When we eat something, we taste its rasa, the juice. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Kaunteya, My dear Arjuna, I am the taste of the water." Everyone, when he's thirsty, he wants, "Give me water, give me water." Because there is a taste in the water which will immediately quench your thirst. So we enjoy everything because there is some taste. That is called rasa. Anything we do. Just like a man, he's working very hard day and night. What for? For maintaining his family, his children and wife. So unless there is some rasa, some taste, he cannot work so hard day and night. There is some flavor in maintaining the family with hard labor. And sometimes we see therefore one who has no family, one who has no family affection, he does not work so hard. He doesn't care to work. This is practical. Therefore in the Vedic civilization the family life is recommended unless one will become confused, hopeless, because he has no taste for the family life. So everything there is some rasa, taste. Without that taste, nobody can live.
Family life (Lectures, SB)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So everyone is serving his senses, but he is thinking that he is master. That is kaitavaḥ, means cheating or māyā. The conclusion is that as we are constitutionally servant, we must remain a servant, not try falsely to become master. But by experience we see that by giving service to so many things, nobody is satisfied; neither I am satisfied. For example, again let us go to the family life. A man has served the family with heart and soul throughout the whole life, and when he is old man, if he asks permission from his wife, "My dear wife, now I have served so much. Let me take sannyāsa now," the wife will never give permission. She will say, "What you have done? I have got to do so many things. Your, this son is not yet settled up; this daughter is not yet married. How you can take sannyāsa? So you cannot do." So actually, he is the servant of the wife, but he is thinking, "I am master of the family." This is called māyā. And any religious system on the platform of this false understanding is also cheating.
Gṛha andha-kūpam. Andha. Andha means blind or darkness. So our materialistic way of life is described as gṛha andha-kūpam. The family life is just like a dark well. We are already in the darkness, and another darkness is to fall in the dark well. If one falls down in the dark well, it is very difficult to get out because he may cry very loudly and people may not hear. These dark well are sometimes there in the paddy field. I have seen one dark well. In your country when I was guest in John Lennon's house in 1969 we saw in the garden there was a dark well. Dark well means a very deep ditch, well, but it is covered with grass. You cannot know that there is a deep well, but while walking, you may fall down within it. And it is already covered with grass, and it is very deep. If you fall down and you try to get out of it, because it is lonely place, nobody is there, nobody may hear you, and you may simply die without any help.
So in family life, if we introduce this arcā-vigraha-sevā... Every family can keep Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa vigraha, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's photo vigraha, and as we are, whatever we are doing, center is Kṛṣṇa, similarly, everyone can do that. That will solve all social problems. Social problems, philosophical problems, economic problems. Economic problems, practically, there is no economic problem... Just like in London they are throwing away tons of tomato into the sea. That is our creation. God has given sufficient to eat. But because there is strike, we have created a problem. So if one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, what will be strike? Strike means they want money, more money, more money. There is no end. When I first came to America in New York, there was strike of the transport men. All transport stopped. The subway, the bus, everything. People became so much in difficulty.
There are many instances, such thing, India still, but that is diminishing. Of course, if we say so many stories, it will take... But there are many examples. I have got personal experience of my youngest sister, you see. She is dead and gone. Her husband was a first-class debauchee. (break) ...she could understand, after her marriage. But she was so tolerant that when I used to go to her house, I used to enquire about my brother-in-law and she would reply, "Oh, he has gone just now out." She would never say that her husband never comes home. So in order to hide the secrecy... And later on I saw—this is our practical experience—that debauched husband become a faithful servant of my sister, simply by her toleration. This is practical experience I have seen. So the same thing, sometimes it is happen that a man, man has got a, I mean to say, spirit of controlling. So his wife tolerates, then the..., then there will be no misunderstanding; gradually the family life will be nice. But if in a moment's misunderstanding we prepare ourselves to be separated, that is not..., there is no love. There is no love. So here Lord Caitanya gives the same example that "Either You embrace Me, or kiss Me, or You trample down under Your feet, because You are a debauch, I know, still You are My beloved." This is pure love.
So here Kṛṣṇa came to establish this fact, that "You are neither Roman, nor Indian nor brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. You are My eternal servant. Therefore give up all this nonsense identification." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Because due to your wrong identification, you have created so-called "isms:" Hinduism, Muhammadanism, nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." This is all nonsense. This is the understanding of religion. Whatever we have created with the bodily concept of life, they are all nonsense. The real religion is that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is real religion. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was questioned by Sanātana Gosvāmī, "My dear Sir, I have come to You to surrender to You because You are my spiritual master. You have asked me to give up my family life. So by Your word I have given up. Now I have come to You. So this is my first question." One should be very inquisitive. After initiation, ādau gurvāśrayam. This is our system. So just to become enlightened in the spiritual affairs of life... As Arjuna also said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī also, he said, "Sir, You asked me. I am now surrendered to You. So this is my question."
Therefore matter's another name is asat. And spirit's another name is sat. Sat means "which exists." Asat means "which does not exist." Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). We have already described that this body, this body is antavat, it has got end, but the consciousness, or the spirit soul, it is not... It is endless. So the endless, I mean to say, ever-existing soul, being contaminated by this body, he's full of anxiety. So Prahlāda Mahārāja thinks that in order to realize his self for self-realization, if he gives up all material engagement and takes to the path of self-realization, that is the best way of his life. And the father became angry. "What nonsense he's taking? A five-years-old boy, he's taking, talking of self-realization. I wanted to make him a great politician, economist. Now he's talking of this nonsense and..." Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. "He's describing that this family life is just like a dark well." If a man is put, dark well... (break)
That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kūpa, ātma-pātam. Just like a man falls in the blind well. He has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitvā, "Just give it up." Hitvātma-pātam andha-kūpam, gṛham andha-kūpam. Then where shall I go? Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ, "Go to Vṛndāvana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim āśrayeta: "Just take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja.
This is very interesting verse. (laughs) (laughter) To have very charming wife is not very good. And in your country you have got all charming wife. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that there are four kinds of enemies in family life. These are very experienced version. He says, mātā śatru. In family means we live with father, mother, wife, children. This is family. In your country family does not mean father-mother, only wife and children. But in our country, according to Vedic civilization, family is a large conception. Father, mother, brother, sister, sister's son, brother's son. If there are difficulty, one has to su... So on the whole, father, mother, wife and children, consisting of, family.
So Nārada says that "Giving up all other engagements..." Just like it is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Give up all other engagements. Simply surrender unto Me." So if somebody, out of sentiment, without understanding, out of sentiment, surrenders, comes to Kṛṣṇa... Here he had many duties to perform, his family life, his duty to the country, so many duties. Everyone has got so many duties. But one gives up all other duties, simply comes to Kṛṣṇa. Then what happens to him? This is very important version of Nārada Muni. He says, sva-dharma: "Everyone has got some occupational duty. So he gives it up according to the instruction of Kṛṣṇa," and caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, "and begins devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then, after some time..." Just like many... When I came, in the beginning, there were many, not many, a few, say within five or six, they were working with me, but now they are not working. So that is possibility. Because one may come by sentiment. Then, after staying for some time, he may find it: "Oh, what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Let me do something else." Or "Let me join in my previous occupation." So Nārada Muni says that "Even a person joins Kṛṣṇa consciousness, giving up all other occupational duties and without being mature, falls down, some..."
Therefore if we want to abolish all unwanted things of life, simply we come to the spiritual platform. Because that is our aim. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life is meant for spiritual understanding, not for any other purpose. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ, śāstra recommends. Only for spiritual understanding engage your activities. And what will be other things, about my family life, worldly life? That is said that tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. Just like you don't aspire or don't wish for distressed condition. It comes upon you. Similarly, whatever happy condition in your life is expected, that will also come. You don't require... There are many places. So our endeavor, the human energy should be fully engaged in understanding Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nothing else. Other things we should minimize. Yāvad artha-prayojanam. Just to maintain the body and soul together you should live very nicely. You should not become weak by health; otherwise, we cannot execute. But don't eat more, don't eat unnecessary things. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Atyāhāra, to eat more or to collect more than is required, that is forbidden by Rūpa Gosvāmī.
That is the, I mean to say, Vedic system—to teach the son and teach the disciple. If one cannot teach the son—the son is disobedient—he should give up his family life. Otherwise a father is in obligation to teach the son properly. But if it is not possible... Sometimes it so happens as family members, they do not take care. Otherwise Vyāsadeva's son is expected to become Śukadeva Gosvāmī. If not, such family connection should be given up. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Family life, if it is favorable for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it should be accepted; otherwise it should be rejected. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam.
Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānāṁ matir na kṛṣṇe. Those who have taken it a vow, that "I shall remain in this family life and improve my condition," gṛha-vratānām... Gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha and gṛha-vrata are different. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. A man is living with husband and wife or children, but the aim is how to improve spiritual life. That is gṛhastha-āśrama. And one who has no such aim, he simply wants to enjoy the senses, and for that purpose he's decorating the house, decorating the wife, children—that is called gṛha-vrata or gṛhamedhī. In Sanskrit there are different terms for different meaning. So those who are gṛha-vrata, they cannot be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Parataḥ means by the instruction of guru or instruction of authority, parataḥ. And svato vā. Svataḥ means automatically. And automatically is not possible even by instruction. Because his vow is that "I shall remain in this way."
So these things are there, and it is the duty of the government to see how things are going on. But it is simply now dream. People are also not interested what is the aim of life, what is the mission of this human form of life; neither there is guidance. There are so many upadravas. That is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means that people will be more and more unhappy. Prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The first thing is that the duration of life will decrease, alpa-āyuṣa. And manda, all bad men. Hardly we'll find any good men. Manda. Manda means bad and slow. Both the meanings can be manda. Manda-gati. They're not interested in progressive life. That is also manda. Manda matayaḥ. And they have got their own opinions. They do not follow the standard path, and it is confirmed by the so-called leaders, yata mata tata patha, you can manufacture your own way of life. These are the situation of upadrava. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And this Kali-yuga, everyone is unfortunate, manda-bhāgyāḥ. Even in family... There is no family life. It is now increasing. They cannot live even peacefully in family. Family means husband, wife, children, father, mother. Generally, this is family. So in the family also there are enemies. This is prominent nowadays.
So real point is putram. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta. Suta means putra. And according to... (aside about birds?) Drive them. So required, married life requires children. Otherwise, it is vacant. So Bhāgavata says that ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8), that "I possess..." In another place it is said that we are thinking very secure: "I have got a nice body, stout and strong. I take daily exercise in the morning and I keep myself fit." Ataḥ... That verse is...? The...? Deha-kalatrādi. "I have got good wife..." Sainya means ātma-sainya, su, asatsu, ātmā... We are thinking, "I am in the family life. I am very happy. I am very secure. I have got my good wife, I have got my good children, and so many things... I have got good bank balance. So I am secure." So śāstra says, pramattaḥ tasya nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. I was forgetting.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. "Oh, there is no better mode of worship than what was conceived by the vraja-vadhūs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana." Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very strict about women. In His family life also, He never played any joke with women. He was very joking. But all, all with men. He never played any joke with women. No. Perhaps only once He played joke with His wife, Viṣṇu-priya. When Śacīmātā was searching after something, she, He simply played a joking word: "Maybe your daughter-in-law has taken it." That is the only joking we find in His whole life. Otherwise, He was very strict. No woman could come, when He was sannyāsī, could come near Him to offer obeisances. They would offer obeisances from a distant place. But He says: ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. He says that there is no conception of worshiping better than what was conceived by the vraja-vadhūs. And what was the vraja-vadhūs' conception? That they wanted to love Kṛṣṇa, at any risk. So this is not immoral. That we have to understand. Anything in relationship.
