Vaniquotes - User contributions [en]

Sages said, "Self-controlled person, in householder life, should give up the three kinds of material desires, namely the desire for the acquisition of material opulences, for the enjoyment of wife and children, and for elevation to higher planets"

2025-01-29T07:37:05Z

Vaibhav:

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{{terms|"a self-controlled person, even while remaining in householder life, should give up the three kinds of material desires, namely the desire for the acquisition of material opulences, for the enjoyment of wife and children, and for elevation to higher planets"}}
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[[Category:Krsna Book Chapter 84 - Sacrificial Ceremonies Performed by Vasudeva]]
[[Category:Krsna Book Chapters 01 to 90]]
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<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<h3>Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead</h3>
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The only process to counteract all sorts of material desires is to engage oneself in the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu. In this way a self-controlled person, even while remaining in householder life, should give up the three kinds of material desires, namely the desire for the acquisition of material opulences, for the enjoyment of wife and children, and for elevation to higher planets. Eventually he should give up householder life and accept the renounced order, engaging himself completely in the devotional service of the Lord.
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[[Vanisource:KB 84|Krsna Book, 84]]
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The sages present then began to address Vasudeva in the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and many other kings, and, as requested by him, they gave their instructions: “To counteract the reactions of fruitive activities and the desires impelling one to fruitive activities, one must with faith and devotion execute the prescribed sacrifices meant for worshiping Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu is the beneficiary of the results of all sacrificial performances. Great personalities and sages who are able to see everything clearly through the eyes of the revealed scriptures and possess vision of the three phases of the time element, namely past, present and future, have unanimously recommended that to purify the dust of material contamination accumulated in the heart and to clear the path of liberation and thereby achieve transcendental bliss, one must please Lord Viṣṇu. For everyone living as a householder in one of the higher social orders (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya), this worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, who is known as Puruṣottama, the original person, is recommended as the only auspicious path.

“All conditioned souls within this material world have deep-rooted desires to lord it over the resources of material nature. Everyone wants to accumulate riches, everyone wants to enjoy life to the greatest extent, everyone wants a wife, home and children, and everyone wants to become happy in this world and be elevated to the heavenly planets in the next life. But these desires are the causes of one’s material bondage. Therefore, to get liberation from this bondage, one has to sacrifice his honestly earned riches for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu.

“The only process to counteract all sorts of material desires is to engage oneself in the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu. In this way a self-controlled person, even while remaining in householder life, should give up the three kinds of material desires, namely the desire for the acquisition of material opulences, for the enjoyment of wife and children, and for elevation to higher planets. Eventually he should give up householder life and accept the renounced order, engaging himself completely in the devotional service of the Lord. Everyone, even if born in a higher status as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya, is certainly indebted to the demigods, to the sages, to the forefathers and to other living entities, and in order to liquidate all these debts, one has to perform sacrifices, study the Vedic literature and generate children in religious householder life. If somehow one accepts the renounced order of life without liquidating these debts, he certainly falls down from his position. Today you have already liquidated your debts to your forefathers and the sages. Now, by performing sacrifices, you can free yourself from indebtedness to the demigods and thus take complete shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. My dear Vasudeva, certainly you have already performed many pious activities in your previous lives. Otherwise, how could you be the father of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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The king of this planet, Maharaja Ambarisa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the S P of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires

2025-01-29T07:31:18Z

Vaibhav:

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[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 09 Chapter 04 - Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni]]
[[Category:Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami - Vaniquotes]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Cantos 01 to 09 - All Verse Translations]]
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<div id="section">
<h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<h3>SB Canto 9</h3>
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<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
The king of this planet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires.
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[[Vanisource:SB 9.4.26|SB 9.4.26, Translation and Purport]]
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<div class="quote_translation">
The king of this planet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires.
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<div class="text">
Severe austerities in the practice of devotional service are of many varieties. For example, in worshiping the Deity in the temple there are certainly laborious activities. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. One must decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple, bring water from the Ganges and Yamunā, continue the routine work, perform ārati many times, prepare first-class food for the Deity, prepare dresses and so on. In this way, one must constantly be engaged in various activities, and the hard labor involved is certainly an austerity. Similarly, the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyaṁ putrakā ([[Vanisource:SB 5.5.1|SB 5.5.1]]). Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease.
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When someone engages in Lord Krsna's devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Krsna, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Krsna

2025-01-29T07:26:10Z

Vaibhav:

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[[Category:Krsna's Servants]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 22 - The Process of Devotional Service]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25 Chapters]]
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<h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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When someone engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.
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[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.41|CC Madhya 22.41, Translation]]
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When someone engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.
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When one gives up these material desires, then he is desireless. But one cannot be desireless. That is not possible. Then he is dead and gone. So desirelessness means no material desires

2025-01-29T07:25:07Z

Vaibhav:

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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB6115NelloreJanuary81976_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="615" link="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976" link_text="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976">
<div class="heading">So one should be cleansed from the desires of jñāna, karma, yoga. He should be desireless. So these are all material desires. So when one gives up these material desires, then he is desireless. But one cannot be desireless. That is not possible. Then he is dead and gone. So desirelessness means no material desires.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976|Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Kevalayā. Kevalayā means unalloyed, pure. Kevalayā bhakti means śuddha-bhakti, unalloyed bhakti. Otherwise bhakti is sometimes mixed with jñāna and sometimes mixed with yoga, mixed with karma. Because karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs, they have got some desire to be fulfilled. (break) The karmīs, they want to be elevated to the heavenly planet; the jñānīs, they want to become one with the Supreme Lord; and the yogīs, they want some power to exhibit so that they may be honored as God. (break) (explaining to translator:) The yoga, mystic power, aṇimā, laghimā, siddhi, like that. (break) But bhakti means one must be freed from all these desires. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī gives the definition of bhakti, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11): "without any other desire." "Other" means bhukti, mukti, siddhi: to enjoy this material world or to become one with the God or to get some mystic power. So the bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, no karmī's desire, no jñānī's desire, no yogī's desire. So anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). </p>
<p>So one should be cleansed from the desires of jñāna, karma, yoga. He should be desireless. So these are all material desires. So when one gives up these material desires, then he is desireless. But one cannot be desireless. That is not possible. Then he is dead and gone. So desirelessness means no material desires. So we cannot be desireless, but desirelessness means no bhukti, no yogic siddhi, neither oneness, monism, to merge into the Supreme. These are all material desires. So bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). That is first-class bhakti, when we are ready to serve Kṛṣṇa as He orders. So to become ready to serve Kṛṣṇa is desirelessness. Otherwise a living entity, a living being, cannot be desireless.</p>
<p>So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching how to become desirous to serve Kṛṣṇa. This teaching, perfection of instruction, we find in the Bhagavad-gītā when Arjuna says, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava ([[Vanisource:BG 18.73 (1972)|BG 18.73]]): "I shall execute what You order me." Te vacanaṁ tava: "I shall execute any order which You order me." Arjuna was a warrior, soldier. When he was... Before his hearing Bhagavad-gītā he was a soldier, and after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he remained a soldier. But in the beginning of the fight he was not willing to fight with his brothers. Although Kṛṣṇa was speaking to him that "You fight," he was declining. This is the stage of abhakta, or nondevotee. Although mundane person will very much be pleased that "Arjuna was not willing to fight. He is nonviolent," but Kṛṣṇa was not accepting. So fighting is not a good business, so Arjuna was declining to fight. It was good from the worldly point of view. But after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa inquired from Arjuna, "What you have decided?" Arjuna replied, naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā kariṣye vacanaṁ tava ([[Vanisource:BG 18.73 (1972)|BG 18.73]]): "Now I am quite in knowledge. I shall execute Your order." This is mukti. When we are prepared to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is the platform of mukti</p>
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We have to give up all other material desires, simply stick to Krsna to serve Him, always ready to serve Him. Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam

2025-01-29T07:22:50Z

Vaibhav:

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{{terms|"We have to give up all other material desires, simply stick to Kṛṣṇa to serve Him, always ready to serve Him. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam"}}
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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We have to give up all other material desires, simply stick to Kṛṣṇa to serve Him, always ready to serve Him. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just like Arjuna. He was ready to serve Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, everyone should be ready to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of life.
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[[Vanisource:751227 - Lecture BG 07.07 - Sanand|751227 - Lecture BG 07.07 - Sanand]]
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<div class="text">
Kṛṣṇa attachment is so nice that . . . Dhruva Mahārāja, he was in the beginning attracted by material enjoyment. He wanted a kingdom more than his father, and he went to the forest for meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead to get this benediction. So Dhruva Mahārāja actually when he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he refused to accept any benediction. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). This is the benefit of Kṛṣṇa āsakti. If you actually become attached to Kṛṣṇa, then you'll think yourself completely filled up. There is no more asking for any material benefit. Therefore in the śāstra it is recommended:

<div class="quote_verse">
:akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
:mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
:tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
:yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa
:(SB 2.3.10)
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Even if you have got material desires, sarva-kāma, still you be attached to Kṛṣṇa so your material aspiration will be fulfilled; at the same time, you'll get Kṛṣṇa. When Dhruva Mahārāja refused to take any benediction, Lord Viṣṇu informed him that, "Don't bother. You had some desire for material fulfillment, so there is Dhruvaloka. You enjoy, and after your life is finished, you'll come to Vaikuṇṭha."

So Kṛṣṇa is so nice, so liberal, that if you have got a little tinge of aspiration He will fulfill you, and at the same time, you'll go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is recommended, yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa. If you have got some material desire, still you worship Kṛṣṇa. He'll fulfill; at the same time, you will be able to go back to home, back to Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, almighty, with full with six opulences. So if you have got any material desire, that also Kṛṣṇa can fulfill. But you stick to Kṛṣṇa so that your āsakti will be increased. If you divert your attention to other demigods, then this āsakti will fail. Therefore for a devotee who sticks his faith in Kṛṣṇa, he has no chance for worshiping other demigods. The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, anya devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei parama bhakti karaṇa. For a devotee of Kṛṣṇa there is no scope for worshiping other deity, because that will not help him to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṇa. But if we want our āsakti, attachment, to increase for Kṛṣṇa, then absolute . . .

<div class="quote_verse">
:anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
:jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam
:ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
:śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
:(Brs. 1.1.11)
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We have to give up all other material desires, simply stick to Kṛṣṇa to serve Him, always ready to serve Him. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just like Arjuna. He was ready to serve Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, everyone should be ready to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of life.
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Sunyavadi-nirvana means to give up material desires. It is not possible to give up desires. That is not possible. To give up desires means I am dead body, a stone. If I have got life, if I am not a stone, there must be desires

2025-01-29T07:21:05Z

Vaibhav:

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{{terms|"''Śūnyavādī-nirvāṇa ''means to give up material desires. It is not possible to give up desires. That is not possible. To give up desires means I am dead body, a stone. If I have got life, if I am not a stone, there must be desires"}}
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Śūnyavādī-nirvāṇa means to give up material desires. It is not possible to give up desires. That is not possible. To give up desires means I am dead body, a stone. If I have got life, if I am not a stone, there must be desires. So where is the living entity who has no desires? That is not possible.
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[[Vanisource:760517 - Lecture SB 06.01.17 - Honolulu|760517 - Lecture SB 06.01.17 - Honolulu]]
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<div class="text">
Prabhupāda: "The path followed by pure devotees, who are well behaved and fully endowed with the best qualifications, is certainly the most auspicious path in this material world. It is free from fear, and it is authorized by the ''śāstras''."

So this is the summarization of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that the path followed by pure devotees. Pure devotees means who has no material desire. That is pure devotee. ''Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam ''(''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu ''1.1.11). ''Śūnya ''means zero, one who has made all material desires zero. That is the way. In the Buddha philosophy it is called ''nirvāṇa''. ''Nirvāṇa ''means make zero, ''śūnyavādi''. But we cannot remain in the ''śūnya''. That is not possible. ''Śūnyavādī-nirvāṇa ''means to give up material desires. It is not possible to give up desires. That is not possible. To give up desires means I am dead body, a stone. If I have got life, if I am not a stone, there must be desires. So where is the living entity who has no desires? That is not possible. If we kill somebody to make him desireless, that "If you are killed, then there will be no more desire," no, the desire will continue in the subtle body. Even one is finished, this material body . . . Sometimes they commit suicide out of frustration, that "This desire is not fulfilled. Let me commit suicide." No. That is ignorance. Desires continue in the subtle body—mind, intelligence and ego. And to fulfill the desire, Kṛṣṇa will give you another body. If we make a desire, it must be fulfilled, and Kṛṣṇa will give you facilities. ''Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā'' ([[vanisource:BG 18.61 (1972)|BG 18.61]]). Desire is so strong. So how to make it zero? That is not possible. To make it zero means no more material desire. That is to make zero material desires. ''Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam'' ([[vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]]).
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The advantage for materialistic devotees is that they sometimes give up their material desires and become pure

2025-01-28T17:42:46Z

Vaibhav:

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[[Category:Becoming a Pure Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Purity of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 06 Chapter 09 Purports - Appearance of the Demon Vrtrasura]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 06 Purports]]
</div>
<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB6944_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="373" link="SB 6.9.44" link_text="SB 6.9.44">
<div class="heading">The four classes of neophyte devotees who approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead to offer devotional service because of material motives are not pure devotees, but the advantage for such materialistic devotees is that they sometimes give up their material desires and become pure.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.9.44|SB 6.9.44, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Therefore, O Lord, O supreme controller, O Lord Kṛṣṇa, please annihilate this dangerous demon Vṛtrāsura, Tvaṣṭā's son, who has already swallowed all our weapons, our paraphernalia for fighting, and our strength and influence.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.15-16):</p>
:na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
:prapadyante narādhamāḥ
:māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
:āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
:catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
:janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna
:ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
:jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
<p>"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me. O best among the Bhāratas (Arjuna), four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute."</p>
<p>The four classes of neophyte devotees who approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead to offer devotional service because of material motives are not pure devotees, but the advantage for such materialistic devotees is that they sometimes give up their material desires and become pure. When the demigods are utterly helpless, they approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead in grief and with tears in their eyes, praying to the Lord, and thus they become almost pure devotees, free from material desires. Admitting that they have forgotten pure devotional service because of extensive material opportunities, they fully surrender to the Lord, leaving to His consideration whether to maintain them or annihilate them. Such surrender is necessary. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, mārabi rākhabi-yo icchā tohārā: "O Lord, I fully surrender unto Your lotus feet. Now, as You desire, You may protect me or annihilate me. You have the full right to do either."</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized

2025-01-28T17:34:27Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized"}}
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[[Category:Krsna's Devotees]]
[[Category:Engaging Our Speech in Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Power]]
[[Category:Glorifying Krsna]]
[[Category:Krsna's Qualities]]
[[Category:Krsna's Form]]
[[Category:Dedicating to Krsna]]
[[Category:Their]]
[[Category:Mind]]
[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:Characteristics of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 11 - The Beda-kirtana Pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25 Chapters]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
"'My devotees take great care and respect in rendering Me service. They offer obeisances to Me with all their bodily limbs. They worship other devotees and find all living entities related to Me. For Me they engage the entire energy of their bodies. They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized.'"
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 11.29-30|CC Madhya 11.29-30, Translation and Purport]]
</div>
<div class="quote_translation">
"'My devotees take great care and respect in rendering Me service. They offer obeisances to Me with all their bodily limbs. They worship other devotees and find all living entities related to Me. For Me they engage the entire energy of their bodies. They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized'"
</div>
<div class="text">
These two verses are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.19.20-24|SB 11.19.21-22]]). They were spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who was answering Uddhava’s inquiry about devotional service.
</div>
</div>
</div>

One who is actually intelligent gives up all material desires and engages in the transcendental service of Krsna

2025-01-28T07:59:49Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
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{{terms|"One who is actually intelligent gives up all material desires and engages in the transcendental service of Krsna"}}
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[[Category:One Who Is]]
[[Category:Actually Intelligent]]
[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:Engaging in Transcendental Service to Krsna]]
[[Category:Krsna's Service]]
[[Category:Teachings of Lord Caitanya 1975 Chapter 16 - Conclusion of Teachings to Sanatana Gosvami]]
[[Category:Teachings of Lord Caitanya 1975 Chapters 01 to 32]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>Teachings of Lord Caitanya</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
One who is actually intelligent gives up all material desires and engages in the transcendental service of Krsna. The influence of devotional service is such that when a person engages in it, he gives up all material desires and becomes fully attached to Krsna, being inspired by the transcendental qualities of the Lord. Such is the beauty of the Lord in the eyes of His devotee.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:TLC 16 (1975)|Teachings of Lord Caitanya (1975), Chapter 16]]
</div>
<div class="text">
There are those who simply desire liberation, those who are liberated already, even while in this material existence, and those who are actually self-realized. There are many persons in this world who desire liberation, and sometimes they engage in devotional service for this purpose. It is corroborated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.26|SB 1.2.26]]) that those who actually desire liberation abandon worship of the demigods, and, without envy, concentrate their minds in the worship of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When such persons come in contact with a pure devotee, they engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa and abandon the idea of liberation. In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya it is stated:

<div class="quote_verse">
:aho mahātman bahu-doṣa-duṣṭo
:'py ekena bhāty eṣa bhavo guṇena
:sat-saṅgam ākhyena sukhābahena
:kṛtādya no yena kṛśā mumukṣā
</div>

"O great soul, although there are many flaws within this miserable life, there is yet one glory—the association of pure devotees. Cultivate such association. By it our desire for liberation diminishes."

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.2.37|SB 11.2.37]]) it is stated that man's fear is due to his material conception of life and to his forgetting his eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord. Consequently he finds himself having only perverted memories. This occurs due to the spell of material energy. One who has sufficient intelligence will engage himself in full devotional service and regard the Supreme Lord as his spiritual master and worshipable God. The conclusion is that no one can attain a revolution in consciousness without engaging in devotional service to the Lord. When one is actually free from material contamination, he can fully engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.14.4|SB 10.14.4]]) it is again clearly said that one who engages in spiritual life to understand things as they are but who lacks all intentions of engaging in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply achieves trouble for his undertaking. There is no substance to his life. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and therefore it is the duty of every living entity to serve that supreme whole. Without such service, the living entity falls into material contamination.

Lord Caitanya concluded His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī by pointing out that the six kinds of ātmārāmas engage in some kind of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. In other words, at some time or another all the transcendentalists ultimately come to understand the necessity of rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa and become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. Even if one is very learned or extravagant, he can still engage in the devotional service of the Lord.

The transcendentalists can be categorized into six basic types: the neophyte transcendentalist, the absorbed transcendentalist, one who is actually situated in transcendence, one who actually desires liberation, one who is actually liberated, and one who is actually engaged in activities in his constitutional position. All of these are called ātmārāma. When a person becomes ātmārāma, or a great thinker in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he fully engages in devotional service. According to the grammatical rules, there are many ātmārāmas, but one sense of the word is sufficient to represent the others. In the collective sense, all the ātmārāmas are inclined to worship the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.

The mystic who worships the Supersoul within himself is also called ātmārāma. The ātmārāma yogīs are of two kinds: sagarbha and nigarbha, It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 2.2.8|SB 2.2.8]]): "Some yogīs meditate within their heart on the localized Viṣṇu, who is four-handed and who holds four symbols: conch, disc, mace and lotus." The yogī who thinks of the four-handed Viṣṇu becomes absorbed in devotional ecstasy and evinces the symptoms of that state. Sometimes he cries, and sometimes he feels separation. In this way he merges in transcendental bliss. The result of all this is that he becomes entrapped like a fish.

The sagarbha and nigarbha yogīs can be further divided into three categories: the beginner, the ascendent, and he who has already attained perfection. These yogīs are described in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are trying to ascend on the path of mystic yoga are called ārurukṣu. In ārurukṣu yoga, various sitting postures are practiced, and the mind is concentrated. But when one has already ascended to the path of yoga, meditation and detachment are the goals, and when one is no longer attached to working for sense gratification, he gradually becomes free. At that time he also attains a state of ecstasy called yoga ārūḍha. If these mystic yogīs somehow or other come in contact with a saintly person, they become devotees of Kṛṣṇa. The word urukrama indicates the Supreme Lord. All the ātmārāmas are engaged in devotional service to Urukrama. Before engaging in devotional service, such transcendentalists are called śāntas, or pacified devotees. The word ātmā, or self, is sometimes translated as "mind." Sometimes mental speculators present philosophical theories in different ways, but when they come in contact with saintly persons engaged in devotional service, they also become devotees.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.87.18|SB 10.87.18]]) describes the two classes of yogīs (sagarbha and nigarbha) as follows: "The yogīs begin their practice of yoga by worshiping the abdomen, and they try to concentrate their attention on their intestines. Gradually their meditation rises to the heart and concentrates on the mind and the heart. Then their attention rises to the top of the head, and one who can rise to that position is understood to have become perfect and to be no longer subjected to birth and death." Even if such yogīs come in contact with pure devotees, they also render causeless devotional service to the Lord.

The word ātmā also means "to endeavor." In every practice there is some endeavor, and the ultimate endeavor is the endeavor to reach the highest perfectional stage of devotional service. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.5.18|SB 1.5.18]]) it is stated that one should try to attain the highest goal, which cannot be attained either in the higher or lower planetary systems. The idea is that material happiness and misery are available in all planetary systems in the course of time, but the highest achievement, devotional service, cannot be attained anywhere without endeavor. Therefore in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa it is said that one who is serious about understanding the highest perfectional stage of devotional service can become successful in everything simply by his endeavor. One cannot attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service without personal endeavor. As Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā:

<div class="quote_verse">
:teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
:bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
:dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
:yena mām upayānti te
</div>

"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." ([[Vanisource:BG 10.10 (1972)|BG 10.10]])

The word ātmā also means patience and perseverance. By patience and perseverance one can achieve the highest stage of devotional service.

As far as the word muni is concerned, there are additional meanings. The word also refers to a bird and a large black bee. Another meaning of the word nirgrantha is "a foolish person." Thus even birds, bees and foolish people engage in the service of the Supreme Lord when they are favored by the pure devotee. Indeed, it is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.21.14|SB 10.21.14]]) that the birds are devoted to the service of the Supreme Lord. It is also stated there (10.15.6) that black bees always follow Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Concerning this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa even described the devotional service which the bees and wasps were rendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa said:

<div class="quote_verse">
:ete 'linas tava yaśo 'khila-loka-tīrthaṁ
:gāyanta ādi puruṣānupadaṁ bhajante
:prāyo amī muni-gaṇā bhavadīya-mukhyā
:gūḍhaṁ vane 'pi na jahaty anaghātma-daivam
</div>

"O supremely virtuous one, O Personality of Godhead (Balarāma), just see how these bees and wasps are following You, glorifying Your transcendental fame and worshiping You. Actually these wasps and bees are not as they appear; they are great sages who are taking this opportunity to worship the supreme soul. Although You are not known by ordinary persons, they know You, and they are following and glorifying You." There is a similar verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.15.7|SB 10.15.7]]) which describes the reception given to Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa by the peacocks of Vṛndāvana. "O worshipable one, just see how the peacocks that are returning to their nests are receiving You with full pleasure. These peacocks are just like the damsels of Vraja. The cuckoos on the branches of the trees are also receiving You in their own way. The residents of Vṛndāvana are so glorious that everyone is prepared to render devotional service to the Lord." It is stated in another verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 10.35.11): "O just see how the cranes and swans on the water are singing the glories of the Lord! Indeed, they are standing in the water meditating and worshiping Him." It is stated elsewhere in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 2.4.18|SB 2.4.18]]): "Even the aborigines and uncivilized human beings like Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana and Khasa, as well as many other human beings in the lower species, can all be purified simply by taking shelter of the pure devotees." Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī offered his respectful obeisances unto Lord Viṣṇu, whose devotees can work so wonderfully.

Another meaning of the word dhṛti is "to realize oneself as elevated." When one realizes his own elevation, he feels that he is free from all miseries and is elevated to the highest platform of life. All devotees of Kṛṣṇa in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness are free from all kinds of material pleasures and miseries. They are fully absorbed in the service of the Lord, and they are always jolly by virtue of their engagement in His transcendental service. They are experienced men of happiness. Indeed, they are so happy that they do not even wish to be promoted to the spiritual planets, for they are happy in every sphere of life. Being full in the transcendental service of the Lord, they desire neither material objects or material sense pleasures. As stated by the Gosvāmīs: "Persons whose senses are fixed in the service of the Supreme Lord can be called peaceful."

Thus the word ātmārāma indicates that even birds, beasts and fools—in short, everyone—can become attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, engage in His service and become liberated.

Still another meaning of ātmā is "intelligence." One who has special intelligence is also called ātmārāma. The ātmārāmas with special intelligence are of two kinds. One is the learned sage, and the other is the fool without book knowledge. Both of these can have an opportunity to associate with the pure devotee. Even the foolish ātmārāmas can give up everything and engage themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in pure devotional service. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that the Lord is the origin of everything and that everything emanates from Him. Anyone who is actually intelligent can understand that the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything and thus engage in His service. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 2.7.46|SB 2.7.46]]): "What to speak of persons who are intelligent enough to study the Vedas—even less intelligent persons like women, laborers, the Hūṇa, Śabara, and the birds and beasts can achieve the highest perfectional stage of life." As previously quoted, Bhagavad-gītā ([[Vanisource:BG 10.10|BG 10.10]]) also indicates that when a person becomes highly intelligent and engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa reciprocates by giving him the intelligence by which he can be promoted to the abode of the Supreme Lord.

The Lord then told Sanātana Gosvāmī that the association of good devotees, engagement in the transcendental service of the Lord, the understanding of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, and residence in a holy place like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā are all very important for elevation to the transcendental plane. One need not attain all five of these items; if one is expert in just one of them, he will, without fail, be elevated to the stage of love of Godhead. One who is actually intelligent gives up all material desires and engages in the transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa. The influence of devotional service is such that when a person engages in it, he gives up all material desires and becomes fully attached to Kṛṣṇa, being inspired by the transcendental qualities of the Lord. Such is the beauty of the Lord in the eyes of His devotee.

Another meaning of the word ātmā is "nature." In this case the word ātmārāma indicates that everyone is enjoying the particular nature he has acquired. However, the ultimate nature, or the perpetual eternal nature of the living entity, is to serve the Supreme Lord. One who attains to the perfection of understanding his real nature—as eternal servant of the Lord—gives up his designative (material, or bodily) conception of life. That is real knowledge. Those who are in pursuit of knowledge and who get the opportunity to associate with a pure devotee also engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Sages like the four Kumāras, as well as fools and birds, can engage in the Lord's transcendental service. By being favored with Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy, anyone and everyone can be elevated to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

When one becomes attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, he begins devotional service. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.15.8|SB 10.15.8]]) glorifies the land of Vṛndāvana in this way:

<div class="quote_verse">
:dhanyeyam adya dharaṇī tṛṇa-vīrudhas tvat-
:pāda-spṛśo druma-latāḥ karajābhimṛṣṭāḥ
:nadyo 'drayaḥ khaga-mṛgāḥ sadayāvalokair
:gopyo 'ntareṇa bhujayor api yat-spṛhā śrīḥ
</div>

"This land of Vrajabhūmi is glorified by the touch of Your feet. Being touched by Your fingers, the creepers also glorify You. When You look on the hills, rivers and lower animals, they are all glorified, and the gopīs, being embraced by Your transcendental arms, are also glorified." The gopīs (cowherd girls) glorified Vṛndāvana in the following words: "Dear friends, all these inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi—including birds, beasts, and trees—are glorified when they see Lord Kṛṣṇa going to the pasturing ground with His friends and Balarāma."

The word ātmā also means "this body." The yogīs who practice bodily exercises, considering the body to be the self, are also elevated to the transcendental service of the Lord if they associate with pure devotees. There are many people who believe the body to be the self, and they are engaged in many fruitive activities, including bathing rituals and ordinary worldly activities. However, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, they also engage in the transcendental service of the Lord.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.18.12|SB 1.18.12]]) it is stated: "O my dear Sūta Gosvāmī, even though we have become darkened by the sacrificial smoke of fruitive activities, you have given us the nectar of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet." It is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 4.21.31|SB 4.21.31]]): "The waters of the Ganges flow from the tip of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and by bathing in that water, everyone—including fruitive actors and all sages—can wash dirty things from the mind.

Even those who believe that the body is the self, or those who are full of material desires, are also, in a sense, ātmārāma. When they associate with the pure devotees of the Lord, they give up their material desires and become perfect in the service of the Lord. The best example of this is found in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (7.28), wherein Dhruva Mahārāja said:

<div class="quote_verse">
:sthānābhilāsī tapasi sthito 'haṁ
:tvāṁ prāptavān deva-munīndra-guhyam
:kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnaṁ
:svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce
:([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.42|CC Madhya 22.42]])
</div>

"My dear Lord, I came to worship You because I desired some land on this earth, but fortunately I have attained You, who are beyond even the perception of great sages and saintly persons. I came to search out some particles of colored glass, but instead I found a very valuable gem like You. I am satisfied, and I do not desire to ask anything of You."

There is also another meaning to the word nirgrantha. The word can also mean "foolish hunter," or "wretched poor man." There is one instance of a hunter who attained salvation and engaged himself in the devotional service of the Lord simply by associating with the pure devotee Nārada. Indeed, Lord Caitanya told Sanātana Gosvāmī the following story of the hunter's meeting with Nārada.

Once there was a hunter in the forest of Prayāga who was fortunate enough to meet Nārada Muni when the great sage was returning from Vaikuṇṭha after visiting Lord Nārāyaṇa. Nārada came to Prayāga to bathe in the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā. While passing through the forest, Nārada saw a bird lying on the ground. The bird was half-killed, being pierced by an arrow, and it was chirping pitifully. Further on, Nārada saw a deer flopping about in agony. Further, he saw that a boar was also suffering, and, in another place, he saw a rabbit twitching in pain. All this made him very compassionate, and he began to think, "Who is the foolish man who has committed such sins?" Devotees of the Lord are generally compassionate upon the miseries of living entities, and what to speak of the great sage Nārada? He became very much aggrieved by this scene, and after proceeding a few steps, he saw the hunter engaged in hunting with bow and arrows. The hunter's complexion was very dark, and his eyes were red. It appeared to be dangerous just to see him standing there with his bow and arrows, looking just like an associate of Yamarāja, death. Seeing him, Nārada Muni entered deeper into the forest to approach him. As Nārada Muni passed through the forest, all the animals who were caught in the hunter's traps fled away. The hunter became very angry at this, and he was just about to call Nārada vile names, but, due to the influence of saintly Nārada, the hunter could not utter such blasphemies. Rather, with gentle behavior, he asked Nārada: "My dear sir, why have you come here while I am hunting? Have you strayed from the general path? Because you have come here, all the animals in my traps have fled."

"Yes, I am sorry," Nārada replied. "I have come to you to find my own path and to inquire from you. I have seen that there are many boars, deer and rabbits on the path. They are lying on the forest floor half-dead and flopping about. Who has committed these sinful acts?"

"What you have seen is all right," the hunter replied. "It was done by me."

"If you are hunting all these poor animals, why don't you kill them at once?" Nārada asked. "You half-kill them, and they are suffering in their death pangs. This is a great sin. If you want to kill an animal, why don't you kill it completely? Why do you leave it half-killed and allow it to die flopping around?"

"My dear Lord," the hunter replied. "My name is Mṛgāri, enemy of animals. I am simply following the teachings of my father who taught me to half-kill animals and leave them flopping about. When a half-dead animals suffers, I take great pleasure in it."

"I beg one thing from you only," Nārada implored. "Please accept it."

"Oh, yes sir, I shall give you whatever you like," the hunter said. "If you want some animal skins, come to my house. I have many skins of animals, including tigers and deer. I shall give you whatever you like."

"I do not want such things," Nārada replied. "However, I do want something else. If you kindly grant it to me, I shall tell you. Please, henceforth from tomorrow, whenever you kill an animal, please kill it completely. Don't leave it half-dead."

"My dear sir, what are you asking of me? What is the difference between half-killing an animal and killing it completely?"

"If you half-kill the animals, they suffer great pain," Nārada explained. "And if you give too much pain to other living entities, you commit great sin. There is a great offense committed when you kill an animal completely, but the offense is much greater when you half-kill it. Indeed, the pain which you give half-dead animals will have to be accepted by you in a future birth."

Although the hunter was very sinful, his heart became softened, and he became afraid of his sins by virtue of his association with a great devotee like Nārada. Those who are grossly sinful are not at all afraid of committing sins, but here we can see that because his purification began in the association of a great devotee like Nārada, the hunter became afraid of his sinful activities. The hunter therefore replied: "My dear sir, from my very childhood I have been taught to kill animals in this way. Please tell me how I can get rid of all the offenses and sinful activities which I have accumulated. I am surrendering unto your feet. Please save me from all the reactions of my sinful activities which I have committed in the past, and please direct me to the proper path so that I can be free."

"If you actually want to follow my directions, I can tell you the real path by which you can be freed from sinful reactions."

"I shall follow whatever you say without hesitation," the hunter agreed.

Nārada then told him to first break his bow; only then would he disclose the path of liberation.

"You are asking me to break my bow," the hunter protested, "but if I break it, what will be the means of my livelihood?"

"Don't worry about your livelihood," Nārada said. "I shall send you sufficient grains in order to live.',

The hunter then broke his bow and fell down at the feet of Nārada. Nārada got him to stand up, and he instructed him: "Just go to your home and distribute whatever money and valuables you have to the devotees and the brāhmaṇas. Then just come out and follow me wearing only one cloth. Construct a small thatched house on the river bank and sow a tulasī plant by that house. Just circumambulate the tulasī tree, and every day taste one fallen leaf. Above all, always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. As far as your livelihood is concerned, I shall send you grains, but you will only accept as much grain as you require for yourself and your wife."

Nārada then relieved the half-dead animals, and, getting freed from their dreadful condition, they fled away. Upon seeing Nārada execute this miracle, the dark hunter was struck with wonder. After taking Nārada to his home, he bowed down again at his feet.

Nārada returned to his place, and the hunter, after returning home, began to execute the instructions Nārada had given him. In the meantime, news spread amongst all the villages that the hunter had become a devotee. Consequently the residents of the villages came to see the new Vaiṣṇava. It is the Vedic custom to bring grains and fruits whenever one goes to see a saintly person, and since all the villagers saw that the hunter had turned into a great devotee, they brought eatables with them. Thus every day he was offered grains and fruit, so much so that no less than ten to twenty people could have eaten there. According to Nārada's instructions, he did not accept anything more than what he and his wife required for sustenance.

After some days had passed, Nārada told his friend Parvata Muni: "I have a disciple. Let us go to see him and see if he is doing well."

When the two sages, Nārada and Parvata, went to the hunter's home, the hunter saw his spiritual master coming from the distance, and he began to approach him with great respect. On his way to greet the great sages, the hunter saw that there were ants on the ground before him and that they were hindering his passage. When he reached the sages, he tried to bow down before them, but he saw that there were so many ants that he could not bow down without crushing them. Thus he slowly cleared away the ants with his cloth. When Nārada saw that the hunter was trying to save the lives of the ants in this way, he was reminded of a verse from the Skanda Purāṇa: "Is it not wonderful that a devotee of the Lord is not inclined to give any sort of pain to anyone, not even to an ant?"

Although the hunter formerly took great pleasure in half-killing animals, since he became a great devotee of the Lord, he was not prepared to give pain even to an ant. The hunter received the two great sages at his home and offered them a sitting place, brought water, washed their feet, took water to them to drink, and finally both he and his wife touched the water with their heads. After this, they began to feel ecstasy and began to dance and sing Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. They raised their hands and danced with their clothes flying. When the two great sages saw this ecstasy of love of Godhead manifest in the body of the hunter, Parvata Muni told Nārada: "You are a touchstone, for by your association even a great hunter has turned into a great devotee."

