Hare Krishna,
Why shouldn't we earn money and enjoy our life when we are young?
Why so many bramhacharis who are highly educated left their professions
to serve devotees? I wonder how could they do that. Later I realised most
of the devotees who left everything are from well to do families. What should
a devotee who comes from a middle class family do? Usually we have so
many dreams and aspirations in life and to achieve them we need to work.
It is difficult for a devotee to balance devotional life and career due to limited
intelligence. Any thoughts on this?
YHS
Akash
Replies
Hare Krsna
Why shouldn't we earn money and enjoy our life when we are young?
One can earn money by righteous means to maintain one's body, relations and follow principles of dharma. One can enjoy life when being yound while also remembering that Krsna is the ultimate enjoyer.
Like one can cook enjoyable food preparation, offer it with love to Sri Krsna and enjoy the prasadam.
Why so many bramhacharis who are highly educated left their professions to serve devotees?
So many is subjective, if it is seens percentage it is certainly less that 1%. Calling "so many" is quite an inaccurate exaggeration.
What should a devotee who comes from a middle class family do?
Perform sadhana bhakti. Feel free to follow aspirations. Do not associate with non-devotees. Krsna never told Arjuna to stop doing his duty.
Best example is Dhruva Maharaj. Most aspirations of earthly human beings are insignificant compared to aspirations of Dhruva. He followed advise of his guru, performed devotional service and attained his aspirations and beyond.
Please remember - If some criticize devotees or devotion not even Lord Krsna can save you form His Sudarshan, even if that person is a great ascetic like Durvasa.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krishna,
Is it possible that no body has ever enjoyed in this material life ? No. Everyone is seeking enjoyment in his own way. But the problem with material enjoyment is it is having a starting point and end point(bg2.14), plus a reaction resulting misery is hidden in every such endeavour(bg5.22) Plus it is of diminishing nature means from start to end resulting pleasure feeling goes on reducing.
So what long time result we get -> a mental impression/illusion/attachment to material objects/ always a fear of losing/misery as reaction/non stop hankering causing mental instability.
Seeking material enjoyment keeps us in forgetfulness of our real identity, that way we are passing our valuable human life without investing time in the real enquiry. We cannot stop growing old/getting disease, this 100% confirms that we are dependent. So if one is dependent, then acting whatever way one wants will be the biggest stupity for sure. So if we invest our time to know Krishna, love and serve Krishna which starts by the hearing process, then Krishna will enlighten us. He is watching every moment, there is no private life at all.
And Only in human form one can have the opportunity to access that love of Godhead, the ultimate spiritual bliss. So one must endeavour for it simply by starting to give aural reception systematically.
- Jai Shri Krishna !! Jai Bhakt Prahlad ki jai !!
Hare Krsna prabhu,
PAMHO.
Firstly apologies for the delay in replying. Have been too budy.
To answer your questions:
Why shouldn't we earn money and enjoy our life when we are young? - we have been enjoying or trying to enjoy so many lifetimes, still our desire to enjoy is not satiated, nor we feel we have enjoyed. We want to enjoy more and more. Like Srila Prabhupada mentioned to Srila Bhakti Caru Maharaj - so many lifetimes you have enjoyed, give one lifetime to Krsna. Even if nothing happens and you dont go back to Godhead, what is the loss? After all, in so many lifetimes, it is just one lifetime.
To explain further, even we, while enjoyng every minute, do take a break when we have say exams. Dont we prioritise studying over enjoyng, thinking we have to crack the exam, we will enjoy later. That same way, for acharyas or seers of the truth, it is spending one lifetime in the service of Krsna, among many many lifetimes.
To explain another way, what is the age when enjoyment stops? It never does. So why does one think I will enjoy in youth and do devotion in old age, Whatever we cultivate in our life, we will do that only in old age. Choice is ours.
Why so many bramhacharis who are highly educated left their professions to serve devotees? I wonder how could they do that. Later I realised most
of the devotees who left everything are from well to do families. - Another one of your famous Mother of Earth Statements - generalisations without any data. THe person who renounces the world and takes to devotion does so out of love of God and desire to serve the devotees of the lord. It has nothing to do with material wealth or lack of it.
What should a devotee who comes from a middle class family do? Usually we have so many dreams and aspirations in life and to achieve them we need to work. - There is no need to renounce at all. What is important to add Krsna to our life. Whatever we are doing in our life, whatever stage of life we are in, we can do devotion.
It is difficult for a devotee to balance devotional life and career due to limited intelligence. Any thoughts on this? As long as one is able to have a clear goal in mind, it is easy to prioirtise. Being materially successful is not an impediment to devotion. Our histories (Srimad Bhagawatam and Puranas) are full of stories of Chakravarty Rajas or emperiors of the world who were pure devotees.
These are merely excuses for not doing devotion. Try to not get caught in them. These are mere mind games.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna mataji...
About this, may i please ask one question...m
My goal is to develop all Spiritual qualities, develop love for Lord and that love or the sweetness that develops within me..i wish to distribute it with friends, family and all....which would mean, i want to live a happy life...meaning, i do desire to enjoy life. It also includes, little activities like singing songs, travelling(to divine destinations as well as others), sometimes just enjoying....the friendship and love (but not in a way, as strictly mentioned in Scriptures or like our acharyas suggest)....
I mean... very high standards are presented regarding evry single aspect of life...from eating habits to relations... everything has to be in accordance to Dharma...but that seems very impractical...or impossible to me...even unnecessary sometimes...
The instructions whoch i cant totally grasp..are mainly in accordance to the vedic culture..too absolute...seems like their is no emotion there, no space given for mutual understanding...
Like too strict rules given for women, how to live life, how to engage only and only in devotion...such things are not possible...
Enjoying life, for me...i cant enjoy really without the rememberance of Krishna...but i also cant think it is wrong to have such a desire... because i cant give it up all of a sudden...nor do i find a strong reason to restrain from working towards enjoying life that way....
Please can you give me your opinion and advice on this..just so that i will get more clarity on how i must balance my life and be peaceful with my decisions...😊🙏
Hare Krsna Radhika Mataji,
PAMHO.
I saw your post now only. Apologies.
The path towards Krsna has been described as susukham kartum avyayam - the journey as well as the destination is susukham - joyful. There is no force that one has to force oneself to do anything. This is because Krsna is present in our hearts as Paramatma. He knows what we are doing and with how much involvement. Therefore there is no scope to hide.
Lke you mentioned, the ideal has been stated in the scriptures. It is each person's journey, level, how much he strictly he wants to or is able to follow. Just because one is not able to follow doesnt make the scriptural injunction false.
Whatever you do, as long as you keep Krsna in the centre, its taking you towards Him. That is all one should endeavour to do.
I hope I have been able to answer your question.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Haribol!
Thank you very much. You cleared it very nicely.😊🙏