So why? Ignorance. Ignorance. So therefore this very word is used, avidyā. He never thinks... He is so much absorbed in ignorance that he has no time to think that "Repeatedly I am stealing, and repeatedly I am arrested, and I am punished. I sent to jail. Why I am doing this?" Result is not very good. Just like a person too much sexually inclined. He suffers in so many venereal diseases, undergoes operation, and still, he goes to prostitute, again does the same thing. This is avaidha-strī-saṅga, illegitimate. And legitimate also. After sex, the woman is pregnant, and she has to suffer for ten months. And at the time of delivery it is very dangerous sometimes. And the man also, after he gets the child, he has to take care of the child. He has to work hard to give education. This is proper, proper sex. The proper sex there are so many difficulties. And what is the..., what to speak of the improper sex? You kill the child. You take contraceptive. You make this; you make that. Therefore śāstra says, bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. After sex life, oh, there are so many troubles, bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ, simply trouble, either legitimate or illegitimate, simply trouble. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā. But because he is a rascal, ignorant, he's not satisfied, again does the same thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Again. This is called bhava-roga. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham, kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45). Iva duḥkha-duḥkham. Simply trouble. Therefore Vedic civilization is to train these small boys to remain brahmacārī, not to take trouble. But if one is unable, he's allowed. So on being trained up in the beginning as brahmacārī, he does not stay for many years in the family life. He retires very soon and becomes vānaprastha, then sannyāsa. That is the training.
Therefore intelligent men, they should inquire, "Where we shall enter in family life and we can eternally enjoy?" That is Kṛṣṇa's family. You enter into Kṛṣṇa's family, Vṛndāvana family, where Kṛṣṇa has got His father, mother, His friends, His lover, His beloved, His cows, His garden, His Yamunā. You enter that, that family. Then yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). Then you will not have to return back again to this temporary family, which will not stay. But if you enter Kṛṣṇa's family... Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that—you are so much family, fond of family life—"Just here see. I have got My family. I am not impersonal. I have got My family. I have got My father. I have got My mother. I have got My friend. I have got My beloved, Rādhārāṇī, and the gopīs. Everything I have got. You can enter also. Come. Why you are rotting here?" That is Kṛṣṇa's mission.
His first was... Kaumāram... Bhakta? I forget now. My memory is becoming old. (laughs) So, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). That, he was preaching: "My dear friends, we are now unmarried boys, so this is the opportunity. Now we are unmarried. We are not very much attached to family life. This is the opportunity." Kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ. Because as soon as one becomes materially affectionate... Here it is said, prākṛtena ātmanā viprāḥ sneha-moha-vaśam. The more we increase... When the child, when we are children, we have got little affection for playing or for father, mother, that's all, limited. But the more we grow, and especially when you are married, then this material affection increases, more entangled. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). This material life means sex life. So a man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. This is material bondage. This is natural not only human society—in dog society. Just see. The dog is crying, is crying at night because he has lost that woman. Is it not? Just see, even in the dog, what to speak of human being. So this is material life, to be affectionate unnecessarily. Therefore devotional service means vairāgya-vidyā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by His example how He gave up the affection of young, beautiful wife, very nice home, most affectionate mother, most influential position in the society—gave up.
So due to good king, in... There is a maxim in Bengali: rājera doṣe rāja naṣṭa, rājya naṣṭa, gṛhiṇī doṣe gṛhastha naṣṭa(?). This is very important instruction. If the king of the state is an impious man, sinful man, that kingdom will never be happy. Naṣṭa. Everything is spoiled. As much as in a family, if the housewife is not good, contaminated, then there is no good life in the family. In Western countries especially, and in this country also, nowadays, there is no peace between husband and wife, and there is no, practically, no family life. In Western countries there is divorce. Here also the divorce law is introduced. And no family is happy. Gṛhiṇī doṣe gṛhastha naṣṭa. So king must be very pious.
So sometimes I was little obstinate, I'll not, sit down, "No, I'll take with you, (indistinct)." But that was system. First of all children should be sumptuously fed, then the brāhmaṇas, and children and old men. In the family, children and old men... Just see Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, how much he was anxious to take care of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Although he played, played the part of an enemy throughout, still it is the duty of the family member to take care of the old men. When Dhṛtarāṣṭra left home after being accused by his younger brother Vidura, so, "My dear brother, you are still attached to family life, you have no shame. You are taking food whom you..., from whom you considered your enemies. You wanted to kill them from the very beginning. You set fire to their home. You banished them in the forest. You intrigued against their lives, and now everything is finished, all your sons, grandsons and son-in-laws and brothers, fathers, uncles...," I mean to say Bhīṣma was his uncle. So all the family. In the battlefield of Kurukṣetra everyone was killed except these five brothers: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva. All male members were killed. So, only the remaining descendant was Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was within the womb of his mother. And his father died, Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu. He was sixteen years old. Fortunately his wife was pregnant. Otherwise the Kuru dynasty was finished. So, he rebuked ,that "Still you are sitting here just for a morsel of food like dog. You have no shame, my dear brother."
Now question may be: "Such a king, why he should retire?" That question was raised by the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis about Parīkṣit Mahārāja. But the answer is that you have to do your duty. So long you are, you must try your best to do things according to the prescription, according to the injunction. But it is also your duty to retire from family life. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja... It is not that he has to work up the end point of his life. No. The life is divided... That is Vedic civilization: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So at the end of life, one must retire from family life. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja decided, "Now things are deteriorating." But that was taken care of, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, his next descendant. That is king's duty. But so far Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is concerned, he did not like to bother any more, because he has his personal duty also. That is retirement, completely engage himself to the service of the Lord.
At the present moment, people retire by force or by some way or... But they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. There are many retired men's house in your country, but they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because in your busy life, you have got very little time; therefore after gṛhastha life, fifty years, up to, not more than that, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, then you must retire. It doesn't matter whether you have finished your duty or not. It doesn't matter. You must retire. And then, after being trained for sometimes, being retired from the family life, living secluded life—not exactly secluded, but detached from family life—let the elderly sons, daughters, they can take care of the family, and the husband, wife, they travel in different places of pilgrimage. Again they come for some time, but without any attachment, as guest in the house of his son. In this way, when he is trained up, then he says to the wife, "Now you live with your sons. They will take care of you. I am taking sannyāsa."
We have got so many duties. So long we are not fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa... It is not that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give shelter to some irresponsible man who does not carry the responsibilities of family life or brahmacārī life. But that is now forgotten. Everything is topsy-turvied. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, may be offered even to the caṇḍāla. Caṇḍāla means the lowest of the human society, the dog-eaters. Caṇḍāla. This is the, mean, the benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can be accepted by anyone, and it can be bestowed to anyone, without any discrimination, without any discrimination. And that is happening. We have no discrimination that "This movement is meant for such-and-such class of men or such-and-such nation or such-and-such country." No. It is meant for everyone. And anyone who takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is happy.
So the subject matter for hearing for the ordinary person, those who are engaged in family matters, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām... So does it mean to become a family man is bad? No. It does not mean. But if you become gṛhamedhī, that is particularly said, gṛheṣu gṛhamedhī. Gṛheṣu, living in family life, but in family life there are also two classes of men: gṛhastha and these gṛhamedhī. Therefore I say that each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will have new enlightening, new. Difference, there is difference between gṛhastha and gṛhamedhī. Gṛhamedhī, just like ordinary persons, their household life means they have made the home as the center of their existence. Just like I was seeing just now the rooms of our gṛhastha, householder, boys and girls. Things are scattered. (laughter) But if you go to another person's, gṛhastha (gṛhamedhī), you will find their apartment nicely decorated, chairs, cushions, and sitting place, but they have no vision about self. And here, although we see that household affairs, their resting place, is not so nicely decorated, but their aim is Kṛṣṇa. So that is the difference between gṛhamedhī and gṛhastha. Gṛhamedhī means they simply want to decorate their apartment and children and wife. That is their end of life. That is all.
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. "One who does not know anything about this family life or sex life"—family life, they have taken it as sex life, that's all—"so they have many things to hear." Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Actually, you see. People are reading so many newspapers. In big country, big cities, there are big, big volumes of newspaper, magazines. They are very much eager to learn or to hear about the current news. So hearing means śrotavyādi. There are volumes of volumes literature, magazines, newspaper. They are hearing. But when you say, "Please come here. We are reciting Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Please hear," they will not come. They will not come. This minus. When you speak of God, then they are not ready to hear. But if you speak of dog, that "Here is a dog's medicine. You can maintain a dog like this, and a dog can become fatty like this," oh, it is very scientific matter. You see? So they are called gṛhamedhīs. So they have got many subject matter to hear, but they are not agreeable to hear only one thing—about God.
But so far our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, we are not like that māyāvādī-sannyāsa. Our sannyāsīs completely devote life for serving Kṛṣṇa. Sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means sat, nyāsa. Nyāsa means to give up. And sat, oṁ tat sat, the Absolute Truth. So for the service of the Absolute, Kṛṣṇa, we give up all family life. Family life means to give up the whole world, because people are struggling hard just to maintain the family. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ
- vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ
- divā cārthehayā rājan
- kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā
- (SB 2.1.3)
This is the materialistic life. What is that? At night, nidrayā, if one can get the opportunity of sleeping twenty-four hours, he thinks he's very much gainer, especially on Sunday. (laughter) So this is materialistic (indistinct), it is gain. In Calcutta we have seen there are office peons, they take letters and peon book and... Those who have gone to Calcutta there is a Dalhousie Square, that is downtown square. They'll take the peon book and letter and come to the Dalhousie Square and lie down and sleep up to four o'clock. Then they'll return to the office, and if the master asks them, "Why you are so late?" "No, the man was not there. I could not find. What can I do? I had to wait." (laughs) But he has spent his time by sleeping. So he thinks that "I'm getting so much salary, so if I do not work, if I sleep, that is my gain, that is extra profit." So that is material life.
And spiritualistic life means that one should be trained up as brahmacārī. Then regulated life in gṛhastha, regulated life. Gṛhastha is not bad. Family life is not bad. Therefore it is called gṛhastha-āśrama. Āśrama means..., this very word is meant where the spiritual cultivation is practiced. That is called āśrama. So it may be household life, it may be renounced order of life, it may be brahmacārī, student's life, or retired life. The spiritual culture must be there. That is human civilization. If there's no spiritual culture, that is not human society. That is animal society. The cats and dog, they have no spiritual culture.
The camel is a kind of animal that takes pleasure in eating thorns. A person who wants to enjoy family life or the worldly life of so-called enjoyment is compared to the camel. Materialistic life is full of thorns, and so one should live only by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations just to make the best use of a bad bargain. Life in the material world is maintained by sucking one's own blood. The central point of attraction for material enjoyment is sex life. To enjoy sex life is to suck one's own blood, and there is not much more to be explained in this connection. The camel also sucks its own blood while chewing thorny twigs. The thorns the camel eats cut the tongue of the camel, and so blood begins to flow within the camel's mouth. The thorns, mixed with fresh blood, create a taste for the foolish camel, and so he enjoys the thorn-eating business with false pleasure. Similarly, the great business magnates, industrialists who work very hard to earn money by different ways and questionable means, eat the thorny results of their actions mixed with their own blood. Therefore the Bhāgavatam has situated these diseased fellows along with the camels.