There is a verse in the Skanda Purāṇa which states: "My dear Devarṣi (Nārada), you are glorious, and by your mercy, even the lowest creature, a hunter of animals, also became elevated to the path of devotion and attained transcendental attachment for Kṛṣṇa."

At length, Nārada inquired of the hunter-devotee: "Are you getting your foodstuff regularly?"

"You send so many people," the hunter replied, "and they bring so many eatables that we cannot begin to eat them."

"That's all right," Nārada replied. "Whatever you are getting is all right. Now just continue your devotional service in that way."

After Nārada had spoken this, both Nārada and Parvata Muni disappeared from the hunter's home. Lord Caitanya recited this story in order to show that even a hunter can engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa by the influence of pure devotees.

Continuing to explain the Ātmārāma verse, Lord Caitanya pointed out that the word ātmā also indicated all varieties of the Personality of Godhead. Generally the Personality of Godhead Himself, Kṛṣṇa, and His different expansions are all known as the Personality of Godhead.

Anyone who is engaged in the devotional service of any form or extension of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also called ātmārāma. All such devotees engage themselves either in the regulative principles of devotional service or in devotional service in transcendental love. These devotees are also divided into three categories: the associates, those perfected in devotional service, and those newly engaged in devotional service. Newly engaged devotees can be divided into two: those who have already attained attachment for the Lord and those who have not attained such attachment. When considered according to the two divisions of devotional service (namely regulative—and attachment in transcendental love) these classes of devotees become eight in number. By following the regulative principles of devotion, the perfect associates of the Lord are further divided into four classes: the servants, the friends, the parental superiors and the fiancees.

Just as some devotees are perfected by the execution of devotional service, so some of them are eternally perfect. Of those following the regulative principles of devotional service, there are the advanced and the beginners; and in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, there are sixteen types of devotees. Thus the ātmārāmas can be considered to exist in thirty-two divisions. If the words muni, nirgrantha, ca and api are applied to the thirty-two classes, then there are fifty-eight different types of devotees. All these devotees can be described by one word: ātmārāma. There may be many different kinds of trees standing in the forest, but the word "tree" describes them all.

Thus the Lord gave sixty different meanings to the word ātmārāma. In addition, He said that ātmā means "the living entity, beginning from the first living creature, Brahmā, down to the ant." He cited a verse from the Sixth Chapter of Viṣṇu Purāṇa in which it is stated that all the energies of the Lord are spiritual. Although this is the case, the energy which is known as the source of the living entity is called spiritual, but the other energy, which is full of ignorance and is manifested in material activities, is called material nature. Even in the material creation, the living entities are innumerable. If by chance a living entity in the material world can associate with a pure devotee, he can engage in the pure devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. "Formerly I thought of sixty different meanings for the word ātmārāma," the Lord told Sanātana Gosvāmī, "but here another meaning comes to My mind by your association."

After hearing the different explanations of the word ātmārāma, Sanātana Gosvāmī was struck with wonder, and he fell down in devotion at the feet of Lord Caitanya. "I understand that You are personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa," Sanātana said, "and with Your breathing there are many manifestations of Vedic literature. You are the teacher of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and You best know the meanings of the verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is not possible for others to understand the confidential meanings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam without Your mercy."

"Do not try to praise Me in that way," the Lord told Sanātana. "Just try to understand the real nature of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa; therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, and similarly, each word and letter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has unlimited meanings. One can understand these meanings through the association of devotees. Don't, then, say that Bhāgavatam is simply a collection of answers to questions."

There were six questions put by the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya to Sūta Gosvāmī, and Sūta Gosvāmī explained or answered the six questions in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is a verse in the Vedic literature in which Lord Śiva says, "As far as Bhāgavatam is concerned, I may know it, or Śukadeva or Vyāsadeva may know it, or we may not know it—but actually Bhāgavatam is to be understood by devotional service and from a devotee, and not by one's own intelligence or by academic commentaries." At the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.23|SB 1.1.23]]) the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya asked,

<div class="quote_verse">
:brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe
:brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi
:svāṁ kāṣṭhām adhunopete
:dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ
</div>

"My dear Sir, kindly tell us whether the principles of religion have gone with the Lord, after His departure for His own abode. How can we find such principles after His departure?"

The reply was ([[Vanisource:SB 1.3.43|SB 1.3.43]]):

<div class="quote_verse">
:kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
:dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
:kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
:purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ
</div>

"After Kṛṣṇa departed to His abode with all religious principles, His representative, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Mahā-Purāṇa, remains as the blazing, illuminating sun."

Lord Caitanya then told Sanātana Gosvāmī: "I was just like a madman in describing this Ātmārāma verse in so many ways. Do not mind if I have said something mad. But if someone becomes a madman like Me, he can understand the real meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as I have explained it."

Then Sanātana Gosvāmī, with folded hands, fell at the feet of Lord Caitanya and prayed. "My dear Lord," he said, "You have asked me to prepare the regulative principles of devotional service, but I belong to the lowest caste. I have no knowledge. I do not know how such an important task can be finished by me. If You will kindly give me some hints about the preparation of such a book on devotional service, it may be that I shall be qualified to write it."

The Lord then blessed him saying, "Whatever you write, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, will come out of your heart and will be accepted as you have requested. I will also give you some notes that you can take down. The first and foremost point is that one should accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is the beginning of spiritual life." Lord Caitanya then requested Sanātana Gosvāmī to write down the symptoms of a true guru and the symptoms of a true devotee. The symptoms of a devotee are described in the Padma Purāṇa: A person who is a qualified brāhmaṇa and at the same time has all the symptoms of a devotee can become a spiritual master for all classes of men. Such a devotee and spiritual master must be respected as God Himself. Even though a person may be born in a very respectable brāhmaṇa family, he cannot become a bona fide spiritual master if he is not a devotee of the Lord. One should not mistakenly think that a bona fide spiritual master has to be born in a so-called brāhmaṇa family. The idea is that a spiritual master must be a qualified brāhmaṇa; that is, he must be qualified by his activities.

