gopi_dance

Hare Krsna! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! My BBT Calendar says Monday Sept. 6 which is Labor day. Appearance day of Srila Prabhupada is following (the 7th). Hope that helps! Haribol! your servant, gopi_dance

Hare Krsna! One question to all the devotees-- what about the stock market--is it considered gambling? Some people say yes and others no. I personally don't have enough money to even *consider* investing, but just wondered. I see so many people get into anxiety about losing money or greed when gaining money that I would tend to think it is not a good idea for a devotee anyways, but what is the general consensus? Aspiring for service, gopi

Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! The four regulative principles of no meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling, seem to suggest that gambling is not a good idea. These four illegal activities increase lust and greed and the desire for material, bodily conscious satisfaction rather than spiritual growth. So by disciplining ourselves, we purify our bodies and hearts to be more susceptible to the truth when we hear and chant, etc. We must be pure in order to know the truth. So any breaking of the regulatory principles is like a veil over our eyes to see the truth. Use your winnings to serve the Lord. Even when you're golfing, think of the Lord. Everything we do can be dovetailed to serve the Lord. I'm in school right now and I try to think that I'm writing some test for Krnsa, I am writing a thesis for His transcendental pleasure. Even if an activity is not overtly about Krsna, think of it as an offering to Him. Thus we will be steady minded and think of Him always. Happiness and distress come and go but Krsna is always there in the heart. Another thing, about chanting. You should try to concentrate of Krsna while chanting. Doing some other activity means only part of your mind is attentive to the holy names. Srila Prabhupada suggested that if your mind wanders while chanting, bring it back to just focus on the sounds. If the names are purely chanted, Krsna dances on the tongue of the devotee! Hari Bol! I don't know if any of this made sense but just some thoughts. Hari Bol! Aspiring to serve the Vaisnavas, gopi

Hari Bol! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! thank you all for your advice. Devotee association and hearing and chanting are three of the most important aspects of spiritual advancement. I must wait to see what Krnsa wants me to to to engage in devotional service. I am and will continue to be on the front lines by distributing books and preaching to spread Krsna consciousness. All glories to service to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! Hari Bol! your aspiring servant.

Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I am not sure how to direct my service now. I am graduating from university in May and a senior devotee suggested I move into the temple (I'm in New York) but others tell me there is not a strong brahmacarini community in the asrama and it would be better to stay outside and develop my service from there. I want to go to manga aratik and all the programs and get fixed up in Krsna Consciousness. But I want to do what Srila Prabhupada would want, to act in the best way to favor Krsna. What I do know is that I don't want to live with karmis anymore and housing is so expensive in New York City. If anyone has a suggestion or some advice, I would welcome it eagerly, or if you have a similar experience to share. Jai Sri Krsna! Aspiring to serve Srila Prabhupada and the Vaisnavas.