Pradyumna: "The human being is endowed with two canine teeth as a concession for such persons who will eat animal food at any cost. It is known to everyone that one man's food is another man's poison. Human beings are expected to accept the remnants of food offered to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord accepts foodstuff from the categories of leaves, flowers, fruits etc.(BG 9.26)
No animal food is offered to the Lord as prescribed by Vedic scriptures. Therefore, a human being is meant to eat a particular type of food, and should not imitate the animals to derive so-called vitamin values. Therefore, a person who has no discrimination in regard to eating is compared with a hog. The camel is a kind of animal that takes pleasure in eating thorns. Similarly, a person who wants to enjoy family life or the worldly life of so-called enjoyment is compared to the camel. Materialistic life is full of thorns. So one should live only by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations just to make the best use of a bad bargain. Life in the...
Prabhupāda: Is it not materialistic way of life? He's lying down on thorns. Is it not like that? So many people in old age, they are so distressed, "Now I want to be killed." Because the thorns have disturbed so much that they don't feel any value of life. So the so-called materialistic way of life, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama suta-mita-ramaṇi-samāje. Society, friendship, and love, so-called, it is simply full of thorns. That's all. But the camel likes that thorns. Therefore those who do not understand what is the value of materialistic way of life, they are just like camels. Camel is eating thorn and cutting the tongue, and blood is coming out. It is mixed with thorn. He is thinking that it is very nice food. Actually, he is tasting his own blood, and he is thinking, "Thorn is very nice." Similarly, those who are materialistic person, working day and night very hard, eating his own blood, and he's thinking he is very happy man. That's all. Therefore they are camels. That's all right. Have kīrtana. (end)
Pradyumna: So on the purport on page 153, the second paragraph: "The camel is a kind of animal which takes pleasure in eating thorns. Similarly, a person who wants to enjoy family life or the worldly life of so-called enjoyment is compared with the camel. Materialistic life is full of thorns, so one should live only by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations, just to make the best use of a bad bargain."
Prabhupāda: Hm. Just like if you are passing through thorns, you must be very careful. Otherwise the thorns will be stuck up with your garment, and you will be inconvenienced. It is said in the Vedas, kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā. Just like we shave with razor. Razor is very sharp. So if we can carefully handle the razor, we get our cheeks very cleansed, that business is done. But little inattention, immediately cut and there will be blood. Little inattention. That example is given. Kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti. The path of salvation is very difficult. Just like we are trying to go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The path is very difficult. Kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgam. Durgam means very difficult to pass over. But little attention will save you. Little attention, that "I am passing through a very dangerous way, so I must be very careful." So our attention should always be how we are executing our spiritual life.
I know, in Bombay there is a big speaker of Bhāgavatam. He preaches that "You remain in your family life very peacefully. This is the instruction of Bhāgavata." He never teaches that you have to give up this nonsense family life and you have to go back to home, back to Godhead. He never preaches that. There are so many examples. He comes to the conclusion that "You live peacefully," as if to live peacefully in this material world is the highest achievement of life. They will never disclose the actual fact that nobody can live in this world peacefully. It is not possible at all. But they want money. So they'll flatter or they'll go to Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā, presenting Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being and the gopīs are ordinary girls. So this is very palatable for us, kissing, embracing young girls. So Kṛṣṇa is doing, but they take it that their embracing and kissing is supported by Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. That is a different subject matter; they do not know that.
Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said, putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam: "Family life without a child is zero." It is zero. There are... He has calculated some zeros. First zero is: avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam: "One who is not educated, his life is zero." Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyaṁ diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. You are going to some touring, visiting, but if where you are going, if there is no temple or friend, then your touring will be zero. Therefore Indian system is when they are tourist, they go to different pilgrimages, or some friends' house. Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyaṁ diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. And you have married, but if there is no issue, then it is zero. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Sarva-śūnyā daridratā. And if you have no money, then everything is zero. Even in spite of having a home or child or education... There are so many educated. If they have no employment, their life is zero. So, ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ. As soon as we are united, male and female, then these things are required: nice home or apartment, some field for producing food, then some friends, suta, then children. Children, friends... Then money also. Without money... because without money, everything will be zero. In this way, just like a tree gradually expands his root, so our attraction, that male-female attraction, becomes deeply rooted by these things. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam. This is illusion. This is illusion. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This mamatā. "This is 'I,' this is mine." And one day, the Mr. Death will come, he'll break everything, smash everything. We forget that. But we want to remain here with this sense of "I" and "mine," but Bhagavad-gītā says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "These rascals who are not God conscious and creating ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), very, very big scheme to become happy, the whole happiness is dismantled by Me as death." Kṛṣṇa ultimately comes as death. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was planning so many things, but Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared as death and smashed everything, everything.
Nitāi: Kardama Muni?
Prabhupāda: Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni left home. So Kardama Muni was a great yogi. So he was not interested family life, but once he desired that "Let me marry." So Vaivasvata Manu, he brought his daughter Devahūti, and she was married with Kapila, er yes...
Devotee: Kardama.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Nitāi: Kardama.
Prabhupāda: Kardama Muni. So Kardama Muni, the wife, a king's daughter, but she was serving the husband, and... The yogi, in a cottage he was living, and she was king's daughter, princess. So working, working, she became very skinny. So Kardama Muni took (com)passion upon her that "This girl has come to me. She is not in a comfortable position." So by his yogic power, he created big palatial house, many servants, maidservants, garden, everything. Not only that. Kardama Muni created one airship. It was just like a small city. The modern airship—they have prepared 747—can carry about five hundred passengers. Of course, very big. But Kardama Muni created an airship just like a small city. In that airship there was nice lake and palaces and garden, and not only that, the airship traveled all over the universe. They could not make any airship to go to the moon planet. But Kardama Muni, by his yogic power, he created an airship which could go to all the planets. This is yogic power. Aṇimā laghimā prāpti. All kinds of siddhi, material siddhi. Whatever he likes, he can do. That is yoga-siddhi. Not simply pressing the nose and making some gymnastic. One must gain the yogic siddhi. By the, by the siddhi-yogī, he can do everything he likes. He can become smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. Whatever he likes he can get immediately in hand. Wherever he likes, he can go. That is yoga-siddhi.
So this family life is attraction. Gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children. Then āpta, relatives. In this way, janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), he becomes entangled in this material life. But that is moha. That is not fact. It is moha in this sense because we have to change this body. In this body I have created something, gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, and at the time of death, as Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Kṛṣṇa takes away everything as death. Your gṛha, your house, your land, your wife, your children, your friend, your reputation—everything is taken away. And then you have to begin another life. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You are not dead. You are living eternally. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This body is finished, you have to accept another body. And that you do not know what kind of body you'll get. There are so many bodies. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati: 8,400,000 forms of body. So you have to enter some of the, some of them, one of them. So in this way our life is going on. But temporarily, if we are situated in a position, "This is my wife, this is my children, this is my house, this is my country, this is my nation, this is my, mine..." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This illusion. You'll not be allowed to stay in these circumstances of ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). That's a fact. Everything will be taken away, but we are attached to this. This is material life.
So people will be so harassed in this age that out of disgust they will give up their family life. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. There will be no marriage. This is also Vedic culture, to get married. But there will be no marriage. One woman, one man will live together by agreement. And as soon as the agreement is finished, they'll be separated. That is now very prominent in Western countries. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. There is no such thing... Just like the father of the girl, they'll find out a suitable boy, and the father of the girl, they will also find out... In this way... The horoscope... Formerly, these things were very current. Without there is, I mean to say, coincidence of the horoscope, that "This boy and this girl would live very happily," by horoscopic calculation, then marriage would not take place. Then the family consideration, whether the boy is coming from suitable family or the girl is coming from su... So many things were there. Then the marriage would ta... But that kind of marriage is practically already stopped. Here, at the present moment, means simply agreement. "I like you. You like me. That's all right.
"This class of men, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām..." Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām means sense gratification. We can see in the Western countries how they are, everywhere, how they are attached to sense gratification. Punaḥ punaḥ... The same thing. Just like sex life. Everyone has sex life. Still, they are not satisfied. And... Our country it is not yet introduced, but they go to see naked dance. The same thing which he sees every night, he goes to see by paying some fees. This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇa, "chewing the chewed." This class of men... Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. And gṛha-vrata means those who have made their determination that "We shall remain in this material world, or in this family life, and we are not prepared to accept any other thing."
The Vedic principle is that you remain family life for some time, not for all the days. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. As soon as you're fifty years old, you must give up family life. Compulsory. Therefore we have got... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So for brāhmaṇa, the four āśramas are compulsory. He must become a brahmacārī. Then from brahmacārī he becomes gṛhastha. Then from gṛhastha he must become vānaprastha. Then he must become a sannyāsī. But when he becomes a sannyāsī, that is the... Tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. Tyakta-karmāṇaḥ. So long we are in this material world we have to work. Karma. Karma means to gain some profit. Karma, akarma, vikarma. Vikarma means against the law. Just like ordinary laws. If you are working honestly, business or karma, that's all right. But if you do something wrong, then you are punishable. So karma and vikarma. Vikarma is punishable. Karma you can do. You ripe (reap) your own fruit by working. You become big man, you become rich man, and you become poor man also, by your karma. If you cannot handle your business nicely, then you become poor man.
The Vasudeva and Devakī, in their previous life they underwent severe austerities. After their marriage, they immediately were not anxious to beget child. They went to the forest and began practicing austerity and penances, severe, some hundreds of years. Then Kṛṣṇa appeared that "What do you want? Why you are undergoing so much severe...?" "No, we want a son like You. Then we enter into the family life." So Kṛṣṇa said that "Where is another Kṛṣṇa?" Because God is one. "So if you want a son like Me, then I will have to become your son. There is no competitor." God has no competitor. God is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. This is the... Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mām ekam. Mām ekam. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is one, but Kṛṣṇa can expand. That is Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that "If Kṛṣṇa has become everything, then where is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is finished." This is Māyāvādī philosophy. That is materialistic idea. Just like you take a big piece of paper and you tear it into small pieces and throw it; then the paper has no existence. The paper is finished. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that.
So when Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to practice yoga for controlling the mind in the Sixth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna refused. Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are advising me to control the mind by practicing yoga, but I have no such opportunity because I am a family man. I am also politician, royal family. I have to see things, administration of the kingdom. And besides that, in family life I have to seek for my material interest. So how it is possible for me to control the mind?" So he flatly said,
- cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
- pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
- tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
- vāyor iva suduṣkaram
- (BG 6.34)
"My dear Kṛṣṇa, I think the mind is very, very restless." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa. Pramāthi: "as madman." As madman is always restless... "And very strong. I want to control the mind, but it does not come under control. So this is the position. Therefore, You are asking me to control the mind..." Tasya ahaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram: "I think it is more difficult than controlling the wind." Suppose there is very strong wind, and if you want to stop it, you see, it is not possible. There is cyclone. Similarly, Arjuna has compared the mind with the speed of cyclone. How it is to be controlled? So completely denied. But Kṛṣṇa said, just to encourage Arjuna, that he should not be disappointed because he could not control the mind. But still, because his mind was always engaged in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he is the best of all the yogis.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent His different devotees in different parts of India. And, of course, He desired that His devotees should go all the parts of the world. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) But He began in India. So their residential quarter was in Vṛndāvana, and they wrote innumerable books. And Nityānanda Prabhu went to Bengal. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally traveled all over India, especially South India. In this way, preaching was His main mission of life. He gave up His family life. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayā (SB 11.5.34). He wanted to show His mercy to the fallen souls of this yuga, Kali-yuga. Therefore, as just a young man, twenty-four years old, He gave up His family. Sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm. His family was very, very nice family, mother and wife, very affectionate mother, very beautiful wife, but He gave up everything. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam (SB 11.5.34). He went to forest. That means He accepted this sannyāsa order just to preach and to elevate the fallen souls. Māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayā.
