Question to Radhanath Swami: Since we give a lot of time to chant Hare Krishna, to read Bhagavad Gita, and to visit temple on festivals, we see that we are not doing justice to our studies or to our profession. So, how to resolve this conflict?
Radhanath Swami: The function of the intelligence is to discern as to what is the best way to balance our life in a way that we are doing the optimum service to the Supreme Lord. Arjuna was a warrior and when the battle of Kuruksetra began, he did not just sit on the sidelines chanting Hare Krishna. He heard from Krishna attentively and then performed his duties. If a student is chanting the holy names and striving to be a devotee, but is doing very bad in his studies, will such performance glorify Krishna? People will conclude that anybody who chants the name of God becomes a useless fool. No student will be inspired to chant the holy name and want to live a life of dharma, if they see that those who are doing so are lazy in their studies and failing. A student can glorify God best by chanting the holy names, living purely, and by executing his duties as a student to the best of his capacity. If students live exemplary spiritual lives and rank number one in their academics they can inspire other students to do the same. The international Society for Krishna Consciousness is filled with examples of high-ranking students and professionals excelling in their respective fields thus inspiring others around them to take shelter of the Lord.
