Recommendations by HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami for a Krishna
conscious grhastha ashram, to assist all grhastha & to-be grhastha
devotees.
20 GUIDELINES FOR GRHASTHAS
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1.Remember that your house,money,family,etc are all Krishna's property &
that all these have to be engaged in His service.He has very kindly given
you all these out of His mercy,& He may take them away as He pleases.So be
grateful for what you have & engage all these gifts in His service with
devotion & detachment.
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1.Remember that your house,money,family,etc are all Krishna's property &
that all these have to be engaged in His service.He has very kindly given
you all these out of His mercy,& He may take them away as He pleases.So be
grateful for what you have & engage all these gifts in His service with
devotion & detachment.
2.Keep the Holy name,Krishna katha & the Temple/home deities in the centre
of your life.Attend devotional programmes in the Temple & at other devotee
gatherings on a regular basis.Especially,hearing discourses/classes live &
participating in sankirtana is important.
of your life.Attend devotional programmes in the Temple & at other devotee
gatherings on a regular basis.Especially,hearing discourses/classes live &
participating in sankirtana is important.
3.Keep your sadhana strong.Please remember that the best chanting you can do
is early in the morning. So avoid unnecessary late nights.It is best to
retire early at night,so you can rise early in the morning & be fresh for
your sadhana. Your japa is the most important activity of the day. Try to
chant clearly & hear attentively.Be in a prayerful mood.
is early in the morning. So avoid unnecessary late nights.It is best to
retire early at night,so you can rise early in the morning & be fresh for
your sadhana. Your japa is the most important activity of the day. Try to
chant clearly & hear attentively.Be in a prayerful mood.
4.Read Srila Prabhupada's books regularly & seriously.This will strengthen
faith,conviction & understanding,& help in keeping proper spiritual focus in
your day to day life.Remember : guru,sadhu & shastra will show us our proper
direction in life.
faith,conviction & understanding,& help in keeping proper spiritual focus in
your day to day life.Remember : guru,sadhu & shastra will show us our proper
direction in life.
5.All the members of the family,young & old,should gather together at home
at least once every day,to have arati,kirtana & some discussion/reading from
the scriptures.Srila Prabhupada mentions this in his purports.
at least once every day,to have arati,kirtana & some discussion/reading from
the scriptures.Srila Prabhupada mentions this in his purports.
6..Engage yourself in some seva regularly.It is good to take some
responsibility,small or big,according to one's situation.Serve with
humility,enthusiasm,sincerity & eagerness,without seeking any gross or
subtle reward from the service.Do not seek,or be attached to,position or
prestige that may be associated with any service.
responsibility,small or big,according to one's situation.Serve with
humility,enthusiasm,sincerity & eagerness,without seeking any gross or
subtle reward from the service.Do not seek,or be attached to,position or
prestige that may be associated with any service.
7.Associate with devotees as much as possible.Live together in the society
of devotees with a feeling of friendship towards other devotees,& in a mood
of service to them.Ensure that this friendship is not spoilt by
ego,envy,self-interest,insensi
centre of these relationships.
of devotees with a feeling of friendship towards other devotees,& in a mood
of service to them.Ensure that this friendship is not spoilt by
ego,envy,self-interest,insensi
centre of these relationships.
8.Avoid the association of non- devotees as much as possible.Where such
association is not avoidable (at work,for example),perform your duty well &
be socially pleasant.But be careful to not let their non-devotional
consciousness rub off on you.Do not join them & take pleasure in the things
that they take pleasure in viz mundane gossip,movies,sports... & violation
of the four regulative principles.Set a good example as a devotee,& speak &
act in a way that will make them feel positive about Krishna consciousness.
association is not avoidable (at work,for example),perform your duty well &
be socially pleasant.But be careful to not let their non-devotional
consciousness rub off on you.Do not join them & take pleasure in the things
that they take pleasure in viz mundane gossip,movies,sports... & violation
of the four regulative principles.Set a good example as a devotee,& speak &
act in a way that will make them feel positive about Krishna consciousness.
9.Similarly,whilst staying strong in your devotional principles
personally,deal with family,in-laws,neighbours,frie
will increase their appreciation for Krishna consciousness.
personally,deal with family,in-laws,neighbours,frie
will increase their appreciation for Krishna consciousness.
10.Avoid distracting mundane entertainment offered through
cinema,TV,internet & other means.Be careful that you are not overwhelmed by
electronic gadgetry,communication devices & social media.Use them
judiciously as tools,if you must;do not become helpless tools in their
hands.
cinema,TV,internet & other means.Be careful that you are not overwhelmed by
electronic gadgetry,communication devices & social media.Use them
judiciously as tools,if you must;do not become helpless tools in their
hands.
11.Take decisions (small or big ) in life according to how your
Krishna consciousness will be affected,directly or indirectly.Consider the
short term & long term implications of your decision.Accept whatever is
favourable for your Krishna consciousness & reject that which is
unfavourable. This should be the ultimate criterion in decision making.
