Emotion is caused by something very dear, by something very detestable, by fire, by strong wind, by strong rainfall, by some natural disturbance, by the sight of a big elephant or by the sight of an enemy. When there is emotion caused by seeing something very dear, one can speak very swiftly and use kind words. When there is emotion caused by seeing something detestable, one cries very loudly. When there is emotion caused by seeing fire, one tries to flee. There may also be trembling of the body, closing of the eyes and tears in the eyes. When one becomes emotional on account of a strong wind, one tries to run very swiftly and rubs his eyes. When one is emotional because of rainfall, one takes an umbrella, and there is tension in his body. When there is emotion due to a sudden disturbance, one's face becomes discolored, one becomes struck with wonder, and there is trembling of the body. If there is emotion from seeing an elephant, one may jump and show various signs of fear, and sometimes one may keep looking behind him. When there is emotion due to the presence of an enemy, one looks for a fatal weapon and tries to escape.
Detestful
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
My dear King, woman, who is very attractive in the beginning but in the end very disturbing, is exactly like the flower, which is attractive in the beginning and detestable at the end. With woman, the living entity is entangled with lusty desires, and he enjoys sex, just as one enjoys the aroma of a flower. He thus enjoys a life of sense gratification—from his tongue to his genitals—and in this way the living entity considers himself very happy in family life. United with his wife, he always remains absorbed in such thoughts. He feels great pleasure in hearing the talks of his wife and children, which are like the sweet humming of bumblebees that collect honey from flower to flower. He forgets that before him is time, which is taking away his life-span with the passing of day and night. He does not see the gradual diminishing of his life, nor does he care about the superintendent of death, who is trying to kill him from behind. Just try to understand this. You are in a precarious position and are threatened from all sides."
Materialistic life means forgetting one's constitutional position as the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and this forgetfulness is especially enhanced in the gṛhastha-āśrama. In the gṛhastha-āśrama a young man accepts a young wife who is very beautiful in the beginning, but in due course of time, after giving birth to many children and becoming older and older, she demands many things from the husband to maintain the entire family. At such a time the wife becomes detestable to the very man who accepted her in her younger days. One becomes attached to the gṛhastha-āśrama for two reasons only—the wife cooks palatable dishes for the satisfaction of her husband's tongue, and she gives him sexual pleasure at night. A person attached to the gṛhastha-āśrama is always thinking of these two things—palatable food and sex enjoyment. The talks of the wife, which are enjoyed as a family recreation, and the talks of the children both attract the living entity. He thus forgets that he has to die someday and has to prepare for the next life if he wants to be put into a congenial body.
SB Canto 5
O My sons, you should accept a highly elevated paramahaṁsa, a spiritually advanced spiritual master. In this way, you should place your faith and love in Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You should detest sense gratification and tolerate the duality of pleasure and pain, which are like the seasonal changes of summer and winter.
SB Canto 6
Material enjoyment is indeed the cause of all unhappiness, but one cannot give it up unless one has personally experienced how much suffering it is. Therefore one should be allowed to remain in so-called material enjoyment while simultaneously advancing in knowledge to experience the misery of this false material happiness. Then, without help from others, one will find material enjoyment detestful. Those whose minds are changed by others do not become as renounced as those who have personal experience.
A special distinction between devotees and the other transcendentalists, namely the jñānīs and yogīs, is that jñānīs and yogīs artificially try to become one with the Supreme, whereas devotees never aspire for such an impossible accomplishment. Devotees know that their position is to be eternally servants of the Supreme Lord and never to be one with Him. Therefore they are called sama-mati or jitātmā. They detest oneness with the Supreme. They have no lusty desires for oneness; instead, their desire is to be freed from all material hankering. Therefore they are called niṣkāma, desireless.
