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  • Volunteer

    Hare Krsna,
    My obeisances to all devotees, guru and gauranga.

    The devotees have already provided you valuable information to your current issue mataji.

    I was discussing similar issues with my friend and he says "We can only try to be sincere. We have to put our efforts with determination, to please Krsna. Without Krsna's mercy we cannot get the sweetness/rasa to chanting his names. We have to apologise and strive next time". It was a good inspiration for me.

    I would like to share a story that might inspire you to come out of the temporary distraction..

    A Second Chance:

    A story as being told by a celibate monk (who happens to be my siksha guru) of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Ashram.

    “Here is a nice story of a devotee whom I met in Ratnagiri. His name is Abhijeet Rane and he is studying in FAMT college of Engg, Ratnagiri. He gradually got introduced to Krsna consciousness and started chanting holy names but Sri Krsna decided to test him immediately. The test was in form of severe opposition from parents in home who were not only upset with him accepting the path of devotion but were strongly against chanting, being vegetarian, etc. He was many times literally forced to eat meat and beads taken away etc.

    I just told him that Krsna is testing our faith and steadiness and we have to patiently execute the process not getting bewildered by opposition. He just did that up till Krsna helped him miraculously.

    Once he went to home which is at Kankawali( few hours from Ratnagiri (where his college is)). In his village there was a local maharaj as are present in many Indian villages. Sometimes these persons are mystics and some times they are outright cheats.

    This time when he was at home his parents decided to call this local maharajto home. As he came home, all offered their respects. After formalities his mother started complaining to the maharaj that her son Abhijeet has been completely spoiled as he is now into ISKCON and always chants Hare Krsnamahamantra. She was hoping the maharaj to echo the same sentiments.

    But this maharaj surprisingly gave a very surprising reply. He said,”You all do not know that he and I were devotees in Mayapur in our last life. He is continuing the right path this life which I am not able to. Why are you all obstructing him?”

    All, especially his mother, was surprised by this answer but she now sobered a little and in a changed tone said,” It’s ok if he does Hare Krsna but he doesn’t do anything else now. He doesn’t do demigod worship, no this no that”. She was hoping to get support from that man at least now.

    But he replied, ” I told you once. He is at head office. He is at Krsna. Now he doesn’t need to go to any other branches or zonal offices. Don’t trouble him.”

    The final nail in the coffin of obstructions was placed nicely by the Lord through this ex-life devotee.  For this devotee his opposition at home became almost nil and for me I made two important conclusions based on sastra.

    First: As Krsna promises in 6th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita and at other places that a devotee continues his devotional service in next life if he could not finish in this life. Also Sri Krsna helps such a devotee to carry on in next life. So we get faith that what ever devotional service we will perform will be to our credit eternally and will never go in vain.

    So all of us should carry on our devotional service with great faith and determination knowing that Sri Krsna is observing and will certainly help us and revive our Krsna consciousness in next life if some how we cannot finish the process in this life.

    Second: Maya is very strong. As the local maharaj was knowing that Krsna consciousness is topmost and that he was also a devotee in past life still he was entrapped by mystic powers, followers etc. Certainly his devotional service performed will also not go in vain. He is uselessly taking a diversion in his path of Krsna consciousness.

    So we all should be careful to resist the temptations of Bhukti, Siddhi, Mukti which will surely come our way as maya will be testing us by alluring with these facilities. We should be one pointedly determined to be focused in our resolve to serve only Their Lordships Sri RadhaKrsna.

    I think this incidence will also inspire all of you and reinforce your faith and determination to continue on this path.”

    Hare krsna

  • Hare Krsna!

    Dear Gopika Dasi,

    Please find that these kind of days will come and go. And it is okay because there is an eternity of serving Krsna ahead of us :)  Just chant and never forget the Mercy of Krsna! Also practicing new techniques to be able to detach yourself from your mind can help.. I really like Prabhu Subash's post on the "fact" of being able to differentiate between material body and the body of soul - life in kali yuga is such that there will always be some sinful reactions no matter who you are. So it is important to practice techniques that help overcome maya when you feel its clutches clinging to your body.  Just know that we (other devotees) are no different and that we all do our best to serve Krsna on a day to day basis... maya is very strong and we may never overcome it - but we must try and we must keep trying to surrender to Krsna - even when maya is screaming in our face, blinding our vision, and deafening our hearing of bhakti.

    I too face maya every day - and it is very tough. From simple to more complicated blinding distractions.. But I have learned that even the little that I can do to serve Krsna makes so happy! I don't care if I get crumbs or even a single particle of dust of mercy or even a single little invisible particle of mercy from a devote,  just once in a billion lifetimes - I am just so happy to serve the best I can! And you did once given me that mercy - and how great was your did - I am sure Krsna will forgive you for whatever distracts you today or even tomorrow. Please be kind to yourself and know we await your insights on Krsna Consciousness again.

    be well,

    your well wisher,

    -Ilya

  • Hare krishna,

    Seeing many posts on how to control mind and problems of the mind.

    Pls refer to my reply in the below post,

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.com/forum/topics/how-to-control-the-desire

    Regards,

    Subash

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