Facebook live QA 4

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

How can we find Krishna amidst all the chaos around us? Answer. Yes, the important thing is to recognise that Krishna is always with us. That Krishna is always there in the heart with us and he never forsakes us.

So, sometimes we will be able to connect with him directly. Sometimes we may not be able to connect with him directly. That means we may be able to do as we are waking up in the Brahma Murtha and doing our devotional activities early in the morning.

Sometimes we may not be able to. The important thing is that even if we can't be consistent, we be resilient. Consistent means you want to practise at the same standard all the time.

Resilient means sometimes we go down, but then we rise again. Sometimes we go down, we rise again. So consistency may not always be possible for us, but resilience is definitely possible.

And we need to know that life is dynamic. So we may not sometimes just life brings us so many other things in our priorities. And because of those priorities, we may not be able to focus on Krishna.

We may not be able to give Krishna the highest priority. But as long as our purpose is clear and just like if you're travelling in a road, sometimes in the road, the traffic may be too much and we have to go slowly. Sometimes the traffic, when the traffic clears, we'll go faster.

So like that we are going on the road towards Krishna and the traffic in our material life sometimes may become a little high. So when that happens, when the traffic becomes too high, the primary thing which we need to do is recognise that this is a phase when we will have to adjust and go a little slowly. But in due course, when the traffic clears, at that time we don't have to keep going on slowly.

At that time, we can start moving faster and thus we can in due course of time have overall momentum. So that's why I said even if we can't be consistent, we can be resilient. Even if we can't maintain the same standard all the time, sometimes life may just push us down.

But then when that force that is pushing us down has subsided, then we can rise again. So we bounce back. And when we are not able to directly connect with Krishna, we should know that Krishna is there in our heart and at least with our intention to serve, with our intention to pray, with our intention to worship Krishna, if we can maintain that in our heart, that itself is a laudable connection with Krishna.

That itself, wherein we are able to stay focused in Krishna, that itself is laudable because Krishna is Bhavagrahi. So he sees our intention and he appreciates that intention. And of course, another thing is that chaos is to some extent unavoidable in life, but not always.

If we can look at the overall patterns of our life and find out what are the sources that usually cause chaos to us, and then we plan proactively to deal with those sources of chaos, then we'll find that they will not trouble us that much. We'll be better prepared and when we are better prepared, we'll be able to deal with that situation better. So with better organisation, sometimes the chaos will also decrease in our life.

And thus we will be able to move forwards with lesser chaos if we have better planning and organisation. And even when the disorderness comes, then even if we can't be consistent, we can be resilient and bounce back when things come back in more control. Thank you.

So question from Smriti Devgan. Research career, which involves, say, mouse models, animal sacrifice for a search purpose. Is it illicit? Will it lead to karmic consequences? Answer.

As far as karmic consequences are concerned, practically everything that we do in this world has karmic consequences. So we needn't worry too much about the consequences of karma. Our focus can be on striving to connect with Krishna.

Our focus can be on striving to do what, put ourselves in whatever situation is best for us for progressing in bhakti. While doing that, if we can move towards as devotional vocation or at least as less anti-devotional vocation as possible, that is OK. That is preferable.

So our primary consideration in doing any activity should not be karmic consequences. Our primary consideration should be overall devotional compatibility. And as long as we have the devotional compatibility, we will be able to have that inner strength, have that higher taste, by which whatever difficulties we may face, we will learn how to deal with them.

So in some situations, it may well be that we might be able to find out even within that profession, something which is a little less non, less anti-devotional. So as far as the specifics are concerned, that we have to see according to time, place, circumstance. Now, in certain professions, as you said that, say, if Prabhupada was asked this question about frogs being used for testing, once a research scientist had commented, Prabhupada just told him, poor, poor Mr. Frog.

He said, what? He said, the poor frogs have to die. But the doctor said that, the medical researcher said that, but actually through this, we are actually developing medicine by which people can be saved. So Prabhupada said that, actually, we can have similar medicines to other means.

So as much as possible, we try to minimise the violence in the research. And who knows, if we have a great interest for research and if we have a sincere desire to try to follow the principles, then nowadays there's a lot of, a lot of awareness of the need for minimising violence against women. And Krishna may enable us to, Krishna may enable us to find out ways in which we can do the same research, achieve the same research purposes, but by non-violent means.

Sometimes that same kind of testing may not be required in these situations. So at three levels, first is focus on devotional compatibility. Second is within that profession, try to gravitate towards as less anti-devotional orientation as possible.

And thirdly, now use your creativity to see if the same thing could be done in other ways. That way we can move onwards in our service to Krishna. Thank you.

A question from Narasimhanand Prabhu. How to develop taste for chanting? We all have our struggles in chanting. So it's not that I have taste and I can tell how to develop taste.

But broadly speaking, we have to find out what it is that gives us taste. So usually there are three broad things in our bhakti which can help us develop taste for any activity. One is association with those who have taste.

Just like if you want to study taste for Shastra, you associate with those who have taste for Shastra. Same way with chanting. We try to associate with those who are chanting seriously.

By that we'll get some taste for chanting. Second is that we, so there is sangha, there is buddhi, that is intelligence. So we read the glories of the holy name.

We internalise philosophically the importance of chanting. And third is Iksha. We try to cultivate the desire.

So taste is something which is not in our control. But endeavour and desire to absorb is in our control. When we talk about taste for chanting, what do we mean by taste for chanting? Is it that we want to get taste in our chanting or we want to give Krishna pleasure during our chanting? The two are not unconnected.

Actually, if we give pleasure to Krishna through our chanting, Krishna will also reveal His sweetness and then we will also get pleasure. So we focus on trying to think of chanting as an activity of service and try to serve Krishna as much as possible through chanting. It is said in Chaitanya Charita Amrit that Dhritarashtra Thakur chanted the holy names for the pleasure of Krishna.

And thus he was able to chant so many rounds. Similarly, if we can strive to do the chanting in a mood of service, we strive to give a taste to Krishna through our chanting, then by this mercy we will also get taste. So rather than focussing on a taste for chanting, we can try to cultivate absorption in chanting, cultivate focus in chanting.

And as a result of that focus, taste will automatically come. Thank you. Question from Vivek Shannoy Prabhu.

Chanchalami Manakrishna, can you tell us one, two, three things by which we can do Abhyasa while chanting, while trying to control the mind? Yes. The word Abhyasa in Hindi or in the vernacular language often means study. In Sanskrit, Abhyasa means practise.

So the way to do Abhyasa, the way to do practise is simply practise, first of all. But just like if somebody is trying to, say, practise archery. Now, they can't practise archery.

It's not that practising archery means simply shooting arrows wherever they go. Practising archery means actually shooting arrows with the intention of hitting the target. If a person just closes their eyes and shoots arrows wherever, anywhere, that is not really archery practise.

Archery practise means each time an archer is practising, they are trying to hit the target. So similarly, when we are talking about practising for focussing the mind, practise always has to be purposeful. Like the archery practise is purposeful with the purpose of trying to hit the target.

Similarly, our devotional practises or our overall practise of discipline of the mind, that has to be purposeful. So being purposeful means that we focus on striving to go closer to Krishna. And in going closer to Krishna, we keep that in mind that I'm not just doing this as a ritual.

I have a purpose over here. My purpose is to move closer to Krishna, to attain Krishna, to express my devotion to Krishna, to do some constructive service for Krishna. When we have that attitude, when we have that disposition, then actually we will find ourselves growing in our spiritual life.

We will find that the practise becomes more and more fruitful. So if you have the practises purposeful, then it will become fruitful. Whatever is the purpose that we have, that we will eventually attain as a fruit.

So that's keeping the purpose in mind is very important while we are doing abhyasa. And second thing is while we are doing abhyasa, it's good to be aware of what is the path or what is it that connects us easily with Krishna? And what is it that connects us, causes a lot of difficulty in connecting with Krishna? That means that if we find that if there are certain activities, say some of us may like kirtan, some of us may like philosophy, some of us may like DT darshan, whatever it is. So we find out what is it that connects us easily with Krishna and we do that more and more.

