If you practice devotion, you become a better human being. Whether in the household life or a renunciant life, you will perform your duties well. Parents who do not impart knowledge of scriptures to their children and focus only on worldly education regret later on. Such children become so engrossed in gratifying their senses that they disrespect and mistreat their parents. They show their parents the way to old age homes. Spirituality is important. A Child who has meditated even a little upon the scriptures can never do that with his parents.
We become humble through education. When we listen to spiritual discourses, study the scriptures, and practice spirituality, we become humble and treat others well. We must respect and care for our parents in old age; it is our duty. Today’s generation misses this point.
Is Becoming A Monk Easy?
It’s not that a child who practices spirituality will become a monk or accept the renounced order; it’s not that easy. To survive like a sage is like walking in fire. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy, taking all their hard hits, being unable to say anything to anyone, and tolerating everything- one has to move forward. It is not a child’s play; it is a lifelong commitment. When one takes up the robes, one must keep one’s life at stake.
Do not explain anything to your parents if they oppose your devotional practice. Your duty is to consider your parents as God Himself. You must serve them. However, you don’t have to obey them if their principles become contaminated due to attachment or materialism.
Why Show Off Your Spirituality?
It might be your fault, too, that your parents feel that you might leave the home and become an ascetic. Why show off our devotion? There is no need to make a show of anything. If you are chanting Radha Radha within, who can know? If there is too much opposition at home, you can skip the externals like Tilak. God knows when you worship Him and do your duty well.
To balance the family, give up the external formalities and just chant Radha Radha from within. You can put on headphones; no one knows whether you hear a spiritual discourse or something else. Behave smartly if they are concerned that you listen to Satsang too much and might become a sage.
Vibhishan performed devotion while living in Lanka, where demons lived. Not one person supported him; even then, he performed the greatest devotion. Why is it difficult for us to perform devotion living in our house? If you really want to perform true devotion, it is very easy; just do not make a show of it.
Conclusion
Keep your conduct pure and keep chanting Radha Radha from within. No one can know where our consciousness is. If you make an outward show, you might unnecessarily scare people off.
The path of ascetics is very difficult. Sometimes, you get to eat; sometimes, you do not eat for days. If you make even a single mistake, you come in the eyes of others, and their faith is destroyed. To protect society’s faith, you must live a pure life in solitude, surrendered to God—for your entire life! It is a very difficult thing.
Married life is a blessing if you want to practice devotion. If you live with restrictions, earn money, serve everyone, and keep chanting, you will get the same result as a monk. Both these paths, grihastha(marriage) and virakta(renunciation) are given by God Himself. There is no need to show off. Just do your duty well and remember God constantly.
Answered by – Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
