Real Spiritual Advancement

Sometimes neophyte devotees think that the way to make spiritual advancement is to move up within the ranks of a spiritual organization. Nothing could be further from truth, because the desire for position and power even in a spiritual organization is still a material desire. The actual measure of one's spiritual advancement is how much one has developed a taste for hearing, chanting, and remembering the glories of the unlimited names, forms, pastimes, entourage, and paraphernalia of that unlimitedly astonishing Supreme Personality of Godhead who is referred to and addresses as Krishna by the topmost yogis.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Expounding the Highest Truth Through Speaking
Visaginas, Lithuania--17 April 2010Sankarshan Das Expounding the Highest Truth Through Speaking

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Do People See Devotee as Aliens?

My family is into the Krishna Consciousness movement for the past three years now. However, initially friends and relatives liked us being a part of this movement. Of late I notice that most of them treat us like aliens. They feel that we are too much engaged in this service and that it is not really required. I am not saying that these people are atheists; however, they do not feel that in depth involvement is required.

As far as I am concerned, I am convinced that I am on the right track, but need guidance as to how to convince others.

Your Servant,

V.I.

Answer: Because Devotees Are Spiritual

It is natural that people who are not Krishna conscious will feel that Hare Krishna people are like aliens from another planet or that Krishna consciousness is strange or unnecessary. This is not at all surprising because we are spiritual and they are material. Even though many people believe in God, they do not live their lives in a fully spiritual way like we do giving up all varieties of sinful activities and absorbing themselves as much as possible in chanting the names of the Lord on a regular daily basis.

The only practical way I have seen to get people seriously attracted to Krishna consciousness is to give them sweet loving friendship beyond what they can experience anywhere else in the material world, even from their closest friends. Then they will realize that there is nothing more wonderful in the entire world than Krishna consciousness, and they will naturally join our movement. This is how Srila Prabhupada captured us. And this is how we will capture the entire world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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