Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.11-13 Pusta Krsna: (leads chanting, etc.) katham priyaya anukampitayah sangam rahasyam rucirams ca mantran suhrtsu tat-sneha-sitah sisunam kalaksaranam anurakta-cittah putran smarams ta duhitrr hrdayya bhratrn svasrr va pitarau ca dinau grhan manojnoru-paricchadams ca vrttis ca kulyah pasu-bhrtya-vargan tyajeta kosas-krd ivehamanah karmani lobhad avitrpta-kamah aupasthya-jaihvam bahu-manyamanah katham virajyeta duranta-mohah “Translation: How can a person who is most affectionate to his family, the core of his heart being always filled with their pictures, give up their association? Specifically, a wife is always very kind and sympathetic and always pleases her husband in a solitary place. Who could give up the association of such a dear and affectionate wife? Small children talk in broken language, very pleasing to hear, and their affectionate father always thinks of their sweet words. How could he give up their association? One’s elderly parents and one’s sons and daughters are also very dear. A daughter is especially dear to her father, and while living at her husband’s house she is always in his mind. Who could give up that association? Aside from this, in household affairs there are many decorated items of household furniture, and there are also animals and servants. Who could give up such comforts? The attached householder is like a silkworm, which weaves a cocoon in which it becomes imprisoned, unable to get out. Simply for the satisfaction of two important senses—the genitals and the tongue—one is bound by material conditions. How can one escape?” Purport: In household affairs the first attraction is the beautiful and pleasing wife, who increases household attraction more and more. One enjoys his wife with two prominent sense organs, namely the tongue and the genitals. The wife speaks very sweetly. This is certainly an attraction. Then she prepares very palatable foods to satisfy the tongue, and when the tongue is satisfied one gains strength in the other sense organs, especially the genitals. Thus the wife gives pleasure in sexual intercourse. Household life means sex life (yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]). This is encouraged by the tongue. Then there are children. A baby gives pleasure by speaking sweet words in broken language, and when the sons and daughters are grown up one becomes involved in their education and marriage. Then there are one’s own father and mother to be taken care of, and one also becomes concerned with the social atmosphere and with pleasing his brothers and sisters. A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible. Thus the household becomes grham andha-kupam, a dark well into which the man has fallen. For such a man to get out is extremely difficult unless he is helped by a strong person, the spiritual master, who helps the fallen person with the strong rope of spiritual instructions. A fallen person should take advantage of this rope, and then the spiritual master, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, will take him out of the dark well. Prabhupada: So two ways—one way is this entanglement, this kind of happy life, household life. People, 99.9%, they are after this happiness. It is described very nicely in this verse, ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho ’yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. The idea is that this material world, we are entangled with this body and anything belonging to the body. We are misconceiving that “This body I am, and anything in relation with the body is mine.” That is going on in different name—family, society, community, nation, so on, so on, country. The basic principle is that “I am this body,” and anything in relationship with this body, we are concerned with these two things. There are thousands and thousands of women, but one woman or one man with whom I have got bodily relationship, I think “She is my wife,” “He is my husband.” This is due to bodily relationship. And the attachment increases the more… The basic principle of instruction of Prahlada Maharaja began that kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. From the very beginning of life, the children should be educated about bhagavata-dharma. If they are not educated from the very beginning of life, these are the chances of forgetting. Forgetting means to be subjected to the waves of maya. There are different phases of maya. One is attached to the family or he’s attached to the animals, one is attached to the country, society, so on, so on. The attachment of this material world, it may be in different names. But the Krsna consciousness means detachment. Therefore they are so nicely described here by Prahlada. The real business is detachment of this material world. So long we’ll have a pinch of attachment with this material world enjoyment, there is no possibility of perfection. For that pinch of little attachment, and we have to accept a body. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [Bhag. 5.5.4]. And as soon as we get body we become involved with so many things that we are preparing another next life. So here the verse is given, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham [SB 7.9.45]. The real purpose of life is how to become detached from this material life. That is perfection. People are being educated how to become attached. That is the difference between Krsna consciousness and so-called human civilization. But the thing can be made easy if we attach our mind to Krsna. Just like we are actually doing. It is not that we are all liberated persons. We have got so many attachments to family, wife, country. But along with it, if we try to increase our attachment for Krsna, automatically there will be detachment. Automatically. Without endeavoring separately. Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah [SB 1.2.7]. Vasudeva, Krsna. If we become engaged in bhakti-yoga… Bhakti-yoga means, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] Iti pumsarpita, all for Krsna. Hear about Krsna, chant about Krsna. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh, not for others. Hearing and chanting Visnu. Smaranam, remembering Krsna. Arcanam, this is arcanam. Vandanam, offering prayers. Dasyam, to act as His servant, to spread His glories, that is vandanam. Dasyam. Sakhyam, to take Krsna as most dear friend. For a friend, one friend can do anything. So dasyam, sakhyam, atma-nivedanam. And Bali Maharaja gave everything for Krsna. Bali Maharaja conquered even up to the heavenly kingdom. So Krsna or Visnu is always in favor of the demigods. They were in difficulty. So Vamanadeva went to Bali Maharaja for begging some land. So Bali Maharaja agreed to give him land. In other words, by trick, Vamanadeva took everything of Bali Maharaja. He also gave everything. So this is bhakti-marga. If we follow these principles of bhakti-marga we do not require to endeavor separately how to become detached. The detachment automatically follows. Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayati asu vairagyam [SB 1.2.7]. Vairagyam means detachment. The bhakti-yoga is known also as vairagya. Vairagya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote verses about this vairagya. vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-siksartham ekah purusah puranah sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye [Cc. Madya 6.254] Here is Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krsna Himself. He has come to teach us vairagya-vidya. It is little difficult. It is very difficult for ordinary persons to understand this vairagya-vidya. Their business is how to increase attachment for this body, and Krsna consciousness movement is how to increase detachment for this material life. Therefore it is called vairagya-vidya. Vairagya-vidya can be very easily achieved, just like it is recommended, vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayati asu vairagyam [SB 1.2.7], very soon, very soon. Janayati asu vairagyam jnanam ca. Two things required in human life. One thing is jnanam, jnanam-vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma sva-bhava-jam. This jnanam means, beginning of jnana means “I am not this body. I am spirit soul.” That is jnana. And as soon as one is situated in that platform of jnanam, it is easy. People are engaged everywhere for the benefit of this body. But if one understands, he come to the platform jnanam, then naturally he becomes detached, that “I am not this body. Why I am working so hard for this body?” Jnanam ca yad ahaitukam. Automatically… Two things are required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has many places, He has stressed on this, and by His life He is teaching jnanam and vairagyam. One side jnanam, in His teaching to Rupa Gosvami, teaching to Sanatana Gosvami, teaching to, talking with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Prakasananda Sarasvati, talking with Ramananda Raya. We have given all these things in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya. So that is jnanam. And by His example in His own life, taking sannyasa, He is teaching vairagya. Jnana and vairagya, these two things are required. So not all of a sudden we can be situated on the platform of jnanam and vairagyam, but if we practice, it is possible. It is possible. Not that it is impossible. That is recommended: vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7] That is required. So the Krsna consciousness movement is for achieving jnanam and vairagyam. If we become too much attached to this material world… And how we become attached? The vivid description is given by Prahlada Maharaja. The wife, the children, the house, the animals and servants, the furniture, the dress, and so on, so on, so on, so many things. People are working so hard, day and night, only for these things. Is there not (indistinct) nice bungalow, nice animal, nice, so many things we see? What for? To increase attachment. If we increase attachment, there is no question of being freed from this material bondage. So we have to practice this detachment. So this practicing, there are many recommendations, vairagya. tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca tyagena satya-saucabhyam yamena niyamena va [SB 6.1.13] There are recommendations. Tapasya, this is called tapasya, to achieve vairagya it requires tapasya. But the one thing is there, vasudeva parayana. kecit kevalaya bhaktya vasudeva-parayanah agham dhunvanti kartsnyena niharam iva bhaskarah [SB 6.1.15] The example is very… In the morning we see here every day, mist. And as soon as the sun rises, immediately finished, clear. Niharam iva bhaskarah. Kecit kevalaya bhaktya, dhunvanti agham papam niharam iva bhaskarah [SB 6.1.15] So there are so many items to understand this vairagya-vidya or to practice. The first practice is brahmacarya, celibacy. Tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. So many items, but if one takes to vasudeva bhakti… Vasudeve bhagavati, kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15]. Kevalaya means only by bhakti process one can attain all success, jnana-vairagya. So you are situated, you are at least being trained up in bhakti-yoga, and if you strictly follow, drdha-vratah… Drdha-vratah, that is the word, drdha-vratah, with firm determination, then in one life we can learn this vairagya-vidya nija-bhakti-yogam and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. It is not impossible. But ordinarily it is very, very difficult. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja giving so many description, in detail, how we are becoming attached. But our real business is how to become detached. Unless we give up, param drstva nivartate, unless we have got the taste for the better thing, the inferior things we cannot give up. By cultivation of bhakti-yoga, by this process, sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], we can get the taste of bhakti-yoga, then it is possible to give up this attachment for the material world. This is possible. adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya tato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktis tato bhavas (tatah premabhyudancati) sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah The real business is how to increase our love, proportional love for Krsna. Then everything, proportionately, will come, and then our life will be successful. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New Vrindaban, June 27, 1976