Tips for following devotion with bad health of body or mind!
A girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“prabhuji i face many health problems. i am a fatty girl my height 5 ft n weight 72 kg..i am also a depression patient taking medicine. i feel pain in my whole body n neck n shoulder n hand. for that i can’t take so much pressure in any work like studies n household work even mentally i can’t tolerate little bit pressure. bt i always try to do devotion.
i want to be emotionally very strong so that i do my devotion very well bcz my father don’t like this.. i hv no attachment with things bt hv lots of attachment with poeple. i lv my fmly n frnd n other ppls also.so plz tell me how to detach from this. i can’t stay away from them. plz tell me wht should think to be detached. i’ m vry cnfusd plz,help me plz help me to be a devotee of krishna… without u i hv no person to get help plz plz help me plz hare krishna..”
REPLY:
Why should you leave your family?
Though you leave them, they will be living in your heart and mind. You will be still leading a double life with many mental disturbances.
You are a mentally and physically disturbed girl who needs kind support of family members. Though they are not kind as expected by you, even their presence will give you enormous strength for you.
(How to make the husband a devotee of Krishna? A Bold and Powerful Trick! READ HERE!)
Detachment is not deserting the people; It is deserting the attachment only.
A detached person (called sanyasi) will not be moved by the death or separation of anyone.
Why should not we desert the people?
Because, the people are important for us. No one can live in this world without the support of others. Though you go and live in a forest, you may need someone to help you even to bring some water when you become ill.
Only the relatives make our life easy.
You may ask what to do if you are tortured by your relatives.
Even in such cases, what I said was true. Out of 6-7 relatives, atleast one or two devotees will be supportive to us. We can seek their support when we face any difficult situation. Your parents, spouse, children, brothers or sisters – atleast one among them will help you.
Therefore, I will always encourage that we need people to be around us.
(My Parents do not allow me to go to ISKCON. What shall I do? READ HERE!)
But, we should not expect that every one of them will be with us all the time. They may leave from this world one by one Or, we may have to leave them one day.
We should always remember this bitter but unavoidable fact.
Love others until they are with us. When we or they leave, do not be moved and accept it as inevitable. This is detachment that works practically.
If you have this mindset, you will not attach yourself with others.
Don’t forget, we should be merciful with the relatives and surroundings. Being merciful is the BASIC HUMAN NATURE and a vaishnava quality. A devotee of Krishna will consider every person and thing as the creation of Krishna. Therefore, he will show his love to everyone.
He will show his love, but, he will be prepared to face the separation from them at any time.
This is the right mindset with which one should live to avoid the births.
(I AM FOLLOWING DEVOTION TO KRISHNA WITH DOUBTS. THIS DEMOTIVATES ME. WHAT TO DO? READ HERE!)
Many devotees start to hate the family members and others just because their relatives are not following the devotional way of life like themselves. They also hate studies and going to job. They choose to follow devotional practices only, without doing any other thing.
This causes worries in the minds of others about your future and hence they start to discourage that devotee from following his devotion to Krishna.
Therefore, while following devotion, one should respect others and approach others with love and mercy.
If a devotee behaves like this, others will not object him to follow devotion, and they will appreciate you for following the devotional way of life in a right way.
Next, let us see some tips for following devotion with bad health of body or mind!
Devotional practices in this kaliyuga does not mean performing very tough penances as in Satya yuga or long fire sacrifices as in Treta yuga, or worshiping so many temples as in dvapar yuga.
(Family Problems and Depression while following devotion. What to do? READ HERE!)
In this kaliyuga, devotion means, chanting the Holy names of Krishna. This is the recommended form of devotion for Kaliyuga. All other devotional practices are meant for just developing our love for Krishna. For example, by offering food to Krishna regularly, we show our love; By worshiping Krishna every day, we show our love; By observing fast on ekadasis and other important days, we show our love for Krishna. By developing material detachment, we can spare our total love for Krishna alone.
But, by chanting Krishna’s Names, we get the attention and mercy of Krishna Himself. This is the ultimate status chanting can give for a devotee.
While chanting, you need not loudly chant if your health is not cooperative. Just chant within mind or with small voice or with just lip movement. This can be done by anybody.
Chant from your heart with taste. This does not require money, strong health, etc. Anyone can chant Hare Krishna – even during the last moments of his life.
(My family cooks meat on ekadasi and I am unable to fast . What to do? READ HERE!)
If you perform all other devotional practices, but not chanting the Lord’s names, the sadhanas (practices) will not be the complete; whereas, if you chant the Lord’s Names, but, you are unable to perform any other devotional practices because of genuine reasons as you have, your chanting alone will bring the mercy of Krishna.
Just spare one or two hours out of 24 hours for Krishna every day and chant in that time. During the remaining time work keeping Krishna in mind.
What difficulty you have in this simple form of devotion that gives Krishna Himself to you?
Even the terminal patients can do that. So, following devotion with bad health is not going to require tough efforts. You can chant even from the bed.
Therefore, be positive. Proceed with the chanting. Then, do whichever possible for you.
Hope you are clear about following devotion with bad health of body or mind!
(How to follow Krishna Consciousness in an irresponsible family? READ HERE!)