Is chanting the holy name and reading scriptures without preaching enough to take us back to godhead?

Transcript

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Thank you. The question is, chanting the holy name and reading scriptures without preaching enough to take us back to Godhead? Answer, what will take us back to Godhead is our determination to love Krishna and the transformation of our heart by which we actually love Krishna. So, chanting, reading scriptures and preaching are all means by which we transform our desires and develop our love for Krishna.
So, it is not a specific activity that is important. Certainly, chanting is important because of the yoga dharma. Studying scriptures is important because it gives an intellectual conviction to practice the yoga dharma and to choose to love Krishna.
And preaching is also important because it gives us experiential verification of the potency of Krishna consciousness in transforming hearts and lives. So, all these are important. Now, there may be some devotees who, because of their own natures, may feel uncomfortable while talking with others about Krishna consciousness.
They may not feel that it is their nature to give classes or they may feel that they are too introvert to actually go and approach people, talk with them and give Krishna to them. So, if that is the case, then we can find out ways in which they can continue to serve Krishna without preaching also. It is not that preaching is essential to go back home, back to Godhead.
But preaching does give us a higher taste in a very exciting and stimulating way. Because when we try to share Krishna’s message with others, then we face challenges. And also, when others start practicing Krishna consciousness, they often look up at us as models.
And that also forces us to go deeper, both the challenges while preaching and the expectations of others that we live according to what we are speaking. Both these force us to go deeper in our relationship with Krishna and start raising our standards, take greater shelter of Him, so that we have the strength by which we can live according to those standards. In this way, actually, our own personal cultivation of Krishna consciousness and our sharing of Krishna consciousness have a symbiotic effect on each other.
When we feel when we take shelter of Krishna and experience the great strength and solace that come from that shelter, then naturally we feel inspired to share that shelter with others. Why should others miss what I have got? And when we actually share that shelter with others, then when we talk about that shelter, when we inspire others to take that shelter of Krishna, all this talking and inspiring also impels us to again take shelter of Krishna. So, actually, preaching is very helpful for us to develop love of Krishna.
But if somehow we feel uncomfortable of preaching, we shouldn’t think that because I can’t preach, I won’t be able to go back to Godhead. Going back to Godhead doesn’t depend on whether one is preaching or not. It depends on whether one is choosing to love Krishna or not.
And different people can choose to love Krishna in different ways. And they may enter different services. The way Shri Prabhupada presented Krishna consciousness to us, he almost made teaching like a part of our sadhana.
That we distribute books, we speak about Krishna to the people who are in our social circle. And we try to share Krishna consciousness by inviting people to the temple programs. So, he made it like a part of our sadhana.
And that’s why it’s nice that we can also share Krishna consciousness with others. But we shouldn’t think that we will not be able to go back to God just because we feel that we are unable to preach. We should practice Krishna consciousness whatever way we feel confident right now, whatever way we feel comfortable right now.
And over a period of time, Krishna can do many things. He can make a mouse into a lion. So, he can make a person who is not at all inclined or to people of speaking.
So, by the mercy of Guru, of Krishna, of Lord Shiva, even a dumb person can speak eloquently. So, miracles can happen by Krishna’s guidance. That’s why it’s best that we don’t feel inclined to preach right now.
We can do whatever service we can for Krishna wholeheartedly and try to redirect our heart’s love towards Krishna. And also be open for Krishna’s miracles. Maybe Krishna will inspire us, Krishna will empower us.
And the apprehension that we have about sharing Krishna consciousness may disappear. So, don’t stop Krishna consciousness because one feels one cannot preach. At the same time, let’s not, the idea that I can’t preach, let’s not make that as a permanently closed door for us.
We may not preach now, but keep that door open and when we feel inspired or inclined, then maybe we can walk through that door. But either way, we ultimately have to develop love for Krishna.