Is it good for some devotees wearing indecent clothes publicly?
A male devotee asked like this sending some photos:
“Hello Sir, I would like to get enlightened on an issue. Some Female Devotees, Married and un- Married are wearing beautiful sarees in temple and outside but at beach they are showing half of their bodies. Is this allowed in Devotee way of life?
Draupadi fought for her clothes and even Srila Prahbupadha said woman must wear sarees and silk sarees only for husband as Krishna don’t like silk sarees. These matajis are wearing such clothes that shows their bodies to hundreds of strangers and then next day preach about ” don’t fall into lust” but they are wearing lustful clothes.
Here I attach few photos.
Last year when I first encountered Krishna consciousness, I stopped eating meat, stoped drinking alcohol, stopped gambling and stopped having violations before marriage . I became a new person. I chanted 16 rounds.
But now, realizing that devotees behaving like this but still proudly preaching all over the world like their behavior is a good thing ,weaken my spiritual life.
There are some devotees like them who are thinking that only at temple, house, shops, we have to wear modest clothes but in front of hundreds of strangers can wear less than half dress.
Now I feel like I want to go back to my old habits because I feel like everyone is hypocrite and it’s not okay to pursue spiritual life.
I don’t know what to do. I am confused. Please Please Enlightened me in this issues..is this correct example of female Devotee?”
REPLY:
The pictures sent by you are really disturbing. I have deleted them from my devices.
The beauty of a girl / boy is to be seen in full only by the spouse, not by the public. Then only, there will be some respect for the status of wife or husband.
See, a spiritual organization can preach elevating concepts. But, it can not come and keep watching what you do at home or at the beach.
There are some devotees who pretend as if traditional in the temple, but, behave without control in their private places and even public places.
(Why Radha Krishna Love is praised, but, a Girl & Boy love is objected? READ HERE?)
The temple management trusts that the devotee is following the decency everywhere and hence recommend for diksha.
If some devotees follow the culture of wearing indecent clothes like this, what can a temple manager do?
Is it wrong to trust a devotee’s words and promises?
The violations as shown by you may not happen in India. It may happen in some other countries where there is no such strict controls.
That is why, our Vedic scriptures are very strict with the brahmanas in crossing the sea and visiting to other countries and it has been prohibitted for brahmanas. This is the vedic culture. One takes birth in a particular country based on his / her karma. Taking birth in a brahmana family in India is a fortune and the result of one’s good karma.
Western culture is totally different from Traditional Indian culture. Only some fortunate devotees from west take to serious devotional way of life. Others may be just casual followers.
Because it may be very difficult for them to give up their more materialistic culture and turn to detached way of devotional life.
(Is the love of two devotees material or spiritual? READ HERE!)
It may require long period of time or another birth in India to get rid of attachments from the life of enjoyments..
In India, one can lead life even with 10,000 rupees a month in small rented store house. The needs are less in India.
The brahmanas are expected to serve the God without contamination. They may fall down if they visit other countries where there are no such strict codes of conduct.
In those countries, appearing with the innerwares that exposes the actual structure of the body in public places is common.
So, it is very difficult to change that culture.
Only a few devotees who are frustrated with such open culture will take serious devotion and become good devotees.
However, there are many devotees who take Maha Prabhu;s movement just because it is based on dancing and chorus singing.
Because in western countries, dancing is the part of the life.
(What if the Association is misused by some devotees to love in temples? READ HERE!)
In India, if a woman dance, her husband and family will object saying why a family girl should dance like this.
In the other countries, dancing and delicious vegetarian prasadam are the primary attractions for the new devotees.
So, you can not expect the similar approach followed in India. There may be some changes from country to country.
Now a days, Indians are following the western culture, but the western people start to appreciate the self sufficient Indian culture.
Why do you get frustrated with devotion seeing the activities of some devotees?
Krishna says that Only One among thousands of people will JUST THINK OF HIM. Even among those who think of Him, ONLY ONE IN THOUSANDS WILL SERIOUSLY FOLLOW HIM.
What about others?
They too will be there still practicing devotion. They will be given another better birth to practice devotion still comfortably.
So, the serious devotees will always be minorities.
(WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOVE, MERCY AND ATTACHMENT? READ HERE!)
Casual devotees will always be majorities.
