Engaged in sense gratification (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"engage in sense gratification" |"engaged in sense gratification" |"engages in sense gratification" |"engaging in sense gratification" |"senses and sense gratification"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Those who are karmīs, means those who are engaged in sense gratification.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Those who are karmīs, means those who are engaged in sense gratification... They are called karmīs. The karmīs do not care for future; they simply want immediate facilities of life. Just like a child without the care of the parents, he plays whole day and doesn't care for future life, do not take any education. But in the human form of life, if we are actually intelligent, we shall try our best how to get that life or body where there is no more death, birth, old age and disease.

Completely, people are engaged, "Work hard, earn money and be engaged in sense gratification." That's all.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Ayam, in this world, in which we are at present, that is also becoming more miserable. At the present moment people are feeling so much painful in the modern existence because this process of yajña has been... Completely, people are engaged, "Work hard, earn money and be engaged in sense gratification." That's all. This is the whole program, at the present moment is going on. That cannot bring any peace and prosperity to the society. We have to perform yajñas. That is the natural law.

By nature we are living entities, we must act. It is not possible to stop activities. So just like it is said, "An idle brain is a devil's workshop." So if we have no good engagement, then you will have to engage yourself in something nonsense.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

Devotee: Purport: "When a person is fully engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he is pleased in himself and thus he is no longer engaged in sense gratification or in fruitive activities. Otherwise, one must be engaged in sense gratification since one cannot live without engagement."

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the point. We must have engagement. We cannot stop, the same example. You cannot stop a child working. Or in activities. By nature we are living entities, we must act. It is not possible to stop activities. So just like it is said, "An idle brain is a devil's workshop." So if we have no good engagement, then you will have to engage yourself in something nonsense. Just like child, if he's not engaged in education, he becomes a spoiled child. Similarly, our two business: either material sense gratification or Kṛṣṇa consciousness or bhakti-yoga or yoga. So if I am not in yoga system, then I must be in sense gratification. And if I am in sense gratification, there is no question of yoga.

To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification."

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

If you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though you cannot finish it properly, still, you get the chance of getting a human, a higher standard human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). One who could not finish this yoga system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gets his life again as a human being in very rich family or in a very pure family. So at least human body is guaranteed, even one fails to complete the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he gets another chance. To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification." No guide. Otherwise there is a chance.

That enjoyment of senses will not give you happiness. That is our practical experience. Anybody, call anybody who is engaged in sense gratification, ask him, "Are you happy?" He'll never say.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

That enjoyment of senses will not give you happiness. That is our practical experience. Anybody, call anybody who is engaged in sense gratification, ask him, "Are you happy?" He'll never say. They are... We have practically seen. These Europeans and Americans, they have enough sense gratification. Sense gratification means money and women. So they have got enough of it. Why they are after me, rejecting this? Because sense gratification will never give you satisfaction. That is false satisfaction. Real satisfaction is when you satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is satisfaction.

They do not know even what is spiritual body, what is material body. Simply like cats and dogs, they are engaged in sense gratification, eating, sleeping, mating.

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Unless you become liberated, mukta, you have to accept a material body. Mukti means to stop accepting this material body. That is called mukti. To remain in a spiritual body. But they do not know even what is spiritual body, what is material body. Simply like cats and dogs, they are engaged in sense gratification, eating, sleeping, mating.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Generally, human form of life, rajo-guṇa, activity for creation, we can very well see. Animals, cats, dogs cows, asses... And a little civilized, engaged in sense gratification in a different way, very active, passion...

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Generally, human form of life, rajo-guṇa, activity for creation, we can very well see. Animals, cats, dogs cows, asses... And a little civilized, engaged in sense gratification in a different way, very active, passion... So these two stages of life will not help us. Because our aim is to come to the point of brahma-darśanam, self-realization, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. To remain karmīs or remain animallike life, no knowledge, simply eating, sleeping, mating, that's all... And little advancement means the same eating, sleeping, mating, but in a polished way... Mostly we find in the Western countries, the aim is animal propensities, but in a polished way.

Glāni means discrepancies. When the conditioned soul is, by the influence of māyā, is engaged in sense gratification, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

Original is the spirit soul. That spirit soul is the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and his duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is original dharma. So in order to teach that original dharma, Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Glāni means discrepancies. When the conditioned soul is, by the influence of māyā, is engaged in sense gratification, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ. Yadā yadā hi... Just like nowadays nobody's interested. The so-called educated or advanced man, if we say that "You have to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is not your duty. You are going to the office and earning daily five thousand rupees. That is simply useless. Useless. It is simply a waste of energy," who will believe it? Nobody. "Oh, this is a nonsense proposal."

Everyone in this material world is engaged in sense gratification. This is material world. And spiritual world means there is no question of sense gratification. Simply they want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual world.

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:

Everyone in this material world is engaged in sense gratification. That is the only... The cats, dogs and so-called civilized man is simply nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4), doing all kinds of sinful activities. Why? Yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti, simply for sense gratification. Simply for sense grat... This is material world. And spiritual world means there is no question of sense gratification. Simply they want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual world.

