Answer
Anyone who comes into contact with Srila Prabhupada's mission is constantly being encouraged to advance.
Srila Prabhupada repeatedly urges devotees to:
Progress spiritually.
Struggle for advancement.
Become detached from material enjoyment.
Increase Krishna consciousness.
Dedicate themselves to Krishna's service.
These instructions are always available within the institution.
However, people come to Krishna consciousness with different karmic backgrounds.
One Type of Person
Some people come with difficult karma. For them, joining a spiritual community may immediately improve their quality of life. They receive:
Shelter
Association
Prasadam
Stability
Guidance
Materially speaking, their situation improves significantly.
Another Type of Person
Others come with good karma. They may have had many material opportunities available outside. Yet they voluntarily give up those opportunities and accept a regulated devotional lifestyle.
Both types of people are eligible to become pure devotees.
The important factor is not whether one has good karma or bad karma. Both are ultimately material.
The proper attitude is:
"Good karma and bad karma are both temporary. My real goal is advancement in Krishna consciousness."
Why Some Devotees Remain Comfortable
Different devotees progress at different rates.
If a person chants sincerely, follows Srila Prabhupada's instructions, and remains in association, realization will eventually arise.
For some, it comes quickly.
For others, it may take years.
Sometimes a devotee becomes comfortable and settles into a routine, thinking:
"Everything is fine. I am satisfied where I am."
But Krishna has a way of disrupting false comfort.
Eventually He helps the devotee realize that there is no permanent settlement anywhere in the material world—not in the ashram, not outside the ashram, not in material success, and not in material security.
Real settlement exists only at the lotus feet of Guru and Krishna.
That alone is the permanent shelter and ultimate destination.
