Namaste and Hare KrishnaI once heard that, once it is given or lived as Seva to the Divine Lord, even if it is a material manifestation or engagement (picking a flower even), then that Seva turns the material into Seva itself and by way of infusion makes the material spiritual that is free from Gandarva Pura or free from Maya riddles and Maya mirages.Please help me understand Yukta Vairagya, I am a grihastya and very simple minded and only likes to have happiness. How does a married man with children apply this process? What does Yukta Vairagya really mean? I am happy, but confused and like to serve my family and relatives and also all things Krsna and the Divine Lord, but it seems both get "equal attention". Then this "seva" extends to my relatives. Then my relatives (for example Indian relatives) introduce their religious and nice friends, and then my service extends further outward to them, too. Then to their parrot, and their children, even if they are sick or need something, and then my child's friends and those friends children and the children of friends of my relatives, and then their Didi and Dada and then to all of their associates who attend their temple, then I go into their temple and the resident Lord says "Well, your are very busy! So did you bring Me a flower even?". "Oh, no, I didn't" I say, "I only came to eat prashad." All my associates are wonderful, nice, religious, and golden hearted. Because of this, I have no problems in the world. Certainly I do not invite any problems. So I am lazy, and I like to pick flowers and such. I can give the flower to Mahaprabhu, but is this the complete process?Your well wisher in devotion, Jai Sri Krsna
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Please do not belittle yourself. We are all fallen souls -the difference is you realise it and are admitting it in this forum, whereas I am not.
THe very fact that you like Krsna katha and want to serve is pleasing to Krsna. The best flower to offer to the lord is the flower of love, the flower of surrender. How to do that - thats a personal journey for all of us and we have to complete it individually.
You must be correct, Mataji, as a grihamedhi, all I want to do is keep to this material world and serve this entire extended family, including their beloved parrot, so that all can enjoy my service to their hunger pangs.
For some reason though, while I am pulled left and right, actually I have never had to work very hard in my profession even though I work very hard at being the servant of my huge family and friends and not very much the Lotus Feet of Mahaprabhu. Even though I am lazy at my profession, somehow the gold coins have filled my treasury so they are all waiting to see when I will die. Which is ok.
I give some charity, so no doubt I will go to the Deva Heaven. But actually I am very simple, and wouldn't mind eating lunches with the Cowherd Boys and such but I am doomed to be alone at the moment of death without Lord Caitanya to pick up my stinking self and dance.
PAMHO.
But I do like to hear about The Lord, my ears are still hearing the Song of God. Even that parrot can speak the name of the Lord, so one day I will pronounce it perhaps so nicely, so nicely that I may even be born a parrot saying that Name instead of the turkey vulture I might be destined to be. I am lost and only devotees can tell me the truth. Death may end my gross body, but my subtle body will be grateful to their help.
There are many flowers. Many flowers in this world. But which one is the best to pick and give to Krishna?
That is the dilemma of a 1,000 1,000 years.
Your well wisher in devotion, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
What you have mentioned is the situation of a griha medhi,not a grihastha. One has to take care of family in grihasta ashram, but there has to be Krsna in the centre. You are mentioning basically everyone you come across - family, friends, freinds of family, their families.... in a nutshell everyone you meet. Where is the vairaga in this?
Yukta vairagya means that one has to use material things in the service of the lord. One accepts material things so taht those things can be put in the service of the lord, but one doesnt hanker after them, nor one laments when that thing is taken away.
What you are doing is not fitting inthe above at all.
Examples of yukta vairagya - use of mike to give lectures or play bhajans instead of some (say) political lecture, use of transport facilities so that one may travel faster so that one can preach more.
The people you have mentioned are very nice religious people, they are doing their sadhana nicely. You do your sadhana. Never compromise your sadhana to look at or associate with some one else.
Like it is said - pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. If you want to make suffering optional, then you have to perfect your sadhana.....
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Please do not belittle yourself. We are all fallen souls -the difference is you realise it and are admitting it in this forum, whereas I am not.
THe very fact that you like Krsna katha and want to serve is pleasing to Krsna. The best flower to offer to the lord is the flower of love, the flower of surrender. How to do that - thats a personal journey for all of us and we have to complete it individually.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
For some reason though, while I am pulled left and right, actually I have never had to work very hard in my profession even though I work very hard at being the servant of my huge family and friends and not very much the Lotus Feet of Mahaprabhu. Even though I am lazy at my profession, somehow the gold coins have filled my treasury so they are all waiting to see when I will die. Which is ok.
I give some charity, so no doubt I will go to the Deva Heaven. But actually I am very simple, and wouldn't mind eating lunches with the Cowherd Boys and such but I am doomed to be alone at the moment of death without Lord Caitanya to pick up my stinking self and dance.
PAMHO.
But I do like to hear about The Lord, my ears are still hearing the Song of God. Even that parrot can speak the name of the Lord, so one day I will pronounce it perhaps so nicely, so nicely that I may even be born a parrot saying that Name instead of the turkey vulture I might be destined to be. I am lost and only devotees can tell me the truth. Death may end my gross body, but my subtle body will be grateful to their help.
There are many flowers. Many flowers in this world. But which one is the best to pick and give to Krishna?
That is the dilemma of a 1,000 1,000 years.
Your well wisher in devotion, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
What you have mentioned is the situation of a griha medhi,not a grihastha. One has to take care of family in grihasta ashram, but there has to be Krsna in the centre. You are mentioning basically everyone you come across - family, friends, freinds of family, their families.... in a nutshell everyone you meet. Where is the vairaga in this?
Yukta vairagya means that one has to use material things in the service of the lord. One accepts material things so taht those things can be put in the service of the lord, but one doesnt hanker after them, nor one laments when that thing is taken away.
What you are doing is not fitting inthe above at all.
Examples of yukta vairagya - use of mike to give lectures or play bhajans instead of some (say) political lecture, use of transport facilities so that one may travel faster so that one can preach more.
The people you have mentioned are very nice religious people, they are doing their sadhana nicely. You do your sadhana. Never compromise your sadhana to look at or associate with some one else.
Like it is said - pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. If you want to make suffering optional, then you have to perfect your sadhana.....
I hope I have been able to explain somewhat.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi