Krishna Consciousness: Cultivating Divine Qualities

Q. I am getting married and I would like to know how to control my sexual feelings as a vaishnava. Will Krishna be angry with me if I chant and my wife does not want to chant?

For a vaishnava, married life is an opportunity for cultivation of spiritual values. Take up the responsibility of marriage in a mood of service to another soul, a devotee of Krishna, a vaishnava. This quality, when cultivated over some time, will lift you above rajo-guna, and the mood of being the enjoyer.

Q. Part 1: For the past 3-4 months I have usually had a pretty balanced life as in balanced diet and extremely regulated mundane activities like watching TV. However there have been certain periods when I went on a binge both in mundane activites (watching TV, playing online computer games) as well as in eating.Is there something I can do to avoid that? Whenever I have these binges the chanting I do the next day is a severe austerity for me. I do not have any enthusiasm for chanting following such days.

Q. How can I practically cultivate the mood of being a humble servant of devotees in regular intractions?

Q. I am writing this mail to inform you about an obstacle I am facing in my attempt to practice Krishna Consciousness. I come from a so called "traditional Brahmin family". We are said to be belonging to a sect which represents original "Vedic tradition" Brahmins. I guess, like anyone else, my parents and especially my Mother is totally upset about my devotional activities. Now they are coming to know about the lifestyle of a devotee - mostly through their speculation, based on their experience, I guess.

Q. I live in a devotee community and often feel that I don't know how to associate with others. I love them and try to serve them but all too often I just don't feel emotionally safe in their association. I don't feel free to be open in case they hurt me and thus I am wasting my life constantly holding back (defending like a kicked dog). I am desperate for some clarification on this point.

Q. Is it right to say that "I am trying to be nice"? As for me, I think one should be naturally nice, but when the word "trying" comes in a statement in regards to a positive act, then the act is not from the heart. I could be wrong, please clarify.

Q. What qualities or activities in devotee(s) or disciple(s) pleases the spiritual master or saintly persons the most?

What pleases saintly persons the most is to see a devotee/disciple developing transcendental Vaishnava qualities -- or even their earnest effort to do so.

They are also pleased to see someone sincerely engaging in the *activities* of devotion, such as hearing, chanting, serving the Deities, serving Vaishnavas, observing the regulative principles of devotional service, accepting voluntary austerities for Krishna etc.

I'm confused about the relationship between acquiring mode of goodness qualities, manifesting Vaisnava qualities, making endeavors, and chanting. For example, there seems to be a Catch-22 relationship between chanting and acquiring mode of goodness qualities.  I thought that attentive chanting would magically endow me with those qualities, yet we're supposed to endeavor to acquire these qualities so that we can chant more.

Q. Part1: This is with regard to 'disliking other devotees' (referred to in a previous digest). Whilst I understand it is possible to forgive a person who has caused physical pain to another person, I have wondered for sometime about the following.

Q. Is it possible for a killer of animal to develop & attain pure love of God? Were there any instances in the history where meat eaters or other low class people became devotees of God? If so, did they have to leave meat eating once they become a devotee? Is surrender to Guru & Pure love of God open only for vegetarians? If you could kindly share Your knowledge on the above questions, it would be very helpful in my spiritual progress. Thank you.