How to achieve the family cooperation for devotional life?
Actual Question from a women devotee:
“Hare Krishna Prabhuji! Pranam .. I am Krishna devotee, Is it far in my part that my family is not at all interested in Krishna, as far as my husband is concerned, he is not even interested to worship Demi Gods.. This make me very upset, he is fully influenced by his mother who is following ……………………….., from Chennai (plz don’t mention name when you post)..they are against deity worship, only 5 mnts meditation, but they worship their human Guru, Every festival, from Ganesh puja to Pongal, nobody take interest, only me do puja arrange everything for puja, he used to come for Arthi and did pranam, nowadays that too missing,.. Sons are watching their father, grandmother, they also not showing much interest!. As if I married non Hindu!. they don’t observe Sharad also to his father.. Only solace is my kids attend Arthi when I do, infrequently fill their minds about worshiping God, and about Srila Prabhupadaji, never he said I am God worship me, he said I am your guide, etc.. so my son’s mind my Mother in law could not pollute ! ,(thanks to Krishna). As a devotee, my wish is my husband should given up his fake guru philosophy, I tried many times, but unable to convince him.. Root cause is his mother, if she is going to fall in a well water, let her, why she is pulling her son also?. I know both of them going in wrong path, I want to save my husband! Kindly guide me what to do. ( plz don’t mention my name)
REPLY:
Not only your husband and family. The whole world is running behind money. So, those who speak of Krishna and dharma, etc are ignorant in the view of the world.
(My Parents do not allow me to go to ISKCON. What shall I do? READ HERE!)
Only those who have more money are respected in this world. Others are neglected. Now a days, this world is involving in consumer culture. More and more products are coming to the market daily, targeting the earned money of the people. Every day, news papers and televisions are tempting the people to increase their holdings. So, those who have more money add more comforts. So, they are respected more by others.
This SPENDING culture is very dangerous. Unless there is a FAMILY CULTURE, there will be lavish spending and hence there will be no savings in the country. As there are no joint families, the elders are neglected. So, the government has to spend for maintaining the elders as done by American government that spends billions of dollars for maintaining the elders and supporting the unemployed.
In brief, in America, the government is doing what an individual should do. As the family fails to protect the elders, the government is protecting them using public money.
(Family Problems and Depression while following devotion. What to do? READ HERE!)
Thus, this world has started to see the ILL-EFFECTS of money culture. Everyone should realize that money can not bring everything.
As far as your family is concerned, I request you to remain as a silent spectator of their ignorant activities, without any attachments! Because, they will try to be happy materially and one day, they will realize that they can not attain real happiness in this material world. Then, they will understand you and praise you.
Experience will change them. You had less anarthas and hence have taken Krishna Consciousness easily. But, they have more anarthas and hence they will realize the need for Krishna Consciousness in future.
You have to wait till that. Though it is difficult to bear their ignorant acts, you should compare yourself with those who are struggling more than you. You are in a better state because you are struggling from within a house and you are in a safe atmosphere.
But, there are crores of people in this world who are struggling on platforms, even without a shelter. Every day is problem for them.
(How to make the husband a devotee of Krishna? A Bold and Powerful Trick! READ HERE!)
So, learn to bear these ignorant people. Mean time, keep on telling them about Krishna Consciousness though their realization may get delayed. If you seriously practice Krishna Consciousness without losing the hope, it will gradually change them when they meet more and more problems in their life. They will realize that their money could not solve some problems.
One thing is sure:
Your family members will not become Krishna Conscious immediately, since they are highly materialistic and they will consider Krishna Consciousness as a separator of relations. So, it may take some time to achieve the family cooperation for devotional life.
Whereas, If you continue to remain a Perfect Krishna conscious devotee and also respect your family members and also continue to perform all the assigned duties, your family members will also become Krishna Conscious stage by stage gradually. Not suddenly.
So, the point is, the materialistic people will not respect and follow the words of devotees unless they face more and more problems in their life. If a devotee beautifully balances both the family and Krishna Consciousness, then, the family members will slowly start to appreciate his/ her balanced involvement in devotion and hence they too will change in future.
(THE WAY OF LIFE RECOMMENDED BY BHAGAVAD GITA! READ HERE!)
My father’s discipline and dedication to the devotion made me a good devotee after the death of my father.
My father did not compel me to follow devotional life, but, he lived as an example for discipline and devotion. As he was sincere in words and actions, we automatically became devotees and responsible children without much difficulty to reform ourselves.
So, our life itself is a good preaching for others. That is why, all the scriptures advise us to have saadhu sangha. If we are in the association of devotees, their activities will create impact in our mind. So, we too will become devotees.
(Is Surrender to Krishna possible when we perform duties as said by Krishna? READ HERE!)
So, continue to improve yourself further in devotion and be a responsible devotee. Mean time, keep on requesting the family members to visit the temple with which you are associating. Give them satsangha, the association of devotees. If they do not come for satsangha, you act as a satsangha to them. It will definitely change them one day – as I changed on seeing my father and mother.
Devotion (Krishna Consciousness) is a natural process that is there in everyone originally. It has been hidden because of their material attachments, ie, contamination. It can be ignited by another powerful devotee. But, It can NEVER be imposed forcefully.
They will naturally become fortunate one day. It may happen in days, months or years. Till that, lead your life patiently keeping Krishna within the heart.
Hope you are now clear about achieving the family cooperation for devotional life.
(How to follow Krishna Consciousness in an irresponsible family? READ HERE!)