So this human form of life... Mahārāja Bharata is instructing to His sons. He had one hundred sons. So all of them assembled together, and the king, before retirement, was instructing. (aside:) Let him come in. (pause) So, instructing His sons. It is the duty of the father that before retirement... Now, here is one significant point. Why the king was retiring? That is the system, Vedic system. Either one is king or one is ordinary human being, at a certain age he must retire. That is Vedic system. Not that because one is king and one has ample opportunities for sense enjoyment, therefore he should indulge in sense enjoyment without retiring from family life. That is not Vedic system. The Vedic system is, the aim is, how to elevate oneself to the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Vedic system. You have read Bhagavad-gītā. In the Fifteenth Chapter, fifteenth verse, you'll find, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The whole Vedic system is designed or planned how to know Kṛṣṇa. So if you follow Vedic system, then the ultimate objective should be to know Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic version and corroborated by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is the original compiler of Vedas; therefore His version should be accepted, that the objective of studying Vedas means to know Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).
Therefore the king, Ṛṣabhadeva, is advising, instructing His sons... He was retiring. Why He was retiring? He could enjoy His kingdom. Just like at the present moment, either a king or a family man does not retire. Even a poor man living in with family with great difficulties, but if you ask him to retire, he'll not be agreeable. We have asked many old men. He's suffering, he's not happy within his family members, but if I say, "Why you are taking so much trouble with the family? Why not come and live with us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness society?" he'll not agree. Because he has no Vedic training. Up to the end of this life he'll stick to the family life. Many, many politicians... In our country we have seen many old politicians, seventy-five years old, eighty years old. Not only in our country, in other countries also. In your country, Great Britain, Mr. Churchill, unless he was forced to death, he would not give up politics. Our Gandhi, he was killed by another political group. Then he was forced to retire. When Gandhi attained independence, I requested him in a letter, "Mahatma Gandhi, now you started your struggle with the Britishers, that they should go and Indians should have their independence.
Everything is being done by the laws of nature. You cannot change it. There is a plan, God's plan. It will go on. You don't have to bother yourself, that without you, everything will be topsy-turvied. No. You cannot do anything. You are falsely thinking that your leadership is very much needed. No. I was thinking. When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Mahārāja that I should give up family life and become a sannyāsī and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In several way there was hints from my spiritual master, but still, I was not willing. I was thinking, "If I go away, then my family, my sons, my daughters, they will suffer." But actually, I have left my family connection in 1950. Actually '54, but introductory in '50. For the last twenty years. But they are living; I am living. They are not dying in my absence, and I am not suffering without being in my family. On the other hand, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, I have got better family members. I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children.
So this is God's grace. We should depend on Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is kind, wherever we go, everyone will be pleased, everyone will be kind. And if Kṛṣṇa is unpleased, even in your family life you'll not be comfortable. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, at a certain age, it is indicated that one should retire from family life. So this Ṛṣabhadeva Mahārāja, He was retired. Although He had one hundred sons, all obedient sons, He was emperor, anything was at His command—still, He was retiring. That is the Vedic system. He had no disadvantage. He was personally the incarnation of Godhead, an emperor, very obedient sons, and opulence, everything complete. There are many instances. His son, Bharata Mahārāja, he also retired. You have seen Parīkṣit Mahārāja. After his retirement, this Bhāgavata was recited before him. His grandfather, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they voluntarily retired. So that is the system. In the early age, either you become a son of a king or you are son of an ordinary man, you must go to the āśrama of spiritual master and live there as servant. That is called brahmacārī. Brahmacārī's life means to serve the spiritual master as menial servant.
Where is my spectacle? (pause) Many thousands of years before, Ṛṣabhadeva... He is accepted as the incarnation of Godhead, king or emperor of the world. He instructed His sons. He had one hundred sons, and He was... Before retiring from His family life, He wanted to install His eldest son, Mahārāja Bharata, on the throne. And before retiring He was instructing His other sons as follows. Mahārāja Bharata was a great king, and after his name, India is called Bhāratavarṣa. This planet is..., was known before that as Ilāvṛtavarṣa, and after Mahārāja Bharata ruled, this planet was known as Bhāratavarṣa. Gradually, the planet was divided into so many other states. Now Bhāratavarṣa means a small piece of land known as India.
Acyutānanda: "What is the easiest method of attaining mokṣa while in family life?"
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Haṁsadūta: (repeats question)
Prabhupāda: That is not recommended in the Vedic śāstra (laughter). Especially Śaṅkarācārya, he would not accept anyone unless he accepts sannyāsa. He never accepts anybody.
Acyutānanda: "There are many religious movements, how does Kṛṣṇa consciousness take priority?"
Prabhupāda: Because it is Kṛṣṇa's movement. He is the topmost. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no more superior truth than Me." Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the supreme truth. There is no more superior truth than Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Another, that gṛhastha, householder... It is not that simply sannyāsī, renounced order, those who have renounced this material connection, they can become great soul. Not necessarily. Even those who are in family life, living with wife, children, friends, they can also become great soul. They can become great soul. So how they can become great soul? Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. They're Such gṛhastha, householder, is not exactly meant for "How to get money, how to get money." No. Their aim is how to get friendship of the Lord. That is their aim. It doesn't matter he lives with wife and children. That doesn't matter. But what is the aim of his life? The aim of his life Mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. This instruction is given by Ṛṣabhadeva. He is incarnation of God. Therefore He said, "One who is seeking the friendship of Me," or God, kṛta-sauhṛdārthā, "his only business is how to keep friendship with Kṛṣṇa."
So these mahātmās, tyāgīs. Generally, they are sannyāsīs. And so far other mahātmās also, it does not mean only the sannyāsī can be mahātmā. No. Gṛhasthas also can be mahātmā. How gṛhasthas can be mahātmās, that is explained in the next verse: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. His only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is... Otherwise, here it is said, jāyātmaja-rātimatsu gṛheṣu. He has no interest in so-called family life, wife, children, friends, and nationality. No. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. Only interest is how to please Kṛṣṇa. Such person, he is also mahātmā. Not that only the mahātmās who are renounced order. There are gṛhasthas also. Just like Advaita Ācārya, He was gṛhastha. He became very, very sorry that people are so much suffering. "It is not in My power to elevate them. Unless Kṛṣṇa personally comes, it is not possible." Therefore He offered to Lord Viṣṇu Gaṅgā-jāl, tulasī, praying, "Please come. People are very much suffering. So if You come..." And on His request Kṛṣṇa came in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So it is not that a gṛhastha cannot be mahātmā. There are many mahātmās.
All gaura-bhakta-vṛndas, they were gṛhasthas. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also gṛhastha. But their only business was to satisfy Kṛṣṇa: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti. And the ordinary gṛhasthas, they are called gṛhamedhi, they are simply interested with family life, not for the people in general. So a gṛhastha can be a mahātmā also if he is broad-minded, how to do benefit to the mass of people by introducing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So the father and mother's duty is to unite them so that they may not be spoiled, they may not be like cats and dogs. At least there will be some regulative principles they will follow. But the bondage is, as soon as they are united, the economic development, ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair (SB 5.5.8), then searching after: "Now we must have an apartment, so to..." Either you construct a house or rent a house, anyway money is required, so you will be enthused to earn money. "I have got wife, I have to keep nicely, I have to eat nicely, I have to give her dress, and so on, so on." So first of all, get one apartment or house, ataḥ gṛha. Then how to maintain the house. Formerly there was no other business except that agriculture. Agriculture, that is the economic, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). We have to eat, so grow food grains. So where shall I grow my food grains? Not on the roof, but I must have some land, ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra, land is wanted, ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra. Then putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam, family life, married life, but there is no son. That is another troublesome There are so many married life, they haven't got son, children—they are very unhappy. They spend so much money to get a children. They go to the saintly persons and beg blessing, "Give us one children, one child." There was one great big man long ago, he had no child, so he came to my Guru Mahārāja and he offered, "Guru Mahārāja, if I get a child, I can give you the whole estate." So these are natural demands. First of all husband and wife and child, then apartment, then land, then friends, then money, in this way we become entangled more, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So instead of sukhera lagiya ei ghara bandhun, I became a householder for happiness, agune puriya gela, now there is blazing fire. Sukhera lagiya ei ghara bandhun agune puriya gela. And there is another, ravana hoila ithe gatila janja: "I wanted to be happy in this way, but it has become an embarassment." So this is going on.
So these are the items we should, nirvaira-sāmyopaśamena putrā jihāsayā deha-geha. This is also one of the important items, that I am executing devotional service, but I have no detachment from my family life. The bhakti-yoga means bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). That is bhakti-yoga. Everyone can test, "How much I have become detached from my, this worldly affection. This is my family, this is my country, this is my society, this is my son, this is my wife, this is my children." This is moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), we have to give up this. If we have not been able to give up this attachment, worldly attachment, that means we are not making any progress. Therefore it is said clearly, deha-gehātmā. Eh? Buddheḥ. What is that? Jihāsayā deha-gehātma-buddheḥ. Ātma-buddheḥ. Deha-gehātma-buddheḥ. Everyone is thinking "I am this body." Everyone is thinking, "This is my country," nationalism. "This is my socialism." "I am brāhmaṇa, I belong to the brāhmaṇas," "I belong to the kṣatriyas." "I belong to America." "I belong to India." This is deha-gehātma-buddheḥ, and yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is thinking like that, deha-gehātmā, sa eva go-kharaḥ, he is no better than the cows and the asses, animal. Deha-gehātma-buddheḥ is animal conception. One has to come to understand that "I am not this body, I am not this mind or intelligence." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, Paraṁ Brahman. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7).
Pradyumna: "Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus the great well-wisher of everyone, the Supreme Lord, Ṛṣabhadeva, instructed His own sons. Although they were perfectly educated and cultured, He instructed them just to set an example of how a father should instruct his sons before retiring from family life. Sannyāsīs, who are no longer bound by fruitive activity and who have taken to devotional service after all their material desires have been vanquished, also learn by these instructions. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva instructed His one hundred sons, of whom the eldest, Bharata, was a very advanced devotee and a follower of Vaiṣṇavas. In order to rule the whole world, the Lord enthroned His eldest son on the royal seat. Thereafter, although still at home, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva lived like a madman, naked and with disheveled hair. Then the Lord took the sacrificial fire within Himself, and He left Brahmavarta to tour the whole world."
Prabhupāda:
- evam anuśāsyātmajān svayam anuśiṣṭān api loka-anuśāsanārthaṁ mahānubhāvaḥ...
- (SB 5.5.28)
Here the important point is about monarchy. There are different types of government, of which monarchy is the most prominent style. Formerly everywhere, all over the world, the monarchy was prevalent. Even up to date some of the countries, they are maintaining monarchy but only in name actually. The monarch has no power. So monarchy is good so long the king is as ideal as Bharata Mahārāja, Ṛṣabhadeva, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Lord Rāmacandra. That is the perfect type of monarchy. We have description of Rāma-rājya. We have got the word nowadays. They sometimes use Rāma-rājya party, but without Rāma. This is their policy. Where is that Rāma? When Lord Rāmacandra returned from the forest, His brother, Bharata, was ruling as a saintly person. But as soon as the eldest brother came back, He entreated that "Now You sit down on the throne." But He first of all tested what kind of people in generally there are in the Ayodhyā. So when He understood that all the citizens, they are strictly following the varṇāśrama-dharma, then He agreed to accept the throne.
Unless we become ātmārāma, there is no possibility of happiness. Just like these Gosvāmīs. They were very opulent ministers, but they were not happy. They resigned from the post. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Because there was no happiness. And what they adopted? They adopted the life of a mendicant. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. For doing good to the others they accepted kaupīna-kanthāśritau. So it is not a business of imitation, that "I am following the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī." That is not so easy to become a Rūpa Gosvāmī, ātmārāma. They were busy, very busy in transcendental activities. Simply to give up the family life or big post and come to Vṛndāvana and live cheaply by begging some capati and become Rūpa Gosvāmī, that is not ideal. You should follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, their footprints. Tyaktvā tūrṇam-aśeṣa-maṇḍala. First of all, Rūpa Gosvāmī, their giving up family life was meaningful. But if somebody, out of poverty, he comes to Vṛndāvana to solve the capati problem, (laughter) that is not Rūpa Gosvāmī.
This śloka can be applicable to Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life. He also became a sannyāsī, ārya-vacasā. One brāhmaṇa cursed him. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to receive some blessings from the brāhmaṇas, when He was boy He was voluntarily trying to give some service to the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in bathing in the Ganges. He'll clear the place because the brāhmaṇa, after taking bath in the Ganges, would sit down, would chant mantra. So He'll cleanse and He'll wash the cloth, and in... Voluntarily He was doing that, service. So one brāhmaṇa blessed Him, "My dear boy, You'll be very happy in your family life. You'll have good wife, very opulent position." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu was blocking the ears. The brāhmaṇa said, "What is this?" "No, this is not blessing, sir." "Oh, it is not blessing? Then You'll never be happy in Your family life." "Yes, this is the..." (laughter) "This is all right." So therefore He took sannyāsa. Arya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam. Similarly, Lord Rāmacandra, ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam. These are the characteristic of the Personality of Godhead. Try to follow Them, not imitate, but follow them.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tyaktvā su-dustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyaṁ, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam (SB 11.5.34). Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in a very highly respectable brāhmaṇa family. He was personally very, very beautiful. His name is Gaurasundara. And very learned scholar. At the age of sixteen years He defeated a very learned scholar from Kashmir. So He was very influential. When He was twenty years old the Kazi broke the mṛdaṅga in saṅkīrtana. Kazi means the Mussulman magistrate. And He started the civil disobedience movement and He called for one lakh of men, 100,000 men, to join the saṅkīrtana and go to the Kazi's house. Immediately it was done. Just see how much influential He was. So, so far material condition, He had His very affectionate mother. He was a only son of His mother. All brothers and sister died. And His wife was very Lakṣmī-priya... Lakṣmī-priya died first, then He married, second time, Viṣṇu-priya. So very happy life. But He left. Tyaktvā... surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm (SB 11.5.34). He was so happy in His family life that even the demigods cannot expect such happiness. Surepsita. Sura means demigods. They had no so much happiness. Tyaktvā, but He gave up. Why? Māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvat. He took this mission just to show mercy to the fallen conditioned souls who are suffering in this material world.
So Buddhimanta Khan took it that he has now become a Mohammeddan, so he went to the brāhmaṇa for consultation. So when Buddhimanta Khan went to a bhaṭṭācārya, he said that "The," what is called, "prāyaścitta is that you melt one kilogram of," what is called, "lead, and drink it." So he, being helpless, he went to consult another brāhmaṇa bhaṭṭācārya. He said, "All right, if you cannot drink molten lead, then you can drink one kilo of melted ghee." So in this way, when he was helpless, he went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew the situation of the then society. He therefore advised him that "You better give (up) your family life. You go to Vṛndāvana." So He advised him that "Go to Vṛndāvana, live there and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the difficulty is, in the śāstras there are atonement for prāyaścitta of so..., not like that—you drink hot ghee or hot lead—but there are prāyaścittas. So one has to execute that.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These vimūḍhān, these materialistic persons, these rascals..." He has exactly used this word, vimūḍhān. Mūḍha I have already explained several times in connection with Bhagavad-gītā. Mūḍha means rascals. And here Prahlāda Mahārāja uses another nice word with addition, "vi." Vimūḍhān. Vi means viśeṣa, "particularly." The vimūḍhān... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahataḥ: "They have created unnecessary burden on their shoulder simply for temporary happiness." Temporary happiness. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, a sannyāsa, renounced order of life, is recommended for prosecuting spiritual life absolutely without any anxiety. If one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in family life, that's very good. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, magistrate. Still, he executed devotional service so nicely. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are, they were gṛhastha, householders, but they trained themselves in such a nice way that even householder, as a householder, there was no interruption. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have learned the art, how to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta: "Simply glorifying the," I mean to, "the victorious activities, pastimes of the Lord." Tvad-vīrya. Vīrya means very strenuous, very heroic. Vīrya means heroic. So Kṛṣṇa's activities are all heroic.
Anyway, that was done in the case of Buddhimanta Khan. The Nawab called him one day and took little water from his pot and sprinkled, and it was the law, "He has become Muhammadan, he has become Muhammadan." So he went to a bhaṭṭācārya, "So what is the atonement? Now I have become Muhammadan." Just see the conception. And the bhaṭṭācārya said that "You drink one pound of molten lead." "How it is possible?" "That is the atonement." So in this way he was baffled. He went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was very respectable man. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu laughed, that "This the condition of the Hindu society." So He said that "I tell you that you give up your family life. You go to Vṛndāvana and chant there Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That will be the..."
This was the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja, that gṛha-vratānām... Those who have concluded that "We shall live in this material world and become happy here by adjustment," they are called gṛha-vratānām. Or those who have concluded that "We shall live very happily in family life," and trying to be happy, and failure, and again trying, and again trying... This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Just like a father engages his son in the same way, the same family life, same business life, same working day and night. But he does not think that "I was a married man. I got children. I have got business. I have got car. Whether I have become happy?" That he does not conclude, that "Again I am engaging my son in the same business? So why shall I be unhappy if my son has joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?" No. He wants, "Please come home and again be doing the same thing. Which I have done and I am frustrated, you do the same thing and be frustrated." (laughter) This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Nobody will advise. His son will become hippie—he will tolerate: "This is modern fashion."
So by karma we cannot become perfect perpetually. Just like I have given several times the example that in spite of so much education and universities and advancement of civili..., nobody is perfect in the modern civilization, not even honest. In spite of education, so much learning... I have given this example many times. This is tested in the airport, that everyone is examined about his dishonest. That means nobody is honest. So this will not help. If you want to make the world perfect, then not by karma, neither by mental speculation. That is not possible. The only means is bhakti, especially in this age. In this Kali-yuga people are very much embarrassed. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutaḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyā. Even nobody is happy in his family life, so unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā. That is practical. So these things will not help, especially in this age.
Out of his many children, elderly children... He was eighty years old. They were all elderly children, grown up children, and there were ten, ten elderly children. Out of them, tesam tu yo avamaḥ, the youngest child, youngest child was named as Nārāyaṇa. Tasya pravayasaḥ putrā daśa teṣāṁ tu yo avamaḥ . Bālo, "a boy," nārāyaṇo nāmnā, "his name was Nārāyaṇa." Pitroś ca dayito bhṛśam. Naturally the youngest child becomes very favorite to the parents. So this Ajāmila was very much attached to the youngest child. Sa baddha-hṛdayas tasminn arbhake kala-bhāṣiṇi. The youngest child, naturally... This is the attraction of family life. When a small baby smiles, immediately the father, mother and relatives become attracted. When the child begins to talk broken language, they enjoy. Unless this attraction is there, it is not possible to raise the child with affection. That is natural. That affection is even in the animals. You'll find a dog, even a tiger, everyone. That affection is there in the every... Monkey. I have seen it practically. In Kanpur I was staying in a room, and one monkey came with a child, and the child somehow or other entered into the window through the bars and the mother became mad. She thought, "My child is gone." She became mad. So somehow or other, again I pushed that monkey out of the bars, and immediately she embraced the child and took away. Just see. The affection is there.
Then He understood, "He is a hypocrite. Reject him." And Śivānanda Sena, he was gṛhastha, gṛhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes. My remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right. You marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu opinion. Parāṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava... Niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya parāṁ param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa. He was very nicely situated in his family life, and He was family man, He married twice. One wife died and He married again. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us not to become, but when He took sannyāsa He was very, very strict. No woman could come very near to Him. From distance. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.
So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right, you marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's opinion. Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava..., niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya, pāraṁ param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa. He was very nicely situated in His family life. When He was family man, He married twice. One wife died; He married again. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us not to become... But when He took sannyāsa, He was very, very strict. No woman could come very near to Him. From distance... This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. So you have to follow strictly the rules and regulation. If you are serious, then this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.
Sneha, affection, is compared with oil. Sneha means oil. So affection is just like oil. Why? Now, you put oil in the ground, it will glide down where there is slope. So generally, the affection goes down to the youngest child. The particular point in this connection is pravayasaḥ. Pravayasaḥ means very old. Yes, he was eighty-eight years old. So this child might be three years or two years, less than three years. That means when he was eighty-five or eighty-six he begot a child. This is the purpose, to point out. This is family life. He is going to die after one or two years, and still, he is begetting child. Therefore this word is used, pravayasaḥ. This is not proper life that up to the point of death one has to beget a child. This is animal life. Human life, maximum fifty years, that's all. After that, by force, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, give up this family life. And if you don't give up, then you remain and go on begetting children. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). What is the happiness of this gṛhamedhī life, attached to family life? The only happiness is this sex, that's all. Otherwise there is no happiness. They are working day and night. Therefore, at the present moment the tendency is to kill the child. Because to enjoy sex life means there must be pregnancy. But when there is pregnancy, either illicit or..., legal or illegal, the child-bearing, the giving birth to the child, then taking care of it, then growing, raising, feeding him, education—so many troubles there is. But tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ (SB 7.9.45).
This word is used, dhīra. So if one is not dhīra, adhīra, agitated always, they will go on begetting children one after another, up to the eighty-ninth year. Why? Tṛpyanti... They are not satisfied, although to beget a child means so many troubles, if you are responsible father. And those who are not responsible father-mother, they want to kill it, that's all. This is the psychology of killing children nowadays, because they know that "This child, I have to take care so much," bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. There are... Tṛpyanti... By very analytical study... Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). This happiness of the gṛhamedhī, family attachment... Family you can utilize, gṛhastha. If you are inconvenienced to accept sannyāsa or brahmacārī life, remain in household life, but the purpose is the same, to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is in the family life and is trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is called gṛhastha, and his family life is called gṛhastha-āśrama. Just like sannyāsa-āśrama. Āśrama means where there is activities, spiritual. That is called āśrama. So if you remain as gṛhastha or family man, there is no harm. But utilize for advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you are gṛhastha. And if you do not know that, if you simply remain a family man for satisfying your senses and begetting children up to the point of death, that is called gṛhamedhī. These two words. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām (SB 2.1.2). So one should not be gṛhamedhī. One may become gṛhastha. That is the difference.
So this man, Ajāmila, was not a gṛhastha because his beginning of life is that he gave up his married life. He was married with nice wife, coming from respectable family, but he gave up that, and he was attached to a maidservant. And he gave up his real family life. He became a family man with this maidservant, and go on begetting children. That was his life. Therefore this word is used particularly, tasya pravayasaḥ. He was old enough; still, he was begetting child. But one who is brāhmaṇa, he would not stay in family life more than fiftieth year. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One must go to the forest. Forest means vana, and therefore, one who goes to the forest, from the word vana, it is vāna, vānaprastha. Prastha mean one who has gone. This is regulative life. One has to take leave from this family life and accept the vānaprastha. Vānaprastha means prior to accepting the renounced order of life. The husband and wife goes out of home and travels in many holy places to associate with holy man and take his instruction just to prepare for sannyāsa. So when one is fully equipped in knowledge, then he asks his wife to go to home to be taken care of by the elderly children, and he becomes a sannyāsī. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. This is real purpose of life.