SB Canto 7
If one continuously sprinkles drops of ghee on a fire, the fire will not be extinguished, but if one suddenly puts a lump of ghee on a fire, the fire may possibly be extinguished entirely. Similarly, those who are too sinful and have thus been born in the lower classes are allowed to enjoy sinful activities fully, for thus there is a chance that these activities will become detestful to them, and they will get the opportunity to be purified.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The moonlike face of Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of nectarean songs and the abode of His flute. It is also the root of all bodily beauty. The gopīs think that if their eyes are not engaged in seeing the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa, it would be better for them to be struck by a thunderbolt. For the gopīs, to see anything but Kṛṣṇa is uninteresting and, indeed, detestable. The gopīs are never pleased to see anything but Kṛṣṇa. The only solace for their eyes is the beautiful moonlike face of Kṛṣṇa, the worshipful object of all senses.
CC Antya-lila
"Your exalted poetic descriptions of the mellows of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are like an ocean of nectar. But why have you put in a false prayer about Me? It is like a drop of detestable alkali."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
In the Lalita-mādhava of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī it is stated, "After Kṛṣṇa's arrival in Kaṁsa's arena, Kaṁsa's priest looked at Kṛṣṇa with a detestful expression. The entire arena was filled with dread on the part of Kaṁsa and his priest and restless expressions of pleasure on the cheeks of Kṛṣṇa's friends. Frustration was felt by His envious rivals. The great sages meditated. Hot tears were in the eyes of Devakī and other motherly ladies, and hairs stood on the bodies of the expert warriors. There was astonishment in the hearts of demigods such as Indra. The servants danced, and the restless eyes of all the young girls glanced about." In this statement there is a description of a combination of different mellows, but there is no incompatibility.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Human life alone affords one the chance to attain unending happiness. In this life one should think, "Although I do not want suffering, it nevertheless comes; although I do not desire death, it forcibly snatches away my life; although I detest old age, when my youth is finished I will surely begin to age; and although I try to be free from disease and disaster, they never leave me alone." Although he sees all this suffering, a fool works hard to make his life comfortable, whereas an intelligent person calmly considers his situation and thinks of the best means to end his distress once and for all. When such thoughts become frequent and sincere, his search leads him to inquire into the Absolute Truth. Such a person takes up the path of self-realization. He may have many duties, but because of his previous pious activities such a wise person will execute these duties and at the same time confront the realities of birth, death, old age, and disease.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like there is examination. One student says, "Oh, I have studied so much." But when the examination was taken, he failed. So what does it mean that he studied? That means he did not study, that's all. The test is that spiritual advancement means minimizing material activities. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Automatically they will be detestful for material engagement. Spiritual advancement means that.
Just like a hungry man, if you give him to eat, as soon as he begins to eat, immediately he'll feel satisfaction, and when he is fully fed, he'll say, "No, I don't want any more." So similarly, spiritual advancement means proportionately one should be detestful to material engagement. That is the test.
So if anyone is advancing by meditation or bhakti-yoga or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to give evidence that he is now being proportionately detached from this material engagement. That is the test.
Because senses means they want some activity. Just like our eyes. If... The eyes want to see something beautiful. The tongue, tongue wants to taste something very sweet. The ear, it wants to hear something very melodious. In this way we have got our different senses. But the yoga system is trying to stop them. Now, just try to understand.
Now, here, the bhakti-yoga system is that if you stick to the hearing of Hare Kṛṣṇa and the music, melodious music of khol, karatāla, then naturally you become detestful for hearing other songs. So this is practically indriya-saṁyama. The bhakti process is that sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You cannot stop the senses to work. That is the negative process. Because the senses are meant for working. Therefore you have to give better engagement to the senses.
"You cannot have any illicit connection with woman, you cannot eat any nonvegetarian dish, you cannot be addicted, any kind of intoxication, and you cannot take part in any kind of gambling." At least these four things... These four things include everything, all kinds of vairāgya. So we have to test how much we have been able to discard these things. Then vairāgya. Then I can control my mind. Controlling mind is not so easy thing that I go to the store and purchase something. No.
Abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate. So this vairāgya can be very easily practiced when you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are practically seeing. These four things our students have very easily given up because they are serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is not advertisement. You can ask. There are many students here who have taken up this, I mean to say, philosophy very seriously, and they find it easy. Oh, they find it easy. Vairāgya automatically becomes. It is such a nice thing. It is such a nice thing that easily you become detestful to all these things.
He is the ādi-puruṣam; therefore purāṇaḥ-puruṣam. Purāṇaḥ means old, the oldest. Who can be older than Kṛṣṇa? Therefore the Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said that ādi-puruṣaḥ, that oldest person, Kṛṣṇa, He has come down to teach vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. What is that vairāgya-vidyā? Bhakti-yoga. Our difficulty is that we have been entangled with this material world, because we have been attracted by this sense-gratification in the material world. And vairāgya vidyā means unless you become detestful, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59), unless we find a better position, a better enjoyment, we cannot give it up. So this bhakti-yoga means offering the better position, better gratification, better pleasure, so that one can give up this inferior pleasure in the material world. Therefore bhakti-yoga means vairāgya-vidyā, jñāna-vairāgya. Vāsudeve. That vairāgya can be very easily achieved by bhakti-yoga vāsudeva.
There are different stages of life. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So what is the sannyāsa law? Sannyāsa means perfection. Jñāna and vairāgya. Who can take sannyāsa, renounced order, unless he has got full knowledge? As Śaṅkarācārya explains, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Unless one understands fully that "Our these material engagements, they are simply waste of time." He can attain perfection knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya (SB 1.2.12). Unless there is perfection of knowledge, jñāna, there cannot be vairāgya. And unless there is vairāgya, unless you become detestful of this material existence, there is no question of liberation. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya.
Bhakti means one is making progress towards Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and automatically he becomes detestful to the material world. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given the example: just like hungry man. If he is given food, he takes it, but as he takes it, he becomes satisfied. And when he is fully satisfied, he does not require any more food.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
You can execute your occupational duties or religious system very nicely, but if you do not develop your love for God, Kṛṣṇa, then it is simply useless labor. It has no meaning. The test is how much you have developed your dormant consciousness for loving Kṛṣṇa. That is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If actually one is making progress in devotional service, he must be detestful to any other system. They are not interested. Actual interest is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. That is our actual interest. Especially when one comes to the form of a human being, his special interest should be how to approach Viṣṇu.
There was an incidence in my life. I was, of course, at that time householder. So one my friend, he was going to cinema with his family, and he saw me. I was in the street, and he immediately stopped his car and he asked me that "You come. We are going to cinema." So I refused, that "If you give me one thousand dollars, still I shall not go to cinema." So he dragged me. He took me to the cinema house, but I never entered. I came back. You see? Because it was detestful.
So when one becomes completely separated from all these material desires, even if you offer him some profit, he'll not accept. It is the test.
Anartha means unnecessary. We are creating unnecessary necessities of life and becoming entangled. This is material life. But if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, interested in Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes detestful: "What is the use?" Just like our brahmacārīs, our devotees, they can lie, lie down flat on the ground. They don't require any nice bedstead or cushion. Because the life is so molded, they think, "Well, I have to take some rest. So in this way and that way, why should I bother about that?" Yes. That is the sign of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like in a hospital a diseased person is forced not to accept a certain type of foodstuff. He has the desire. He has the desire to take such food. Just like a typhoid patient, suffering from typhoid. Doctor says that "You cannot take any solid food. A little liquid food you can take." But he has the desire to take the solid food. "Oh, doctor has asked me not to take such food. All right, what can I do?" But he has got the desire. But a devotee, he hasn't got to be forced just like the physician asks him, "Don't do this." He automatically does so. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate: he has seen or he has tasted something better for which he doesn't like to take any more this abominable taste. That is bhaktiḥ pareśānu... That means when we become detestful such abominable things, then we should know that we are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The test is in your hand. You haven't got to ask anybody, "Do you think I am increasing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," but you can understand. Exactly in the same way: if you are hungry and if you are eating, you know, by eating, how much your hunger is satisfied, how much you are feeling strength, how much you are feeling pleasure. You haven't got to ask anybody. Similarly, if anybody increases his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the test will be that he will be disinterested with all material pleasures. That is test.
