Can i pursue my material ambitions and still make spiritual advancement?
From: ashutosh
if we do everything for krishna what is the motivation for us to try to extend our abilities.
needs can vary from person to person. what do you suggest a person ambitious for recognition on the material level should do to maintain peace in his life.
we are always given examples of such levels of devotion which come directly in conflict with some concepts of our lives that we want to lead-and i don’t mean that i have any anartha that i don’t want to give up-but what is wrong in leading a materially fulfilling life as well.
what i have seen as helping me is to keep your desires but with the help of god balance it so that it doesnt get in the way of my AND OTHERS overall well being. I MAY HAVE LOTS OF MATERIAL DESIRES WHY WOULD THEY NOT LEAD ME TO KRISHNA? isn’t it our responsibility to lead fulfilling lives even if its includes limited luxury. some other religions make it simple. the pure bhakti stuff seems to hi fi to me. if a philosophy of god is true then shouldnt it satisfy you completly spiritually? i find myself resenting it a bit mainly because i am ambitious. over the years i have cultivated desires. when i have a family and even my parents think it is wrong to think having luxury with honest means is wrong.
also i have been getting bad marks i am in am lot of problems i don’t want to speak about. just chanting hare krishna will not help me.the desire to prove myself and get out of the pits is there.the fundamental desire to be a good son and husband is there and also a contributing member of society.
the concept of conditional duty is useless because i certainly do not need to achieve these things but i want to an i know it is right. i am right to want happiness for myself in all forms.
why are we told to focus so much on death and afterlife. if you live your life right won’t you automatically go to krishna?
all other philosophies even christianity make it so simple