Practice Krishna Consciousness at home

Prabhupāda: Let them remain, family life, but understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That’s all. We never condemn family life. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa anywhere. That’s all.

(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bhuvanesvara, January 30, 1977)

Nowhere in the Vedic Literature it is found that only sannyasīs, or those who serve Krishna full time or in a Temple will go back home back to Godhead. But instead Lord Says in Bhagavad Gītā:

Bhagavad-gītā 9.32

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] – can attain the supreme destination. When Lord himself doesn’t differentiate, then who are we to do so? Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the most munificent incarnation of Lord Krishna in Kali Yuga has envisioned:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

“In every town and village on the earth, the chanting of My name will be heard.” [CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126]

Irrespective of whether the soul is in the body of a brāhmaṇa or a vaishya, brahmacharī or a grihastha, the Laws of Nature will act sameway and if at the testing time, at the moment of death, we can chant the Holy Names of Lord Krishna, then we go back to home, back to Godhead. The Goal of establishing so many Temples and initiating so many disciples etc, done by Prabhupāda were all aimed at making everyone irrespective of caste, creed, gender, chant the Holy name of Krishna and as mentioned in the beginning, convert every home into a Temple.

Practicing Krishna Consciousness

Śrila Prabhupāda says: Without Krishna consciousness, everyone must suffer. That is the law of nature. Daivī hy esā gunamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot avoid it. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. You can be happy only when you are a surrendered soul to Krishna. That is the only way. Spiritual life might seem quite utopian and challenging, but it reduces our anxiety, adds up happiness to whatever we do thus ensuring a peaceful and blessed life of the aspirant. Dovetailing every activity in service of Krishna is the only change that has to be brought in and automatically, without our intervention, the Lord will take care of the coming chapters of our life… Human birth is a rare gift and blessing by Lord Krishna. Durlabham manusham janma.. If it is not utilized in the service of The Lord and is wasted for gratifying our senses, it is a great loss. One of the twelve Mahājanās, Śri Prahlād Maharaj says:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.1

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
kaumāra ācaret prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life — in other words, from the tender age of childhood — to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection, svalpam api asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. The activities done in material life can be spiritualized by doing them for Krishna, for example, cooking food for Krishna, reading books on Krishna, offering the fruits of our work/job/ in service of Krishna and his devotees etc. But all this has to be done under the guidance of Sādhu, Śastra (scriptures) and Guru (Spiritual master). The guidance has to be accepted from these authorities. Without following the instructions of a spiritual master who is in an authorized chain of disciplic succession, we cannot make spiritual progress. Gaining knowledge on the principles and practices of Krishna Consciousness and applying them in real life, brings us closer to God, or Krishna. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti: “I can be known only by devotional service.” Knowledge guides us in proper action. Spiritual knowledge directs us to satisfy the desires of Krishna through practical engagements in His loving service. Without practical application, theoretical knowledge is of little value. We should try to do our best, to do more than is simply convenient. Then it will be possible for us to rise to the transcendental plane of Krishna consciousness, even while living far from a temple.The practices outlined here are the timeless practices of bhakti-yoga as given by the foremost spiritual master and exponent of Krishna consciousness in our time, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra

The first principle in devotional service is to chant the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra (mahā means “great”; mantra means”sound that liberates the mind from ignorance”):

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

“O energy of the Lord [Hare], O all-attractive Lord [Krishna], O Supreme Enjoyer [Rāma], please engage me in Your service.” “The three words, namely Hara, Krishna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul.

The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krishna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee. (Srila Prabhupada on importance of chanting) No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the maha-mantra:

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 6.242

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

“ ‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’ ” Chanting means, Kṛṣṇa being absolute, Kṛṣṇa’s name and Kṛṣṇa there is no difference. Absolute means there is no duality. The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting means keeping Kṛṣṇa always within your heart. (Room Conversation — July 18, 1971, Detroit) You can chant these holy names of the Lord anywhere and at any time, but it is best to set a specific time of the day to regularly chant. Early morning hours (Braḥma muḥūrtā, one and half hours before sunrise) are ideal. The chanting can be done in two ways: singing the mantra, called kīrtana (usually done in a group), and saying the mantra to oneself, called japa (which literally means “to speak softly”). Concentrate on hearing the sound of the holy names. As you chant, pronounce the names clearly and distinctly, addressing Krishna in a prayerful mood. The more attentively and sincerely you chant these names of God, the more spiritual progress you will make. Japa should be done on beads (available in HKM Bhilai). This helps you fix your attention on the holy name and also helps you count the number of times you chant the mantra daily. Each strand of japa beads contains 108 small beads and one large bead, the head bead. The mantra that has to be chanted on the head bead is Panchatattva Mantra:

