means one who very recently attended some death of near and dear feel somewhat sadness inside that oh this is so sad, all have to die some day. they suddenly feel depressed but they revert back to normal life after few days.
Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:
Phalgu-vairāgya means inferior renunciation, or false renunciation. And yukta-vairāgya means actual renunciation. What is that difference? Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are giving up this world as false, māyā. Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Just like sometimes we are criticized because we are using the advantages offered by the material science. Just like I am using this microphone. So the people may criticize, "If this world is false, the material world is false, then why should I take advantage of this material product?" They expect that those who are spiritualists, they should go to Himalayas, giving up, giving up everything material and meditate in a solitary place, in snow-covered area. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not think like that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. He does not recommend, although He was a sannyāsī, He was in renounced order of life. He gave up His family, beautiful wife, very affectionate mother, very comfortable home, very prestige, too much prestige of His personality in the society. He gave up everything. He was in the prime age of His youthful life, twenty-four years only, but He gave up everything.
Ok in simpler terms What I mean is Phalgu Vairagya means feeling world is mundane, all world is a big illusion..... I must get detached from the world and go to some jungle .
A KC devotee doesn't find the world mundane or miserable. For him every work he does becomes blissfull because he added KRISHNA into his day to day mundane works also. Now a maaayavadi person detaches himself from the material world and runs to jungles to practice meditation on self because he finds everything is lifeless. but KC person who add Krishna into his life finds it as celebration.
I don't want to discourage you from going and joining iskcon but just want to tell you that.. join iskcon but learn to see bright side of life.. in KC.
Add Krishna to ur mundane weary life and see how beautiful joyful it becomes.
One more thing prabhu ji,
Recently you have celebrated ur mother's birthday and you said she passed away last yr. so I am thinking are you feeling lonely and sad or internally feeling depressed ......see you may not know it but subconsciously you will feel this type of sadness after death of near ones and Smashana vairagya happens...You see what I am telling is, it is quite possible it happens with all. But it is not real vairagya.. check it after some days if you feel everything is fine.. or when other good situations come up are you able to change ur mood and return back to normal life.
If you are having some financial conditions and you are feeling tired of leading the life because of some stressful problems in life .. I am trying to analyse see, sometimes some situations comes in life where we don't feel nice at all.., and feel what a burdensome life... isse achha sanyas lelo aur sukoon se raho. This is not the right way one should take up KC.
See those who joined KC as brahmachari's are not joining KC FINDING LIFE IS WEARY. THERY ARE QUITE SUCESSFUL in LIFE THEY ARE IIT grads and working in major MNC firms and rejected those highest positions and joined KC because they love Krishna. Not that they found their life weary and mundane. AND many Grihasta devotees are also there who are practicing nicely KC being in mundane world only happily adding Krishna into their lives made their weary regular boring mundane life into a joyful, blissful KC life.
finally its ur wish and maybe you are really willing to joining iskcon I don't know.. Just gave my opinion.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna Mataji.
PAMHO
AGTSP
Maybe the title of my message has misled you into thinking that I am just taking this decision at the heat of the moment. But it is not so. Let me put it this way. I really love Krishna and I really want to make this birth of mine the last one on this material miserable planet and go back to Krishna in Golok eternally and make this human life, which is so rare, a success. I dont want to go into the giant wheel of 84 lakh species where we sometimes go up to heavenly planets and sometimes go down to hells and sometimes come in between which is, earthly existence. So I want to make this human life of mine a success. That is the reason and it is not out of depression.
Your Servant,
Avinash G.
Jai Shree Krishna.
Hare KRsna Avinash prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Wonderful progress. YOu may need to connect with devotees offline, in person. Then your shiksha guru will be in a position to judge whether you are ready for full time service and guide you. Please write to me personally, I will put you on to senior devotees.
Regarding joining full time, some questions you can ask yourself:
1) Are you married/ single?
2) What are your financial obligations? Are they over? Aged parents, education loan, any other loan on your head.
3) Are you anticipating any future financial obligation? Children/ aged parents
4) Are you planing to marry?
My purpose of you answering yourself these questions is that - I have seen devotees who become full time, then depend on weekend devotees like me to fulfill their finanical needs. That is not encouraged. Their logic is - I have sacrificed everything for the service of the lord. You are a grihasta, it is your job to take care of me. This doesnt gel with me. If you have sacrificed a career or earning opportunity, it is depending on Krsna, not on me. Better than that would be to earn and support the local ISKCON temple or some or other service.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna Mataji.
PAMHO
AGTSP
Answering your questions.
1. I am not married
2. I have no financial obligations. I have lost both my parents, so I don't have any dependents. I have no loan on me.
3. No I don't anticipate any future financial obligations.
4. I am not planning to marry.
Your Servant,
Avinash G.
Jai Shree Krishna
Hare KRsna Prabhuiji,
PAMHO.
Woncderfully placed. Now the other part of my answer - who is your shiksha guru offline, connect with him and join under his guidance. Ideally, go stay in temple for breif periods - say a week at a time, thne increase to a month at a time, do seva and earn both, and see how you feel. Only when you feel convinced that you will be able to stay in temple for the rest of your life, then you join full time. Use this time to think what service you would like to render by joining full time. Ideally, in the temple, you should have a mentor/ guru who will look after you personally and guide you.
I know one more person, similar situation as yours, who has joined full time. He has been full time for more than 5-6 years now.
Best of luck,
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna Mataji. Very good idea.I'll definitely try out your advise Mataji
Your Servant,
Avinash G.
Jai Shri Krishna
Hari Bol. Thanks Prabhuji
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