Hari smaran or thinking about Hari is done at level of mind. In BG 6.5 and 6.6, Krishna asks Arjuna to control his mind and perfect his life by conquering mind. In conquered mind, thoughts are always focussed on Hari and are independent of external environment or activities.
In lower stage, our mind is not in our control and Hari smaran does not happen and mind is always into material things. In next higher stage of advancement, Hari smaran happens sometimes and it needs favorable environment to happen. And in highest stage, it happens independent of external environment.
Our focus should be to control our mind and focus it on Hari instead of blaming or waiting for external circumstance to change.
Question: Do I need to perform my duties of taking care of family, going to job etc if I need to always remember Hari? When I perform these activities, my mind goes away from Hari. So, it is better for me to go and live in a peaceful place and give up these material activites and do Hari smaran.
Answer: If you desire to give up your current duties and focus more on Hari smaran, then you think that you are advanced person as you think that you are capable of doing Hari smaran all the time. But if you are advance devotee, then you can do Hari smaran even in current circumstance. Why then need to change?
It is better to continue what you are doing and try to remember Hari as much as you can. For example, if you don't like your work and think that it takes you away from Hari smaran, then what about the time when you are not doing work. Try to remember Hari rest of the time.
Our desire to give up our duties is most of time due to our aversion to action. It is not result of our advancement. We use spiritual advancement as an excuse of not doing our duties. This results in more harm than our true advancement.
In lower stage, our mind is not in our control and Hari smaran does not happen and mind is always into material things. In next higher stage of advancement, Hari smaran happens sometimes and it needs favorable environment to happen. And in highest stage, it happens independent of external environment.
Our focus should be to control our mind and focus it on Hari instead of blaming or waiting for external circumstance to change.
Question: Do I need to perform my duties of taking care of family, going to job etc if I need to always remember Hari? When I perform these activities, my mind goes away from Hari. So, it is better for me to go and live in a peaceful place and give up these material activites and do Hari smaran.
Answer: If you desire to give up your current duties and focus more on Hari smaran, then you think that you are advanced person as you think that you are capable of doing Hari smaran all the time. But if you are advance devotee, then you can do Hari smaran even in current circumstance. Why then need to change?
It is better to continue what you are doing and try to remember Hari as much as you can. For example, if you don't like your work and think that it takes you away from Hari smaran, then what about the time when you are not doing work. Try to remember Hari rest of the time.
Our desire to give up our duties is most of time due to our aversion to action. It is not result of our advancement. We use spiritual advancement as an excuse of not doing our duties. This results in more harm than our true advancement.