They are simply engaged in sense gratification: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. Their business finished. They do not know anything else.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

Freedom means wherever you like, you can go, you can stay, nobody can check. That is liberation. That is liberation. So here it is said that if you want that sort of liberation, then mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). If you want that sort of liberation, then associate with mahātmās, great souls. And if you want to be stuck up in this material world, then you associate with persons who are addicted to sense gratification. That's all. Two processes. If you be addicted to the process of sense gratification... Like animals. They have no other information. They are simply engaged in sense gratification: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. Their business finished. They do not know anything else. If I call some animals... Why people are not taking part in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because they are animals. They are appearing with four hands and legs, but they have been trained to become animals. So they cannot take. But we are trying to train them from animalism to humanism by associating with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

But they have got another dissatisfaction: that seeing men like us engaged in sense gratification and working whole day and night like dogs and pigs, so they are very much anxious.

Lecture on SB 5.6.1 -- Vrndavana, November 23, 1976:

Prahlāda Mahārāja was anxious not for himself. Naivodvije para duratyayā-vaitaranyas tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. "My Lord, personally I have no problem. It is finished." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi. Dhruva Mahārāja also said the same thing. A devotee, for personal... Because they are ātmārāma. They have no business for personal satisfaction. They are completely satisfied, ātmārāma. But they have got another dissatisfaction: that seeing men like us engaged in sense gratification and working whole day and night like dogs and pigs, so they are very much anxious. Tato vimukha-cetasa. "Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are working so hard day and night like asses and pigs and dogs." They are very much anxious for this, "How to stop this foolish person from this unnecessary trouble?"

This human form of life should be properly utilized, not simply engaged in sense gratification like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

We have to accept a type of body. Otherwise how there are so many different types of bodies? What is the explanation? Why different forms of body, different stages of body, different standard of body? That is nature's law. Therefore this human form of life should be properly utilized, not simply engaged in sense gratification like cats and dogs. That is not very responsible life.

You are suffering because you indulged in your past life sense gratification, and you have got this body according to karma, and again, if you are engaged in sense gratification, do not try to elevate yourself from this platform of sense gratification, then you'll again suffer.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

Now you are suffering on account of this body. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). And still you are doing something which will cause to accept another material body. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. And you are suffering because you indulged in your past life sense gratification, and you have got this body according to karma, and again, if you are engaged in sense gratification, do not try to elevate yourself from this platform of sense gratification, then you'll again suffer. You'll get, by nature's way, you'll get another body according to the desire. According to the mentality you create at the time of death, nature will supply you another body. And as soon as you get another body, your suffering begins.

General Lectures

The difference between material life and spiritual life is that if somebody is simply engaged in sense gratification business, that is called material life.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Yoga means to control the senses, to understand my spiritual position, my constitutional position. Just like a boy who is accustomed to playing only, he cannot concentrate in his study, in understanding his future life, or in elevating himself, a higher position. Similarly, if we are engaged like child without knowing the future of life, simply playing with the senses, that is called material life. The difference between material life and spiritual life is that if somebody is simply engaged in sense gratification business, that is called material life. And out of many thousands of such materialistic persons, if somebody is trying to understand, "What I am? Why I have come here? Why I am put into so many miserable condition of life? Is there any remedy...?" these questions, when arises, then, practically, his spiritual life begins.

We are being deviated from our eternal relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, on account of our too much being engaged in sense gratification.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

The yoga system, any yoga system, means... Bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga—there are different names of yogas—but actual fact is how to link up our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga. Yoga indriya-samyamaḥ. Indriya. Because we are being deviated from our eternal relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, on account of our too much being engaged in sense gratification. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Lord says, Kṛṣṇa says, "Those who are too much after bhoga and aiśvarya, material enjoyment and material opulence," prasaktān āṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām, "whose heart has been taken away by the process of sense gratification, for them, it is very difficult to be situated in samādhi."

Philosophy Discussions

But those who have accepted this material body in the human society, for them it is not good to be engaged in sense gratification like dogs, hogs and camels.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Material life means conditioned life. There is no question of freedom. Just like prison life. Prison life means conditioned life. You may be a first-class prisoner, a second-class, a third-class prisoner, that is another thing, but as soon as you are put within the walls of the prison house, you are conditioned. That is a fact. Similarly, anyone who has accepted this body (Sanskrit). Just like Bhāgavata says, nayam deha dehabhajam nrloke. Nrloke. Everyone is conditioned, accepting this material body. But he says nayam deha deha-bhajam nrloke. But those who have accepted this material body in the human society, for them it is not good to be engaged in sense gratification like dogs, hogs and camels. Everyone who has got this material body, he is conditioned. But, so when one gets the body of a human being, he should not be so conditioned like the dogs, hogs, camels. This is the truth, that we are conditioned. We have got the body. We have got the bodily necessity. We have to eat, we have to sleep, gratify our senses, protect ourself from fear. The conditions are there, but still, we can make the conditions better. How? Tapo. We have to undergo austerities, penances. Just like we, we don't say, "No sex life," but "No illicit sex life." This is better life.