HareKrishna Maharaj

In the initial stages of devotional service there is a kind of shyness that arises in ones mind About
what people think about the devotional service, what if friends and relatives fear about us. So how
could we get rid of this shyness?
HH RadhaNath Swami Maharaj
Most important consideration is, according to the time place and circumstance how we can best
progress in KC, we must be tactful, honesty does not mean be foolish. Honesty means pursuing the
truth without deceiving others. So if you telling your parents everything about what we are doing
everyday in KC, if that is going to create great opposition you dont have to lie to them but you
tell them what will best encourage them in their KC. Do u understand.
Essentially we should be committed not on the basis of popular opinion or our parents approval.
We should be committed on the basis of what is the truth. The example of all these western devotees
including myself, do you know what we
did to our parents? When we took our life to the spiritual path, which was completely foreign,
mysterious and incomprehensible, to them. Do you understand? It was very difficult they were never
heard the name Krishna before they
considered deities to be graven idols. They never saw a shaved head or Dhoti before; they think what
you are wearing dress. When I was young I
had long hairs, my parents said why dont you cut your hair, but I never cut my hair. Then I came
home with shaved head they said why dont
you grow your hair. I said you told me for so many years to cut my hair, I ut it. Then they said but not
like that! It is incomprehensible to
western people. But we understood it is such a highest sublime truth that we gave our life to it.
Then practically every devotees parents became favourable and appreciative by seeing the
qualities of their child. So generally people in this
world because of their conditioning to the materialistic mentality when they see you taking
seriously the path of Bhakthi, the path of dharma
they become very fearful because it is strange to them not normal within this materialistic society.
Yes, for all of you it is much simpler your parents
know who Krishna is, they see sadhus all over the place, and they see deities and temples. But still
it is very difficult for them to accept that their children are following so seriously Yes? They
think that if you do this you will give up your family you will starve to death. They will never
see you again but if you show them that through your Krishna Consciousness you are more
respectful you are living by higher moral and ethics you are devoted to whatever you are doing
because you are doing it for God. You are living by greater degree of compassion to the human

society and gradually they will respect you, they will understand you and they will honour you.
We have a devotee; there are so many examples.
Our beloved devotee RadhaGopinath Prabhu do you know him? He joined this movement and many
of his relatives were confused what you are
doing. But after he became such a stable person and when they saw his qualities and the work he
was doing for society, he was invited to the town he was brought off, and the whole town people
came out to do the celebration to honour him.
They were offering him garlands, they were
washing his feet. They were giving him gifts, they were speaking his prising, his prises. They were
proudly proclaiming from our town has come a great saint. Another one of our devotees father
mother and uncle absolutely disgusted and angry that he became a HareKrishna devotee! Very
angry very depressed, his mother was crying crying and crying and his father was so angry and his
uncle was just in the warpath. Couple of
year after his uncle had cancer he called this devotee to his bedside, the devotee told him how to
chant the holy names, thought him the
BagavadGitha. His uncle was chanting all day long and listening to BagavadGitha. I went to visit him
on his deathbed and he was crying and said my nephew is the only person in my family I trust. He
has saved my life I am his disciple. Now his parents are so proud of him. So yes parents and
relatives may be little confused any time the child changes the direction of life they become very
confused. If you live really KC life, with integrity honest morality ethics and real compassion to others.
In due course of time they will all honour you respect you and trust you. And not only that they will
know that you are liberating them from birth and death by your devotion. And every parent practically
realises and appreciates them in due course of time. So why should we cheat our parents and cheat
our relatives from that great spiritual foundation they will gain by our devotion just not to make them
to feel bad today. We should know that we are doing ultimate good for them, whether they know or
not in due course of time they will understand if you do it right. In my own family my brothers are
businessman musician and everything. But my parents see that I respect them more than all others.
Once my mother told me that of all our children I am so proud of you. You have best friends you are
doing
the best work. But for the first few years they were crying out of shame due to my life style. But now
they came to RadhaGopinath and they were dancing in jubilation in front of the deities. So why
should we deprive them from that great treasure? Simply out of false sentiment. Is that answer your
question? So you can be shy that is not a problem. But do not deviate from path of pure devotional
service. And be honest with them in respectful and palatable way. What I found in my life the less I
preach to my parents the more my parents liked Krishna.Preach through your quality, by your quality,
they will understand the philosophy and accept it.
What if you just say, I remember when I came home from India, they were watching television and I

said this television is MAYA. They said what is MAYA? I said illusion. I was just crushing their heart
with everything I was saying then I became tolerant. Whatever you are I respect you. I am grateful for
all you have done for me and all you are doing for me. And this is what I am, and when I stop trying
to push it down their throat
as they say. I just respected them I was kind to them and I was living without compromising my own
life, then gradually they respected they accepted and ultimately they became devotees.
They started chanting on beads. Is this possible for a 60year old American upper middle class
business people? Yes, when Krishna sees that you are sincere and you are not willing to deviate,
Krishna will bless your desires by blessing the hearts of all your loved ones. So be respectful, be
honest, be faithful to the true path of Bhakthi and be patient. And all your desires will be fulfilled in
incredible and miraculous way.