Phalgu-vairagya

Expressions researched:
"Phalgu vairagya" |"phalgu-vairagya"

SB Canto 3

Rūpa Gosvāmī advises that if one renounces anything which could be applied in the service of the Lord and does not use it for that purpose, that is called phalgu-vairāgya, insufficient or false renunciation.

SB 3.31.47, Purport:

When one renounces this false attitude and renounces the puffed-up position that he is also God, that is real renunciation. Otherwise, there is no meaning of renunciation. Rūpa Gosvāmī advises that if one renounces anything which could be applied in the service of the Lord and does not use it for that purpose, that is called phalgu-vairāgya, insufficient or false renunciation. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore everything can be engaged in the service of the Lord; nothing should be used for one's sense gratification. That is real renunciation. Nor should one unnecessarily increase the necessities of the body. We should be satisfied with whatever is offered and supplied by Kṛṣṇa without much personal endeavor. We should spend our time executing devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the solution to the problem of life and death.

CC Madhya-lila

The experienced devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.256), markaṭa-vairāgya, or phalgu-vairāgya, is explained.

CC Madhya 16.238, Purport:

In his Durgama-saṅgamanī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī comments that the word sva-nirvāhaḥ actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvāhaḥ. The experienced devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.256), markaṭa-vairāgya, or phalgu-vairāgya, is explained as follows:

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate

"When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them to be material, their renunciation is called incomplete." Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing.

According to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, since Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was not engaged in the Lord's devotional service, his sannyāsa is to be considered phalgu-vairāgya.

CC Madhya 17.116, Purport:

Māyāvādīs cannot understand the transcendental symptoms exhibited by a devotee; therefore when such symptoms are manifest, the Māyāvādīs equate them with temporary emotional feelings. However, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī’s statement is offensive, and consequently he should be considered an atheist (pāṣaṇḍī). According to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, since Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was not engaged in the Lord's devotional service, his sannyāsa is to be considered phalgu-vairāgya. This means that since he did not know how to use things for the Lord's service, his renunciation of the world was artificial.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

All activities performed in this consciousness constitute true renunciation, or yukta-vairāgya, as opposed to false renuniciation, or phalgu-vairāgya.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

Considering everything material, some people make a show of renunciation and reject even those things that can be used in the Lord's service. This is futile. All objects in the material world are meant not for our enjoyment or gratification but for the Lord's service. This is the mood of one in transcendental consciousness, or superconsciousness. And all activities performed in this consciousness constitute true renunciation, or yukta-vairāgya, as opposed to false renuniciation, or phalgu-vairāgya. By instructing Arjuna to act in this way, the Supreme Lord has ordered us to do so as well.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Phalgu-vairāgya means that I am giving up, renouncing everything, superficially, but within me there is a desire how to become God.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Phalgu-vairāgya. Phalgu means false. False. The phalgu, from River Phalgu is... Here, in India, there is a River Phalgu. You'll see that there is no water on the surface of the river. But if you push your hand within the sand, you'll get water. So phalgu-vairāgya means that I am giving up, renouncing everything, superficially, but within me there is a desire how to become God. I am giving up, but I cannot give up this desire. There is big, big philosophy on this point. The... They are trying to become one with God. But a devotee does not try to become one with God or separated from God. They are satisfied. In whatever condition God keeps him, he's satisfied.

Accepting something as material, hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ, but it has connection with Hari, so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairāgya.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

Prapañcikatayā buddhyā. (sharp cracking sound; aside:) What is this sound? Prapañcika-buddhyā, by accepting something as material, hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ, but it has connection with Hari, so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairāgya. Just like this, for land we are fighting. Because we are thinking that "Kṛṣṇa has come here, Kṛṣṇa is seated here. It cannot be vacated." We are not thinking that it is a material thing. This is an example.

Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described, phalgu-vairāgya. The monkey is vairāgī. He lives in the forest. He has no cloth even.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

The material activities, they are all useless activities, because in the bodily concept of life. Just like the monkey. He is also very active. In Vṛndāvana we have got good experience, always active. But useless. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described, phalgu-vairāgya. The monkey is vairāgī. He lives in the forest. He has no cloth even. Other vairāgīs, they have got little cloth, but these monkeys have no cloth. And they live in forest and eat fruits, vegetarian, but rascal number one.

