Spiritual FAQs

Q. I have a question about milk. As a Vaisnava, I follow the path of ahimsa, the path of nonviolence and compassion toward all of God’s creatures. Srila Prabhupada taught us that milk and milk products are an acceptable food to use in the preparation of prasadam. But due to the ways of Western dairies, milk cows are bred to be slaves, kept in small restraint pens, shot full of drugs, used for many years, and finally slaughtered for pet food. That sounds extremely violent to me. Although I do partake of milk products, I feel the cow’s pain. Do these feelings make me less of a Vaisnava? Should I just consider that the cow is suffering because of her karma? – K. K. Wirth,Crescent City, California

A. Your compassion for the cow is a natural Vaisnava  sentiment. Even though devotees know that everyone suffers because of their karma, devotees still feel the pain of others. The devotees’ solution is to do whatever possible to engage everyone in Krishna consciousness, devotional service to Krishna. That is the only sure way to end all suffering.

ISKCON doesn’t have an official position on drinking milk from commercial dairies. Some devotees don’t drink dairy milk for the reasons you mentioned. Others argue that, as Prabhupada taught, milk is so important in developing the brain for spiritual understanding that despite the current situation, we should drink milk anyway. Besides, by offering Krishna the milk of abused cows, they get great benefit.

On a practical level, our boycott of the dairy industry would probably have little effect, but we can help the cows by offering their milk to Krishna. And, of course, devotees should work hard to develop Krishna conscious villages where we demonstrate real cow protection through the proper use of both the cow and the bull.

Q. I was reading the Jan./Feb. issue of BTG, and I have two questions about the offenses in chanting God’s name, listed on page 28.
Offense 7: Teaching the glories of the Lord’s names to the faithless.
I thought that was something that we should do: By teaching and preaching about the Lord, we can try to bring faith to those who don’t have it.
Offense 9: Being inattentive while chanting the holy name.
When I tell devotees that I’m struggling while chanting my rounds because I can’t concentrate, some devotees say, “Don’t think! Just chant and be happy. Chant any place, anytime.”
These two offenses confuse me. Can you clarify them? – Patricia Medici,Via the Internet

A. Our predecessor guru Srila Rupa Gosvami teaches that devotees should teach the innocent and avoid the demoniac. So we take “faithless” here to mean those who are clearly antagonistic toward Krishna consciousness. We avoid trying to teach such persons, because they will offend Krishna Innocent persons, on the other hand, can hear without offense, even if their faith has not yet been awakened.
We should try to concentrate on the sound vibration of the mantra when we chant Hare Krishna. It seems devotees are just trying to encourage you by saying, “Don’t worry about it too much. We all have a hard time concentrating. Just do your best.”

Q. As it is said we should always keep ourselves always engaged in chanting the holy names, but I get more interest in doing Kirtan than chanting on my japa beads. What should I  refer or is that the right attitude?

A. Kirtan is chanting, that is Krishna’s greatest blessing if we have a taste for kirtan of the holyname. The acharyas have explained the proper method of always remembering Krishna and they have given us minimum rule. Prabhupad has thought

us at least 16 rounds of japa where we are exclusively engrossed in taking shelter of the holy name. But he has also taught us nama sankirtan and we can do that all of the time. Krishna’s holy name is equally perfect whether we are chanting nama kirtan or we are chanting nama japa. Krishna reveals him self according to our humility and according to our sincerity and attentiveness in chanting. So it is not one or the other. Prabhupad insisted devotees must perform nama sankirtan together and devoteess must individually chant japa.

So the physician knows how to balance exactly the medicine in such a perfect way that it will heal the disease of forgetfulness of Krishna and bring us back to our healthy state as pure loving servants of the Lord.

Q. I’ve been a BTG subscriber for the past three years. Even though I am not a full-time Krishna devotee, I manage to chant eight rounds a day. As I am still in my college years, I always get attracted by material comforts. I want to know if material comforts are obtainable through chanting. If they are, then is such chanting an act of sin? Will we get punished by doing so? – Santosh A,Mumbai, India

A. We shouldn’t chant Hare  Krishna to fulfill material desires. The goal of chanting Hare Krishna is pure love for Krishna, which is fully satisfying. The maha-mantra means “O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service.” We’re supposed to chant Hare Krishna with the understanding that by awakening our Krishna consciousness, we’ll be completely happy. Besides, a devotee knows that Krishna will automatically take care of his material needs. We don’t need to ask Krishna for such things.

