What if a devotee’s family follows different Path & discourages him?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“HARE KRISHNA . Many parents think that devotional stuff makes one completely disinterested in life and my son will become a sanyasi leaving everything is a very common notion that they hold. So due to this they opposed me and I became disturbed and gradually my commitment or dedication to Krsna started waining as I surrendered to fear instead of Love. That was a time when i was utterly devoted and today I m very unconcerned about sadhana though no one opposes me now and in fact my mom supports (by allowing me to offer food to God and not using Onion in preparation, etc.) me to a greater extent which I didn’t even expect. Also my Dad follows a philosopher who preaches shunyavaada and atheistic views and so he commented on me and opposed me because of his views and sometimes he talked such things which started making me doubtful towards scriptures and the philosophy. Now thoughts like devotion is just a psychological concept, scriptures (like Mahabharat) should not be taken literally but only metaphorically, Krishna was a person but later became God…. rotate in my mind. I seek to address these thoughts by scripural study and I even hear intellectual oriented devotees but still my heart is not free from such skeptical thoughts and doubts and as such my enthusiasm in devotion has come down. HOW CAN I AGAIN BE THE SAME ENTHUSIASTIC DEVOTEE LIKE I WAS INITIALLY?
I request you to shed some light. Thanks for reading this. HARE KRISHNA.
REPLY:
This is a genuine situation that I too came across and was affected to some extent in my life. It is really difficult to follow Krishna Consciousness if a devotee’s family follows different Path & discourages him. Not just you. Unless this issue is addressed properly, the life of many youth may go to the confused state. Temples should not stop just preaching advanced concepts. They should also preach the way of dealing with such parents.
Bhagavad Gita MUST BE the base for us to follow in our life. Do not confuse with so many concepts. There are plenty of concepts in spirituality. One religion says that everything ends with the death and no rebirth. Another religion says that we go to heaven or hell after death. India’s Hindu religion (Sanathana Dharma) says that we have rebirths and we have many destinations after death such as heaven, hell or attaining mukti, getting God’s own country, etc.
(MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE – WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES? READ HERE!)
Heaven and hell are in the material world. So, materially dominated life gives a life in heaven and/ or hell depending on the proportion of their good and bad deeds. After the heavenly or hellish life, they come back to this material life and start the birth and death cycle again. So, this is clear.
Next Mukti. Mukti refers to reaching a birthless state by mingling with the formless brahmam. As far as Brahmam is concerned, here too, there are different concepts. Some sects say that God originates from this brahmam. Whereas, some others, like Vaishnavism, say, brahmam comes from God, say, Krishna. Let these differences be. When we mingle with the brahmam, we lose our identity and can not continue to serve God. If we lead a materially detached life without any specific target such as Krishna or Shiva, our destination will be this brahmam. If we target Krishna or Shiva, then, we go to the worlds of Krishna or Shiva. Simple.
Let us again think of which is first – whether Brahmam or Krishna. If we consider Brahmam is the first, that means, we, the living beings with a form originate from formless Brahmam as said by a Sunyavadi. There is no logic in this as it is very difficult to believe that a form comes from formless. If a son has a form, then, his father should also have a form. This is logic. We, the living beings have forms. So, logically, our father or origin MUST ALSO HAVE A FORM.
However, it is logical and easy to believe that the Supreme Person Krishna can exist even as formless Paramatma within our hearts and the formless light emanating from His body spreads as Brahmam.
(WORSHIPING KRISHNA AS A PERSON AND AS PARAMATHMA – DIFFERENCE! READ HERE!)
So, instead of confusing with so many concepts, just take the logical one. Believe that the God, who is our father, has a form. We can take that He can also exists as formless. This is logical and easy to believe.
HOW CAN KRISHNA BE BOTH FORM AND FORMLESS?
This can be compared to the Sun. Sun has a form. Its rays are spread all over that have no form. This is apparent. Similarly, God has a form as Krishna. The light emanating from the body of Krishna (like sun), makes a space of light called Brahmam or Brahma Jothi. Logical, Easy to believe and understand. Isn’t it?
So, as said by a Sunyavadi, when we target nothing, but, materially detached, we go to the brahmam and everything ends there. If we target Krishna, we penetrate this light from Krishna, ie, Brahmam, and continue our passage and reach Krishna Himself and continue to serve Him in His kingdom.
(Krishna, Paramathma and Brahmam – Who is the Origin? A-Z Details! READ HERE!)
That’s all. This is the brief version of entire system. Hope you will be clear about what our destination should be.
You may ask: Why the brahmam should originate from Krishna, not Shiva. Actually, the conclusion of Vedas is that Govinda is the Adhi Purusha who has no origin or end. All murthis such as brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and other devathas/ demigods originate from Krishna as per Brahma Samhita said by Lord Brahma Himself.
Same is reiterated by Krishna in His Bhagavad Gita. Adhi Sankara, the Advaita Philosopher, too said Govinda is the Source for all.
So, do not confuse with so many concepts though your father follows different concept. Depending on the karma as well as desires of everyone, they follow different paths. But, the ultimate path is targeting and loving the Source of everything, Govinda.
So, feel relieved and happy in following Krishna Consciousness that is the ultimate level of devotion. Do not give any room for doubt in this. At the same time, since all other gods and even Brahmam originate from Krishna, give respects to all those concepts and do not speak ill about any concept or god. They (demigods) are all serving Krishna and hence are great vaishnavas. Aparath to vaishnavas is very serious and hence if we speak ill of other gods, we can not grow in our devotion to Krishna.
Hope you are now clear how to follow Krishna Consciousness a devotee’s family follows different Path & discourages him.
(How to get relief from Vaishnava Aparath (offense)? READ HERE!)