On the bed of the river you'll find all sand, dry, but if you push your hand little below the sand, you will find water. This is practi... Therefore it is called phalgu-vairāgya.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

Phalgu means less valuable, less important. Or there is Phalgu river. Phalgu river, you know, in Gayā there is a Phalgu river. On the bed of the river you'll find all sand, dry, but if you push your hand little below the sand, you will find water. This is practi... Therefore it is called phalgu-vairāgya. Actually, outside, as vairāgī, no cloth, even does not touch even cloth, but inside, every monkey has one dozen wife at least. So this kind of phalgu-vairāgī or markaṭa-vairāgī is not required.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

This is required, that everything engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is called yukta-vairāgya. Not phalgu-vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's advice. Don't die for want of motor car. But if you get the opportunity to go faster then walking, you should utilize it. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. This is required, that everything engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is called yukta-vairāgya. Not phalgu-vairāgya. Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "Motor car is material; therefore we should not touch it"—this is phalgu-vairāgya.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Phalgu vairāgya means the so-called sannyāsīs, they have taken the dress of renounced order, but within the heart they have got all desires to fulfill.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Phalgu vairāgya. Mumukṣubhiḥ, those who are after liberation, nirbheda brahmānusandhana, their giving up this world, becoming sannyāsī, Māyāvādī sannyāsī, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā... Rūpa Gosvāmī says, phalgu vairāgya. Why phalgu? Phalgu means insignificant, and phalgu means there is a river, Phalgu, in the Gayā. Those who have gone to Gayā... There is a river. The Gayā city is situated on the river Phalgu. This river is got Phalgu because on the bed you'll find only sand. But if you push your hand within the sand, you'll find water. Similarly phalgu vairāgya means the so-called sannyāsīs, they have taken the dress of renounced order, but within the heart they have got all desires to fulfill.

That is called phalgu vairāgya. On the surface there is no water; sand. But within, oh, there is flow of water, going on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Within the heart. If you push your hand within his heart, you'll find he has got all desires for material enjoyment. That is called phalgu vairāgya. On the surface there is no water; sand. But within, oh, there is flow of water, going on. So this phalgu vairāgya wallas, Māyāvādī sannyāsīs... Jagan mithyā. They give up this world, so many sannyāsīs. But at heart there is the desire: "I shall become God. I shall become God." Just see. We are trying... The karmīs are trying to become minister, and he's trying to become God. So how much great desire he has got. And outwardly he appears to be renounced.

General Lectures

Phalgu-vairāgya means inferior renunciation, or false renunciation.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

So phalgu-vairāgya and yukta-vairāgya. Phalgu-vairāgya means inferior renunciation, or false renunciation. And yukta-vairāgya means actual renunciation. What is that difference? Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are giving up this world as false, māyā. Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Just like sometimes we are criticized because we are using the advantages offered by the material science. Just like I am using this microphone. So the people may criticize, "If this world is false, the material world is false, then why should I take advantage of this material product?" They expect that those who are spiritualists, they should go to Himalayas, giving up, giving up everything material and meditate in a solitary place, in snow-covered area. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not think like that.

Philosophy Discussions

Rūpa Gosvāmī says, phalgu-vairāgya, that kind of renunciation is insufficient.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Just like prasādam—the people will say "What is this nonsense, prasādam, we are taking also dahl, rice, capātī, how it becomes spiritual?" They can argue like that and sometimes they do that. But, they do not know that we are accepting this dahl, rice, capātī in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually it belongs to Kṛṣṇa. They, you cannot produce dahl, rice, it is Kṛṣṇa's production; everything is Kṛṣṇa's production. But when you forget Kṛṣṇa, his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then it is material. Therefore you revive the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, then you understand Kṛṣṇa has eaten, now let us take. Therefore it is spiritual. The consciousness is spiritual.

Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe

yukta-vairāgyam ucyate.

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

phalgu-vairāgya kathyate

This is our philosophy, Rūpa Gosvāmī's philosophy. That hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ; everything has relation with Kṛṣṇa and those who are giving it up, "No, no it is matter, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, this is false," Rūpa Gosvāmī says, phalgu-vairāgya, that kind of renunciation is insufficient or, phalgu means false, false renunciation. So our renunciation means renounce things for sense gratification. That's all.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everything should be dovetailed in the service of Kṛṣṇa. And that is real understanding.

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: How you can say it is material when it is, it can be used... There is another verse. What is called? Prapañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandha-vastunaḥ. Everything has got relation with the Supreme because it is a production of the supreme energy. So everything is connected. So

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandha-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

phalgu-vairāgya kathyate

If we do not take everything in that relation, that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Everything has got relationship with Kṛṣṇa," and if we simply give it up, "Oh, this is material. This is material..." (break) ...has got relation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore everything should be dovetailed in the service of Kṛṣṇa. And that is real understanding. (break) You'll find simply drunkards lying down on the street. I lived there for some time.