Therefore he said, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Vairāgya-vidyā means you become detestful to the material thing—paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59)—but, as Kuntī said that "My affection may increase for you," vairāgya-vidyā means not only simply give up affection of this material, but you increase your affection for Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee (2): The three modes of material nature cause the variety in the material world. In the spiritual world, what are the factors which cause variety?
Prabhupāda: That saṁvit, sandinī, varieties of Kṛṣṇa's spiritual energy.
Trivikrama: In Kṛṣṇaloka there are children, Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd boys.
Prabhupāda: That is also eternal. That is another planet. Eternally Kṛṣṇa is playing with the cowherds boy. Not that these children are being born. They are like... Just like in this world also we see Kumāras, that eternally child, Kumāras, the four Kumāras. They are born along with the Brahmā, but they're just like a small, four years old boy, Kumāra, catuḥsana-kumāra. So we get some information only, but you will see them practically when you go. (laughter) You take information only. But it is not variety-less, not the nonsense theory, zero. That is the first thing. It is not zero. So any other question? Nirviśeṣa-saviśeṣa. There Kṛṣṇa is dancing always with the gopīs. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). There everything is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's own form. Here is also This is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy, material energy. And that is Just try to understand like this. Here everything is by the expansion of Kṛṣṇa's material energy. And there, everything is there by His spiritual energy. That's all. Something made of sugar and something made of dirt. The sugar is always sweet, and dirt is always detestful. That's all.
Now here, these boys, these girls, they are worshiping Kṛṣṇa, and they are becoming devotee. What is the sign of devotee? The sign of devotee is that the devotees are no more interested with material enjoyment. That is devotee. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). So these young boys and girls, they do not go to cinema. They do not smoke. They do not go any restaurant or club. Why? Virakti! Don't want this! What to speak of here, poor country, but in the European, American countries, everything is available very cheap. But they are not interested. They are interested to sit down on the floor without any chair and follow me, whatever I say. They have no sufficient eating even. I cannot give them to their standard. Still... Why? Because they don't want this material happiness. That is the test. That is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). When one will become detestful to material enjoyment, you will know, or he'll know. Personally one can understand how much he is advanced in spiritual life. Spiritual life does not mean that a sannyāsī is smoking and drinking tea, one gallon of tea. That is not spiritual life. He must be detestful. So this dharma, or spiritual life, means to have no more interest in material activities but only in the understanding of God, the Supreme, and His service. That is spiritual life.
Bhajana-kriyā. Actually engaged in service, officially being initiated to take service of the Lord, that is called bhajana-kriyā. And bhajana-kriyā means anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then anartha, all these rascal habits, namely illicit sex, and intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling-nivṛtti, no more.
That is the test that whether you are actually initiated. If you are still attached to these... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktiḥ... If you are not detestful to all these nonsense habits, then you must know that you are not making any progress. You are not making any progress. Because this is the result. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. If you are actually making advance in bhajana-kriyā, then this attachment will be finished. No more. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Not by force, but appreciating something, better condition of life, one rejects all this nonsense. That is advancement. Bhajana-kriyā. By bhajana-kriyā, by being initiated and executing the bhajana, now, one just be detestful. Then niṣṭhā. Tato niṣṭhā, firm faith. Tato ruciḥ. Ruci means taste. You cannot do without it. Just like the drunkard, he cannot remain without drinking. Similarly, a devotee is also drunkard. He cannot remain without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is called ruci, taste. Tato ruciḥ athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment. That is required.
Why we are getting different bodies? Because we have got different tendency for sense gratification. Indriya, aindriyāt. This is the disease, material disease. Everyone has got tendency for sense gratification, but not all of them of the same type. They have got different types. So our material bondage means these different types of sense gratification. Therefore we have to stop this. We have to be detestful from this sense gratification. Then our spiritual life will begin. That is possible by bhakti.
But these devotees, they are not interested at all. The cinema is here, a few steps away, but you will never see a student or a disciple of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will go to that nonsense place. Practical you can see. Why it has become possible? Bhaktyā pumāñ jāta-virāga aindriyāt. It is practical. The more you engage yourself in devotional service, the more you will forget your sense gratification process. And as soon as you become completely detestful for sense gratification, then you are liberated person, fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.
Material life means sense gratification. Everyone is working so hard day and night. Why? For sense gratification. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Gṛhamedhi, those who have accepted this body or the society or the family or the nation, all this gṛha... It is called gṛha. Or gṛhamedhi, those who are attached to all these things, gṛhamedhi. Their only happiness: yan maithunādi, sexual intercourse, that's all. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. Very insignificant, very abominable combination of man and woman. And they are working so hard day and night. That is the only pleasure. So vairāgya means when you will be detestful to this sex pleasure. That is called vairāgya. "No more." Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde. That is possible only when you are perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise it is not possible.
O My sons, you should accept a highly elevated paramahaṁsa, a spiritually advanced spiritual master. In this way, you should place your faith and love in Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You should detest sense gratification and tolerate the duality of pleasure and pain, which are like the seasonal changes of summer and winter.
Those who have become vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ and engages himself in the service, for them, janayaty āśu vairāgyam, very soon they become detestful to all this material way of life.
That is the test. How much one has advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can test himself that "How much I have become detestful, all this material way of life?" Everyone can test himself. If he has got still some inclination, then he is not fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. He has to work very hard, how to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible. So that is called vāsudeva-parā. Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ is not so easy.
So the bhakti-mārga, it is clearly said, it is, that you cannot be purified simply by performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremony. Na niskrtaiḥ. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādī means... Brahma means śabda-brahma, Vedic injunction. So there are many brahmavādīs. Just like Manu-saṁhitā. Parāśara, he has made viṁśati dharma-śāstras. So they are authorized things. But still, if you follow the ritualistic ceremonies, if you make atonement according to the Vedic direction, you cannot be fully purified, fully purified, because unless you are detestful of this material existence, unless you are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead. If you want to adjust in this material world to be happy, then you have to commit sinful activities. There is no doubt about it. Therefore it is said that you cannot be purified. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhis tathā viśuddhyaty aghavān vratādibhiḥ. Aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Every one of us who is in this material world, he is sinful. So he has to be purified. So this best purification process is devotional service. And the purification process begins—anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) when you have no more any material desires. Then you..., the purification begins.
So the test of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one should be detestful, lose attachment to the material things. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja did not like the material education from Sanda and Amarka. He very plainly said to his father that "What I have heard from my spiritual master, Nārada Muni..." Spiritual master means Nārada Muni or his representative. Therefore we should follow the Nārada-pañcarātra instructions. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). According to Nārada-pañcarātra, one should be free from all designation. Just like you boys from America and Europe, you have forgotten your designation. Therefore you are advanced, and people are very much praising that "How these Europeans, Americans have become nice devotee." They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170).
One should understand it defintely that in the material world, however you may try to make adjustments, you cannot be happy. It is not possible.
So that we must first of all understand that we cannot be happy. The example I have given many times. Just like if you take out a fish from water, you can give it very comfortable, velvet lying down bedstead. The fish cannot be happy. It will die. Because the fish is the animal of water, it cannot be happy without water. Similarly, we are all spirit souls. Unless we are in spiritual life or in the spiritual world, we cannot be happy. That is our position. Everyone is trying for that spiritual realization, but he does not know. Therefore he is trying to be happy here in material condition. He is becoming frustrated, confused. So we have to withdraw this understanding that "We shall be very happy by making adjustment of this material world." That we have to understand first of all. Then Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be effective. As I told last night, that our students, these boys and girls, they have been very much detestful in the materialistic way of life. Otherwise, they are coming of great nation. Just these American boys and girls, their fathers and their guardians, they are not poor. There is no scarcity of food or any material enjoyment. Why they are being frustrated? In India... You may say that India is poverty-stricken. They may be frustrated due to poverty, but why American boys and girls are being frustrated? That is the proof that materialistic way of life cannot make you happy.