One of the offenses in chanting is to cherish our material attachments. Naturally in the beginning we will have attachments, but we should chant for purification, not for other things. Krishna can give us eternal life in His association. To chant with some other motive is like a foolish person’s asking a millionaire for a trinket.

Q. Do we need to chant some extra mantras with Hare Krishna?

A. No extra mantras for chanting are required. To say that we need extra mantras would be like saying that we have to visit other holy places in order to visit Vrindavan. No. Vrindavan is Supreme and self-effulgent. Simply by visiting Vrindavan, which is known as Tirtharaja, the King of all Holy Places, one automatically achieves the benefit of visiting all of the Holy Places. Similarly, by chanting Hare Krishna, which is known as Mahamantra, one achieves the benefit of chanting all other mantras.

However, there is one mantra recommended by Srila Prabhupada, the Panca Tattva Mantra, which we chant first before chanting Hare Krishna:

(Jaya) Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda
Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda

The chanting of the above mantra could be compared to visiting Mayapur along with visiting Vrindavan. Mayapur and Vrindavan are actually non-different. It is also helpful, when you are authorized, to chant your Guru’s Pranam mantra. This invokes his special blessings to empower you in chanting of Hare Krishna.

If you are properly situated you should be able to enter into the profound condition of pure consciousness immediately. All you have to do is beg very intensely in the mood of a small child crying for her mother. With great intensity beg your Guru and Sri Krishna to bless you with a completely pure heart full of bhakti. Beg intensely as if your life depends upon it, because it factually does. It is a guarantee that if you do this you can enter into the mood of pure bhakti instantly in any time, place, or situation.

Do not fear natural devotional sentiments that may spontaneously arise while you chant. They are a special gift from Krishna. Narottam das Thakur prays,

gauranga’ bolite habe pulaka-sarira
‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba’ be nira

“When will that opportune moment come to me when there will be shivering of the body as soon as I chant Lord Gauranga’s name? And after the shivering, while chanting Hare Krishna, when will there be tears pouring down from my eyes?”

Such sentiments, if they arise while chanting, are not at all material, are pure spiritual emotions

Q. I really hope that you can help me with my problems. I heard the very last moments of a radio program where someone was talking about the chanting of Hare Krishna and how it has changed their life.I really need to change my life. Nothing in my life is working, and I know that I have to turn to God for help.How can this Hare Krishna mantra help me, and will it really change my life? Will it help with my material problems as well as helping me gain a deeper spirituality? Does it take many weeks or months to feel the effects of this practice in one’s life? I appreciate deeply any insight or comments that you can take the time to give me. (Name withheld by request],Via the Internet

A. Chanting Hare Krishna is an excellent way to “turn to God” because it is composed of names of God, which are equal to God in potency. When you chant Hare Krishna, God is personally with you. In the beginning, because of our material conditioning we cannot fully appreciate this truth, but the more we chant the more God will reveal Himself to us in various ways.One side effect of developing a deeper spirituality is that our material problems will be solved without separate endeavor. The perfection is to serve God with spiritual love, and by chanting the holy names of the Lord, that truth will be gradually revealed.
Many chanters notice benefits right away. Why not try chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra fifteen minutes a day for a week and see for yourself?

Q. How does one deal with losing one’s job? I was a heavy drinker and have found great comfort in Krishna consciousness. I have started drinking because the pain and anxiety are so great. How do I deal with this?-Carlson,Via the Internet

A. The best remedy is to increase your absorption in Krishna consciousness. Chant more, read more, and if possible, associate with devotees. Many of our habits come from association. If you had friendships with devotees, you would be much less inclined to look for solace in a bottle. Besides these spiritual solutions, read literature or attend meetings that will convince you that even on a material level, drinking will only make things worse.

