Is not following devotional rules due to mental disorder punishable?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“I am a mentally retarded person i am trying to chant 16 rounds (with difficulty). I am a vegetarian, but I can’t do cooking myself due to fear in cooking. (So, I depend on parents for food that may not be pure). Will I go to hellish planets as a punishment for not following rules. please help”
REPLY:
Not at all.
If you are not following devotional rules due to mental disorder, it is not your fault.
I reply this publicly because, as per WHO reports, In 2019, 1 in every 8 people, or 97 crore people around the world were living with any one mental disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders.
This number was just 45 crores in 2001. The prevalence of psychological issues has doubled in 18 years.
Not just that. Another study says that One out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime, according to a large scale study.
WHO further says that Mental health conditions can cause difficulties in all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends and community. They can result from or lead to problems at school and at work.
This is what you are facing now. So, you are innocent and not at all a violator or offender.
Mental disorder or mental retardation comes under “intellectual disabilities” as per the Public Law 111-256, Rosa’s law of United States.
They do not use the terms ‘mental disorder’ or ‘mental retardation’.
(What if Psychological issues affect devotion as extreme & Impractical? READ HERE!)
Mental disorder or mental retardation or “intellectual disabilities” make a person to have below average intelligence expected from a person.
You can read, learn, and do other tasks, but you may find it difficult to handle them and reproduce them.
You may also have mood swing some times.
Therefore, giving too much of heavy tasks is not advisable for you.
So, keep any assignment or task or even devotional practice WELL WITHIN YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
Do any Sadhana TO YOUR LEVEL BEST, NOT AS PER THE GENERAL RULE.
Rules are for normal persons.
Even in the special schools, they have a syllabus that is different from that of regular school students.
(Will devotion to Krishna correct psychological issues like Depression? How? READ HERE!)
The teachers of special schools are trained to teach the special children using Practical sessions more than theory sessions.
So, I appreciate you for feeling for your inability to chant 16 rounds, honour prasadam or take vegetarian foods, etc.
Already, you are a blessed boy that has made you to think of Krishna and feel for the inabilities to follow the rules.
So, Krishna will be more merciful to you.
See, thinking of Krishna and following rules by being a wealthy person or from a brahmana family or by being physically and mentally strong is not great.
Compared to them, your just thinking of Krishna and worrying for following all the rules as Vaidhi bhakti is greater.
(KEEPING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH USING KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS! READ HERE!)
Let the rules be there. Don’t get agitated thinking of them. As a practically and logically thinking guide, I like to give the following suggestions:
(i) Chant as much as possible for you. You can even chant in instalments. You can chant sitting in a park, open terrace, etc., where you are more comfortable.
(ii) Though you chant just 4 or 6 rounds, do it as sincerely as possible.
(iii) If you get diksha, tell your intellectual disabilities to the guru and then take diksha because he should permit you to be flexible in rules. If the aspiring guru does not agree to this, avoid taking diksha.
(iv) Take Vegetarian foods more such as curd rice, roti, Puri, lemon rice, vegetable curry, vegetable soup, etc. If these items are prepared in your family only in the morning, take some additional quantity for lunch also and take it. Offer fruits and milk to the Lord. Thus, you can avoid or greatly reduce non veg food.
(v) Since your new violations in this birth are not punishable as per karma due to your intellectual disabilities, your every small effort in Krishna Consciousness will be counted with multiple effects. However, just avoid offensive acts in this birth.
(vi) Read and watch about Krishna more that will keep your mind balanced without agitations.
(vii) Take sathsangha, ie, association of devotees and involve in kirtans more.
These are enough for you.
(Do mentally ill persons get karma for their actions? READ HERE!)
If you follow the above seven things, you will receive abundant mercy of Krishna.
Don’t worry unnecessarily and don’t compare yourself with normal persons.
Just be honest to your level best.
You will get the mercy of Krishna with no doubts.
Hope this helps you to to know not following devotional rules due to mental disorder punishable or not.
TAIL PIECE:
Always keep in mind that Krishna never punishes if we do not follow devotional rules. He allows us to continue to be under the karma network by taking birth after birth that itself is the real punishments because the material life is dhukkalayam and asasvatham.
These concepts are not applicable for those who are visually and mentally challenged. Both of them don’t add new karma in this birth. They are just clearing their previous karma.
(PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES WHILE FIGHTING BETWEEN DEVOTION AND MATERIAL LIFE – A CASE STUDY! READ HERE!)