The Absolute Necessity of Devotee Association

There is no question of awakening our dormant enlightened consciousness unless we cultivate loving relationships with awakened souls, the devotees of the Lord. Since by nature we require the association of others, it is essential that we satisfy this need by getting the association of transcendentalists. This will very much facilitate our coming to the transcendental platform and remaining on the transcendental platform. Here in Riga from 11 through 13 April 2012 we had a three part well-attended and appreciated seminar on the importance and techniques of how to properly associate with devotees.

Sandhu Sanga (Devotee Association) Seminar
13 April 2012-Riga, Latvia

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: If One is Not Destined to Go Back to God?

I seek your blessings to advance materially and spiritually in life. Please let me know that what can someone do if one is constantly not able to chant properly due to disturbances, be they of any kind. If all his attempts at chanting are going in vain, and he is not making any progress, what can he do? Maybe he's not destined to return back to God or he is just not capable to be a devotee. It happens with me. How can there be any source of inspiration or motivation when God is not helping us out when we chant His name. Rather, it becomes all the more difficult to do so. What apart from chanting can help at such a stage?

Thanks
Bharat

Answer: Everyone is Destined to Go Back to God

One should approach the spiritual master only for spiritual blessings, not for material blessings. One's material happiness and distress is already determined by his previous pious and sinful activities. Therefore whatever one's material situation may be, he should be tolerant and focus his energies on spiritual awakening.

Just as in all material situations, both peaceful and disturbing, you will take your meals without fail for the maintenance of your body, in a similar way you must always chant your prescribed number of rounds for the well being of your actual spiritual self, no matter what the situation may be. The easiest way to accomplish this is to every morning first chant before you take your breakfast.

Everyone is destined to go back to God. So it's up to each person to decide whether he wants to cash in on his destiny in this lifetime by surrendering to Krishna or wait until a future lifetime to cash in on his destiny.

If you feel that God is not helping you when you chant His name, you are not properly chanting. If you will simply humbly beg the Lord to engage you eternally in His pure devotional service, you will feel immediate uplifting results from the chanting. Along with chanting you must strictly follow these moral principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat eating. Plus you should take shelter of a bona fide master by whose blessings you can advance steadily and quickly on the path of bhakti.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari