Description of brahmacārī is going on here, the dress. The dress should be as simple as possible. So the jina means the deerskin. That is very essential, because formerly the brahmacārīs used to go to guru-gṛha. In those days the guru-gṛha was not palatial building. Now if you haven't got palatial building, nobody will come. The different stage. But actually brahmacārī, the guru also, they were living in the forest, and brahmacārī used to go that guru-gṛha. So the deerskin in the forest is very essential. Just like we take some blankets, we can spread anywhere and sit down. Deerskin, it is said that if you have got deerskin, you can sleep in the jungle; the snake will not touch you. That is the dravya-guṇa, the special effect of deerskin. Either tigerskin or deerskin, if you sit down, if you sleep, the snakes will not come. This is also very scientific. Therefore, because the brahmacārīs used to live in the jungle, it was essential. But on the whole the shortcut is recommended, not that gorgeous dress, very nice bedstead or . . . As far as possible, yāvad-artha, whatever is absolutely necessary . . . That is Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization does not recommend that artificially you increase your necessities of life, and there is so much trouble. Just like nowadays in your country the machine is there in every respect. Even for shaving your cheek you require a machine. So this increasing the artificial necessities of life is possible when there is no higher thought. After all, we are thoughtful. We have got better consciousness in the human form of life than the animals. Our consciousness is developed. But because in this age, material world, we have no spiritual idea, so whatever power we have got in thinking, we are trying to increase artificially material way of life. "The idle brain is a devil's workshop."
So this is called anartha. Anartha means things which are not wanted. This is the distinction between East and West. If I can lie down . . . The Eastern civilization is that "If I can lie down on the floor, where is the necessity of a bedstead or a cot? There is no. If I can lie down, keeping, resting my head on the arms, why there is necessity of pillow? If I can take, drink water with my palms like this, what is the use of any waterpot?" Minimize. Minimize. Spiritual life does not mean artificially increasing the necessities of life. Nidrāhāra-vihāraka (Śaḍ Goswāmi Aṣṭaka 6). Even the most important necessities of life, āhāra . . . Everyone has to eat something. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca (Hitopadeśa). These are bodily necessities: eating, sleeping, sex and taking precaution from danger. These are bodily necessities. But spiritual advancement means, as Rūpa Gosvāmī and other Gosvāmīs showed us example, they conquered over this, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau—to conquer over sleeping, to conquer over eating, to conquer over sex and to conquer over fearing.
Fearing, we have got . . . We are afraid because we are thinking, "I am this body." Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt (SB 11.2.37). The question of fear comes . . . Just like this body. If there is some danger, why we are fearful? Because I am thinking, "I am this body." Dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. I am soul. Every one of us spirit soul. Kṛṣṇa is spirit soul. So even after the destruction of body, I do not die. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). But this realization we are lacking. Therefore, when there is some danger about my body, I become fearful. This is dvitīya . . . But that does not mean unnecessarily we expose to danger. No. But we must have this consciousness, that "This body is temporary. Even it is destroyed, I am not going to die. But if Kṛṣṇa likes to be destroyed, let it be done so. Where is the question of fear?" But that does not mean I'll not take any precaution. I must take precaution. But I shall not be overwhelmed. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ (BG 3.40). If I think . . . Just like in car, there was some little accident the other day. So although there was accident, we did not care. We began to walk. Because we know that "Because there is some accident, then we are lost"—no. So the more we become spiritually advanced, these things come in. Nidrāhāra vihārakādi. Those who are accustomed to material habit, at the time of drinking tea, if he does not get a cup of tea he becomes mad after it, because too much materially inclined. But you have given up. You know that "Without drinking tea, I am not going to die. Why shall I be . . . unnecessarily take all these things?" This is spiritual life. Spiritual life does not mean go on increasing your material necessity and you become spiritual. No. Minimize. Minimize. Yāvad artha-prayojana. As much as required. We shall talk very measured thing. That is spiritual life. So brahmacārī is taught. From the very beginning he is taught to shortcut the necessities of life. Shortcut. Yes.
Mekhalājina-vāsāṁsi jatā-daṇḍa-kamaṇḍalūn. Jaṭā. Jaṭā means the bunch of hair. Means you should not take care of the hair. Then automatically it will become jaṭā. If you apply very nice coconut oil and with comb you dress very nicely, then there will be no jaṭā. The jaṭā means don't care of your hair. If you want to keep hair at all . . . First of all is, there is no question of caretaking if you become clean-shaved. There are two processes: a brahmacārī, either he is clean-shaved, or he keeps his hair without any taking care. That is two processes. Jaṭā-kamaṇḍalūn. Not that "I shall keep my hair." Now in the Kali-yuga the hair is very valuable thing, life and soul. I have seen some of our disciples. As soon as he's out of this camp, immediately hair. Immediately. I have seen so many. When he was within the camp, very advanced supposed, but as soon as he is one day after, he keeps hair. Immediately. The so tendency is there. Because in this age it is understood that if you can keep hair, bunch of hair, not very nice, but simply hair will make him beautiful. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam (SB 12.2.6). Although he has no lāvaṇya—he has no beauty—still, he thinks, "I have become very beautiful by keeping hair." So this should be avoided. In this age, of course, this is jaṭā is not possible. If you keep jaṭā, then when you go on the street for begging alms for guru, then perhaps you'll be chased by so many animals here. So it is better to remain clean-shaved. It has no botheration, no taking care of the hair, no oil required.