"A human being should be inquisitive to know these things: 'Who I am? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? Why I am put into this uncomfortable position?' "
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is for them who have become detestful of this material world. They are good candidates for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then the inquiry may be that "What for these men are working so hard? What is their goal of life?" That is answered in the next verse by na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These people are working so hard because they do not know actually what is the goal of life.
Therefore Bhagavān says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). He is a jñānavān that... Jñānavān means "I am not this body; I am not matter; I am spirit soul." That is jñāna. Jñāna means there must be vairāgya, detestfulness, that "I have nothing to do with this material world." Jñāna-vairāgya. If there is real jñāna, then there will be vairāgya. Because we are suffering on account of an attachment to this material world, so jñāna means that "I have nothing to do with this material world because I am not this material body." Everyone is engaged in this bodily engagement, so-called, so many isms, all the activities of the world, because on account of this bodily conception of life. So when one becomes freed from the bodily conception of life he comes to the understanding of Brahman identification, and that is the beginning of mukti. That is not mukti.
So there is a story of the prostitute, Lakṣahīra. There was a prostitute whose charges was one lakh of pieces of diamond. It doesn't matter, a big diamond or small diamond. That was her charges. So one man was suffering from leprosy and he was being assisted, he was being assisted by his wife, very faithful wife. So still, he was morose. The wife asked the husband, "Why you are morose? I am giving you so much service. You are leper, you cannot move. I can take you... I take you on a basket and carry you. Still, you feel unhappy?" So he admitted, "Yes." "Oh, what is the cause?" "Now, I want to go to the prostitute, Lakṣahīra." Just see. He is leper, a poor man, and he is aspiring to go to a prostitute who charges 100,000 of pieces of diamond. So anyway, she was a faithful wife. She wanted to satisfy her husband. Some way or other, she arranged. Then, when the leper was at the house of the prostitute, the prostitute gave him very nice dishes of food but everything in two dishes, everything, one in the golden pot, another in iron pot. So while he was eating, so he inquired the prostitute, "Why you have given me in two pots?" "Now, because I wanted to know whether you will feel different taste in different pots." So he said, "No, I don't find any difference of taste. The soup in the golden pot and the soup in the iron pot, the taste is the same." "Then why you have come here?" This is foolishness. The whole world is going on like that. They are simply trying to taste the same thing in different pot. That's all. They are not detestful that "No more, sir. I have tasted enough." That is not fact. That is called vairāgya-vidyā, no more tasting: "It is all the same, either I take in this pot or that pot."
Therefore, whatever little life we have got, instead of wasting for improving economic condition, let us use it for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is life. Who understands this philosophy, this rascal world? Nobody understands this philosophy, but this is real philosophy: not to waste your valuable time for improving your economic condition. That is not possible. You have to utilize every moment to see how we are improving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So "How I am proving? Who will give me the certificate?" No. You don't require anyone's certificate. You'll know it. If you actually trying for advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the certificate will be understood by yourself automatically. What is that? Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that means you'll be detestful for material enjoyment, especially sex enjoyment. That is the last word of material enjoyment. So this is the test, that bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt.
So unless one becomes detestful of this material world, it is to be understood that he has not yet entered in the spiritual understanding. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). This is the test of bhakti. If one has entered the domain of devotional service, this material world will be not at all tasteful for him. Virakti. No more.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Every śāstra, you'll find. At least at the end of life one should be completely free from these bad habits. That is called sannyāsa. Don't cheat, accept sannyāsa and indulge in these things. Don't be cheater. That is very bad. Sannyāsa means to take vow. In other station of life, there may be we fall down. But sannyāsa means no, no falldown. Therefore we have now taken very seriously. Unless one is found completely competent to accept sannyāsa, there is no more use of awarding sannyāsa. So this is the process. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Brahmacarya is very, very essential. And that is, when one becomes detestful to sex life, that is the beginning of spiritual life. That is the beginning of spiritual life.
