Breaking Free from All Material Addictions

How to get free from addiction? Giving up one addiction and replacing it with another addiction is no solution at all. I have seen one gentleman who was addicted to smoking but wanted to give it up. So he replaced his smoking habit with a candy eating habit. The result was that he become very fat. By replacing one kind of slavery with another kind of slavery he simply remained the slave of his senses. Since by nature we are creatures of habit who naturally get habituated in this way or that way, the only solution is to find an addiction that liberates from all anxiety and illusion and make that our habit. In other words instead of being the slave of our senses, we have to become the masters of our senses. That supreme addiction is an addiction to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When you become addicted to Krishna you automatically become free from all material addictions because Krishna is more attractive that anything or anyone else. Once you become addicted to Krishna nothing else will ever attract you again.

"Stop Worrying, Start Living" Lecture Scarborough, Ontario, Canada--10 January 2014

Sankarshan Das Adhikari- Stop Worrying, Start Living" Lecture

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: To What Extent Use Material Advancemen?

How much material advancement is required for the global civilization to live happy and peaceful life? I understand material advancement can be used in the service of Lord Krishna. But does Vedic literature discourage the use the material advancement that is available now to common man? For example, the internet. Is using it discouraged? How much material advancement was encouraged during the time of the Vedic civilization?

Your insignificant servant,
Ashok

Answer: As Much As Is Necessary for Krishnizing the World

The global civilization does not require so much material advancement. Economically, sociologically, and ecologically we will be much better off if the world shifts back to a simpler, more agrarian lifestyle. However, just as a thorn can be used to remove a thorn, we should utilize material advancement to whatever extent is necessary to give us a competitive edge for defeating the philosophy of materialism and making the entire world Krishna conscious as soon as possible. There is no greater necessity for the human civilization.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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