Q. I am a Life Member of ISKCON. I understand that a more materialistic life means a less spiritual one. But I’m not strong enough to follow all of God’s rules (as mentioned in the Gita). I therefore follow a more materialistic life and less of a spiritual life, apart from praying to Lord Krishna almost daily.I want to make money, get married, have a sex life, and eat meat. If I do all these things, does that mean I can never enter God’s kingdom when I die, even though I believe in God’s existence and pray to Him daily? – Naresh Kumar,Birmingham, England

A. You are correct in saying that material life and spiritual life oppose each other. Fortunately, the power of Krishna consciousness is such that you don’t have to give up your ordinary life and leave for the forest. You can spiritualize your life by connecting it with Krishna. But connecting with Krishna means following His instructions. If we disobey Krishna or his representative, how can we expect to please Him with our prayers? The regulative principles followed by members of ISKCON are traditional rules found in the Vedic scriptures. Although any civilized person should follow them, in modern society they seem like great austerities. Our conditioning and karma make us think we can’t follow them. But if we are sincere in making spiritual progress, we’ll get the resolve to follow them.
Achieving the association of Krishna is no small feat. We shouldn’t think we don’t have to work for it. It takes effort, or what we refer to as austerity. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Lord Rishbhadeva tells his sons that human life is meant for austerity, because by austerity one can attain unending bliss. Our problem is that we’re not serious about attaining the goal. Materialists are so serious about such things as making millions of dollars or winning Olympic medals that they perform incredible austerities to attain their goals. We have to muster at least a minimum amount of desire if we expect to attain Krishna.
Srila Prabhupäda said that performing sinful activities while trying to advance in spiritual life is like trying to ignite a fire while pouring water on it; it won’t work. What you propose won’t work. You can’t have it both ways. Your problem is one of desire. You have to increase your desire for spiritual life. How can you do that? Regularly chant Hare Krishna, read Srila Prabhupada’s books, associate with devotees, visit the temple, and so on. You are fighting an inner conflict, being pulled in two directions. If you want to be successful, you have to increase your attraction to the pull of Krishna. Sinful life will dampen the power of even the best spiritual practices. Again, you have to have enough determination to give up sinful life. Pray to Krishna for that, not for material things. He can give you strength and determination, as He has for thousands of others.
Most ISKCON devotees came from backgrounds that included sinful acts, but they were able to give them up. It’s not so hard to give up meat-eating, for example. Millions of people who aren’t even spiritually inclined have given up this vicious habit. Don’t think that you can sincerely offer prayers to the Lord while slaughtering his innocent creatures. We suggest you at least give up this bad habit to show Krishna you’re trying.

Q.I have subscribed to your magazine because I seek more devotion toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. I am a homosexual, and I do not follow the beliefs of the ISKCON movement but the traditional Hindu practices. Throughout my readings in the Vedas, the Gita, and other literary sources, I haven’t found any information regarding homosexuality. I would like to know ISKCON’s teachings on homosexuality and what you offer young people like me?-Gregory Garvin-Alexandria, Virginia

A. ISKCON encourages everyone to perfect his life by following the practices of Krishna consciousness. In replying to your question, we feel it’s important for you to first understand what ISKCON is all about. The basic points of our philosophy, as taught by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, are that we are all spirit souls, eternally related with Krishna, the Supreme Lord. The purpose of human life is to awaken our original loving relationship with Krishna. Krishna consciousness is not a question of believing or not believing something; Krishna consciousness is part of our true nature. Somehow or other we have to reawaken that consciousness and become purified of material desires, rooted in the false idea that we are these bodies.
The practices of ISKCON are all meant to purify our consciousness and free us from bodily identification. Spiritual life must be more than choosing which religion agrees with me. The question should be, “How will I become purified?”
In this age, the scriptures recommend the chanting of God’s names as the only means to awaken our original consciousness. To chant effectively, we must give up sinful acts. The scriptures stress that we must give up gambling, meat-eating, intoxication, and illicit sex, defined as any sex not performed for procreation. Since homosexual acts cannot produce a child, they must ultimately be given up to get the benefits of chanting the Lord’s holy names.
Still, one unable to give up sex at once should chant, go to the temple, read Srila Prabhupada’s books, and so on. Everyone can do these things. They will help, but progress will be slow unless one gives up sinful activities.
Our bodies and our particular conditioning result from our individual karma. Krishna loves you and is happy that you are seeking guidance in your spiritual life. He knows your personal struggles and limitations. What He rewards, ultimately, is your sincerity and your effort to come closer to Him.