Kṛṣṇa-mādhurya-sevā, prāptira kāraṇa. Just like in the material world, when we serve somebody, we become tired. We become detestful. We do not like to serve. But if we serve Kṛṣṇa, then we shall feel some ecstasy in increasing the service. There is no payment. There is, I mean to say... Materially, there is no payment. Still, a person engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be encouraged to serve more and more. This is the distinction. In the material platform, if you serve somebody, you will find tired, satiated. You won't like. But if you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you'll find yourself more energetic. You'll like to serve more and more. That is the test. If I feel tired, then that is material, and if I feel more encouraged, that means it is blessings of Kṛṣṇa.
Festival Lectures
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā means to become detestful to this material world. That is called vairāgya-vidya. And that is possible simply by this bhakti-yoga.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So if you, in this life, simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. What is that success? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this material body, no more acceptance of material body; we remain in our spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. That is now covered by the material dress, subtle dress and gross dress. So if we give up the propensity for material sense gratification, that is mukti. So long we have a pinch, a drop of desire to enjoy material happiness, we'll have to accept a body, different types of body, out of the 8,400,000. But if we become satisfied with service of Kṛṣṇa, then we have no more interest with this material happiness. That is mukti. When we shall be detestful with this material happiness... (indistinct) Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi. (indistinct) No more (indistinct). That is mukti. Kṛṣṇa will give you all facility. He'll give you facilities, whatever you want.
Initiation Lectures
Prabhupāda: The more you become free from material harassment, the more you make advance in spiritual life, or the more you make advance in spiritual life, the more you become detached to the material life. These are the tests. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, devotional life, spiritual life, the test is that viraktir anyatra. Anyatra means beyond, without Kṛṣṇa, everything becomes detestful. The example is given just like a hungry man, when he's eating, as he's eating so he's feeling satisfaction and no hunger, proportionately. And at one time it will come, he'll say, "No, I don't want any more. I am completely satisfied." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He said, "I am now completely satisfied. I have, I haven't got to ask anything, benediction." That is the progress and ultimate goal of bhakti. As soon as one is saturated with bhakti, he has no more demand, no more attraction for this material world. Not... Kṛṣṇa attraction means decreasing attraction for the material world.
General Lectures
Those who are attached to viṣaya, sense gratification, they cannot see what is Vṛndāvana. They cannot see what is Vṛndāvana. They cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, those who are viṣayī. Viṣaya means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. This is viṣaya, material objectives. They cannot. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings,
- viṣaya chāḍiyā kabe śuddha ha'be mana
- kabe hāma herava śrī-vṛndāvana
Visaya chadiya, one who has become detestful to this material enjoyment, they can see what is Vṛndāvana. Those who are attached to material enjoyment, they cannot see what is Vṛndāvana. These are the process.
So the saṅkīrtana movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, your, the heart disease, material enjoyment, that will decrease, and then you will understand what is your position and you will be gradually attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). This is the test of bhakti, that if you engage yourself twenty-four hours in devotional service, then immediately you become liberated. Bhaktiḥ pareśā... Liberation means to become detestful to material enjoyment.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: That is our proposal. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti means one who advances in bhakti, he becomes..., he has no more any taste for material enjoyment. The more one increases in bhakti cult, he decreases his tendency for material enjoyment. That is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra. Unless one becomes detestful for material things, it is to be understood that he is not making progress. This is practical.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Bhakti means enhancing spiritual taste. That is bhakti. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). And as he increases his spiritual taste, he becomes (sic:) detestful to this material enjoyment. This is the taste.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: These are all material necessities. So if you come to the spiritual platform, the test is that you have no material necessities. So long you are diseased, you require medicine, but when you are not diseased there is no need of medicine. It is the healthy state. So so long we are materially diseased, we require all these material necessities. So when you are on the spiritual platform there is no material (indistinct). Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **, then you conquer over even our prime necessities, eating, sleeping, mating, and defense, the prime necessities the primary necessities, you don't require. You will sleep less, you will eat less, there is no need of mating, (indistinct), very less. So the lesser, lesser you become, that means spiritual. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra (SB 11.2.42). Your spiritual advancement means you become reluctant, disgusted with this, no more. Just like Yamunācārya, he explains his position,
- yadavadhi mama cetāḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
- nava-nava-(rasa-)dhaman(y udyataṁ) rantum āsīt
- tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāṇe
- bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca
"Since I have begun my Kṛṣṇa consciousness the more I advance I become very much detestful for sex life. As soon as I think of sex life I spite on it."
