What is most important in Your Life?

Hare Krishna ! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas,

" What is most important in Your Life? ".This was a question raised in a seminar . Except one Person, everyone answered , "My Family" . That person mentioned, "My faith in Sri Krishna" .

Yes. Bhakti or faith to Sri Krishna , is the most important thing in a Krishna-bhakta's life . He/She too loves own family but Bhakti is more important than it . Worldly benefits such as a loving family are only Bhagavan's gift to His Bhakta. While the materialists consider Family as the greatest asset, to a Bhakta His/Her Ishta-deva Sri Krishna is the most precious Asset .

On His part, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is most compassionate to His Bhakta ; and describes self as *Bhakta-dasa*. See for instance, pure Krishna-bhaktas like Prahlada , Ambareesa and Dhruva , Hanuman, Arjuna, etc. None in this universe could beat any of them . In spite of reaching such a supreme position, they ever remained loyal to Bhagavan and never deviated from Krishna's principles. Such an ultimate focus, commitment and loyalty can not be seen in any other religious path including Hinduism .

Bhagavan Sri Krishna declares in Bhagavad Gita ( 9.22-26) :

•  "However, for those who are always absorbed in thoughts of Me ( Krishna), and who worship Me with one-pointed devotion by every means, I Myself attend to their needs (i.e., achieve what they lack and preserve what they have) .
•  Those who worship `other devatas' ( Siva, etc) with faith, actually worship Me alone, but in a way that is unauthorized.
•  I . Krishna is the only master and enjoyer of all Yajnas, but the worshipers of `other Devatas' do not recognize Me in this true nature. Therefore, they fall from Me and repeatedly wander in the cycle of birth and death.
•  Those who worship `other Devatas' go to the planets of the Devatas, those who worship the Ancestors go to the planet of the Ancestors, those who worship the spirits and ghosts go to the planet of the spirits and ghosts. but, those who worship Me will definitely come to Me alone.
•  Whosoever offers to Me with bhakti , a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water; I will delightfully accept that offering in PERSON ."

Please chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

and be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!!!

Do Your Duty, without Attachment and Desire for Fruit

Gist: One should not abandon one's duty, but should internally abandon attachment to it and also it's fruit which lead to bondage. The consequences of doing so are significant and it will lead to chaos in the world.

Do Your Duty, without Attachment and Desire for Fruit

"Niyatasya tu sanyaasah karmano nopapadyate
Mohaattasya parityaagastaamasah parikeertitah. " (Gita 18:7)

"Verily, it is improper to renounce any duty that is prescribed. Its abandonment (tyaaga) through delusion (ignorance), is declared to be taamasika (of the mode of ignorance).

Lord Krishna by explaining the threefold relinquishment wanted to warn Arjuna and other human beings, that one should not abandon one's duty, but should abandon attachment to it and also it's fruit. This type of renunciation is called sattvika (mode of purity), which leads one to freedom from worldly bondage. Internal abandonment of attachment and desire is real renunciation, which frees a man from bondage.

A man is more responsible to discharge his prescribed duty than to perform actions sanctioned by the scriptures. (All actions sanctioned by the scriptures may not be possible for a man, because there is mention of several fasts on all dates and days. If he observes all these fasts, when will he have a meal?)

On the other hand, acts like guarding by a security man is called his "niyata karma", which is his special responsibility. There is greater sin in giving up your dutiful responsibilities (niyata karma). If he abandons this duty, it is improper and will lead to chaos. Therefore, whether he is paid more or less for his dutiest, whether it provides him more comfort or less, a person must never abandon his duty. In these days there is disorder in the society because people don't discharge their duty. If a person does not discharge his assigned duty, the consequences are significant. If the duty is abandoned out of delusion, it is "tamasa" abandonment and the person sinks downwards to lower births and lower regions - "adho gacchanti taamasaah." (Gita 14:18).

If duty is discharged by renouncing the fruit and attachment to it, it is sattvika (mode of purity) renunciation. A sattvika person discharges his duty carefully without expecting any reward. He also abandons his affinity with actions and their fruit. Real renunciation is in abandoning attachment and desire which lead to bondage (Gita 13:21).