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Attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul

2016-09-07T13:10:20Z

Paraschiva:

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<div class="section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_3" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 3.25.20" link_text="SB 3.25.20, Translation and Purport">
<div class="heading">Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 3.25.20|SB 3.25.20, Translation and Purport]]: Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.'''

Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Kṛṣṇa or His devotee is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness, therefore, is the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, then he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditional state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation.

Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sādhus. And who is a sādhu? A sādhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sādhu is described in Bhagavad-gītā as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sādhu. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. A sādhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman, or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sādhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya: [Cc. Madhya 22.54] simply by a moment's association with a sādhu, one can attain perfection.

Mahātmā is a synonym of sādhu. It is said that service to a mahātmā, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dvāram āhur vimukteḥ, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam (SB 5.5.2). Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist, or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened. The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sādhu, the result will be that the sādhu will teach him how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sādhu. If we want to associate with a sādhu, we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will give us instructions on how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sādhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Lectures" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974" link_text="Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974">
<div class="heading">This is the definition of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Consciousness is there. Living being means there must be consciousness. Consciousness, when it is muddy or contaminated on account of intermingling with these modes of nature, we become more and more entangled.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974|Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974]]:''' Nitāi: "Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation."

Prabhupāda:

:prasaṅgam ajaraṁ pāśam
:ātmanaḥ kavayo viduḥ
:sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto
:mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam
:[SB 3.25.20]

This is the definition of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Consciousness is there. Living being means there must be consciousness. The consciousness... (sound of baby in background) (pause)

Devotee: Take away the girl.

Prabhupāda: Consciousness, when it is muddy or contaminated on account of intermingling with these modes of nature, we become more and more entangled. There is a verse in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta spoken by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

:sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarva-śāstre kaya
:lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
:[Cc. Madhya 22.54]

Sādhu-saṅga. Here it is also recommended: sa eva sādhuṣu kṛtaḥ. Association, prasaṅga... Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. In the... (pause, sound of baby continuing) No... Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. As you associate with... Man is social animal, it is said. So according to your association, you can mold your character. If you associate with businessmen, then... They actually form so many associations to develop their business capacity. Practical. There is stock exchange association, this market association, that market association. There is club, association of the drunkards. So there are many association, and this association, different types of association, is the cause of bondage in that particular thing. Everyone knows it. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. Similarly, if you transfer the association to the sādhu, then mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam, the door for liberation is open. If you associate with materialistic persons, then your bondage becomes more and more tightened, and if you associate with sādhu, or spiritualist, then your bondage becomes slackened, or the door of liberation becomes open. Mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam.</div>
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Entangled by the laws of material nature

2016-09-07T13:06:08Z

Paraschiva:

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<div class="section" id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="CC_Madhya-lila" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="CC" link="CC Madhya 1.198" link_text="CC Madhya 1.198, Purport">
<div class="heading">Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has explained, “Because of the activities of the senses, we become subjected to many sense gratificatory processes and are thus entangled by the laws of material nature."</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 1.198|CC Madhya 1.198, Purport]]''': Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has explained ku-viṣaya garta as follows: “Because of the activities of the senses, we become subjected to many sense gratificatory processes and are thus entangled by the laws of material nature. This entanglement is called viṣaya. When the sense gratificatory processes are executed by pious activity, they are called su-viṣaya. The word su means ‘good,’ and viṣaya means ‘sense objects.’ When the sense gratificatory activities are performed under sinful conditions, they are called ku-viṣaya, bad sense enjoyment. In either case, either ku-viṣaya or su-viṣaya, these are material activities. As such, they are compared to stool. In other words, such things are to be avoided. To become free from su-viṣaya and ku-viṣaya, one must engage himself in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The activities of devotional service are free from the contamination of material qualities. Therefore, to be free from the reactions of su-viṣaya and ku-viṣaya, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In that way, one will save himself from contamination.”</div>
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<div class="section" id="Lectures" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969" link_text="Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969">
<div class="heading">So long we are complicated, entangled by the laws of material nature, then we shall have to transmigrate from this one kind of body to another kind of body, and our material existence will be prolonged.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969|Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969]]:''' So we are fallen in this material condition of life, and because we have disobeyed without the permission of father, we have misused our independence, therefore we are condemned within this material world. The īśāvāsya, the Īśopaniṣad teaches us, therefore reminds us, that "My dear human being..." The śāstras, the scriptures, the Vedas, they're meant for human being, not for the dogs, cats. Those who are not taking advantage of these scriptures of Vedic literatures, they are no more than animals. Because animals, they cannot take advantage of this knowledge. But human being can take. Therefore it is said, indicated in the śāstras, that this body is very suitable boat for crossing over this ocean of nescience. We are in the ocean, this outer space, the big space within this universe. It is to be considered just like a big ocean, and all the planets, they're just like islands. Therefore in the Vedic literature sometimes these planets are called dvīpa. Dvīpa means island. Śvetadvīpa. This planet is called Jambūdvīpa. Just like in the ocean, there are many hundreds of small, big island. Similarly, the ocean of air or outer space, there are so many planets. They are called dvīpas. So īśāvāsyam... So all this belongs to God. And we, we are, because we are His sons, we have got the right to use our father's property, but not illegally. What is allotted to us by our father we can accept, that's all. One who lives... That is stated in the Īśopaniṣad, that kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ. If you accept this principle, then you can live for hundreds of years without any sin. Otherwise you become complicated in the laws of material nature. And so long we are complicated, entangled by the laws of material nature, then we shall have to transmigrate from this one kind of body to another kind of body, and our material existence will be prolonged.</div>
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