Although material things are temporary those things matter to us – how can we balance our material and spiritual side?

Answer Podcast

Thank you So the question is that How do we balance basically between our material and spiritual side That we Remain aware that We are mortal and we are going to die So we need to prepare For that Also for our eternal Life, our spiritual side but at the same time We also have to take care of our material things Is that what your question is? Yeah See first thing is That from a Philosophical perspective We need to separate the material and the spiritual By which We give Time for the spiritual Say for example in our daily schedule Or in our weekly schedule We have enough time by which We Do some spiritual practices, we come in spiritual association And we give time For our spiritual activities That’s what we need to do First in terms of analysis Bhakti spirituality Is also about synthesis That means Once we have started connecting Ourselves with Krishna Then it is not that every time We have to keep thinking Is this material, is this spiritual Because ultimately everything Comes from Krishna And everything If properly used can take us to Krishna See even our material life Whatever we call as material That can also be done in a mood of service To Krishna When we do it in a mood of service to Krishna That can also help us to grow A simple example say Somebody cracks a joke in a class Now if I think before laughing Is this laughter Material or spiritual? Laughter Am I laughing for my pleasure Or Krishna’s pleasure? Laughter There is no need to go into a hyper analysis Like that No, it is in the context of bhakti There is a spiritual discussion going on Within that there is some humour That’s fine So like that once the purpose of our life Is spiritual It is not that at every moment we have to keep analysing Is this material, is this spiritual See at one In the bhakti perspective What is spiritual ultimately? Spiritual means Where we have the mood to serve We serve Krishna directly By coming to the temple, by chanting his name By studying scriptures But we serve Krishna in the world also By the way we function Krishna says He says in 18.46 in the Gita That We can worship him through our work And why can we do this? Because he says Whatever arena of our work is there Ultimately everything in this world has come from him And everything is pervaded by him So when we understand that Whatever situation we are in That is an arena for service So if it is a family relationship Those are also an arena for service Our professional commitments That is also an arena for service How is it an arena for service? Multiple levels I was in India recently In a university and after that One student, one devotee student asked How can I inspire my friends To also become devotees So I told him By studying well I told him that if you study well There is no guarantee that your friends Will become devotees But if you don’t study well There is guarantee they will not become devotees Because if people see that Your spirituality is irresponsible Very negligent Then nobody will want to become like that So Everything that we do We are setting People are observing Especially in terms of our obligations And our commitments So if people see this person is So good I want to be like that person So we can see that in our profession also If we are competent If we are doing responsible work Then that attracts people That creates a good foundation by which We can inspire them to explore higher consciousness Explore Krishna consciousness And of course Along with that We permeate Whatever we are doing with the mood of service And So in that point rather than analyzing Material and spiritual We focus on the intention If my intention is to serve Then I understand that service will be Performed through this activity also Through this activity also So If we see our family relationship also as a service And nowadays there is so much Instability in Family’s relationships So if there are devotees as stable families Now people see that This works, I want to see how it works People will explore more And that way We first of all spiritualize Our intention, my intention is to serve And wherever I am serving Whatever I am doing If I do it in the mood of service That is also a part of my bhakti Now the problem comes when we think That this is all that I have to do Okay I do my job I take care of family and that is all that I need to do I don’t need to practice bhakti at all That is not correct We have to have time for our direct devotional activities But once we have Given time for direct devotional activities Once we have internalized The devotional intention within us Then Whatever we are doing in our life We can infuse that with a mood of service And generally One of the things which is talked about in Bhakti Samaj Sindhu is whatever is dear to us We give to Krishna So Charity is considered an important principle Why charity is considered Important is That actually we want to give Krishna We want to bring Krishna in our heart But our heart is filled With materialistic concerns Our heart is filled with thoughts of money So if we can’t give our heart to Krishna We give what is In our heart to Krishna And by giving that We give Krishna a place in our heart So again The point of charity is not the quantity The point of charity is the mentality That whatever I have Has been given to me by Krishna And therefore I should give something So the charity is also We may not be constantly thinking about Krishna And death and eternal life But just if we are doing our profession With an intention of making a contribution for Krishna’s cause That also spiritualizes And most important is Having good association Because good association means That we of course have a Devotee association when it comes to spiritual circles But overall if we have good association Then that association Keeps bringing us back on track If we have good friends Who are also spiritually minded Then even if we go off track The nature of life is that It will take us off track But then association reminds us Oh come back on track It said that just today morning I came from Denver So I came by flight So it said that when a plane is going from destination A to destination B More than 90% of the time The plane is off course Because of the wind And other pressures But then how does it reach the destination Because of this constant reorientation Constant reorientation The pilot has said it is off course It goes off but then you bring it back Of course most of it is mechanically done only But still there has to be that reorientation So like that the nature of the material world is That even with the best intentions We will go off course So if we are in good association And we make it a point to keep coming back in good association Then there will be periodic reorientation And we will come back on track So basically by Firstly by giving due time for our spiritual side Then by Spiritualizing our intention By understanding that Everything can be a way to serve Krishna We can We can actually synthesize the material and spiritual With the mood of service And by making contribution to Krishna’s cause By knowing that the way we function in the material world Is also going to attract our inner people And by having good association That reorients us back towards Krishna We can ensure that We can balance both our material and spiritual Sides of our life Thank you You had a comment? Yes

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

So, the question is that, how do we balance basically between our material and spiritual side? That we remain aware that we are mortal and we are going to die, so we need to prepare for that also for our eternal life, our spiritual side, but at the same time, we also have to take care of our material things. Is that what your question is? Yeah. See, first thing is that from a philosophical perspective, we need to separate the material and the spiritual by which we give due time for the spiritual.

