Engaging Everything in Krishna Consciousness

(written May 27, 2019)

(References: BG 2.48-2.50, 9.26.)

A person who is always engaged in pure devotional service (working for Krsna) will get rid of the bad and good reactions in his lifetime and gets liberated from this cycle of birth and death. Whereas a person who works for satisfying his senses gets entrapped in this vicious cycle.

Krsna describes this pure devotional service(working for Krsna) as the "Art of all Work" in Bhagavad Gita 2.50 - "A man engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad reactions even in this life. Therefore strive for yoga, which is the art of all work".

The purpose of buddhi yoga or art of all work is to understand that Krsna is the proprietor of this entire material and spiritual existence and it is our duty to serve Him. He has rented out this body which has highly evolved instruments like the - senses, mind and the intelligence. If one uses it carefully in His service one will be self-realized. However, if we begin to believe that the purpose of this body is for sense gratification, we become a victim of our own ignorance. We will waste the human birth with this highly evolved instruments that Krsna has provided by engaging them in sense gratification like animals and destroy our path to our destiny.

We need to understand that the material nature is the energy of Krsna. Real education is learning how to use the material nature in the service of Krsna and not for the sense gratification. If we learn this under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master and transform everything material into spiritual reality, at that point our life becomes successful.

The art of reorienting daily activities that we perform in our day to day life for pleasing Krsna can be learned by coming to the temple.

At the temple,

• we see the beautiful form of the deities,

• We fix our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna.

• We use our head to offer obeisances to Krsna.

• We smell the flowers offered to Krsna,

• We touch the lotus feet of the lord,

• We hear the Krsna kirtans, Bhagavadgita and Bhagavatam,

• We dance for the Krsna kirtans,

• We use our arms to make garlands, clean the dishes in the kitchen, clean the temple floors,

• We eat the Krsna prasadam and

• We talk about Krsna's past times and glorify Krsna and His pure devotees.

Similarly, we can extend this to our daily activities outside the temple -

• Sleep - to wake up early to serve the deity in the house and chant maha mantra

• Bath - You clean yourself so you can serve Krsna

• Go to School - Learn skills which will help you to serve Krsna eg- language so you can read Krsna books

• Read - Read Krsna's books

• Talk - talk about Krsna

• Cook - cook for Krsna

• Eat - eat food that is only offered to Krsna

• Clean - to keep the home and temple clean for the lordships

• Work - earn money to sustain and use the extras in the service of the Lord

• Shopping - Shop for Krsna eg. buying ornaments for the deities, buying fruit and flowers

• Buy a house - to establish the deity of Krsna and host spiritual activities

• Sing - Sing the kirtans glorifying Krsna

• Dance - Dance for the Krsna kirtans

• Plans - to fulfill the desires of Krsna and Guru

• Social media & technology - use for the outreach of Krsna's activities

• Networking - for spreading the word of Krishna, raising funds for Krishna's activities

Therefore one who performs everyday activities and engages his senses for pleasing Krsna under the guidance of a spiritual master and gives up all attachment to success and failure, happiness and distress, the dualities in this life, can get liberated from this karma bandana and attain the Krsna Prema.