Today’s casual devotees will be tomorrow’s serious devotees.
Tomorrow means even next birth.
So, such violations will always be there.
Ha Ha..even during the avatar of Krishna, there were women who did ‘that’ business.
Honouring the prayers of one such girl, Krishna Himself visited her house and blessed her. He even accepted prasadam there.
So, the society is a mix of different types of people.
Same applies for the devotee circles.
There will be pure devotees, aspiring devotees, sathakas, etc who are classified as Uttama adhikaris, Madhyama Adhikaris and Kanishta Adhikaris.
Among Kanishta adhikaris, such violations like some devotees wearing indecent clothes may happen in some cases.
(How to Completely Surrender Everything to the Lord Krishna? READ HERE!)
Just because some devotees behave like this, we can not brand the whole devotional services as violative.
There are hundreds of many great devotees even now.
Recently, ie, at the time of writing this reply on 23.10.2021, H.G.Rajendra Nandana Das Prabhu, who is a great devotee and direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada is suffering with the Stage 4 cancer.
Do you know how painful his condition is?
But, he says that the devotees may avoid praying for his recovery but to be in the thoughts of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna at all the stages and consequences.
What a high level of maturity and renouncement this is!
All of us know H.H.Jayapataka Swami. He has faced most of the ailments existing on the earth. He has difficulty in speech and mobility. However, He was taking Online classes on all the days even when he was having covid-19 infection, without worrying for these bodily pains. He says that he can not remain without preaching.
Srila prabhupada established more than 100 temples worldwide even after facing three heart attacks in his seventies.
(I am unable to love Krishna, after I started to love a boy. What to do? READ HERE!)
Still, such great devotees are living.
So, instead of getting inspiration from such dedicated servants of Krishna, why do you see the violating devotees wearing indecent clothes and get frustrated?
I tell you, until the earth exists, there will be violators in every field – including in the field of devotional service, except in satya yugas.
If there is one violator, there will be ten dedicated followers.
Even in this spiritual counselling service done by me, I have heard the most personal issues of hundreds of girl/ women devotees. They trust me and share their issues with me like telling to a brother. But, in this service of more than a decade, not even a single excess or violation happened.
Still, there are many devotees who do not realize the greatness of this service and remain casual though this service that has attracted many thousands of devotees.
Have I stopped this service just because many devotees do not realize the greatness and sincerity behind this service?
No. I take them as everyone’s individual karma.
My duty is to preach with as much sincerity as possible.
If anyone has good karma to get a honest preaching, they will make use of these services.
(Age of starting Karma! Do our violations or sins in the childhood add to karma? READ HERE!)
Why should I get frustrated with those who do not come forward to take the nectar though it is served every day freely into their pocket?
If I bother for such casual devotees, I can not remain in this devotional service.
I have to serve until atleast one devotee is valuing our services and make it known to me.
There are some devotees who spend many minutes every day to share our posts that help hundreds of devotees of other groups! There are some other devotees who make use of my paid services that helps me live and serve Krishna with dignity.
There are some devotees who give some monetary support though I do not post their names so as to encourage a High level of Selfless Service Attitude in their minds. I do not even compel them by sending repeated messages and mails to continue to support because everyone may have pains in their life. So, Love and service should be voluntary and painless. I truly like to promote selfless devotion. That is why, I quit my business and take full time service to Krishna.
So, I have to work for these dedicated devotees who take this service seriously understanding my true pains. I should not stop this service worrying for the casual devotees.
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
Krishna should not be pushed on others. Krishna is not that much cheap to push upon others. Krishna is like nectar. Everyone should voluntarily feel the greatness of our media that is giving 24x7x365 service since the year 2011 without skipping even a single day. It may even be a guinness record for a media BY A SINGLE PERSON giving non stop service for more than 4000 days.
Same advice, I tell you about devotees wearing indecent clothes.
Follow devotion to Krishna taking the inspiration from the gems of majority of the devotees.
You are fortunate to have the touch of Krishna Consciousness in this birth.
See them. Get inspired. Follow them.
Again I say: Violators will always be there except in satya yuga.
Let us take the nectar leaving the poison.
Hope this helps you to know how to see the issues of devotees wearing indecent clothes.
(DRESSING & BEHAVIOUR OF VAISHNAVA IN PUBLIC PLACES! READ HERE!)