Tendency for sense gratification

Expressions researched:
"tendency towards sense gratification" |"tendency toward sense gratification" |"tendencies for sense gratification" |"tendency for sense gratification"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

This restricted, unattached sex life is also a kind of yajña because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency toward sense gratification for higher, transcendental life.

BG 4.26, Purport: The members of the four divisions of human life, namely the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha and the sannyāsī, are all meant to become perfect yogīs or transcendentalists. Since human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification like the animals, the four orders of human life are so arranged that one may become perfect in spiritual life. The brahmacārīs, or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master, control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. A brahmacārī hears only words concerning Kṛṣṇa consciousness; hearing is the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure brahmacārī engages fully in harer nāmānukīrtanam—chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restrains himself from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the householders, who have some license for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint. Sex life, intoxication and meat-eating are general tendencies of human society, but a regulated householder does not indulge in unrestricted sex life and other sense gratification. Marriage on the principles of religious life is therefore current in all civilized human society because that is the way for restricted sex life. This restricted, unattached sex life is also a kind of yajña because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency toward sense gratification for higher, transcendental life.

Sri Isopanisad

Human activities diseased by a tendency toward sense gratification have been regulated in the Vedas under the principles of salvation.

Sri Isopanisad 11: Human activities diseased by a tendency toward sense gratification have been regulated in the Vedas under the principles of salvation. This system employs religion, economic development, sense gratification and salvation, but at the present moment people have no interest in religion or salvation. They have only one aim in life—sense gratification—and in order to achieve this end they make plans for economic development. Misguided men think that religion should be maintained because it contributes to economic development, which is required for sense gratification. Thus in order to guarantee further sense gratification after death, in heaven, there is some system of religious observance. But this is not the purpose of religion. The path of religion is actually meant for self-realization, and economic development is required just to maintain the body in a sound, healthy condition. A man should lead a healthy life with a sound mind just to realize vidyā, true knowledge, which is the aim of human life. This life is not meant for working like an ass or for culturing avidyā for sense gratification.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Our tendency for sense gratification is controlled. Therefore it is called license. Gṛhastha life means a license for sense gratification.

Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974: Just like I have several times said, the marriage is sense gratification, sex life. But somebody may say... They say that "Marriage is legalized prostitution." It may be, but still, there is some control. Although it is called "legalized prostitution," there is no difference between prostitution and married life, but there is some control. People become responsible. By responsible life, they can make advance. Irresponsible life will not help. Therefore loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. So our tendency for sense gratification is controlled. Therefore it is called license. Gṛhastha life means a license for sense gratification. But we must know that sense gratification means material life. It may be systematic or not systematic. Sense gratifications means material life. But our aim is to transcend this material life and come to the spiritual life, platform of spiritual life. That is required. So there are so many processes.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

People have got the tendency for sense gratification. That is the material disease.

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974: So people have got the tendency for sense gratification. That is the material disease. So instead of satisfying your senses, try to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become liberated. This is called cikitsitam. There is sense gratification. Here when you chant and dance, this is not your sense gratification; this is Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification: "Oh, these devotees, they are glorifying Me, they are dancing. Blessed they are." Immediately you draw attention of Kṛṣṇa, because it is bhakti.

We have to reduce the tendency for sense gratification by increasing our devotional activities. That is the process.

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974: Here our material disease is that we want to satisfy our sense. This is material life. The whole material civilization is going on, we have repeatedly said... Advancement of civilization means advancement of sense gratification. That's all. So bhakti means just the opposite. So, so long we are, I mean to say, very much interested in sense gratification, there is no question of bhakti. That is not possible. So we have to reduce the tendency for sense gratification by increasing our devotional activities. That is the process. Therefore it is said, bhaktyā pumāñ jāta-virāga. Virāga, from where? Virāga means distasteful. Virakti. The other word is virakti: "No, no, I don't like." That is called virāga.

This is the disease, material disease. Everyone has got tendency for sense gratification, but not all of them of the same type.

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974: Why we are getting different bodies? Because we have got different tendency for sense gratification. Indriya, aindriyāt. This is the disease, material disease. Everyone has got tendency for sense gratification, but not all of them of the same type. They have got different types. So our material bondage means these different types of sense gratification. Therefore we have to stop this. We have to be detestful from this sense gratification. Then our spiritual life will begin. That is possible by bhakti.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everywhere, there is such tendency towards sense gratification. India... Why do you speak India or America? That is the tendency everywhere.

Morning Walk -- October 7, 1975, Durban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: ...India also there is such tendency towards sense gratification?

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. India... Why do you speak India or America? That is the tendency everywhere.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Because when the British came, the Indians took up so many of the habits of the British.

Prabhupāda: No, no, before that also. But that habit was controlled by Indian culture.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I see.

Prabhupāda: That is the specific position of Vedic culture. The habit, that tendency is there, but by Indian Vedic culture these base tendencies are checked and they are made, I mean to say, given opportunity to advance. That is brahminical culture. The brāhmaṇas voluntarily rejected all these. That is ideal, that "Here is an idea!" But here at the present moment there is no such idea! Everyone is after material enjoyment. There is no ideal that "Here is a person who doesn't care for anything. Still he is so exalted." That is wanted. That ideal is not now. Therefore I am trying to create such ideal men.

1975 Correspondence

Preaching purifies us of these material tendencies for sense gratification. It is simply a matter of time that you will see this.

Letter to Jagaddhatri, Pasupati, Sailogata, Pamela -- Dallas 30 July, 1975: Aggression for the cause of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is pure. If you become completely absorbed in such aggression to spread Sankirtana Movement, there will be no question of wanting to lord it over in the temple. Preaching purifies us of these material tendencies for sense gratification. It is simply a matter of time that you will see this. Do not worry. Krishna will help you.

1976 Correspondence

We have different types of material dresses to fulfill the tendency for sense gratification, and this by the laws of nature, by association with the 3 modes of material nature.

Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976: The real fact is that we living entities although part and parcel of God, on account of our own disobedience have come down to this material world under different circumstances. We have different types of material dresses to fulfill the tendency for sense gratification, and this by the laws of nature, by association with the 3 modes of material nature. We are transmigrating through different forms of life. So this human form of life is given to us as an opportunity to understand our position because in the human form of life we have more developed consciousness than the lower forms of life like the aquatics, insects, plants, birds, beasts and the civilized and uncivilized human beings. So the point is that a human being must know the aim of life is to go back to Home, back to Godhead.