So they are very, very anxiety. Tat sādhu manye. So "I want to relieve them from this anxiety." What is that? Tad sādhu manye asura-vārya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Then, what you advise? Hitvātmā-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. He's fallen in this dark region of black well, this family life. Hitvātmā-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛha, we can take this material world, even up to the sky, that is also another bondage, either in society, or in country, or in this body, or within this material universe—wherever you want—that is andha-kūpa, dark well. So he advises, "Give up this darkness," hitvātmā-pātam , "because it will kill you." In this dark well you'll be killed. Just like, the dark well, we are put into the dark well, you'll be killed. Hitvātmā pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ, vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). That is the first... You should give up this dark well and go to the forest. Vanam. Come to Vṛndāvana. Vanam means forest. We have constructed very nice temple. Come there. And vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Vanaṁ gato means to come to the forest.
So this is the general way of life. Everyone is engaged in these material activities, and the basic principle of material activity is gṛhastha, family life. Family life, according to Vedic system, or anywhere, is responsible life to maintain the wife, children. Everyone is engaged. They think this is the only duty. "To maintain the family, that is my duty. As comfortably as possible. That is my duty." One does not think that this kind of duty is performed even by animals. They have got also children, and they feed. What is the difference? Therefore here the word used is mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. One who is engaged in such duties, bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan. Prapiban. Prapiban means drinking, and bhuñjānaḥ means eating. While eating, while drinking, khādan, while chewing, carva casya raja preya (?). There are four kinds of eatables. Sometimes we chew, sometimes we lick up, (Sanskrit) sometimes we swallow, and sometimes we drink. So there are four kinds of foodstuff. Therefore we sing catuḥ vidhā śrī-bhagavat-prasādāt. Catuḥ vidhā means four kinds. So we offer to the Deities so many foodstuffs within these four categories. Something is chewed, something is licked up, something is swallowed. In that way.
So we have opened this temple to give facility to the elderly section of the human being to come and live with us. We invite all elderly persons, especially retired person. They should come and live with us. We have got a nice guesthouse, and if required, we can construct many other guesthouses. At least those are retired Everyone should retire after fiftieth year. That is the injunction of the śāstras, that pañcāśordhvaṁ varaṁ vrajet. After fifty years one should give up family life and vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanam. Vanam means Vṛndāvana. Vanaṁ vrajet. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja has advised,
- tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehināṁ
- sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt
- hitvātma-ghātam gṛham andha-kūpaṁ
- vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta
- (SB 7.5.5)
Vanaṁ gato. One should go in the vana, in Vṛndāvana. Then what to do there? Harim āśrayeta. Otherwise, if we live in Vṛndāvana like monkeys and other animals, that will not be beneficial. Harim āśrayeta. Come here, live here and take shelter of Hari. That is the ultimate goal. Therefore Hari personally says, Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Harim āśrayeta.
So even śūdra's marriage there is. For the śūdra there is one āśrama—that is gṛhastha āśrama. And for the brāhmaṇas, four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. For the kṣatriya: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. For the vaiśyas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And for the śūdras: no brahmacārī, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a śūdra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the śāstra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe, it is stated. Simply agree: "Yes, you become my bedfellow; I become your bedfellow." That's all. Finished. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe. That is marriage. No more that ceremonial marriage. That is being forgotten. This is Kali-yuga now. Dāmpatyam eva hi... Ratim eva hi dāmpatye: "And their so-called unity, man and woman, means sex." There is no other meaning. Dāmpatye, union of man and woman, means sex. There is no other religious system, that husband, wife, live together; they should cooperate for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things are being forgotten.
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛhaṁ andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśyrayeta. He was asked by his father what was the best thing he had learned. So he said, "I have learned this best thing." What is that? Hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta: (SB 7.5.5) "This is the first-class thing." What is that? "Now, giving up this gṛha andha-kūpaṁ, gṛhastha life." They are thinking very happy, husband, wife, living together, enjoying. But that is grha andha-kūpam. Andha-kūpam means if you are thrown into the dark well, it is like that. Of course, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is different thing. But ordinarily, the so-called household life means to be in the darkness, in the dark well. Gṛhānda-kū..., hitva: "One should give up." Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, when one is fifty years old, above that, he must give up family life. No more. Then sannyāsa. Not that up to the point of death one should remain a gṛhastha. No. If he wants to become free from anxiety, that is... Otherwise anxiety. Tat sādhu maye asura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām, one who has accepted this material body, he must be always restless with anxiety. This is the... Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You cannot avoid it.
John Lennon's house. There was a blind pit, and it was covered with grass, and somebody fell. So this gṛham andha-kūpam, this family life is sometimes... Unless there is Kṛṣṇa, the family life... Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, family life is just like a blind well covered with grass. As soon as you go, and fall down. Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended that one should give up this blind well and go to the open forest. So here also it is said, gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān. And why they are staying in that blind well? Baddha-tṛṣṇān, conditioned by material desires. That's all. Thinking that "I am in family. My..., they are friends, they are countrymen, they are my children, and they'll give me protection. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will give us protection? They have no money. They are begging. So how they can?" No. That is their idea, that "This, my family affairs, a nice situation, that will give me protection." But that is wrong. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati.
So here it is said, gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vrata means those who have taken this family life or material life as all in all. That's all. Vrata. Vrata means vow. "I shall improve my family condition, I shall improve my social condition. I shall improve the international condition or political condition." All these things, they are called gṛha-vratānām. They have no idea that beyond this life there is another life. Therefore they are stuck up with this idea. They are called gṛha-vrata. Generally, at the present moment, everyone is gṛha-vrata. That's all. They simply want "How to improve my economic condition." That's all. Individually, socially, family wise, internationally or nationally, that is their aim. They are called gṛha-vrata. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, because he knew that his father is number one gṛha-vrata, atheist number one, and materialist number one, so when he inquired, "How you developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" he said immediately, flatly, to his father, "My dear father, don't worry. You will never will have Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So this way our life is being spoiled, and it can be stopped only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Prahlāda Mahārāja saying that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by gṛha-vratānām." Gṛha-vratānām means those who are interested in this family life or sense gratification life. For them it is very difficult. The talking was going on between the father and the son. The son is Prahlāda. He is a devotee. And the father, Hiranyakasipu, he is materialistic person. He is interested in money and women. So this is the difference between devotee and nondevotee. So father was challenging his son, "Where you got this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So the son replied flatly that matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā: "My dear father, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by speculation or by hearing from others." Matir na... Parata means hearing from others, and svataḥ, svata means personally by mental speculation or philosophical speculation. Mitho. Mitho means by congregational meeting, by conferences. Why? Now, gṛha-vratānām. If one is addicted to this material way of life, he cannot understand, or cannot be convinced, about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
"In this way, when a man is too much addicted to the materialistic way of life, cannot give up the family life..." You'll find many old men, almost going to die, but still, there is family attachment. It is very difficult to get out of family attachment. Although the other members, his wife, his son, disgusted with the old man, and all of them want that "This old man may die very soon. He is simply bothering us," but the old man tries to live: "Oh, let me live for some time. Don't drive me away." I understand that in Russia they intentionally try to kill these old men (laughter). And in Africa, I have heard, there are still cannibals. They make a feast by killing the grandfather. (laughter) So old man is always neglected in the society, and therefore I have come out of my home. I have taken your shelter. You see? (laughter) It is actually a fact. You see? So in this way we are wasting our time. Śaṅkarācārya, he was walking on the street and he was lamenting because he has got the eyes to see. What he said? He said, "Oh," bālas tāvad kridāsaktaḥ, "oh, all the boys I see in the street, they are very nicely playing. They do not know anything except play." Bālas tāvad kridāsaktas taruṇas tāvad taruṇī raktaḥ: "And the young, youngsters, they are after young girls, embracing, kissing. That's all."
No. Nothing interferes if it is properly adjusted. Now here in our society we are actually living in family. We have got brother, sisters, mother, father, everything. But there is adjustment. It is on the basis platform of love. There is no self-interest, therefore it is happy. So as soon as we turn everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the whole world becomes peaceful and happy. Of course, that is not possible, but as far as possible we can do it familywise, we can do it individually. As much as possible we can extend. But the platform is such nice that in that platform the family life or friendly life or social life—everything becomes nice, joyful, and peaceful. That is the test of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All right. Thank you. (end)
This family life, gṛheṣu, gṛha-medhinām, who are very much attached, this is māyā. Prahlāda Mahārāja, from the age of five years he condemned, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam: "The gṛha, this so-called family life, is a dark well." We are thinking we are very happily living with nice wife and children and working very hard, getting money. But śāstra says, "You are fallen in the dark well." Gṛham andha-kūpam. And "All right, let me remain here." "No." Ātma-pātam. If you remain in this way, then you will kill your soul. Ātma-pātam. Therefore in the Vedic civilization there is compulsory: "Get out." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. "Now you are fifty years old past. Immediately get out." "No, I have got so many duties. I have got this." "No, no." Vrajet, "compulsory." This verb is used, vidhiliṅ, where there is no argument; you must. Just like when natures calls you, you must do it, similarly... This is Vedic civilization. Not that unless you are killed or being shot down by somebody else, you are not leaving the gṛham andha-kūpam. This is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is that brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. You must be prepared, especially the higher castes, especially the brāhmaṇas.
Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is compulsory get-out from household life. Compulsory get-out means pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty years. "As soon as one passes over fifty years of age, he should get out." That is the injunction of the scriptures. No more in household affairs. The life is divided into four parts, four divisions. First of all brahmacārī. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is teaching. Brahmacārī, a boy from five years old is taught, and up to twenty-five years. And if he is not... Of course, he is properly taught, but if he is not properly convinced that "Worldly life is botheration. Better remain brahmacārī for throughout the whole life..." There are many brahmacārīs in India still, naistika-brahmacārī. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. That means they had never any experience of sex. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. Just like my Guru Mahārāja was naistika-brahmacārī. He never married. So boys are taught like that, the inefficiency of this family life, encumbrances, because the aim is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So first twenty years, twenty-five years, or twenty years, because education begins from five years... Up to five years the child is given full liberty—whatever he likes, he may do. Lālayet pañca-varṣāṇi. It is said that you can give liberty to the child only for five years. And tadayet daśa-varṣāṇi. And as soon as he is on the fifth year, you must be very strict on the child, on the boy, so that he may not be spoiled. Very strict. Simply engage him in proper education. Tāḍayet daśa varṣāṇi. And prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varse. And as soon as he is on the sixteenth year... Ṣoḍaśe means sixteenth year. Prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varṣe putraṁ mitravad ācaret: the son, the boy should be treated as friend. No more punishment. Then there will be reply. So there must be restraint. So from sixteenth year to twenty-fifth year, higher education. And after higher education, if the boy is still after sense gratification, he should be allowed to get himself married and enter into family life. That family life is allowed for another twenty-five years. When youthhood is very strong, let him beget some children and... Of course, there is regulation of children. One has to take care of the children and he has to educate children, not that irresponsibly begetting children. No. So family life.
Harikeśa: Translation: "Persons with uncontrolled mind and senses become more and more attached in family life on account of never satiable lusty desires, which are very strong. The balance ten years of life of such madmen is also wasted because they cannot engage themselves in devotional service."
Prabhupāda:
- durāpūreṇa kāmena
- mohena ca balīyasā
- śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya
- pramattasyāpayāti hi
- (SB 7.6.8)
So our lusty desires, sense gratification, cannot be satisfied even throughout the whole life. The account is being given of the whole life, hundred years. So out of hundred years, fifty years wasted by sleeping, twenty years wasted by playing like boy and young man, and twenty years as old man, diseased, invalidated, and balance ten years... Because ninety years he has been so much attached to materialistic way of life, naturally the balance ten years, śeṣam, he cannot utilize in any other way. He can simply engage himself in that lusty desire for material existence. Adurātmanena kāmena. In this connection there is a very instructive story—it is fact—that the Emperor Akbar, he enquired from his minister... He had one very big minister; I forget just his name.
