By Bhakta Srinivas Kumar

A year gone by and a new year stepped into a spiritualist’s life should be seen from the right perspective. If you really think about it, it is just that earth has completed one more revolution around the Sun and nothing more than that, at least from a spiritual perspective. It does not carry much more significance.

Then why should a new calendar year be considered special in devotee’s life?!  We see that a year – a measure of time – is also a representation of Krishna.  Kala (time) represents Krishna, and therefore Krishna is acting on our lives through Kala.  And this can be an opportune time for self-introspection in our spiritual lives – some reflections and also setting up of clear tasks in achieving the primary svartha-gathi (goal of self-interest) which is to reach Krishna or Vishnu.  We have taken to spiritual life or life of Krishna Consciousness which should be a new day every day filled with enthusiasm and happiness. Yet it is observed that most of us fail to find this. It is elusive since the initial bubble of ‘attraction’ towards Krishna has burst.  So, does it mean that attraction towards Krishna Consciousness is just a temporary attraction?  A clean and straight ‘No’ is the answer.  So, we would try analyze few reasons for this and come up with possible realistic solutions for course correction.

Each devotee could be in different situations or stages, depending on his level of spiritual progress level, karmic factors like financial conditions, work or job situation, personal life situation, and other important factors.  What must be achieved is a marked and steady increase in the quality of spiritual life.  The effect can only be seen as one’s increased level of satisfaction, determination, happiness, strength of mind, knowledge in Krishna Conscious life.  Since each devotee’s life is a different case, for the measurement for this progress, we can use the below suggested parameters, based on the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. There is nothing new in what’s being presented, but it is only a re-iteration of what we already know and few tips to correct the problems in our current devotional life. Before delving into these parameters (Primary Wheels of Krishna Conscious Life), let us look into the most common problems faced in the journey of the sublime life.

Most Common Problems & Obstacles which affect our Krishna Conscious Life:

Most of the problems faced in a devotee’s spiritual life is in setting wrong goals in life, in spite of knowing the ultimate Goal – going back to Godhead.  Since it is the goal or vision that helps set a suitable way of life, any error in the goal setting leads to disasters. This has been the primary factor for devotees not progressing in Krishna Conscious life and most of them giving up spiritual life after some time.

It is very difficult to do a course correction after getting off track from the spiritual life and losing seriousness in it – but not impossible.  But prevention is better than cure.  So think about the following points:

1. Lack of Seriousness: Not being serious about the Long Term Goal of this short life. Somehow or the other, forgetting that we have to leave this diseased material life and go back to Krishna in this very life itself, we engage in various activities which do not help us in our spiritual progress.
2. Attraction to Opposite Sex: The more we try to progress in spiritual life, the tougher will be the tests thrown at us by maya to check our intention/progress. And since sexual attraction is the Number One obstacle in spiritual progress and also the hardest binding knot of material life, this is very much difficult to conquer by our own efforts.
3. Money: Since most human needs/desires invariably need money for fulfilment, it is generally seen that fear of being in difficult financial conditions makes good number of people feel vulnerable enough to sacrifice their time on Sadhana (spiritual daily practices like chanting, reading, service etc.,). People succumb to this fear and make serious compromises in the time and effort they spend for achieving Krishna.
4. Job/Career: It is also observed that due to intense competitive environment in the workplaces, devotee again fail to spend quality time in sharpening their axe. It is imperative that devotees living outside the temple have to seek a job. But there should a strict trade-off where we do not compromise on devotional practices. Since we need money, we have to work and set a good example too. Devotees have done all-time-high blunders in their spiritual life due to falling prey to these temporary pressures. Similar mistakes have been made by students too.
5. Seeking Name, Fame, and Recognition: Let’s be honest, we all aspire for Name, fame, recognition (puja, labha, prathishta) – in some form or the other. This inherent nature obstructs us in setting the right mental attitude in spiritual progress. Understanding the science of Krishna Consciousness starts from changing the current frame of mind to a very different mental attitude which compulsorily requires humility, attitude of service and surrender, enquiry etc.,.
6. Society & Family Prestige: When devotees begin walking the spiritual path, they become indifferent to the society – (Family, Friends, and Colleagues). The society treats them differently since they show preference to serious things of life – which is progress in Krishna bhakti. When the society treats them differently, the aspiring devotee succumbs to these emotional troubles. The society generally mistakes devotees to be unintelligent or unsuccessful in material life and therefore have taken to an ascetic’s life.  And at other times, there are people who take to Krishna Conscious life as a matter of Prestige to show that they are spiritual in nature. But when it comes down to actual progress, there is no real change in the heart and character.  So, one has to address this issue in consultation with fellow devotees and senior Vaishnavas.
7. Offenses: It is widely seen that many people start finding faults in others, unduly. It is a reality that there are mistakes in every one and the devotee community is no exception.  No one is pure enough – though we need to aspire to become pure.  Since almost every one of us have huge number of faults, inabilities, weaknesses of varying types and degrees, we have to admit, accept, and tolerate these factors to a certain level.  If not for this attitude, we will end up disrespecting and offending other devotees and therefore, we start to put fire on our own path of devotional.  It is advisable to seek help within or even externally – but the issues must be addressed on priority.  If that is not possible, it is better to get even closer to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and try to be engaged more in his service.  This can help decrease the anxieties caused by others.  Irrespective of any organizational issues, one can always find a suitable devotee friend or mentor to help handle these situations.
8. Interest in Unwanted Things: It should be accepted that our natural interest in the impure life will be for Gramya Katha – unnecessary things of life like low-class entertainment. These unwanted things in various forms of sense enjoyment hamper our growth. For example, Indians may have unwanted attraction towards movies, politics, cricket, television. We may be required to know and update ourselves on these things to a certain level.  But engaging more time and efforts in these at the cost of our spiritual life and practices would seriously hamper our spiritual progress.
9. Health and Fitness: Due to our Karma which manifests as hereditary conditions, accidents and other bodily discomforts and diseases, we struggle at various phases of life. Devotees are no exception to this. It is extremely important that one keeps his health in very good condition so that spiritual life is not hampered by this pain. One should take precautions, proper treatment and also spend time in maintaining good health.
10. Lack of Enthusiasm and Perseverance: Primarily due to lack of Sadhana – Chanting, Devotee Association, Deity association, Sankirtana, Service. This sums up everything, in short.

And much more…

[to be continued]