Devotee (2): How can you tell when your senses are getting purified?
Prabhupāda: You will understand Kṛṣṇa more and more. So long your senses are not purified, you will not understand clearly what is Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...understanding Kṛṣṇa means detestful to the material world, attached to Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavaḥ viraktir anyatra syāt.
Prabhupāda: So you remain with bad and good. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. That possibility is here. Sometimes you are going to the higher heavenly planets, a long duration of life, better standard of enjoyment—again coming back. (break) Good and bad is exemplified: just like I catch you and put down the water, and when you are suffocated, I raise you little, and you say, "Oh. (laughter) It is very nice." But you do not know, again you are going to be... You see? "This good, bad" is here like that. He is put into the water and suffocated, and when he is taken out little, he says, "Oh, it is very good. It is very good." The rascal does not know, the next moment he is going to be again drowned in that. That is going on. Daṇḍya-jane rāja-jana... That was the chief punishment formerly. If one has to be punished, instead of putting into the jail and feed him, the officers will take him to a river and put him in the water. In this way, one day doing, he will say "I will never do these things. Please excuse me." Daṇḍya-jane rāja-jane nadite cubaya. (break) ...unless one remembers this, that "To be in the material world, how suffocating it is," he will not fit for going to back to Godhead. He must be completely detestful. If he keeps little attachment, "No, it is very good sometimes," then you have to remain here. (break) "This is not permanent. I shall be put next moment in the bad condition." That he must know. That is knowledge. And if he makes compromise, then he has to be again... (break)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So do you like to accept it, that disease? Therefore it has been condemned, prāyaścitta. Perhaps you have read it in the beginning of Sixth Canto. Prāyaścitta... Parīkṣit Mahārāja condemned, "What is the use of this Vedic prāyaścitta if it is suffering, again and again? Then what is the use?" That he has condemned. But prāyaścitta vimarśanam. Therefore the rascal should be given knowledge that "You are attacked with some disease. Very good. You are injected with some medicine. You are cured. Then again you are attacked. So why you are going in this way? Stop it." And that is knowledge. That knowledge is also not perfect, because even a man in knowledge, he knows that "If I go to prostitute, I'll be attacked with syphilitic poison, and last time I had the same trouble. I had to spend so much money." But still he'll go, because he has no knowledge. So even one has no knowledge, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes detestful: "Oh..." That is the, mean, gift of bhakti.
Prabhupāda: That is the taste of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB 11.2.42). As soon as you advance in devotion, you become detestful to the all material enjoyment.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One who understands Kṛṣṇa consciousness should want to finish the business of material life.
Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore he's required to read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly. It is said clearly, "This is a place of misery." Why do you desire to keep yourself in this.... That means you do not understand what is spiritual life.
Hari-śauri: Still thinking he's this body.
Prabhupāda: Thinking. Thinking, he's under the influence of māyā. māyā is dictating, "Why you are trying to go away? Come on, here, Santa Monica." (laughter) And when you become detestful either this Santa Monica or any Monica, "I am not interested," then your spiritual life is...
Mr. Malhotra: The test of the pudding is by eating. Not by simply telling.
Prabhupāda: When you eat, you haven't got to ask somebody else, "Do you think I am happy?" You'll feel yourself. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If you are actually devotee, then you will be detestful to all material things.
| Page Title: | Detestful |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 22 of Feb, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=6, CC=2, OB=3, Lec=35, Con=8, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 54 |