Vow (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"vow" |"vowed" |"vowing" |"vows"

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1969:

So far as your occasional agitation from the maya, the answer is very simple that one must either strictly control his senses, or else he must get himself married. If one is strong enough in Krishna Consciousness, then there is no reason to become grhastha, but if one is still disturbed by sex-desire, then marriage is the only other possibility. But if one is still brahmacari, then he must be sure to follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly. There is no place in spiritual life for cheating in this matter. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has never criticized a householder for having sex life for the purpose of bearing children. But when it came to Junior Hari das, who was posing as sannyasa but was still engaging in lustful thoughts, Lord Caitanya would not tolerate, and Junior Haridasa was banished from the association of the Lord. So this is very important that we remain very firm in our vow of brahmacari, or if this is very difficult, then householder life is the next satisfactory solution.