How can we focus on the present while serving Krishna?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So, how can we focus on the present, moment to moment, striving to serve Krishna? It is not that Krishna consciousness is about being present in the present, or it is about being absent in the present.
We have both examples. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was sometimes so lost in a trance, that people around him would feel as if he is not there only. Prabhupada also sometimes would go in an ecstatic trance.
So, even being lost, I mean being absent in the present can also be Krishna consciousness. And of course, if we are directly perceiving Krishna, if we are doing darshan, at that time being present in the present is also Krishna consciousness. Now, for us, you know, when Krishna is present, we are absent.
And when Krishna is absent, we are present. That means, when we are in the temple, our mind is going elsewhere. And then, when we are at other places, that means, if I have time to study, when I was distributing books, I could have spoken like that to this person.
Maybe I could have done this, maybe I could have said that. And when distributing books, I don’t get any time to study. When will I study? So, that’s how the mind goes here and there.
So, usually the mind requires some discipline by the intelligence. And that’s why periodically reminding ourselves of the importance of what we are doing. That is important.
And in a general sense, we get that reminder by hearing regularly or by studying regularly. But sometimes when we are hearing classes or we are reading books, there are so many subjects that come up over there. So, that’s why it is good for us to create customized reminders.
That means, actually there is, I have not read this letter, but I have heard it from several devotees. In principle, I find it perfectly reasonable that whatever service we are doing, we can select some time from our reading to read about that service. So, for example, if I am doing writing, then I can read something what Prabhupada said about writing regularly.
If you are doing book distribution, now there are so many quotes about book distribution. So, take not a major time, but small time at least. So that we can have quotes from Prabhupada, we can have some points we have heard from classes, some inspiring realizations we have got.
So, if we create such customized reminders of the importance of what we are doing, it gives us the intellectual impetus to control the mind. The mind is going to go here and there. yato yato nishchalati manas chanchalamsthiram tatas tato niyam yaita daatmani eva samyed Krishna says in 6.26 that wherever and whenever the mind wanders, bring it back under control.
What this means is that Krishna is not telling us that the mind will stop wandering. He is saying bring it back under control. And when will we have the impetus to bring it under control? When we have this intelligence alert, it is going, I have to bring it back.
So, for that, where it is right now, its importance has to be reminded for us. And if we do that, prepare customized reminders. For example, if during japa, the mind is wandering too much.
If we have some small diary where we have some quotes written about how important chanting is. So, take half a minute, 30 seconds, just read one quote. And then again close the eyes and chant.
That gives some strength for us to resist the mind. So, like that we can create reminders for ourselves. Does that address your question? Thank you.
Yes, sir.