The truth is, Krsna is so kind. he gives us the opportunity to serve Him, though in the beginning we still have many material desires that are mixed with our desire to make spiritual progress. He promises, though, that if we surrender completely, then He will protect us from the reactions of these mixed material desires.
That was our philosophy. We understood things in that way when we joined. If we were 80% material in our desires and motives, but just 20% sincere in our endeavor, then our 20% sincere practice in devotional service would gradually increase that number from 20% upwards. At 25%, then 80% automatically decreased to 75%.
When we increased our service, our desires were being purified, and that 25% rapidly increased. The mayavadis say all or nothing right away. Either follow purely or you might as well leave. They’re a sorry bunch.
We were being purified in this way. It was a gradual process. And if only we would fulfill our basic duty to Srila Prabhupada of chanting our 16 rounds, following the regulative principles, and “doing whatever we could to push on Krsna consciousness,” then we were protected by this promise from Krsna and we could continue in this way until completion, either in this lifetime or soon after.
But as soon as we neglect our duty, we are no longer under the umbrella of protection of Krsna’s diavi prakriti, His internal potency, and we are again subjected to the reactions of our diseased condition. Srila Prabhupada said “habit is second nature to us”, so as soon as we lose that protection, we again begin the same material sinful habits that were there before we took shelter of Srila Prabhupada.
Sooner or later our material activities and sinful desires that are being manifested when we deviate from this very narrow path of Krsna consciousness will eventually catch up to us. We will get the reactions to those sins, but hopefully, that suffering will give us an impetus to once again follow more closely this process as outlined by our beloved Srila Prabhupada, and continue on.
Then again, if we again fall down and lose our faith in the flawless position of Srila Prabhupada as the perfect external manifestation of Krsna who is perfectly capable to deliver us to Krsna, then “our whereabouts are unknown,” and we will simply become mice again. Krsna says to Arjuna that “If we are too much attached to sense gratification and material opulence, and are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service will take place.”
with all humility, mahananda dasa