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara
Śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Begin on a bead next to the head bead and gently roll it between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand as you chant the full Hare Krishna mantra. Then move to the next bead and repeat the process. In this way, chant on each of the 108 beads until you reach the head bead again. This is one round of japa. Then, chant on the head bead Panchatattva Mantra, reverse the beads and start your second round on the last bead you chanted on. Initiated devotees vow before the spiritual master to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. But even if you can chant only one round a day, the principle is that once you commit yourself to chanting that round, you should try complete it every day without fail. When you feel you can chant more, then increase the minimum number of rounds you chant each day—but don’t fall below that number. Please note that the beads are sacred and therefore should never touch the ground or be put in an unclean place. To keep your beads clean, it’s best to carry them in a special bead bag, also available from HKM Bhilai.

Aside from chanting japa, you can also sing the Lord’s holy names in kīrtana. While you can perform kīrtana individually, it is generally performed with others. A melodious kīrtana with family or friends is sure to enliven everyone. As Lord Caitanya said, “There are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna.”, we request you to take this most sublime process and get benefited.

Setting Up Your Altar

Though Kali Yuga is an ocean of faults, it is an age for the easiest methods of attaining salvation. Instead of concocting the form of Lord, it’s better to focus on the form of Lord given in Śastras and accepted by the Spiritual Master in disciplic succession.

Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.30

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam-
barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids. Lord Krishna and His pure devotees are so kind that they allow us to worship them even through their pictures. Even photos can be put in an altar and be worshiped. Śrila Prabhupada quotes the example of a postbox which is authorized by the Govt. only in that postbox, letters can be put and not in any box..

Setting up an altar at home means receiving the Lord and His pure devotees as your most honored guests. An ideal place to set up an altar would be clean, well lit, (well decorated if possible) and free from drafts and household disturbances. A wall shelf, a mantelpiece, a corner table, or the top shelf of a bookcase will do for an altar. Make your altar accessible, by which daily you can worship Their Lordships and also you can chant sitting in front of the Altar. What do you need for an altar? Here are the essentials: 1. A picture of Śrīla Prabhupāda. 2. A picture of Lord Caitanya and His associates. 3. A picture of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. In addition, you may want an altar cloth, water cups (one for each picture), candles with holders, a special plate for offering food, a small bell, incense, an incense holder, and fresh flowers, which you may offer in vases or simply place before each picture. If you’re interested in more elaborate Deity worship, ask any of the HKM Bhilai devotees or write to the Temple.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 19.151

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

Translation

“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. So, only by the causeless mercy of the Spiritual Master one can awaken the Bhakti seed, which was till now in a sleeping state. Spiritual Master (Guru) is the transparent via medium to contact God. And he has been empowered by God to teach Humanity about God consciousness, how to love God. So, he should be respected as we respect God and he receives first worship on the altar. There are two main kinds of gurus: shiksha guru (the instructing guru) and diksha guru (the initiating guru). Srila Prabhupada is the initiating guru for all of us. He will remain so, for the coming 10000 years.We all owe an immense debt of gratitude to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Before Śrīla Prabhupāda left India in 1965 to spread Krishna consciousness abroad, almost no one outside India knew anything about the practice of pure devotional service to Lord Krishna. Therefore, everyone who has learned of the process through his books, his Back to Godhead magazine, his tapes, or contact with his followers should offer immense respect to Śrīla Prabhupāda. As you progress in bhakti-yoga, you may eventually want to accept initiation. Before he left this world in 1977, Śrīla Prabhupāda authorized a system of Ṛiṭvik initiation in which advanced and qualified devotees would carry on his work by initiating disciples on his behalf in accordance with his instructions. On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, a ṛiṭvik representative would give you dīksha and henceforth you will be the disciple of Śrila Prabhupāda. The second picture on your altar should be one of the pañca-tattva.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara
Śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Lord Caitanya and His four leading associates. Lord Caitanya is the incarnation of God for Kali Yuga. He is Krishna Himself, descended in the form of His own devotee to teach us how to surrender to Him, specifically by chanting His holy names harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva gatir anyatha, and performing other activities of bhakti-yoga. Lord Caitanya is the most merciful incarnation, for He makes it easy for anyone to attain love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. And of course the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Krishna, with His eternal consort, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is Krishna’s spiritual potency. She is the dearmost among Gopīs and devotional service personified. Devotees always take shelter of Her to learn how to serve Krishna.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 4.215

yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos
tasyāḥ kuṇḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā
sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā
viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā

“Just as Rādhā is dear to Lord Kṛsṇa, so Her bathing place [Rādhā-kuṇḍa] is dear to Him. She alone is His most beloved of all the gopīs.”
This verse is from the Padma Purāṇa.
You can arrange the pictures in a triangle, with the picture of Śrīla Prabhupāda on the left, the picture of Lord Caitanya and His associates on the right, and the picture of Rādhā and Krishna, which, if possible, should be slightly larger than the others, on a small raised platform behind and in the center. Or you can hang the picture of Rādhā and Krishna on the wall above.

Cleanliness is essential in Deity worship. Carefully clean the altar each morning. Establishing an altar means you invite Krishna and His pure devotees to reside as the most exalted guests in your home. Water cups should be cleansed daily and the water of the previous day, becomes prasādam. You should remove flowers in vases as soon as they’re slightly wilted, or daily if you’ve offered them at the base of the pictures.

You should offer fresh incense at least once a day, and, if possible, light candles and place them near the pictures when you’re chanting before the altar. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. You can be happy only when you are a surrendered soul to Krishna. That is the only way. Harim vinā na mrtim taranti. Spiritual life might seem difficult but is very easy, sublime and most rewarding. If you try to love God, you’ll gradually realize how much He loves you. That’s the essence of bhakti-yoga.

Prasādam: How to Eat Spiritually

Prasādam – mercy of Krishna. We are not Vegetarians: Srila Prabhupada said “We’re “Krsnatarians.” Rabbits are vegetarian. With his humorous yet striking words, Srila Prabhupada, taught everyone how just being vegetarian and eating anywhere is unfit for spiritual realization. As it is enjoined in the Vedas:

āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ
sattva-śuddhau dhruvā smṛtiḥ
smṛti-lambhe sarva-granthīnāṁ vipramokṣaḥ.

By performance of yajña one’s eatables become sanctified, and by eating sanctified foodstuffs one’s very existence becomes purified; by the purification of existence finer tissues in the memory become sanctified, and when memory is sanctified one can think of the path of liberation, and all these combined together lead to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the great necessity of present-day society. (Bhagavad-gītā 3.11 Purport) Yajna prescribed for Kali Yuga is Sankirtana Yajna. Following in the footsteps of Acharyas, if we perform this yajna, cook and offer eatbles to Krishna (Bhoga) with love and devotion, then he, mercifully with his glance itself, sanctifies the foodstuffs, thus making it prasādam. As said in Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.32 aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs.. Bhakti Yoga, Krishna Consciousness is so full of ānanda, that once the nectar touches the jīva, he can never forget it. Honoring Prasādam is an important aspect of Krishna Consciousness. It spiritualizes the material senses, giving transcendental bliss. Lord Caitanya said of prasādam, “Everyone has tasted these foods before. However, now that they have been prepared for Krishna and offered to Him with devotion, these foods have acquired extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience. Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind and makes one forget any other fragrance. Therefore, it should be understood that the spiritual nectar of Krishna’s lips must have touched these ordinary foods and imparted to them all their transcendental qualities.” Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita:

Bhagavad-gītā 3.13

yajṣa-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuṣjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

Foods cooked by non–devotees must be avoided. According to the subtle laws of nature, the cook acts upon the food not only physically but mentally as well. Food thus becomes an agent for subtle influences on your consciousness. The principle is the same as that at work with a painting: a painting is not simply a collection of strokes on a canvas but an expression of the artist’s state of mind, which affects the viewer. So if you eat food cooked by non devotees—employees working in a factory, for example—then you’re sure to absorb a dose of materialism and karma.

With this and in many other Vedic Scriptures, prasādam is given much importance. Spiritualizing the senses instead of suppressing them, like done in other yogas, is much easier and sublime and relieves us from various sufferings.

How to prepare and offer Bhoga to Their Lordships

Though cooking comes before, but here it is placed other way because, generally first people honor prasadam, then they become addicted to the taste of Krishna prasādam and then learn how to cook for Krishna!!

Now this is of prime importance, because choosing from the aisles of Supermarket, to cook and offer to Krishna is not an easy task, as there are so many dos and don’ts for offering .

Bhagavad-gītā 9.26

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ

yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam

aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

From this verse it is understood that we can offer Kṛṣṇa foods prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Meat, fish, and eggs are not offerable. And a few vegetarian items are also forbidden—mushroom, garlic and onions, for example, which are in the mode of darkness. (Hing, or asafoetida, is a tasty substitute for them in cooking and is available at most Indian groceries) Nor can we offer to Krṣṇa coffee or tea or chocolate because those contains caffeine. Animal products, meat, eggs, etc may be added to certain foods, hence reading ingredients is a must. For instance, some brands of yogurt and sour cream contain gelatin, a substance made from the horns, hooves, and bones of slaughtered animals. Also, certain brands of cheese might contain rennet, an enzyme extracted from the stomach tissues of slaughtered calves. So as far as possible use only fresh, natural ingredients.

Kitchen is an extension of Altar, so cleanliness is utmost important. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Nothing impure should be offered to God. Wash hands before every cooking. While cooking, food shouldn’t be tasted, because it is Krishna’s first and then prasādam is yours…

Once the items are prepared then:

1) Arrange portions of the food on dinnerware kept especially for this purpose; no one but the Lord should eat from these dishes

2) You must then place Tulasi leaves on all food items.

3) Do not forget to keep drinking water on the plate

4) Now keep the plate in the altar or in front of the altar. Close the altar curtain or shield the offering so it is not visible to us. Ive a doubt??

5) Now chant below prayers. The easiest way to offer food is simply to pray, “My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, please accept this food,” and to chant each of the following prayers three times while ringing a bell:

Prayer to Śrīla Prabhupāda:

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe

nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”

Prayer to Lord Caitanya:

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

[Cc. Madhya 19.53]

“O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”

Prayer to Lord Kṛṣṇa:

namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the worshipable Deity for all brāhmaṇas, the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and the benefactor of the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Kṛṣṇa and Govinda.”

After offering the food to the Lord, wait at least ten minutes for the Lord to partake of the preparations. Then ring the bell, and chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Remove the plate, transfer the food to a serving plate, and wash Krishna’s dinnerware. The food is now prasādam, or “mercy” from Krishna.

Now you and any guests may eat the prasādam. While you eat, try to appreciate the spiritual value of the food. Remember that because Kṛṣṇa has accepted it, it is non different from Him, and therefore by eating it you will become purified.

Everything you offer on your altar becomes prasādam, the mercy of the Lord. Flowers, incense, the water, the food—everything you offer for the Lord’s pleasure becomes spiritualized. The Lord enters into the offerings, and thus the remnants are nondifferent from Him. So you should not only deeply respect the things you’ve offered, but you should distribute them to others as well. Distribution of prasādam is an essential part of Deity worship.

Everyday Life: The Four Regulative Principles

Srila Prabhupada’s foremost instruction to his disciples was: Chant a minimum of sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra and follow four regulative principles….

Austerities and penances are a must in devotional life. But as we engage our senses in Krishna’s service, then these austerities seem like a child’s play…

Avoid the following four sinful activities:

Eating meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, mushrooms etc should be avoided. These foods are saturated with the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore cannot be offered to the Lord. A person who eats these foods participates in a conspiracy of violence against helpless animals and thus stops his spiritual progress dead in its tracks.
Gambling. Gambling invariably puts one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy, and anger.
The use of intoxicants. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as any drinks or foods containing caffeine, cloud the mind, overstimulate the senses, and make it impossible to understand or follow the principles of bhakti-yoga.
Illicit sex. This is sex outside of marriage or sex in marriage for any purpose other than procreation. Sex for pleasure compels one to identify with the body and takes one far from Krishna consciousness. The scriptures teach that sex is the most powerful force binding us to the material world. Anyone serious about advancing in Krishna consciousness should minimize sex or eliminate it entirely.

