Can one get Krishna if he is unable to Go to temple and Get Guru?
A woman devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare krishna prabhuji…namasthe.i have a doubt regarding accepting a guru..is that a compulsory .. without a guru can’t i progress in krishna bhakti? Due to personal reasons I can’t go to temple but i regularly do pooja at home ..twice in the morning and evening chant 8 rounds offer prasadam to lord, fast on ekadashi ..follow the 4 regulations ..read Bhagavat geeta and bhagavatham ..i listen daily discourses by various acharyas, I read ur counseling advice daily and learnt alot to how to follow krishna bhakti properly . I can’t go to temple as my husband is not interested in such things and won’t allow me. ..so just i do everything at my home as i have separate pooja room..please clear my doubt prabhuji..as i am very anxious these days listening to acharyas saying without guru u can’t attain Krishna’s mercy . please clarify my doubt ….pranams prabhuji”
REPLY:
Your case is a genuine one and you are not alone because many women devotees are facing such issues in their life.
Krishna knows your feelings and longings to visit the temple and accept a guru.
(Will accepting a Guru alone elevate a devotee to attain perfection? READ HERE!)
Because he is within your heart and He knows everything you think and do.
So, believe that Krishna has approved your devotion to Himself and He is happy with you.
But, here I want to tell you that a guru is recommended by Krishna Himself.
He tells Arjuna to surrender to a Guru and enquire humbly.
But, Krishna has not given any time frame or age limits to surrender to a guru.
It depends on everyone’s situation and family background.
If you accept a guru now in this situation, you can not discharge your duties to your guru properly.
(Why don’t you recommend to us which Diksha Guru to choose in ISKCON? READ HERE!)
So, you can wait till you finish your duties to your family or till your husband permits. Keep trying to make him agree using your closeness as wife..
Give good education and atleast basic interest in Krishna Consciousness to your children like chanting and regulative principles.
When they attain the age of 25, you start to focus more in serious devotional practices and you can accept a guru at that time.
If you keep your desire to get a guru alive, Krishna will alter your life in future in such a way that you will be able to accept a guru and follow his instructions.
He did the same in my case.
I could accept a diksha guru only in my middle age, not in young age.
Because, I had important duties to my old mother that could not be avoided.
But, till I officially accepted my Guru Maharaj, I was praying to Krishna that I should not finish this life without having a guru and serving him either directly or indirectly thru vani.
(KRISHNA’s GURU DAKSHINA TO HIS GURU SANDIPANI – STORY! READ HERE!)
So, Krishna was keeping me alive till I finished some essential duties and then accept the guru.
Now, I am following the diksha rules comfortably without guilt.
So, instead of rushing for diksha and do not follow the rules, take some more time to finish unavoidable duties and then take diksha.
If you can not spare atleast two hours for Krishna, you should not take diksha.
Because proper chanting alone may take atleast 1.45 hrs and 15 mts for arati and offering.
Diksha is a new birth. So, atleast in the new birth, we should live honestly avoiding the offenses we did in our Pre-Diksha period.
(Original Guru Parampara of Mahabharatha & Bhagavatham! READ HERE!)
As far as your inability to go to the temples is concerned, it is not a serious matter.
Of course, sathsangha is very important. But, when you are unable to get direct sathsangha, use atleast the online forums and sites like ours to genuinely interact with the fellow devotees.
But, do not totally avoid temples. Visit there atleast during the festivals and when your family members are in an out station.
Thus, though you are unable to Go to temple and Get Guru now, manage till you get a suitable time in which you will be able to visit the temples and follow diksha rules.
It will come in this birth itself. Since it is the genuine and important desire, Krishna will make it possible if we truly desire for a guru in this birth itself.
So, do not develop any guilt. Just keep following Chanting, Prasadam, Regulative Principles, etc.
Keep the desire for getting a guru and temple visits burning and alive.
Though you are unable to Go to temple and Get Guru now, you will get them within this birth one day.
Krishna will arrange them as He did for me.
However, keep trying to change your husband. Don’t use his nature as an excuse to avoid temples. Just keep trying. Krishna will help one day.
(TYPES OF GURUS (SPIRITUAL MASTERS) FROM THE SCRIPTURES! READ HERE!)