And so that is the process by which we can easily connect with him. And the abhyasa in this case will be su-sukham, will be joyful because that is something which is within what our swabhava likes. So if you consider a circle of things that we like to do and circle of Krishna bhakti, if we can find out some things in the intersection of the two, then we will be able to move forward steadily in our service to Krishna.

In our abhyasa, in his service, because that is something which we will naturally continue towards. Thank you. So question from Viveksanath Prabhu.

When there is difficulty in life, why do I tend to drift away from Krishna? How can I avoid this? Actually, it is not necessary that when there are difficulties we drift away from Krishna. It is rather when we feel that Krishna or Krishna bhakti is not solving our problems and therefore I need something else to solve my problems. Therefore, we go away from Krishna.

So basically, we could say that our problems can be of three degrees. One is problems which we feel we can manage while practising bhakti. Some problems which we feel, so that is a basic level.

OK, there is some work extra, little more work pressure is there or something is there. These are problems which we can manage while practising bhakti. Second are problems which we feel, oh, they are so big that I have to focus on dealing with them.

And therefore, I can't do other things. Therefore, I'll push my bhakti to the background. So these are bigger problems.

And then there are biggest problems and we realise I just can't do anything. Only Krishna can help me in such a situation. And at that time, we just wholeheartedly pray to Krishna.

So we surrender to Krishna. So where we feel the problem is manageable, the problem requires a lot of effort to manage and the problem is entirely unmanageable. Now, in all these situations, it's not that a particular problem will take us towards Krishna or will take us away from Krishna.

It is a matter of choice for us what we do, whether we move towards Krishna or away from him. Our free will is always there with us. So if we just stay purpose, if we stay conscious that we are actually meant to be cooperators, we are not meant to be controllers.

So our success is not necessarily in terms of having a problem free life or in terms of being able to effortlessly solve all problems. Our success is actually in terms of being able to move steadily towards Krishna through whatever situation we are facing in our life. And by his guidance, he will give us the intelligence to make wise choices and move further in our life.

So that means that if we are thinking simply in terms of can I solve this problem, I can't solve this problem, then we are very eye centred. But if you understand that, actually, I am not alone. Krishna is with me.

And with Krishna's mercy, I can deal with whatever situation comes in my life. In 11.33, in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, तस्मात्तमुत्तिष्ट यशोलभस्व जित्वाशत्रुन् भुञ्श्वराज्यम् सम्रुद्धम् मयै वैंते निहतः पोरोमेवा निमित्तमात्रं भवसावुगे साची Therefore, Arjuna, rise. तस्मात्तमुत्तिष्ट यशोलभस्व Arjuna, rise and you will attain victory.

Do not worry. You will attain victory. Just march ahead.

जित्वाशत्रुन् भुञ्श्वराज्यम् सम्रुद्धम् Conquer over your enemy and attain victory. जित्वाशत्रुन् भुञ्श्वराज्यम् सम्रुद्धम् By my arrangement, in the past itself, your enemy has been destroyed. निमित्तमात्रं भवसावुगे साची Therefore, Arjuna, you were ambidextrous.

सावुगे साची That means you are very expert, but you will be able to attain victory by my arrangement. So, basically, overall, if there is a philosophical understanding, we internalise this point that we are cooperators. We are not controllers.

Then we understand that if I am a cooperator, then I need to cooperate with Krishna. Even the problem which seems to be very easily manageable for me, sometimes that can escalate and become a big problem. Sometimes the problem is utterly unmanageable.

Krishna can shrink it down and make it a relatively easy problem to deal with. So, we recognise that actually we alone can't do anything and with Krishna there is nothing that we can't do. So, we see our endeavours in life as a partnership with Krishna.

And thus, we get the impetus to stay close to him through thick and thin. And thus, we move onwards. Thank you.