Say, for example, in our daily schedule or in our weekly schedule, we have enough time by which we do some spiritual practices, we come in spiritual association and we give due time for our spiritual activities. That's what we need to do first in terms of analysis. Bhakti spirituality is also about synthesis.

That means, once we have started connecting ourselves with Krishna, then it is not that every time we have to keep thinking, is this material, is this spiritual? Because ultimately, everything comes from Krishna and everything, if properly used, can take us to Krishna. See, even our material life, whatever we call as material, that can also be done in the mood of service to Krishna. When we do it in the mood of service to Krishna, that can also help us to grow.

A simple example, say, somebody cracks a joke in a class, now if I think before laughing, is this laughter material or spiritual? Am I laughing for my pleasure or Krishna's pleasure? There is no need to go into a hyper analysis like that. No, it is in the context of bhakti, there is a spiritual discussion going on, within that there is some humour, that's fine. So like that, once the purpose of our life is spiritual, it is not that at every moment we have to keep analysing, is this material, is this spiritual? See, in the bhakti perspective, what is spiritual ultimately? Spiritual means where we have the mood to serve.

We serve Krishna directly by coming to the temple, by chanting His name, by studying scriptures, but we serve Krishna in the world also, by the way we function. So Krishna says, He says in 18.46 in the Gita, that we can worship Him through our work. And why can we do this? Because He says, whatever arena of our work is there, ultimately everything in this world has come from Him and everything is pervaded by Him.

So when we understand that whatever situation we are in, that is an arena for service. So if it's a family relationship, those are also an arena for service. Our professional commitments, that is also an arena for service.

How is it an arena for service? Multiple levels. I was in India recently, in a university, and after that one student, one devotee student asked, you know, how can I inspire my friends to also become devotees? So I told him, by studying well. I told him that if you study well, there is no guarantee that your friends will become devotees.

But if you don't study well, there is guarantee they will not become devotees. Because if people see that, oh, your spirituality has made you irresponsible, has made you negligent, then nobody will want to become like that. So everything that we do, we are setting, people are observing, especially in terms of our obligations and our commitments.

So if people see, this person is so good, I want to be like that person. So we can see that in our profession also, if we are competent, if we are doing responsible work, then that attracts people, that creates a good foundation by which we can inspire them to explore higher consciousness, explore Krishna consciousness. And of course, along with that, we permeate whatever we are doing with the mood of service.

And so in that point, rather than analyzing material and spiritual, we focus on the intention. If my intention is to serve, then I understand that the service will be performed through this activity also, through this activity also. So if we see our family relationships also as a service, and nowadays there is so much instability in family's relationships.

So if there are devotees as stable families, now people see that, okay, this works. I want to see how it works. People explore more.

And that way, we first of all spiritualize our intention. My intention is to serve, and wherever I am serving, whatever I am doing, if I do it in the mood of service, that is also a part of my bhakti. Now the problem comes when we think that this is all that I have to do.

Okay, I do my job, I take care of family, and that is all that I need to do. I don't need to practice bhakti at all. That is not correct.

We have to have time for our direct devotional activities. But once we have given time for direct devotional activities, once we have internalized the devotional intention within us, then whatever we are doing in our life, we can infuse that with a mood of service. And generally, one of the things which is talked about in Bhakti Samvat Sindhu is whatever is dear to us, we give to Krishna.

So charity is considered an important principle. Why charity is considered important is that actually we want to give Krishna, we want to bring Krishna in our heart. But our heart is filled with materialistic concerns.

Our heart is filled with thoughts of money. So if we can't give our heart to Krishna, we give what is in our heart to Krishna. And by giving that, we give Krishna a place in our heart.

So again, the point of charity is not the quantity. The point of charity is the mentality. That whatever I have has been given to me by Krishna and therefore, I should give something.

So the charity is also, we may not be constantly thinking about Krishna and death and eternal life, but just if we are doing our profession with the intention of making contribution for Krishna's cause, that also spiritualizes. And most important is having good association. Good association means that we of course have a devotee association when it comes to spiritual circles, but overall if we have good association, then that association keeps bringing us back on track.

If you have good friends who are also spiritually minded, then even if we go off track, the nature of life is that it will take us off track. But then association reminds us, oh come back on track. I said that just today morning I came from Denver.

So I came by flight. So I said that when a plane is going from destination A to destination B, more than 90% of the time the plane is off course because of the wind and other pressures. But then how does it reach the destination? Because of this constant reorientation, constant reorientation.

If the pilot has said it's off course, it goes off, but then you bring it back. Of course, most of it is mechanically done only, but still there has to be that reorientation. So like that, the nature of the material world is that even with the best intentions, we will go off course.

So if we are in good association and we make it a point to keep coming back in good association, then there will be periodic reorientation and we will come back on track. So basically, firstly by giving due time for our spiritual side, then by spiritualizing our intention, by understanding that everything can be a way to serve Krishna, we can actually synthesize the material and spiritual with the mood of service and by making contribution to Krishna's cause, by knowing that the way we function in the material world is also going to attract our inner people and by having good association, that reorients us back towards Krishna. We can ensure that we can balance both our material and spiritual sides of our life.

Thank you. Thank you Krishna. Yes, we had a commentor? Yes.