Category:Our Jobs (Disciples of SP)
Theme Analysis
The instructions compiled in this category offer a comprehensive and deeply practical view on balancing material employment with spiritual advancement. The founder of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement clearly distinguished between the duties of different social orders, explaining that while a brahmacārī or sannyāsī should depend entirely on the Lord without outside employment, a gṛhastha has a strict duty to maintain a steady income for their family and the mission. He brilliantly demystified the illusion of secular work, teaching that any job performed with the ultimate aim of supporting Kṛṣṇa’s interests is completely transcendental and free from the contamination of māyā. At the same time, he provided careful, individualized guidance on when it was appropriate for devotees to quit mundane jobs and transition into full-time preaching, cautioning them never to abandon their responsibilities out of mere sentiment.
- The Householder's Duty to Maintain an Income: Unlike renunciates, family men must not artificially abandon their livelihood; maintaining a steady job to provide for a wife and children while supporting missionary activities is a fundamental responsibility.
- Spiritualizing Secular Employment: Working an ordinary job outside the temple is not inherently materialistic; when the earnings and energy are consciously dedicated to pushing forward the spiritual mission, the work becomes fully transcendental.
- Strategic Use of Professional Skills: Devotees with specific educational backgrounds or technical talents are encouraged to accept positions—such as teaching or organizing publications—where their skills directly benefit the society and influence others.
- Transitioning Away from Material Work: While encouraging full-time preaching, the spiritual master advised followers to quit their secular jobs only when they possessed independent means, reliable temple support, or when their full-time presence was absolutely required for management.
- Rejecting Degrading Occupations: Devotees initiated into the brahminical order were specifically instructed to avoid menial, degrading labor suited only for śūdras, and instead rely on the Lord if no suitable employment could be found.
- The Ultimate Occupation of Preaching: The highest and most serious "job" a human being can take up is distributing transcendental knowledge and books, a magnanimous task that finishes material existence and pleases the Supreme Lord.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Prabhupāda Explains How His Disciples Can Spiritualize Their Jobs.
Pages in category "Our Jobs (Disciples of SP)"
The following 34 pages are in this category, out of 34 total.
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G
- Gaurasundara is doing there some work, but that is not sufficient even for maintaining an apartment. He is of course searching for a better job, but I do not think alone he can start a center there
- Gaurasundara was going to maintain, and he drives fifty miles off, Honolulu. The poor fellow had to rise early in the morning. You see? And so much haste. Therefore: "Gaurasundara, you better give up this job. Just depend on Krsna"
I
- I am glad that you have decided to give your time now fully to serving Krsna directly, but do not misunderstand the position of "outside" jobs. Any work performed by a devotee in KC is never work on the material platform although it may appear to be so
- I think you should not think of relinquish your job without meeting me and discussing the matter deeply. Don't do anything out of sentiment
- I understand that Dinesh's present job is very tedious and hampering, but because you are now a family man, you must have some steady income
- I'll suggest instead of accepting job outside, why not try to sell our books?
- If there is no jobs at all, then you can fully engage yourself in Krishna's job by chanting in the parks and public places, and certainly Krishna will send you salaries
- If we give the job to others for distributing all our books, then where is the opportunity for our students to canvass all the citizens to purchase our books to give them good training how to preach?
- If you can manage all the affairs through the assistance of Murari and others, you may not give up your job. But if your presence improves the situation, I have no objection for your quitting your present job
- If you can provide yourself by independent handwork then you can give up your present job, otherwise you continue with your job, even it is nonsense
M
- Marriage is not recommended. Are you prepared to get a job, live outside the temple in apartment, provide the wife with bangles, saris and sex? Better you concentrate on this chanting and hearing process, teach others and give them prasadam
- My Spiritual Master used to send preachers who were all in the renounced order of life (sannyasis), but I am doing a completely different process - namely, preparing some young couples of husband and wife to take up this job
R
S
- So far as leaving your karmi job, I have no objection provided there is no scarcity of money for running the temple. Then you can devote yourself full time to pushing on this movement and developing St. Louis center
- So far as the devotees at our Montreal center working at regular jobs during the winter months, that is not very good, but if there is no other way what can be done?
- So far your keeping your job is concerned, if you are still engaged in that dishwashing job, you should give it up. That kind of work is meant for sudras, not for the brahmanas
T
- The following principles should be followed strictly in our press: All the works of the press, including binding, and everything should be done by our men. We shall not accept any outside job for maintaining of this press
- The Grhasthas or the householders can engage himself in earning money, either by accepting job or some professional work. But a Brahmacari, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasi is supposed only to depend on Krishna and beg from the Grhasthas
- The service proposal is very nice and I approve of your acceptance this job. Not only your income will be a great help to the society but also it will be a great opportunity for learning how to organize our magazine Back to Godhead
W
- We cannot give instruction in other religions but we can very nicely explain the basic principles of religion. So if you take that job in teaching the basic principles of religion, that is very nice, but religion means to abide by the order of God
- We have got ninety-five centers, and we are spending seventy to eighty thousand dollars per month. But we have no fixed-up income. We are traveling all over the world with party. This is very expensive job. But Krsna is supplying us all our necessities
- Whatever Krsna consciousness movement is going forward, it is due to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's magnanimous compassion for the poor people suffering in this Kali-yuga. Otherwise, to become Krsna conscious is not very easy job, is not easy job
Y
- You have done a nice job with the French edition of BTG & I am especially looking forward to the next issue which will be color 32 pages. You should more & more improve this magazine until it becomes superior to all other magazines in the French language
- You said that your job is maya, but you must know that maya is illusion. As soon as there is absence of Krishna Consciousness - that is maya. But you are working just to help and push Krishna's interest; therefore, it is not maya
- You want to serve Krishna with all your energies and intelligence, so I have got all support and approval of this scheme, but until you have got some income, how can I advise you to give up your present job, especially when you are a family man
- Your (GBC) first job should be to make sure that every one of the devotees in your zone of management is reading regularly our literatures and discussing the subject matter seriously from different angles of seeing
- Your idea of going to North Carolina is excellent because there are so many students there, and you are college graduate, so I think that you are just the devotee to do the job nicely