Question from Anant Sarogi How can we be good in sadhana as well as be sensitive and humble in behaviour with devotees? Yes, actually sadhana sometimes can make us proud. Because when we are strict and we find that other devotees are not strict, we often look down at them. And thus, we end up distracted.

We end up distracted because we are not able to recognise or keep in mind the ultimate purpose of what we are doing. Our purpose is not just to say wake up early in the morning and without even a single nod off, I chant all my 16 rounds of Tantra. Every single morning I do this or do that or do that whatever.

So, we see our priority as connecting with Krishna. And we connect with Krishna not just through the way we chant, we connect with him through also the way in which we focus on our devotional, we focus on connecting with him. And that connecting with him means appreciating that he is manifest everywhere, not just in the chanting, not just in the scripture.

He is manifest in the hearts of the devotees, manifested in the hearts of people in general. And we need to respect it. We need to be respectful in dealing with others.

So, the sensitivity which is integral to bhakti comes through recognising that Krishna is accessible at various levels. So, the Kanisha Adhikari sees Krishna only in the Deity or in general only in the ritualistic activities of bhakti. Madhyam Adhikari see understand that my relationship with Krishna is affected by the way I deal with other people.

And with this understanding the Madhyama actually learns to be in an appropriate way with everyone. And the Uttama understands that actually Krishna is everywhere. योमां पश्चिति सर्वत्र सर्वं चमेपश्चिति तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामिस्ति मेन प्रणश्यति One who sees me everywhere and sees everything in me.

And such a person is never lost to me nor am I ever lost to them. So, the important thing is that we recognise that my purpose is not just to do rituals. My purpose is to act in a way that will please Krishna.

And so, chanting is not a ritual, sadhana is not a ritual. They are all meant to please Krishna. And if they make me judgemental towards others, if they make me arrogant towards others, then Krishna will not be pleased.

So, we want to see Krishna's hand everywhere. So, even if devotees are doing little progress, from where they are, they are taking one step towards Krishna and Krishna will be happy about that. And so, because of his pleasure, we can also be happy and we can also encourage those people to come closer towards Krishna.

By keeping the purpose of going closer to Krishna in mind, we can be strict in sadhana and at the same time not become judgemental towards others. Thank you. A question from Revati Shankar Prabhu.

I don't know how to control my emotions and anger when nonstop I am being provoked. Yes, if you are continuously being provoked, nobody can control themselves. Somebody keeps provoking us once, twice, thrice, four times.

So, what do we do at that time? So, actually, tolerance is a virtue. But then assertiveness is also a virtue. So, that means that Krishna tells Arjuna, taam sitiksha sa bharata, just tolerate Arjuna.

But then Krishna also speaks the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. And the whole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita and the context of that speaking is to inspire Arjuna to do his duty. And his duty at that point involves fighting a war.

So, fighting a war means that basically Krishna has told Arjuna that atrocities that the Kauravas have done, they are not tolerable. They have crossed a limit and therefore you have to respond aggressively. So, it's not that infinite tolerance is always a virtue.

It can be that sometimes some people have to be dealt with in an appropriate way so that they get a message. At the same time, we should know that impulsive actions always have counter reactions. Impulsive actions are usually not the best course of action.

So, it's good to think things through and then make a decision. So, with respect to specifically about how to deal with anger when we are being provoked. Basically, in any situation, we have three alternatives.

We try to change the person, we try to change ourselves or we walk away from the situation. So, when we find ourselves becoming unbearably angry, it's best to get out of the situation. It's best to not act impulsively at that time because that will make things worse.

Instead, we just wait for some time. Let ourselves become calm, let the other person become calm and then we may have a balanced conversation with them. At that time, we may point out what is making us irritable and then we can try to see what can be done to avoid that irritation.

Maybe sometimes if we explain something to other people, they may not realise the extent of the inconvenience or the irritation that they are causing to us. If they realise it, they may quite well minimise it. If they are not going to minimise it still, then we may have to change ourselves.