This is called durāpūreṇa. It is never fulfilled. This attraction of man and women in family life continues. The other day one devotee came to me, and he was almost crying, that "My wife is suffering, and she may not live. So kindly give me some blessings." Before the death of his wife—because there was nothing serious—the wife has said, "My dear husband, I may not live very long with you," and he is so disturbed that he is thinking that "My wife may die at any moment." So this is the position. This is not very extraordinary thing. This attraction of man and women, this is material bondage. Therefore it is said, durāpūreṇa kāmena: (SB 7.6.8) this lusty desires is never fulfilled even up to the point of death. And what is this nature of this lusty desire? Moha, illusion. It is not fact. It has no substance, but it is there; that's a fact. The example is given just like in dream, somebody is cutting my head and I'm crying. Actually there is no man cutting my head—my head is there—still, I am suffering by such thoughts. This is called moha. Actually there is no fact, but on account of being entangled in three stages of pollution... The pollution is that intelligence. The intelligence is polluted in three ways: jāgriti, svapna, and suṣupti. Jāgriti means just like we are now awakened; we are not sleeping. This is one stage. And another stage, at night when you go to sleep, and you sleep with dream, that is another stage. And another stage is suṣupti, so deeply, just like when a man is intoxicated or chloroform during surgical operation, he does not understand that "Surgical instruments are being applied on my body." He remains silent. This is another stage. So these three stages are there for polluting our intelligence.
So in the human form of life the children should be trained up to spiritual life. That is the duty of the father and mother. Gṛheṣu saptas. If one remains attached to family life, then gṛheṣu saktasya pramattas. Pramattas means to remain attached to this family life means madness. Means madness. It is very difficult to understand this madness, especially in this age, Kali-yuga, because we have very little knowledge. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo, manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). The position of the people of the present age, Kali-yuga, they're all bad; nobody is good. Mandāḥ, all very slow. They do not know what is the aim of life, how to fulfill the goal of life, mandāḥ. And manda-matayo: and if somebody is interested, they will manufacture some rascaldom. Manda-matayo. And everyone is manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. Unfortunate means that they got this opportunity, human life, to end all the problems of life, but they'll not take care of it. Manda-bhāgyā. And besides that, upadrutāḥ, embarrassed by so many difficulties, especially these men in Kali-yuga will be harassed by insufficient supply of foodstuff, and taxation by the government.
Unfortunate means that they got this opportunity, human life, to end all the problems of life, but they'll not take care of it. Manda-bhāgyā. And besides that, upadrutāḥ, embarrassed by so many difficulties, especially these men in Kali-yuga will be harassed by insufficient supply of foodstuff, and taxation by the government. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). This is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Actually the food price is increasing daily. Nobody knows where it will end. This is called (indistinct). People will not get alms. Alms, to beg from door to door, and live on alms and begging, this will not be possible. Nobody will give alms. Suppose there is ten rupees' kilo rice, and if a sannyāsī goes to a gṛhastha, "Give me some alms, rice," they'll consider in terms of price, "So much rice I have to give. This is two rupees' worth. Give him four annas, go away!" So durbhikṣa, this is called durbhikṣa. Even begging will be very difficult. Begging is the last stage of livelihood, but he'll not be able to beg even. This is the age of Kali-yuga. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ, gacchanti giri-kānanam, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti... People will be so much embarrassed that Now they are not voluntarily giving up the family life, but he will be forced to give up. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā. Dāra means wife and draviṇā means money. The whole world is going on on this basis, women and money, So dāra-draviṇā, he'll be forced to give up. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "One whose mind and senses are uncontrolled becomes increasingly attached to family life because of insatiable lusty desires and very strong illusion. In such a madman's life, the remaining years are also wasted because even during those years he cannot engage himself in devotional service."
Prabhupāda:
- durāpūreṇa kāmena
- mohena ca balīyasā
- śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya
- pramattasyāpayāti hi
- (SB 7.6.8)
The calculation of life is already given account. Maximum years, hundred years. Fifty years by sleeping, minus. Then fifty years remains. Then twenty years childhood and playing. Then, remaining thirty years, and twenty years in old age, invalidity, not fulfillment of desires, what to do. In this way twenty years, and balance ten years, because all along one is directed by lusty desires, what he'll do? Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to establish his submission. It is not theory, but submission that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very childhood this bhāgavata-dharma should be taught and learned. Just like here, these boys, they are very fortunate because from the very beginning of their life they are being taught in bhāgavata-dharma. They are coming, take a little flower, offering to the Deity or the spiritual master, offering obeisances, chanting, taking little prasādam—these are all taken into account. Every inch of it. It is not that playfully they are doing this. No. Because bhakti-mārga, Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).
So, otherwise, śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya pramattasya. Gṛheṣu saktasya, those who are too much attached... Everyone is attached in material way of...Gṛheṣu means not only family. Somebody is very much attached to the body. That is natural for every living being, body, bodily attachment is there. Even an animal like hog is living in filthy place and eating stool, still, he has got affection for the body. When the hog is taken from the flock for being killed, he screams very loudly, "Don't want. I don't want to be killed." Although the life is very abominable, still he's attached to the body. The old man is attached to the body. So this is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Atheists... In our Los Angeles temple we have seen, there are so many karmīs, and when there was earthquake they screamed like anything. So no one wants to die. They say, "No, I can die." No. At the time of death they scream, they do not like. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. So gṛheṣu saktasya. Generally, people become too much attached to family life. I sometimes say that in the Western countries the young boys, they come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their only one great asset is they are not family-wise attached. That is very good qualification. Someway or other, they have become. Therefore their attachment to Kṛṣṇa becoming staunch. In India they have got organized family attachment. They are not interested. They are after money now. That I have experienced. Yes.
Everything will be finished. Nobody can give us any protection except Kṛṣṇa. If we want to be freed from the clutches of māyā-janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)—we must take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa through the spiritual master and live with devotees who have engaged themselves for the same purpose. It is called... What is that exact word? Sakhi or something. Now I am forgetting. But in the same category we must live and execute our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then these impediments, gṛheṣu saktasya pramattasya. Anyone who is..., all the karmīs, they are attached to this family life, but family life is good provided there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Gṛhe vā vanete thāke, hā gaurāṅga bole dāke. It doesn't matter, either he is in family life or he's in sannyāsī life, if he's a devotee, then his life is successful.
Actually, this material life is our bondage. It may be... Just like gold handcuff or iron handcuff. So handcuff is bondage. Either it is made of gold or iron, it doesn't matter. So we are in this material world handcuffed, imprisoned. Our aim of life is how to get out of this material bondage or prisonhouse. Prahlāda Mahārāja, in another place, when he was asked by his father what's the best education he had received from his teachers, so father asked him to explain, so the son, Prahlāda Mahārāja said that hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). This is the best thing he has learned. What is that? Hitvātma-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛha, this family life is called gṛham andha-kūpam. Just like a man fallen in the dark well, so it is sure death, ātma-ghātam. Unless we are very cautious, this gṛha-andha kūpam, this family life, is very dangerous for spiritual advancement. Therefore, according to Vedic system, it is very regulated. First of all one is trained up as a brahmacārī, not to be attached in sex life. That is brahmacārī, celibacy. Just like these boys, these children, if we train them how to remain in celibacy... They can be trained up. The first training is brahmacārī. To remain in the gurukula... They are innocent. As you train them, they will be trained up.
We, about our home, we think, nice decorated home, and the furnitures, the dress, and the animals, the servants, and the brother, the sister, the old father, and so many, I think. So we always think. These are all our bondage. "Out of sight, out of mind." So long we are attached, we are, I mean to say, within the association of these things, we have got very good attachment, but if we go out of this sight, or this association, then "Out of sight, out of mind." To make these things out of sight, out of mind, one is recommended that after fiftieth year one must retire from this family life, and when he is still more advanced, he should take sannyāsa and completely, cent percent, devote his life for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So he's giving very nice example.
Now, that does not mean that Prahlāda Mahārāja is recommending to neglect the, this family life or society and... No. He was family man. Prahlāda Mahārāja was a great king. He was ruling over. So it is not the question of neglect. But we must know that if we become more and more entangled in these affairs, then our real business will be lost. Our real business is how to get out of this entanglement, not to be more and more, I mean to say, implicated in this entanglement. That should be the point of view: to make the best use of a bad bargain. That should be the philosophy of life. We are put into this material existential condition, and we have to get out. But at the same time, so far, so long this material body is there, we have to maintain it also. Just like... The example is very nice. We can cite that you have to go to some place, and you have got a car. You have to take care of the car so far it can carry you to your destination, not that you simply take care of your car and you forget your destination and your own body.
So when they are united, then the attraction for man or attraction for woman becomes very, very strong. Then it requires gṛha, apartment, home. Then it requires field, land, because land is the means of livelihood. Ato gṛha-kṣetra. Then children, then friends. In this way he becomes implicated. Moho 'yam. These things are not required, but out of illusion he is thinking that "These things will give me protection, life and pleasure." That is explained in the previous verse: sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. He becomes too much entangled and captivated by this family affection. So therefore in the Vedic civilization, from the very beginning of life the brahmacārī is educated not to be attracted by family life, very strictly. Even though he is educated so, if he is found unable, then he is allowed to marry. That also not for many years. To remain in the household life for twenty-five years, then compulsory, I mean to say, separation, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Then when the mind is settled up, he is awarded sannyāsa. This is the system.
Especially in Western countries, there is fire gun, and trespassers, even without permission, if anyone enters anyone's house, he can kill him. Is it not the law in your country? Trespassing? So there is risk of life, but he has entered the house for stealing. And why stealing? The family affection. That is the impetus for economic development. The Professor Marshall, the economist, he has given the definition, that "Wherefrom the economic development begins? By family affection." Or by sex attraction. So this earning money, there are so many smugglers, so many illicit businessmen, black market, they are risking their lives to get money. The purpose is when one becomes too much attached to family life and too much devoted to maintain it, he doesn't care. He has to earn money, some how or other, even risking life. Even risking life.
So actually, if one becomes too much attached to family life and one has to become—this is the way—then has to earn money by risking life. He has to earn money. Similarly, the vaṇik, mercantile community, they also risk imprisonment by so many illegal activities. So formerly, these classes of men were after money. The higher class, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, they were very, I mean to say, pious. They did not do anything for risking life for earning money. The brāhmaṇa, they were trained up not to earn money, but to learn how to become self-controlled, śama damas satyam, how to speak truth, or how to understand the Absolute Truth. Then cleanliness, śama dama satyaṁ śaucam. Titikṣa, how to become tolerant. Ārjava, simple. Jñānam, fully aware of all kinds of knowledge. Vijñānam, practical application of knowledge. So then āstikyam. Āstikyam means to accept the authority of the śāstra. That is called āstik. That is theism. Theism means just like Veda, one who accepts the authority of Vedas, he is called āstik. And one who does not accept the authority of the Vedas, he is called nāstik. Āstik and nāstik.
