What if following Nishkam bhakti to Krishna is difficult in kaliyuga?
A woman devotee asked like this: (I have hidden name)
Hare Krishna prabhuji. I try to go to iskcon temple daily with my family (Mumy, papa) . I’m a devotee of Shree Krishna. I know we should render selfless service to the lord without asking for anything in return. But how do we survive in this cruel world then. There are so many problems financial , health etc. If we won’t ask for their solutions from Lord, then who else will solve them ? And its been so long now prabhu. These problems are getting bigger. What to do? Plz help Prabhu ji. Waiting for your response.
REPLY:
See, It is the Highest Standard in devotion to Krishna and we should gradually aim for that standard. That’s all.
This does not mean, prayers are offensive. You can definitely pray to Krishna as He is our Only supporter.
Selfless Nishkam bhakti means not demanding anything in return for our devotion.
Krishna bakthi is followed by the people for various reasons that has been accepted by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad Gita. Some worship Him for clearing problems; some seek relief from diseases. some seek knowledge about Lord;
(My involvement in devotion fluctuates with mood. How to be always stable? READ HERE!)
However, there are another category of devotees who worship Krishna without any demands as Nishkam bhakti, because he takes every happening as the blessing of Krishna and has some genuine reasons for that to happen. Such devotees are called selfless devotees and they are His best devotees as said by Krishna in Gita.
At its highest standard, Krishna Bhakti is not to be used to achieve material comforts. We should follow Krishna Bhakti to get liberated from these material holdings and go back to our eternal living place Goloka Vrindavana, where Krishna lives. Or, the best principle is to leave the decision to Krishna Himself who will use us anywhere He prefers.
When will we be liberated?
Only when we have no attachments with this material world(s).
When will we have no attachments with the material worlds?
Only when we do not add more and more material facilities and accept the coming problems patiently that will clear our past karma. So, your past karma is cleared and you would not have added new serious karma.
What will happen now?
There will be no reason for you to take birth because your Karma account is having zero balance.
(If karma forces one in sins, how can he reform himself in this birth? READ HERE!)
Of course some small offences will be there if you do not live for Krishna. So, while living, in addition to avoiding major offences, you must work for Krishna. When we work for Krishna, all our UNINTENTIONAL offences will be forgiven and will not be added in the karma basket.
So, it is safe to work for Krishna. When we work for Krishna, the successes and failures of the works are the responsibilities of Krishna and whatever He gives must be accepted by us.
So, whatever problems you have, just face them using your intelligence given by Krishna. But, always keep in mind that you will accept whatever is going to happen.
Anyway, you are going to do some jobs and earn. So, you will have some money. Then, lead a simple life according to the incoming money. Do not add more and more machinery and people to invite more problems. You yourself invite so many problems and then go to Krishna to solve those things. Is it nice?
Once upon a time, the people walked everywhere and used physical means in household duties. So, the people of those period had less diseases. But we use all the possible machinery and instruments that make us lazy and we have no need for physical activities. Mixer Grinders, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, Bikes and cars to go even to a nearby petty shop, etc.
So, both men and women have reduced their physical work and use machines for everything. That is why, we are facing diseases like Diabetes, B.P, Heart attacks, etc.
(Lord Shiva helps me faster than Krishna. How to get help earlier from Krishna? READ HERE!)
We ourselves invite diseases and problems unnecessarily. Then, we go to Krishna to help us. Should we call Krishna to solve a dispute between husband and wife that arose because of ego and excessive usage of words by both of them? Should we localize Krishna to that extent?
So, If we follow the life style of older days, we will have no serious diseases.
So, when we use the instruments limitedly, we can live without major diseases.
I do not borrow from anybody and I always purchase everything as cash and carry. No credit accounts. No Credit cards, but Only debit cards. I get some discounts in the price also if I buy as cash and carry.
Because of such approach, I am living without much unwanted problems.
Less expectations, more peace.
Lead a controlled life. If you get diseases or issues because of your past karma, just bear it thinking of Krishna in mind. Take treatments as a duty. By facing your problems without escaping from them, you are clearing your past karma. If you escape from the past karma, your karma will still be pending and you will have to face them in the next birth.
First treat the problems as blessings. If you do not face problems, you can never clear your karma. So, problems are also needed for us.
Kunti devi prayed Krishna requesting more problems because she will remember Krishna whenever she faces more and more problems. But, we need not wait for problems to think of Krishna. When we work for Krishna, we will not see the problems as problems, but the blessings.
At the same time do not involve in any activity that is not compulsory. Do only those things and have only those things that are UNAVOIDABLE AND MUST to lead a basic life.
(Will Krishna arrange me a job even if I don’t aim for it to avoid expectations? READ HERE!)
Always remember: we only are the cause for all our problems. So, have a realization that we are repaying what we did earlier. Reduce the depth of your problems by seeing them unavoidable and they come because of you only.
Worship Krishna just for LOVE and BHAKTI, not for getting material benefits and reliefs. This is called Nishkam bhakti. Though we die out of diseases, let us face it because, death is unavoidable for all.
How to pray to Krishna? I have written this in many places in this Site.
Just pray to Him:
“Krishna, I know that I am facing all my problems because of my similar problems that I gave for others in my past lives. Just give me strength to face these pains and thereby clear my past karma. I will manage them with the strength given by you. I will accept whatever happens to me as the outcome of my karma and your mercy”
(How to escape from Karma and Get Krishna’s Love through Prayers? READ HERE!)
This is enough. Then, your life will be happy in spite of problems that you may naturally have.
NOTE:
The advices that I have written above are for those who like to go to the stage of pure devotion. However, if any devotee feels difficulties, there is nothing wrong in praying to Krishna to gain confidence in life. If prayed, Krishna also offers some benefits if those benefits will do good for you. If His boon in response to your request will destabilize you, Krishna will not offer such benefits to you.
However, stage by stage, reduce requesting benefits from Krishna and start to worship Him with Nishkam bhakti purely for His love and service.
Because we should not remain in the same level of devotion, but, we should come up to the stage of pure devotion that will take us to Krishna’s abode.
(How is it possible to live without expectations? How? READ HERE!)