Thinking of Krishna 24 hours.
Question: I am an optician and I sell spectacles. Srila Prabhupada mentions in almost all of his lectures that you should think of Krishna 24 hours. Since I am a businessman, I need to think about my business; therefore how do I follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions?
Romapada Swami: From our experience we can understand that the only way one can constantly think of someone / something is when there is love and attachment. When there is love, all activities and all things are seen in relation to the object of love. The gopis were engaged in many household affairs but their minds were always on Krishna. So was Arjuna’s, even in the thick of the catastrophic battle.
Of course, love for Krishna is dormant in all of us. The practices of bhakti yoga are meant to reawaken that dormant love. Therefore, strong practice of sadhana bhakti is the key to destroy our forgetfulness and bring us to the position of constant remembrance of Krishna.
The stage described above is an advanced stage. Attaining that advanced stage requires cultivation. All of us have variegated responsibilities - occupational duties, family responsibilities, personal needs etc - that demand our attention. However, if we dedicate a certain portion of the day, especially in the early morning hours before we begin our routine work, to fully focus one’s attention on Krishna through direct devotional activities such as chanting, hearing/reading and worshiping, then that effect would linger and permeate the consciousness throughout the rest of the day, even while dealing with other practical matters. For this reason, Srila Prabhupada very much stressed the importance of attending the morning program, which can be performed right within your home, daily (typically consisting of Mangala-arati, Japa and Srimad Bhagavatam class, as is performed in all of our ISKCON centers).
In order to be able to do so on a consistent basis, one may have to make some other adjustments such as modifying the activities of the previous evening, minimize unnecessarily stressful endeavors etc. In other words, as Srila Prabhupada often said, we have to mold our life in a way that is conducive to and promotes remembrance of Krishna. At the same time, as far as possible we should avoid those things which would impede our positive remembrance of Krishna. (See Texts 2&3 of Nectar of Instruction)
The second part of the answer is to dedicate one’s occupation itself in service to Krishna. In other words, one’s business is not seen as a secular activity separate from devotional service; rather a devotee cultivates the mentality that their occupation is also part of their daily expression of devotion to Krishna; our business is done for Krishna. This means that not only the fruits of that activity are given to Krishna, but the activity itself is to be dedicated for Krishna’s pleasure. In practical terms, a devotee should think: “Krishna is the Master of this enterprise - both of its management as well as the profits - and I am His ordered servant.” (Please see Bg 18.57 Text and purport)
Most certainly there will be practical details that need to be attended to, but they are attended to with this meditation. Interaction with others during the course of business is also done in a way that is pleasing to Krishna. In this way, there would be no possibility of forgetting Krishna.
Practice makes a thing perfect. By practicing in this way consistently, our remembrance of Krishna will become more and more sustained and eventually unbroken.