So, basically, we have to choose which of the options we can work on. We choose that either we try to change the circumstances, we try to change the other person, which is quite difficult. Or we change ourselves, which is basically tolerance.

Or we walk away from the situation. Walking away is not running away, it's not cowardice. Walking away is basically a wise choice, a well-thought choice depending on recognising which battles are worth fighting and which battles are not worth fighting.

And that's when we move onwards. Now, if we are in a situation where we can't walk away, then we have to find out either a way to boost our tolerance or a way to make our communication more effective. So, boosting our tolerance means whenever we start getting seething in anger and whenever we want to burst at that person, the point of the practise of walking away is to give us the strength by which we know that we have Krishnavitas.

So, usually whenever you become angry with someone, that anger can have many specific causes. The main cause is that we feel that our authority is being challenged. Not just authority in a positive sense, authority in a positive sense.

Somebody is not giving me the due respect, somebody is not treating me properly. So, in that situation, if we know that Krishna is with me and Krishna is observing how I am behaving. And if materialistic people just say, this is between you and me.

But a devotee says that actually it's not between you and me, it's between me and Krishna. And how I deal with you is also between me and Krishna. And if we have that attitude that Krishna is the third person in any interaction we are having with anyone, then we will focus on trying to please Krishna, not on trying to get back at that person.

So, even if that person has dealt with us wrongly, still we can tolerate the provocation by remembering that my purpose is not to please this person, my purpose is to please Krishna. And sometimes just being kind and gentle towards the other devotee may be the best way we can please Krishna in that situation. And thus we can move onwards.

So, last question now. So, question from Deepak Meena Prabhu. That sometimes when we take a big decision and we have thought it out well, but still after executing it we feel fear.

So, how to deal with that fear? Fear is a natural human response to uncertainty. And it is protective. When, say, a person looks down from a tall building or a big mountain, actually they feel fear.

And that fear is meant to deter the person from getting carried away by some reckless feeling. If they just bend down too much from a height, they may fall down and they may kill themselves. So, for that to not happen, fear is a protector.

So, in general, it is not that fear is bad. What comes after fear is what makes fear bad. Fear can simply be a cautioner.

But what comes after fear? What is that? Sometimes if we let the fearful thoughts just go on, and if we let the fearful thoughts catch our imagination and accelerate our imagination, then we start fantasising in a dystopian way. Oh, this may go wrong, that may go wrong, that may go wrong, what if this goes wrong, what if that goes wrong? And such kind of fantasising, that is actually, Krishna says, determination in the mode of ignorance. या सप्नं भयं शोकं विशादं मदमेवचन विमुञ्चित् दुर्मेधा दीसा पार्थ तामसी That which is determination, which cannot give up, give up all these kind of anarthas, that person resembles, that person is actually a misdirector, Krishna says.

So, what we do is, we focus on taking one step at a time ahead. So, sometimes we may have made a particular decision, and rather than constantly successfully guessing the decision, we make a plan. This is the decision I have taken, and this is what I am going to do.

And it is not that any decision in life has to be totally irrevocable. Some decisions cannot be changed, but we can always do course correction if we are going on the wrong track. So, we don't have to obstinately stick to a particular course all the time.

But nor do we have to, in a wooden-headed way, just pursue a wrong course. So, we keep our intelligence with us, and with our intelligence we try to serve Krishna by a particular course of action. And when we are in sattva guna, we are in the mode of goodness, when we are relatively calm, when we are relatively satisfied, then we can calmly evaluate, okay, this decision I have taken, is it good? At that time, these were the reasons it seemed good.

Now, this is a fact which I have come to know, and actually I have done this. And now maybe this is not good for me, maybe I will change this. Or maybe this is good for me, maybe let me move on.

In this way, we will be able to actually evaluate using our intelligence whether our decisions are right or wrong, and thus we will be able to make wise choices. Thank you. So, thank you very much for your attention.

And whatever questions are remaining, we will continue in our future session whenever we have. Hare Krishna.