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Kastan means

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kaṣṭān means we have to satisfy the necessities of our body. That is a fact.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

This human form of life is especially meant for God realization, not for any other business. But people do not try for it. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1), that we should not, especially this human form of body... There are 8,400,000 forms of body—cats, dogs, trees, plants, insects—so many. So this form of life, human form of life, it is worth that, nāyaṁ dehaḥ, nṛ-loke, which means you are born in the human society. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kaṣṭān means we have to satisfy the necessities of our body. That is a fact. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca—these are the necessities of the body. So we have to satisfy them, that is a fact, but not with great difficulty, kaṣṭān kāmān. Kaṣṭān kāmān means... Kāmān means the demands of the body. But we should not take up a civilization which teaches to fulfill the necessities of our life with great labor, kaṣṭān kāmān, because that kind of civilization is existing amongst the hogs and dogs. They are working whole day and night. So perfection of human life is not (to) increase our industrial enterprise or economic development or so many things we are now planning. The perfection of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa, to understand God.

Kaṣṭān means with so much labor. If you create some convenience by the so-called machine use, you create so many other inconveniences.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

But actually, they do not see that these devotees are engaged in working twenty-four hours but not for sense gratification like the hogs, but for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa consciousness man and ordinary man, karmī man. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that all these men, they are engaged. But the śāstra says, "No, no. You live with the minimum necessities. Don't increase your necessities unnecessarily." This is Vedic civilization. And the modern civilization is even increase your necessities—a machine for shaving your cheek. You see? Another machine, another attention diversion. More machine means more diversion of attention. I have to take care, more technician, more technologies. Simply if one razor can shave, can make my cheek very clean, where is the necessity? Formerly, at least we Indian know that go to a blacksmith and he prepares a razor, very nice razor. You pay him four annas, and it will last for your life and shave your cheek very nicely, daily or occasionally. But the modern civilization means that in everything there must be machine. That is the advancement of material... But the śāstra says, "What is the use of taking so much labor?" Kaṣṭān kāmān. Kaṣṭān means with so much labor. If you create some convenience by the so-called machine use, you create so many other inconveniences. Just like we have got now motorcar. Of course, it is convenience. But there are many inconveniences. Formerly people used to find everyone within the village. Now, because we have got big, big motorcars, we have to go thirty miles to find out a doctor. So the other inconveniences are also increased. Now we have to find out petrol and flatter the Arabians, "Give me petrol." In this way... And if I stop manufacturing, then there is unemployment.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kaṣṭān means very, very hard labor, kaṣṭān. And kāmān means necessities of life we require. The necessities of this body, that is required.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So the problem of life is discussed here by Ṛṣabhadeva. He says, "My dear boys," nāyaṁ deha deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Ayam. Ayam means "this," this body, this human form of body. It is also a body, and the dog's body is also a body, material body. It is also made of blood and bone and urine and stool and so many other things. The dog's body is also made the same ingredients. But what is the difference between dog's body and this human body? He advises, ayam deha: "This human form of body..." Deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. And where this body is obtained? It is obtained in the human society. This intelligent brain and good form of body, it is to be found in the human society. In the human society you will find from this body, big, big professors, big, big philosophers, scientists, mathematicians and..., they are coming, not from the dog society. That is not possible. Therefore it should be properly utilized. Nāyam deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means in human society. So how it should be utilized? He says, kaṣṭān kāmān arhate, arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. Kaṣṭān. Kaṣṭān means very, very hard labor, kaṣṭān. And kāmān means necessities of life we require. The necessities of this body, that is required. We want to eat something, we must have a shelter to live, Bhāgavata.-bhaya, and we must defend from the enemies or from the attack of other living beings. Kaṣṭān kāmān. So we require all these things, but not very hard labor, working day and night. That is for the lower animal. Kaṣṭān kāmān na arhate viḍ bhujāṁ ye. As the animal is working very hard day and night for meeting their necessities of life, the human form of life is not meant for that purpose. This is the basic principle of instruction. Ayaṁ deha. This deha, this body, is meant for higher purposes, not for simply meeting the necessities of life. This is the basic principle of instruction. They have no other way. The cats and dogs and hogs, they are working day and night where to find out some stool and eat it, and as soon as the body is filled, then sense gratification, sex life This is going on in the lower class of animal life.

Page Title:Kastan means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:04 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:3