Engagement in Practical Devotional Service

Srila Prabhupada:

I am glad that you have decided to give your time now fully to serving Krsna directly, but do not misunderstand the position of “outside” jobs. Any work which is performed by a devotee in Krsna Consciousness is never work on the material platform although it may appear to be so. Such a Krsna Conscious person is never associating with the materials of mundane work or with the mundane workers, he is always associating with Krsna by devotional service whatever his position may be.

(Letter to Krsnakanti written from Bombay November 29, 1970)

That is the mercy of a Spiritual Master, who accepts our countless faults, but instructs and guides us how we can become Krishna Conscious all the time. Thus the karmic reactions which we may be about to face, could be reduced..

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gītā:

Bhagavad-gītā 3.9

yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra

loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ

tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya

mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara

Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.

Its simple, like: If you’re a writer, write for Krishna; if you’re an artist, create for Krishna; if you’re a secretary, type for Krishna etc… Helping in the temple’s activities, assisting in Sankīrtan, expanding preaching work, etc are all beneficial for those staying outside the temple. Sacrificing fruits of work by contributing a portion of the earnings to help maintain the temple and propagate Krishna consciousness is also important. Some devotees living outside the temple buy Hare Krishna literature and distribute it to their friends and associates, or they engage in a variety of services at the temple. There is also a wide network of devotees who gather in each other’s homes for chanting, worship, and study. You can contact HKM Bhilai devotees for further details..

Additional Devotional Principles

Chaitanya Charitamṛita Madhya 22.128

sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa

mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana

“One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, reside at Mathurā and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) 2.8.4

śṛṇvataḥ śraddhayā nityaṁ

gṛṇataś ca sva-ceṣṭitam

kālena nātidīrgheṇa

bhagavān viśate hṛdi

Persons who hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested in their hearts within a short time.

These five are the pillars of Bhakti Yoga aka Krishna Consciousness. Doing these daily will, purify our hearts, inspire us and instill faith in the Lord. most important of these is sadhu sanga, nama kirtana and bhagavata sravana.

Sadhu sanga means Vaishnava association. The more we associate with Vaishnavas and reveal our hearts, the more we can go forward in Krishna Consciousness. Lord Chaitanya glorifies sadhu saṇga as:

Chaitanya Charitamṛita Madhya 22.54

‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya

lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.

The greatest sadhu for the modern era is HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. When he would get down a flight, devotees and the public would squeeze through the gates just to get a sight of his!!!

His teachings, instructions are all found in his books. He always said, “I live in my books. For the coming ten thousand years, my books will be guiding”. Associating with Prabhupada is by reading his books. And of course temple devotees are always ready for clearing your doubts and helping you in Krishna Consciousness, which is also sādhu saṇga.

Studying Hare Krishna literature is one more very important principle in Krishna Consciousness. In the verse above, it is said, Bhāgavata Śravaṇa, which means hearing Bhāgavatam. In the olden days, no book was available, Vedic knowledge was imparted through hearing and the disciples would be so qualified to understand the knowledge just by hearing. But as yugas passed by, man became less intelligent and hence writing has started. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of ISKCON, dedicated much of his time to writing books such as the Bhagavad Gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Chaitanya Charitāmṛita etc Hearing the words-or reading the writings-of a realized spiritual master is an essential spiritual practice. So try to set aside some time every day to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. You can get the books from HKM Bhilai Temple.

The Beauty of Krishna Consciousness

Bhagavad-gīta 2.40

nehābhikrama-nāśo ’sti

pratyavāyo na vidyate

sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya

trāyate mahato bhayāt

In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.

Krishna himself guarantees that even a baby step taken in Bhakti Yoga, it is recorded and rewarded accordingly. Just by once chanting Hare Krishna in a fearful situation can protect us from greatest dangers.

The sum and substance of all these efforts lies in this verse:

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 22.113

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur

vismartavyo na jātucit

sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur

etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

“ ‘Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.’

So this is the final verdict!!

Srila Prabhupada once wrote to an aspiring disciple:

“To prosecute Krishna Consciousness there is no limitation, no material impediment can stop progress of Krishna Consciousness. That is the symptom of spiritual life. Spiritual life doesn’t depend on material conditions.

Let us bring Krishna into our lives and become eternally blissful living entities…