Staying Anchored in Krishna Bhakti Amidst the Storm of Modern Life

Practical Wisdom from the Gita and Bhagavata Purana to Keep Krishna at the Center of Our Busy Days

Help me make it easier for others to find this publication on Substack by hitting the ❤ or 🔁 at the top or bottom. Thank you!

---

There’s something deeply comforting about waking up in the early hours, before the rest of the world has rubbed its eyes open, and whispering a name: Krishna. It doesn’t matter where you are—in a bustling metro apartment, a student hostel, or a quiet village home. That one name—Krishna—feels like a thread pulling us back to something eternal, something unshakable.

But let’s be honest. Modern life is anything but quiet. The moment our day officially starts, it’s a whirlwind—meetings, deadlines, classes, responsibilities, traffic, bills, social media, family obligations, and a hundred distractions in between. Where is the time to think of Krishna, let alone serve Him with the depth and attention He deserves?

And yet, the beauty of bhakti is that it isn’t about retreating from life—it’s about bringing Krishna into life, into every breath, every action, every moment. Bhakti isn’t something you do once in the morning and check off like a chore. It’s a relationship. And just like in any deep relationship, it’s not about how much time you spend, but how present and devoted you are in the time that you do spend.

So how does one stay focused on Krishna in this modern jungle of distractions? How can we live this ancient wisdom in a digital world?

Let’s explore.

---

1. Start the Day With Intention—And Krishna

In Bhagavad Gita 6.6, Krishna says:

For him whose self (the knowledge of being a soul) has conquered the self (the mind), the self (mind) is the best friend of the self (soul); but to the unconquered self (the deluded mind), its enemy, the self (the soul), remains an enemy.

The first battle of the day is against forgetfulness. And the best way to win that battle is to start the day remembering Krishna—whether it's through chanting His names (japa), reading a verse from the Gita or Bhagavatam, or simply offering your first thought of the day to Him.

This anchors the mind. Even if the day becomes chaotic, the anchor holds.

Try this: Before reaching for your phone in the morning, reach for your beads. Even a few mantras softly chanted with intention can change the tone of your whole day.

---

2. Infuse the Mundane With the Divine

One of the most beautiful teachings of the Gita comes in Chapter 9, Verse 27:

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer (in sacrifice), whatever you give (in charity), whatever austerities you undertake, O Kaunteya — do that as an offering to Me.

This is not metaphorical. It’s practical. Krishna is asking us to make Him a part of everything.

Driving to work? Listen to a bhajan. Cooking a meal? Offer it mentally to Krishna. Responding to emails? Do it with a mood of service and humility, remembering Krishna is watching. Talking to a friend? Let the conversation uplift rather than degrade.

There’s no job too secular, no task too worldly, that cannot become an offering.

---

3. Keep the Company of Devotion—Even if Virtually

In the Bhagavata Purana (Book 1 Chapter 2), Suta Gosvami says:

O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely free from all vice, great service is done. By such service one gains an affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva.

Let’s face it—we become like the people we spend time with. So even if your physical company may not always be spiritually uplifting, you can create your own sacred satsanga digitally.

Podcasts. Audiobooks. Online lectures by genuine bhakti teachers. Spiritual music. Devotional Substack posts like this one (!). These become the spiritual voices in your head when the world gets too noisy.

And make it two-way. Speak about Krishna with someone. Even once a week. There’s nothing that stokes the fire of bhakti like shared remembrance.

---

4. Simplify. Seriously.

Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 12.8:

Fix your mind on Me alone, place your intelligence in Me; thereafter, there is no doubt that you will always dwell in Me alone (by attaining liberation).

But how can we fix our minds on Krishna if they are torn in a thousand directions? One of the great enemies of modern bhakti is overcomplication—too many possessions, too many apps, too many choices, too many mental tabs open.

A simpler life makes room for God.

Cut down clutter—physical, mental, digital. Streamline your routines. Detach from needless consumerism. Free up attention and energy for remembrance, reflection, and devotion.

You don't need ten hobbies, four side-hustles, three OTT subscriptions, and two phones. You just need one Lord—Krishna.

---

5. Bring Krishna Into Your Struggles

The Bhagavad Gita isn’t a sermon delivered in a quiet ashram. It’s Krishna speaking to a friend who is breaking down on a battlefield.

Modern life can be tough—emotionally, physically, mentally. And bhakti doesn’t ask us to fake smiles or ignore suffering. Instead, Krishna says, “Bring your struggles to Me.”

In Gita 18.66, Krishna says:

Abandoning all forms of engagements (unnecessary material and religious activities), take refuge in Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins. Do not grieve.

You don’t have to be perfect to be devoted. You just have to be honest. Speak to Krishna like a friend, a confidant. Offer Him your confusion, your guilt, your heartbreaks. He is not afraid of your imperfection.

He is only waiting for your heart.

---

6. Make Even the End of the Day Devotional

As the day ends, let your last thoughts also be of Krishna. This is how we prepare for the most important transition—death itself. Remember, our final thought determines our destination, as Krishna says in Gita 8.6:

Whatever state of being one remembers in the end, while giving up his body, O Kaunteya, that very state he will attain, because of his persistent thought of it.

So what we remember at night sets the tone for our next morning—and the next lifetime.

Instead of scrolling endlessly, read a verse. Or mentally go over how Krishna helped you that day. Or simply chant His names as you fall asleep. This subtle shift creates powerful momentum over time.

---

7. Do Not Wait for a Perfect Life to Begin a Perfect Devotion

One of the most damaging thoughts is: “I’ll become more serious about bhakti once I’m retired… once I’m financially stable… once I’ve achieved X…”

But bhakti begins now—amidst the mess, the rush, the noise. This is the offering Krishna wants: not a cleaned-up version of your life, but your real life, right now.

Just like the gopis in Vrindavan didn’t wait for permission or the perfect moment—they just ran to Krishna with love—we too can bring our scattered, complicated lives to His feet.

He accepts sincerity, not perfection.

---

In Conclusion: Let Krishna Be the Sun of Your Day

The Bhagavata Purana (1.2.6) tells us:

The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.

Unmotivated. Uninterrupted. This is the ideal. But even if our efforts are broken, small, or imperfect—they still count. Krishna sees the effort. He sees the heart.

So amidst the push and pull of modern life, let us keep coming back—again and again—to Krishna. To His names, His form, His words, His pastimes. Not just in temples or morning routines, but in traffic jams, coffee breaks, office desks, kitchen counters, and late-night walks.

Let Krishna become the lens through which we see this world. Let Krishna become the heartbeat of our lives.

Because there’s no better way to live. And there’s definitely no better way to die.