Krishna consciousness will be affected,directly or indirectly.Consider the
short term & long term implications of your decision.Accept whatever is
favourable for your Krishna consciousness & reject that which is
unfavourable. This should be the ultimate criterion in decision making.
12.Purity (or impurity) of the source of your livelihood will also affect
your life & consciousness.Hence choose professions that have minimum
possible material contamination & spiritual risk.Avoid professions in which
there is a clear violation of the four regulative principles e.g working for
a company that produces or sells liquor. Do not involve yourself in overly
risky money earning ventures,being lured by the prospect of very quick &
large profits.Avoid illegal business activities of any sort.
your life & consciousness.Hence choose professions that have minimum
possible material contamination & spiritual risk.Avoid professions in which
there is a clear violation of the four regulative principles e.g working for
a company that produces or sells liquor. Do not involve yourself in overly
risky money earning ventures,being lured by the prospect of very quick &
large profits.Avoid illegal business activities of any sort.
13.Spend wisely.Do not unnecessarily spend on things that may not be really
required.Live reasonably simply.Follow the principle of "Simple Living,High
Thinking".Do not be tempted or attracted by,or become envious of,the wealth
or position of others.Do not become a victim of the modern day consumerist
culture with its emphasis on excessive consumption & flashy lifestyles.
required.Live reasonably simply.Follow the principle of "Simple Living,High
Thinking".Do not be tempted or attracted by,or become envious of,the wealth
or position of others.Do not become a victim of the modern day consumerist
culture with its emphasis on excessive consumption & flashy lifestyles.
14.Save money wisely for the future.Yet,take care to avoid a hoarding
mentality.
mentality.
15.Give something in charity in Krishna consciousness according to your
means.Charity is recommended in the shastras as one of the dharmas of a
grhastha.
means.Charity is recommended in the shastras as one of the dharmas of a
grhastha.
16.Know that your life is meant as a service to others in Krishna
consciousness & not only for yourself or your family.Keep this spirit of
sacrifice in your heart & keep away any feelings of selfishness.
consciousness & not only for yourself or your family.Keep this spirit of
sacrifice in your heart & keep away any feelings of selfishness.
17.Preach the message of Krishna consciousness whenever you get the
opportunity.Follow the advice that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave the Kurma
brahmana : "Jaare dekho taare kaho Krishna upadesha...." - speak the message
of Lord Krishna to whoever you meet.In this way cultivate the missionary
spirit.Preaching is not the exclusive preserve of brahmacharis &
sannyasis.Grhasthas must also actively participate in it,according to their
situation.
opportunity.Follow the advice that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave the Kurma
brahmana : "Jaare dekho taare kaho Krishna upadesha...." - speak the message
of Lord Krishna to whoever you meet.In this way cultivate the missionary
spirit.Preaching is not the exclusive preserve of brahmacharis &
sannyasis.Grhasthas must also actively participate in it,according to their
situation.
18.Do not be unduly absorbed in household & material matters.Yet,do not be
neglectful of your household & bonafide material duties.These must be
performed with care,sensitivity & responsibility.
neglectful of your household & bonafide material duties.These must be
performed with care,sensitivity & responsibility.
19.Bring up your children in Krishna consciousness,never considering
it to be a burden.This is one of the most important services for a
grhastha. Adjust other services according to the requirements of this
service.For example,during pregnancy or when the child is very young,you may
not be able to do many other services.But do not mind
that.This service is also very pleasing to Krishna.When the time &
opportunity are right,however,you may do those other services.Of course,the
basic services of hearing & chanting must not be neglected at any time.And
it is important to come to the Temple for your own spiritual nourishment as
well as for that of the child.
it to be a burden.This is one of the most important services for a
grhastha. Adjust other services according to the requirements of this
service.For example,during pregnancy or when the child is very young,you may
not be able to do many other services.But do not mind
that.This service is also very pleasing to Krishna.When the time &
opportunity are right,however,you may do those other services.Of course,the
basic services of hearing & chanting must not be neglected at any time.And
it is important to come to the Temple for your own spiritual nourishment as
well as for that of the child.
20.Practice,preserve & teach the principles of traditional & devotional
family life -faithfulness & life-long commitment in marriage,a culture of
respect for all (including elders),sharing,caring,serving
so on.In this regard,understand well the pitfalls of accepting modern day
social norms & practices like unrestricted mingling of men & women,eating
out in 'karmi' restaurants,'living together' before marriage,& so on.
family life -faithfulness & life-long commitment in marriage,a culture of
respect for all (including elders),sharing,caring,serving
so on.In this regard,understand well the pitfalls of accepting modern day
social norms & practices like unrestricted mingling of men & women,eating
out in 'karmi' restaurants,'living together' before marriage,& so on.
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