Prabhupāda: So this renunciation is recommended. If we simply remain in material opulence and enjoyment, that will be our disqualification for entering into the kingdom of God. Too much attachment, too much increasing of material civilization, means that next life is very much dark. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44).
Just like the other day I was explaining, rāja-putra ciraṁ jīva: "Oh, the son of royal order, you live forever. Because you do not know, next life is very dark for you, because you do not cultivate any Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got money, and you are enjoying sense enjoyment, and as soon as this body will be finished, no more your control. Then you are completely under the control of material nature, and you'll have to accept a body as you have done in this life, because this life is preparation for the next life." You have got very concrete example, just like President Kennedy. He was young man, very rich man, and he got the president post with great endeavor, spending so much money. He had his wife and children. But in one moment everything finished. Everything finished.
So we do not know that we are standing on a tottering platform. So however nice arrangement we may make, this will be finished in one moment. That is we are missing. We are simply sticking to a false platform that, "This will save me, this will save me." No. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava.
This material advancement of civilization, very nice, very dazzling. Just like when we pass on the street or road of your American cities, it looks so nice, so many lights and so many night-illuminating signboards. But we should always remember that this nice situation is not permanent settlement. Any moment I'll have to give up everything. Everything.
So therefore, if one becomes attached to this false platform, illuminating, so-called illuminating, false platform, then his determination to go back to Godhead will not be very much intense. That is being explained. So bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām. What is the English translation? Yes.
Devotee: "In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment . . ."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Minds of those who are too much attached to the sense enjoyment. And?
Devotee: ". . . and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Lord does not take place."
Prabhupāda: Yes. They cannot take. Therefore we have to voluntarily accept simple life. Simple life. Just like we are sitting here on the floor. According to your American standard of life, this is not good. Therefore no, I mean, very rich class of men or high class of men, they do not come to this, because we have no sitting place. But actually, what is the difference?
If you sit down on the floor or if you sit on a very nice, comfortable couch, after all, you are sitting. But to secure a very nice couch, you have to waste your time so much. Your valuable time, which you could use for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll have to waste for securing a comfortable seat of couch. This is called material civilization. That's all.
You are extending the comforts of life, but you do not know that this life is temporary. How long you shall live in this comfort? Your real thing is spirit soul, which is eternal. That is also the instruction of Lord Jesus, that after gaining everything, if you lose your own soul, what is the gain? Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Therefore this is another kind of disqualification for advancing in spiritual consciousness, if one becomes too much attached to these material comforts of life.
Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, a boy is trained to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means complete celibacy: no sex life, no amusement. Because just to train him not to be attracted by this material sense enjoyment. Then he'll be able to grasp what is spiritual life. Therefore restriction. But if from the very childhood, in the school, college, the boys and girls are allowed to enjoy sex life, then it is very difficult to understand or to enter into spiritual life. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām.
If we teach our children simply for sense enjoyment, how they can be spiritually advanced? The result will be confusion. Therefore in your country the hippies are there—confusion. They have been brought up in material sense enjoyment very nicely, but still, there is confusion, frustration, because he's hankering after something better. So that is spiritual happiness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So one has to understand this point, and voluntarily he has to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and then he'll find happiness. This is sure. Those who have taken to it, just ask them, just argue with them, and see actually. This is happiness.