Is following devotion as a big businessman possible?
A Student devotee asked like this:
“I am a School student., I want to make a big industrial life or businessman, but i fear whether I will forget Krishna if I become a big businessman, because i am his sincere devotee since my childhood. What should i do? pls guide me?”
REPLY:
You like to be an industrialist, but not to forget Krishna. Great!
Becoming an industrialist is really a long process, not magical. In movies, one can become even India’s number one industrialist within the time of a running song. While starting the song, the hero will be a poor guy with no money in his hands. When the song ends, he would have become India’s number one Industrialist.
So, you can set interest to become an industrialist, but not magically. Since it involves much efforts.
In my opinion, your fear whether following devotion as a big businessman possible, is genuine and to be appreciated.
(What are the jobs suitable to follow devotion also? READ HERE!)
Yes, when you seriously involve in money making by becoming an industrialist, you may not be able to spend sufficient time for focus and devotional practices to Krishna. So, your fear for losing Krishna may become true.
If it is an established business with many admins and employees, you can entrust the business to them and also follow devotion.
But, practically, involvement in business with just one or two persons or you alone may affect your devotional performance and growth.
You may not be able to even chant more.
So, one should review even while studying what his goal is – whether becoming a full time devotee or to become a businessman/ industrialist.
(I am unable to chant because of job. Should I change the job or drop chanting? READ HERE!)
However, if you work somewhere, you can manage to follow the devotion without much problems. Because the business is not owned by you and hence you can think of yourself after finishing every day’s duties.
If you want to become an industrialist, for the first few years or more, you may have to manage with less staff and more direct involvement. So, your devotion will definitely be affected till you establish your business with many employees and admins.
We have to keep another very important fact in mind: Devotion will not give all the money to survive.
Take me as an example. I was doing a material business for survival. Simutaneously, I started this preaching service just casually. More focus was needed for this devotional service that brought the material business down day by day. When I could not concentrate both in business and devotion, I dared to quit my business and that established brand.
(SERVING KRISHNA USING YOUR JOB/ CAREER – USEFUL TIPS! READ HERE!)
When I took this preaching service as full time, I could not meet the basic needs of my life and future reserve fund needs of this service using only the voluntary donations. When others with my qualification were earning in lakhs per month, I was getting just a few thousands that was sufficient only for the site services, not sufficient for my survival, medical expenses, rental, food, electricity, etc.
So, I reviewed again what to do. Then I started the Horoscope Service and accepted some support from the donors for my survival and continuance of this service. Now, I am working 15 hours in this middle age and am surviving with a simple life and also spending my time & resources for serving the Lord and His devotees.
So, if you like to decently survive in this world, you should work and earn.
Only because you don’t like to dilute your devotion to Krishna, I give this advice: You can work in good companies or even for the government and earn. Then, follow devotion sincerely.
(I like to quit my job to follow devotional rules seriously since it involves touring. Is it right? READ HERE!)
Spend a part of your earning for the devotional services.
Following devotion as a big businessman possible if you choose the suitable business, but, it may affect your devotion atleast for the first 5-10 years till the business is well established. Who knows, you may even forget the devotional practices in those 5-10 years.
In case you have any projects that does not require your close attention, or if you have people in your family to share the business responsibilities, you can do a big business and devotion simultaneously. The Point is that you need more hands and attention to establish big businesses.
So, work somewhere, earn and follow your devotion sincerely without the fear for losing Krishna. If you like to do a business, select a business that does not require long time to be spent every day.
Hope you are clear whether following devotion as a big businessman possible or not.
(Is earning too much bad for initiated devotees? READ HERE!)