Sex and the Sober
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.13-14
Honolulu, May 14, 1976
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Take a testHonolulu, May 14, 1976
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Prabhupada: (devotees repeat) Om namo
bhagavate vasudevaya. Texts number thirteen and fourteen.
tapasa brahmacaryena
samena ca damena ca
tyagena satya-saucabhyam
yamena niyamena va
deha-vag-buddhijam dhira
dharmajnah sraddhayanvitah
ksipanty agham mahad api
venu-gulmam ivanalah
[SB 6.1.13-14]
So, how to become advanced. These are the prescribed methods. Tapasa. Tapasya. Tapa means voluntarily taking some disadvantage. That is tapa. Tapa. Tapa means, just like if there is fire, so there is heat, but the method of tapasya is that during summer season they ignite some firewood all round and sit down. Already there is scorching heat, and still, all round fire, and one has to sit. These are some of the examples of tapasya. Similarly, in the winter season it is very cold: one has to go down the water up to neck. This is the meaning of tapasya, voluntarily accepting some severe condition of life.
So in this age it is very difficult, but this is the meaning of tapasya, voluntarily accepting inconveniences. When there is cold, one has to take the help of heater, fire. No. No heater, no fire, but go deep into the cold water. Of course, it is very difficult in your country because the water is so cold, and if you go deep, immediately finish. (laughter) I have seen in New York. One dog, he jumped over -- immediately finished. I have seen it. That is actual fact. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so kind that these people in this age, they will not be able to undergo severe austerity. That is not possible. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. In this age every man is alpayusah. Alpayusah means very short-living. The limit is hundred years, but who is going to live hundred years? Nobody. If one is eighty, seventy years, it is considered... Within sixty, seventy years everyone finished. But the age limit is hundred years. So what tapasya he'll do? What meditation he will do? In the Satya-yuga, by meditation one could get perfection. Just like Valmiki Muni. He meditated for sixty thousands of years. Because in those days a man used to live for 100,000's of years. Gradually it is reducing. In the Satya-yuga man and woman used to live, human being, up to 100,000's of years. Then, next yuga, it was ten thousands of years, reduced by ten times. And then, next yuga, next millennium, it is one thousands of years. And now, in the Kali-yuga, it is one hundred years. So it is very difficult to perform tapasya. But the recommendation is there, tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13].
So brahmacarya, tapasya begins -- brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Meditation means tapasya. So tapasa brahmacaryena samena [SB 6.1.13]. Sama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy... That is natural. Yuvatinam yatha yunor yunor yatha yuvah(?). Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that "I have taken vow, no illicit sex." That is knowledge. "Why? Even if I am attracted, I shall not do this." This is tapasya. And "Because I am now attracted, now we shall enjoy" -- that is not tapasya. Tapasya means even one is attracted, he should not act. That is tapasya. There may be some difficulty to control, but that should be practiced. It can be practiced. It is not very difficult. But one has to practice the determination: "Now I have taken vow before Deity because at the time of initiation, it is promised before the Deity, before the fire, and before the spiritual master, before the Vaisnava, that 'I'll not have illicit sex.' That is promised. How can I break it?" This is tapasya. "I have taken vow before the Deity, before fire, before my spiritual master, before the Vaisnavas, 'No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no drinking or intoxication, no gambling.' I have promised it. If I am gentleman, how can I break my promise?" This is called jnana. With knowledge one has to respect. That is called tapasya. With knowledge. Otherwise, to become attracted, that is not unnatural. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say... He was sannyasi. He said that "Even if I see a doll made of wood, a beautiful woman, My mind becomes agitated." So what to speak of us? So this is the example. Caitanya Mahaprabhu giving some... To be agitated in the mind, that is not unnatural, but if you practice, then you'll not be agitated anymore. If you practice by your knowledge, then you'll not be agitated. That is called dhira. Dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. You have to become dhira.
Dhira and adhira, there are two classes of men. One is sober. Even there is cause of agitation, still he remains firm. He is called dhira. And adhira means as soon as there is cause of agitation, he became a victim. That is called adhira. So we have to become dhira. We have been adhira in so many different forms of life because I am coming to this human form of life after evolution of 8,000,000 forms of body. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa vimsati. That is evolution. So after... Bahu sambhavante. After many, many years I have got this opportunity. In other lower animal life I have enjoyed the senses in so many ways. So sense enjoyment is not very difficult. Even there... Visayah khalu sarvatah syat. The hogs and pigs, they have got facility for sense enjoyment. They do not care even who is who. Even she is mother or she is sister or she is daughter, they will enjoy sex. That is hog life. You have seen. There is no discrimination. And the monkeys, they are enjoying sex life. So everyone enjoys sense life. So "Why? I have got this valuable life, human form of life. Why I shall become a living entity like hogs and dogs?" This is called tapasya. "Why I shall become hogs and dogs and again I shall put myself in the cycle of birth and death? I have got this life after so many evolutionary process. Why not practice little tapasya in this life?" This is knowledge. "If by practicing little tapasya, restraint, I can get relief from this repetition of birth and death, why shall I not do it?" This is knowledge. And if I again become victimized... The laws of nature is there. If you want, you can enjoy. Nature will give you. "All right, you want so much sex. All right, come on. Become a hog. Yes." So nature is ready. It is not very difficult. Therefore the sastra says, "No, no, no. This life is not for becoming a hog and dog." Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1].
