Stay on the Path

Sometimes the neophyte devotee may feel a slackening in his or her enthusiasm and faith regarding the process of Krishna consciousness. But one should never lose faith. This process will definitely deliver those who practice it seriously to the highest perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead.

The fact is that we are currently suffering in the cycle of birth, death, old age, and disease. Unless we seriously adopt the path of bhakti, there is no question of ever being delivered from this hellish cycle. Therefore, even if we sometimes feel a slackening of our faith and enthusiasm, we still should remain steadfastly absorbed in our devotional practices for achieving the ultimate perfection of existence. If we do so, we shall in due course of time reap the highest benefit.

Answers According to the Vedic Version

Question: Mundane Thoughts an Impediment?...

Often when I chant various mundane thoughts come up and distract me. Are these thoughts an offence or an impediment to pure chanting, should they somehow be suppressed?

Best Regards,

Your student

Answer: Spiritualize All of Your Thoughts...

It is natural that at the beginning of our spiritual path the untrained mind will still be distracted by so many mundane thoughts. These thoughts are like weeds in the garden of our heart and are certainly impediments for our spiritual progress. Therefore we should determinedly and patiently engage ourselves in training the mind not to pay attention to such thoughts. just as so many rivers are entering into the sea at every second while the sea level always remains at a constant level, we can remain unaffected by such thoughts. We should ignore such thoughts by bringing our mind to the higher level absorption in the beautiful sound of Krishna's holy names:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

In this regard Lord Sri Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita:

yato yato niscalati
manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
atmany eva vasam nayet

"From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self." --Bhagavad-gita 6.26

Don't be discouraged if such thoughts come. This is par for the course for a beginning practitioner of Krishna consciousness. Simply now you must train your mind to remain 100% absorbed in the wonderful names of Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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