Q: Srimad Bhagavatam is filled with the pastimes of the devotees who were put in great tribulations and they maintained their faith in trials and tribulations. When neophytes are told to tolerate their problems like these great souls have tolerated. Often times mind immediately says it’s O.K for them (Prahlad, Pandavas) to tolerate because they were so great because they are mahabhagavats but as far as I am concerned I am very week. Because of week mind it tells us you are so week and makes you hopeless and says you can’t do like Prahlad and we feel despondent and real shelter which is there in the story is not really obtained when we need that the most.- H.G.Dwarkadhish Pr

A: It is your sincerity that will give you the correct understanding. If you are insincere you will think that this great person can do it but I am not so great so why should I try? But if you are sincere you will understand that these great persons they didn’t have to do it they are doing it only to teach us how to do it? There is no reason for Prahlad to suffer. But the Lord put him in that situation to teach us how to remember Krishna even in the greatest sufferings. We can not imitate these great souls. That is correct. If you think you can do it like they have done that is called imitation. But if you sincerely according to your capacity try to follow in their footsteps… that is the way to salvation. Mahajano yena gatah se pantha……We have to follow the footsteps of great mahajans. It may be very difficult. But if it’s any less difficult then you would not have proper opportunity for purification. You are going through what you need to go through. Everyone is going through what they have to go through to go back to Godhead due to what they have done in the past and how they have contaminated themselves in the past. Even if you become a devotee you have to pay the price to some extent of some austerity and some difficulty to cleanse yourself of all the dirt you have accumulated in the past.
Because if that is not there you will not take it seriously. If you are burnt by fire you will not touch fire again. But if it doesn’t hurt when you touch fire then even if you read in scriptures, even if your guru,  mother and father say don’t touch fire, you may still say I did it but it didn’t hurt so much. So let me do it again. That is our conditioned state. But if you really get burnt very bad and you are still suffering then when you will read in the scriptures or hear from your guru and hear from everyone else, do not touch fire, you will think somehow or other I will not touch fire.
So we have to suffer a lot to understand that we shouldn’t do sinful activities, we shouldn’t engage in materialistic activities. If we indulge in unnecessary sense gratification we have to pay a high price, just to become very serious for giving those things up. So it is Krishna’s mercy.
When parents punish the child, child always thinks why so much? What have I done? But good parents know this is required to make you serious. Sometime they fail in exams and then they have to go back through whole another year to do their studies. It’s very difficult. A whole year I have to go for study again I have failed. So the student may say why this school is so strict on me? Why are they punishing me so much? Because if they don’t do that you will not take your studies seriously. You have to understand what is the price?
We should know what we have done, we are going through when we come to Krishna consciousness…. Krishna knows what it takes to give us the determination, the frustration required to not do it again. And you may say sarva dharaman parityajya mam ekam sharnam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo mokshyeshyami ma shuchah.  Krishna has relieved from all sinful reactions … do not fear…So Why am I still suffering sinful reactions? In one sense you are not suffering sinful reactions if you are trying to surrender to Krishna. If you are actually cent percent surrendered to Krishna there is no problem but until you come to that point of complete surrender to Krishna, Krishna is giving us the medicine we require so that we don’t resort to those sinful activities or those materialistic activities. We have to be thoroughly exhausted with any hope of material happiness in this world.

If somebody is very active person, and when he has back problem doctor advices him to lay down on bed and do not getup for five days. To lay down on bed for five days is very difficult. He wants to dance, wants to sing. But that’s what is required for his ailment. He did something wrong to make his body like this so now he has to pay for it. Doctor has to give medicine to patient so many times that they don’t like but it is for their good. So Krishna is supreme physician. He knows what medicine and he knows what type of resume we all need for our purification so that we do not engage in these activities that have created so much sufferings. So although when you surrender to Krishna there is really no need for you to suffer the sinful reactions but the problem is will you go back and do it again then you are not surrendering to Krishna. So Krishna arranges a certain quantity of sinful reactions to come upon you just so that you will never do it again, just so that you will really come to the point of really surrendering to Him. And the great souls teach us how to do it? And we must follow in their footsteps.