SERVING KRISHNA USING YOUR JOB/ CAREER – USEFUL TIPS!
A Girl devotee asked like this:
Sir I have been reading Bhagwadgita for last few months. I have not yet completed it but it has changed my life amazingly. It helped me in sailing through big challenges and helped in getting the post of officer in State Bank of India. My question is How can one who is a banker serve Krishna? I am not talking about following rhe rituals of arati,prasadam,etc., but I want to know whether my working as a banker can be in service of Krishna? Also I now want to prepare for UPSC (IAS) exam so please help me understand how can this be called Krishna conscious?
REPLY:
Whether it is a bank job or any other job, you can use the career in FOUR ways to serve Krishna:
(1) FOLLOW DHARMA
Krishna is the source and form of Dharma. So, if you act following the dharma, you are following Krishna.
In any job, we should Follow the dharma, ie, the permissible way of functioning without involving in frauds, malpractices, hurting the genuine customers and supporting unsuitable customers to get benefited.
For example, in your bank, many will apply for loans. If you reject a genuine candidate though he has all the credentials, it is adharma. And, if you give loan getting bribe from a person who has a very bad motive of cheating the bank, you are again adharmic. So, you will not get the mercy of Krishna.
So, as a banker, you should serve the genuine customers properly. If the limit of loan for a financial year has reached, you can refuse loan to any person. It is not adharma. The point is that you should follow the standing rules without succumbing to the illegal pressures.
(2) PERFORM ALL THE RECOMMENDED DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES
During the morning and evening, follow the recommended rituals and devotional practices (Sadhanas) such as chanting, simple arati, offering food to Krishna, reading about Krishna, etc. During Sundays and festival days, visit the nearest temple and take part in the sathsangha.
Do them regularly.
(3) KEEP KRISHNA IN MIND WHILE WORKING
To remain always Krishna Conscious, keep Krishna in mind even while working in the office/ bank/ OR AS AN IAS OFFICER. Whenever you get a gap of five or ten minutes, chant a round of Hare Krishna Maha Manthra using a counter machine or japa mala. In very small gaps, you can utter the names of Krishna even for five or ten times. Work while thanking Krishna for all His blessings.
However, show full dedication to the job you are doing. Do not compromise in the quality of work for thinking about Krishna while working.
You can’t preach about Krishna to your customers voluntarily that is against the rules of employment. However, if any customer shows interest in knowing more about Krishna, you can speak about it to him. You can keep a copy of Bhagavad Gita near your counter and sell it to any customer who enquires about it.
However, you can’t vigorously sell spiritual books in the office that is against the employment rules. You can just keep the book and sell if anyone voluntarily shows interest in it. I am doing it in my office chamber as seen in the picture. I always keep a copy of ‘Bhagavad Gita As It Is’ on my work table that can be seen by the visitors. If anyone shows interest in it, I explain and sell them at a discounted price. And, any visitor visiting my office should compulsorily see the large picture of Krishna (My favourite Mukunta) hanging on the wall just behind me.
Thus, I have sold hundreds of Gitas and created many devotees for Krishna PURELY WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN BY KRISHNA HIMSELF AND THE ACHARYAS LIKE SRILA PRABHUPADA. So, my office itself is like a temple as seen in the picture that introduces Krishna and Bhagavad Gita to all the visitors.
(4) SUPPORT FOR THE TEMPLES AND SERVICES TO KRISHNA
This is very important. You are earning through your job/ business. Fine. There are devotees who has only the preaching as their profession. There are temples who are doing service to the devotees. You can support them periodically through your salary/ profits.
Though the recommended quantum of contribution is high, you may contribute or spend atleast small part of your earning for the service of Krishna. If your earning is more and the need is less, you can contribute even more than that. But, it is also a duty for the grahasthas to keep the remaining major share for their family maintenance, financial security, education, medical, etc. So, fix a bearable quantum and spend for Krishna.
You can support our site’s services too by going to this link. It will bring you the blessings of Krishna.
This is how I am managing my career and devotion.
You too can follow the same.