The whole world is working so hard. They are going to the office. They are going to the..., working hours to earn livelihood, but what is the pleasure? The pleasure is sex. That's all. Their ultimate goal is sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So, one should consider, "The sex indulgence is given to the hogs and dogs, and for the same enjoyment I'll have to work so hard?" This is knowledge. "For same enjoyment? I have got this human form of life for understanding Krsna, for understanding God, my position, what I am. I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I have been put into this body, and because I have been put into this body -- the body is material -- it must finished. It must be finished." Anything, it has got six changes. Anything material, it has got birth, it has got growth, it has got aftereffect, then dwindles, and then finished, everything, anything you take, the material. This is called sad-vikara, six kinds of changes. So I am eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. I do not die after this body is finished, and again I will have to... Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. So this is knowledge. One has to always think of this. That is called tapasya.
So a little... Kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. This is sastra, that "What is this sex life?" It is said, kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Grhamedhi. Grhamedhi means one who does not know what is the aim of life. Grhamedhi and grhastha. Grhastha means although he is living with wife and children, but he knows what is the aim of life. That is the grhastha asrama. As the sannyasi knows what is the aim of life, similarly, a grhastha also may know. So such grhastha, sex life is allowed, who knows the aim of life. And one who does not know the aim of life, simply enjoys sex, he is called grhamedhi. These two words are there. In Sanskrit literature every word has got particular meaning, particular thought. Therefore it is called Sanskrta, most performed and purified literature, Sanskrit. Sanskrit means purified. Samskara. Just like we offer samskara at the time of initiation, purification. So our main problem is the sex life. That is... Because sex life is the basic principle of material life. Either you are human being or you are demigod or you are a bird, you are a beast, you are a fly, you are a fish, you are tree, plants -- everything -- the basic principle of material life is sex. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh [SB 5.5.8]. Everything is there. You have got books. You study and follow the practice. Be little sober. It is not that you'll not be able. You'll be able. And Krsna will help. As soon as you are very eager, then Krsna will help. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10].
So therefore the Deity worship is there. Along with Deity worship we should always pray, "Krsna, kindly save me from the pitfalls of maya." He'll do it. But if we want to cheat Krsna and cheat guru, then you'll be cheated. That's all. The guru will not be cheated, neither Krsna will be cheated. You'll be cheated. That's all. If you want to be cheated, then do whatever you like and prolong your this term of repetition of birth and death. And if you want to stop it, then here, the tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca tyagena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyagena. This is also one of the tapasya. Don't keep with you anything, even... Then you will make plan: "Let me have illicit sex. Let me have intoxication." As soon as you have got money. Best thing is, as soon as you get money, immediately you spend it for Krsna. Tyagena, charity. Charity. Tyagena means charity. Not that you starve. No. That kind of starvation... You keep yourself fit to execute Krsna consciousness, but don't keep much money. Immediately give in charity to Krsna. Krsna can take your charity as much as you can give.
Just like Bali, Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja, he secured the whole three worlds. He became the master of the three worlds, means the upper planetary system, down planetary system, middle planet. So, but he was a devotee also. Therefore Krsna came to him as Vamana.
chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta vamana
pada-nakha-nira-janita-jana-
kesava dhrta vamana sarira
jaya jagadisa...
So, because he was very proud of his possession, so Vamanadeva came to Bali Maharaja: "Maharaja, you are ksatriya. You are very charitable, I have heard. If you can give me little land?" So Bali Maharaja was very much pleased: "Yes, I will give You. How much land You want?" "Now, three feet." "Three feet? For this you have come to me?" "Yes, yes." So, "All right, I will give you three feet." So by one feet He covered the whole sky, and the other feet, he covered the whole down planetary system. So Bali Maharaja understood that what kind of beggar is He. (laughter) Yes. So Vamanadeva said, "My dear Bali Maharaja, you promised three feet, but by two feet you have finished all your possession. So what about the other feet?" So Bali Maharaja, he was a devotee. He said, "My Lord, don't worry. Still there is. It is my head. Place Your other feet on my head." So Vamanadeva said, "Now you have purchased Me by your charity. I shall remain your doorkeeper." So if you make charity to Krsna you can purchase Krsna. Yes. Although Krsna is all-powerful proprietor, you can purchase Krsna. So do that. If you have got any money, spend for Krsna consciousness.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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