Therefore according to Vedic civilization, after fiftieth year, one should give up the family responsibility, vānaprastha. From vana, vana means forest. And from vana the word vana has come. Prastha means "who has gone." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Vanaṁ vrajet means to free from all family responsibility and prepare for going back to home, back to Godhead. But those who are too much attached to family life, na nirvidyate, being repeatedly frustrated, repeatedly they are put into trouble. Still. But if one wants regular advancement of spiritual life, he must retire at the age of fifty. That is Vedic civilization. Not that unless one is killed, he's not going to retire. Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, he was seventy-eight years, and still he would not retire from this... Political life means greater family life. A family man is interested with his family members, and a political leader is interested with the whole, a group of family. The principle is the same. Ordinary family man, he's looking after three, four members of the family, and a political leader is thinking that he's responsible for so many millions of men. The idea is the same: the extended family. But extended or diminished family, sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ, he's thinking, "I have to do something for them." But when death comes, you are unable to do anything, you have to immediately leave the scene, and according to the laws of nature you'll have to accept a body according to your karma. This is the law of nature.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- vidvān apītthaṁ danujāḥ kuṭumbaṁ
- puṣṇan sva-lokāya na kalpate vai
- yaḥ svīya-pārakya-vighinna-bhāvas
- tamaḥ prapadyeta yathā vimūḍhaḥ
- (SB 7.6.16)
"O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, 'This is mine, and that is for others.' Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance."
Prabhupāda: Purport.
Pradyumna: In human society there are attempts to educate the human being, but for animal society there is no such system, nor are animals able to be educated. Therefore animals and unintelligent men are called vimūḍha, or ignorant, bewildered, whereas an educated person is called vidvān. The real vidvān is one who tries to understand his own position within this material world. For example, when Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his first question was 'ke āmi', 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya'. In other words, he wanted to know his constitutional position and why he was suffering from the threefold miseries of material existence. This is the process of education. If one does not ask, "Who am I? What is the goal of my life?" but instead follows the same animal propensities as cats and dogs, what is the use of his education? As discussed in the previous verse, a living being is entrapped by his fruitive activities, exactly like a silkworm trapped in its own cocoon. Foolish persons are generally encaged by their fruitive actions (karma) because of a strong desire to enjoy this material world. Such attracted persons become involved in society, community and nation and waste their time, not having profited from having obtained human forms. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, great leaders, politicians, philosophers and scientists are all engaged in foolish activities, thinking, "This is mine, and this is yours." The scientists invent nuclear weapons and collaborate with the big leaders to protect the interests of their own nation or society. In this verse, however, it is clearly stated that despite their so-called advanced knowledge, they actually have the same mentality as cats and dogs. As cats, dogs and other animals, not knowing their true interest in life, become increasingly involved in ignorance, the so-called educated person who does not know his own self-interest or the true goal of life becomes increasingly involved in materialism. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises everyone to follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma. Specifically, at a certain point one must give up family life and take to the renounced order of life to cultivate spiritual knowledge and thus become liberated. This is further discussed in the following verses.
Prabhupāda: You can explain, somebody else, you can explain.
Prabhupāda: Purport also.
Pradyumna: Prahlāda Mahārāja has maintained the philosophical point of view that one should give up the dark well of family life and go to the forest to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5)). In this verse also, he stresses the same point. In the history of human society, no one, at any time or any place, has been liberated because of too much affection and attachment for his family. Even in those who are apparently very educated, the same family attachment is there. They cannot give up the association of their families, even in old age or invalidity, for they are attached to sense enjoyment. As we have several times discussed, yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham: (SB 7.9.45) so-called householders are simply attracted by sexual enjoyment. Thus they keep themselves shackled in family life, and furthermore they want their children to be shackled in the same way. Playing the parts of playboys in the hands of women, they glide down to the darkest regions of material existence. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Because they are unable to control their senses, they continue a life of chewing the chewed and therefore descend to the darkest material regions. One should give up the association of such demons and adhere to the association of devotees. Thus one will be able to be liberated from material bondage.
Prabhupāda:
- yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā
- dīnaḥ svam ātmānam alam samarthaḥ
- vimocituṁ kāma-dṛśāṁ vihāra-
- krīḍā-mṛgo yan-nigaḍo visargaḥ
- tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā
- daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu
- upeta nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ
- sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito 'pavargaḥ
- (SB 7.6.17-18)
So visargaḥ and apavargaḥ. Visargaḥ means creation. So the important fact is that if we are attached to the material world, maybe very minute quantity, then there will be visargaḥ. Visargaḥ means creation. We'll have to accept another body. Unless you are completely pure... Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Śūnyam means zero.
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (Brs. 1.1.11)
So the back to home back to Godhead, we are trying. That is our ambition. But if we have got a little propensity for material enjoyment, then... We may get very better position in the material world, in the Svargaloka, heavenly planet. The description of heavenly planet is given also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Very, very opulent, we cannot imagine even how they are opulent. The roads are made of pearls, diamonds, coral, the roads are made of like that. And at the same time, no sinful man is admitted there. Everyone highly elevated, pious, there is no crookedness. There is no enviousness.
Prabhupāda: Read the purport also.
Pradyumna: One may ask, "One is certainly very attached to family life, but if one gives up family life to be attached to the service of the Lord, one must undergo the same endeavor and trouble. Therefore, what is the benefit of taking the trouble to engage in the service of the Lord?" This is not a valid objection. The Lord asserts in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):
- sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
- mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
- tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
- ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivāṁśo. .. jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Nārāyaṇa and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Nārāyaṇa is always ready to save one from the greatest danger. The definite example is Ajāmila. Ajāmila separated himself from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by performing many sinful activities and was condemned by Yamarāja to be very severely punished, but because at the time of death he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, although he was calling not for the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa but for his son named Nārāyaṇa, he was saved from the hands of Yamarāja. Therefore, pleasing Nārāyaṇa does not require as much endeavor as pleasing one's family, community and nation. We have seen important political leaders killed for a slight discrepancy in their behavior. Therefore pleasing one's society, family, community and nation is extremely difficult. Pleasing Nārāyaṇa, however, is not at all difficult; it is very easy.
One's duty is to revive one's relationship with Nārāyaṇa. A slight endeavor in this direction will make the attempt successful, whereas one will never be successful in pleasing his so-called family, society and nation, even if one endeavors to sacrifice his life. The simple endeavor involved in the devotional service of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), hearing and chanting the holy name of the Lord, can make one successful in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore bestowed His blessings by saying, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam: "All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana!" If one wants to derive the actual benefit from this human form, he must take to the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Prabhupāda:
- na hy acyutaṁ prīṇayato
- bahv-āyāso 'surātmajāḥ
- ātmatvāt sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- siddhatvād iha sarvataḥ
- (SB 7.6.19)
To become a devotee of the Supreme Lord is not unnatural. It is very easy, natural thing. By nature, we are attached to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Somehow or other, circumstantially, we are separated. Not separated, because here it is stated ātmatvāt: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is, although we are thinking we are different from Him, He is within our hearts. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna: (BG 18.61) He is so friendly that although we are averse, we do not like even the word of God, God is so kind that He is sitting within my heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām, He's simply looking forward for the opportunity when I, the living entity, shall look towards Him. He's always anxious.
So this is called śuśrūṣayā. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā. And with devotion, with love and faith, not officially, "Because I have kept a pet spiritual master, so officially I have to..." No. With faith and devotion. And sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca. The brahmacārī system means he should live with the spiritual master and collect fund. Of course, in India still, the system is there that in the four kinds of social orders, the brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa... There are four divisions in the social order. First the righteous, pious students-students with purified life and a spiritual education. That is called brahmacārī. Then gṛhastha, family life, living with wife and children. Then vānaprastha, retired life. Then sannyāsa, renounced life. So these gṛhasthas are meant for maintaining three other āśramas. A gṛhastha, a householder, because he's given the license for sense enjoyment, therefore he has to compensate his sensual gratification by giving charities to other three āśramas. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So the system is any brahmacārī or any sannyāsī goes to a householder, "Mother, give me some alms. I am brahmacārī," (s)he will at once give. At once give. So this is the system.
Real education is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā, that is real education. What I am, that is brahma-jijñāsa. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, when he comes to the conclusion that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, that is real education. So the bhakti-mārga is so nice that they are simply staying on the Brahman platform, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Who? Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate (BG 14.26). So our program, this program, anyone who may come here, he is educated how to understand brahma-bhūyāya. That is education. This is not education, the technical education. Nowadays they are very much fond of technical education. That is temporary. That is not education. Electrician comes, suppose the power has failed, and he manipulates and brings the power, that is technical education, but real education is different. That is to understand the ātma-tattvam. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are fully absorbed in family life, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām, they are apaśyatām ātma-tattvam, they cannot see what is real life, what is the goal of life. So here we see Prahlāda Mahārāja fell down immediately. That is real education, Brahmā asked him, "You just try to pacify," immediately he fell down. And Kṛṣṇa immediately became compassionate, sva-pāda-mūle patitaṁ tam arbhakaṁ vilokya.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is bhakta. He is simply seeking the blessings of the Lord how he can deliver these vimūḍhān. Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya. Indriyārthe. These men are so busy. You'll see in big, big cities, they are so busy. What is their end of business? The end of business is māyā-sukhāya. He'll discuss also later on. Yan maithunādi gṛhamedhi sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). These grhamedhi, those who are so much attached to family life and working so hard day and night, what is the attraction? The attraction is yan maithunādi, sex, and nothing more. Prahlāda Mahārāja will discuss. So what is this happiness, sex? You cannot enjoy it for long time, and still, for this momentary happiness you are working so hard, forgetting your real business, how to realize God. Are they not vimūḍhān? Certainly they are vimūḍhān. They do not know what is the interest of life. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is thinking. But these rascals, they are not thinking how they are wasting their valuable time.
The life is meant for tattva-jijñāsā. The dharma-artha-kāma mokṣa... (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). The dharma means to become religious. Why religious? Yes, we require the necessities of life in a regulative principle, dharma-artha-kāma, and to satisfy... We have got senses to... We have to satisfy. Otherwise we shall become unhealthy. Just like sex life. Sex life is required also for healthy condition—for ajitendriyāṇām. But one who is jitendriya, one who has conquered over the sensual activities, for them it is not required. Therefore it is recommended to, I mean to say, train the children to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. That means to control the senses. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. Dānta means controlling the senses. That is gurukula, how to teach the students to become controlling over their sense. And if he is perfect, then he doesn't require to accept gṛhastha āśrama. He can accept immediately sannyāsa āśrama. But if he is unable to do that, the brahmacārī, the guru orders him, "All right, you take a good wife and be satisfied and have family life up to fifty years. Then you give it up." Not that it is essential; one has to marry. This is a concession for sex life, that's all.
Dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāṁ kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi. Dāmpatye abhirucir hetur māyaiva vyāvahārike. Dāmpatye. Dāmpatye means making husband and wife relationship. Abhiruciḥ. Abhiruciḥ means liking. A boy likes another girl, and the girl likes another boy. That's finished. Let them become husband and wife. Formerly, it was not. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, there was no liking of the boy or the girl. The parents of the boy and the girl, they would see, "Whether this combination will be happy." They will bring horoscope and calculate astronomically, "What is the symptoms of this boy? What is the symptoms of this girl? Whether they will be peaceful in married life?" They calculated, and the parents would see in what kind of family the girl is born, and what kind of boy, the family he's born. So many things. If they do not agree, the parents of the girl and the boy, then there is no marriage. Still, in India... At least, I was also married, and some of my children, they were also married. But this system in India is still followed. The parents, they select the suitable boy and the suitable girl. The primary aim is that they may live very peacefully. There may not be unnecessarily disturbance in their family life. That was the aim. But in the Kali-yuga it is said dāmpatye, selection of husband and wife, will depend on agreement. That's all. "I like you; you like me." That's all. Finished. Dāmpatye abhirucir hetuḥ. Abhiruciḥ. Because the boy likes the girl. And suppose the parents do not like? That will be taken, "The girl likes, so that's it." That's all.
| Page Title: | Family life (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 14 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=102, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 102 |