This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam when Nārada speaks of the different symptoms characterizing the four divisions of social life. Nārada therein summarizes that brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras should be selected by their individual qualifications. In his commentary, Śrīdhara Svāmī has noted that birth in a family of brāhmaṇas does not necessarily mean that one is a brāhmaṇa. One must be qualified with the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa, as the symptoms are described in the śāstras. In the disciplic succession of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, there are two great ācāryas (Ṭhākura Narottama and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī) who were not born in brāhmaṇa families but were accepted as spiritual masters by many brāhmaṇas of fame, including Gaṅgānārāyaṇa, Rāmakṛṣṇa, etc.

In this way there are symptoms which the prospective devotee evinces, and both the disciple and the spiritual master must see whether each other is eligible to become either a bona fide spiritual master or a bona fide student. One should then know that the only worshipable object is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should learn the various mantras and sacred songs.

The Lord then instructed Sanātana to describe the symptoms of those persons who are eligible to accept the mantras and to describe how the mantras should be understood and perfected by ritualistic performances. Then the Lord described initiation, morning duties and duties of cleanliness—washing the face and brushing the teeth—the process of work and the prayers to be recited both in the morning and the evening. The Lord also described how one should worship the spiritual master and mark one's body with gopī-candana. He also described how one should collect the tulasī leaves and wash the room and temple of the Lord, and He also described how one should awaken Kṛṣṇa from His sleep. Lord Caitanya also described different methods for worshiping the Lord, which are the methods of the fivefold paraphernalia and fifty-fold paraphernalia. He described how one should worship the Lord by offering Him ārati five times a day, and He described how one should offer food to Kṛṣṇa and lay Him down on the bed. Lord Caitanya also spoke of the effect of going to holy places where there are different temples of the Lord and seeing the form of God in the temple. He also spoke of the glorification of the transcendental name of the Lord and the different offenses which one can commit while worshiping. In the worship of the Lord certain paraphernalia is used, such as conchshell, water, fragrant flowers, prayers and hymns, and there is circumambulation and the offering of obeisances as well. One should follow the regulative principles of puraścaraṇa and accept Kṛṣṇa prasāda, rejecting foodstuff which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya also cautioned that one should not indulge in defaming a devotee who has the actual symptoms of a devotee.

Lord Caitanya also explained the symptoms of a holy man and the process of satisfying the sage and rejecting the society of undesirable persons. The Lord also advised that one should hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam constantly. Also to be followed are duties of the day and duties of the fortnight, as well as fasting on Ekādaśī day. One must also follow the duties of the month and observe ceremonies like the birthday of the Lord, the three specific dates of fasting Ekādaśī, Janmāṣṭamī, Vāmanadvādaśī, Śrī Rāmanavamī and Nṛsiṁhacaturdaśī. When the fast days overlap with other days (viddhā), they are helpful in the advancement of devotional service. Lord Caitanya further instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī to give documentary evidence from the purāṇas in every step. He also mentioned how to establish temples of the Lord, and He described the general behavior, symptoms, and duties and occupation of a Vaiṣṇava. Thus the Lord explained in summary all the details one need know in writing a book on Vaiṣṇava regulative principles.

Sanātana Gosvāmī was a great devotee of the Lord, and he was directly instructed to spread the cult of bhakti by writing many books. There is a description of Sanātana in Caitanya-candrodaya, and it is mentioned there that Sanātana Gosvāmī was one of the most important personalities in the government of Nawab Hussain. His brother, Rūpa Gosvāmī, was also a minister in the government, but both of them gave up their lucrative government posts to become mendicants and serve the Supreme Lord. Externally the brothers became just like ordinary mendicants, but their hearts were filled with transcendental loving service and a great love for the cowherd boy of Vṛndāvana. Indeed, Sanātana Gosvāmī was dear to all pure devotees of his time.
</div>
</div>
</div>

One is elevated to the platform of devotional life by the mercy of a Vaisnava, the bona fide spiritual master, and by the special mercy of Krsna. On that platform, one gives up all material desires and the association of unwanted people

2025-01-28T07:48:55Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"One is elevated to the platform of devotional life by the mercy of a Vaisnava, the bona fide spiritual master, and by the special mercy of Krsna. On that platform, one gives up all material desires and the association of unwanted people"}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|Krsnadas}}
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[[Category:Bona Fide Spiritual Master]]
[[Category:Krsna's Special Mercy]]
[[Category:One (as in someone)]]
[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:Association of Nondevotees of God]]
[[Category:Unwanted]]
[[Category:people]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 24 - The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25 Chapters]]
</div>
<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
</div>
<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya2497_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5413" link="CC Madhya 24.97" link_text="CC Madhya 24.97">
<div class="heading">One is elevated to the platform of devotional life by the mercy of a Vaiṣṇava, the bona fide spiritual master, and by the special mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.97|CC Madhya 24.97, Translation]]: </span><div class="trans text" style="display: inline; "><p style="display: inline; ">“One is elevated to the platform of devotional life by the mercy of a Vaiṣṇava, the bona fide spiritual master, and by the special mercy of Kṛṣṇa. On that platform, one gives up all material desires and the association of unwanted people. Thus one is elevated to the platform of pure devotional service.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Kama chadi' 'da' haite haya abhilase: He (the devotee) then gives up all material desires and wants to become an eternal servant of the Lord

2025-01-28T07:47:18Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"Kāma chāḍi' 'da' haite haya abhilāṣe: He then gives up all material desires and wants to become an eternal servant of the Lord"}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|Nirmal}}
{{complete|}}
{{goal|0}}
{{first|2020-11-11T14:01:55Z}}
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[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:Wanting to Become]]
[[Category:Becoming a Servant of God's Servants]]
[[Category:Eternal Servant]]
[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Chapter 19 Purports - A Description of the Island of Jambudvipa]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Purports]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>SB Canto 5</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Kāma chāḍi' 'da' haite haya abhilāṣe: He then gives up all material desires and wants to become an eternal servant of the Lord.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:SB 5.19.27|SB 5.19.27, Translation and Purport]]
</div>
<div class="quote_translation">
The Supreme Personality of Godhead fulfills the material desires of a devotee who approaches Him with such motives, but He does not bestow benedictions upon the devotee that will cause him to demand more benedictions again. However, the Lord willingly gives the devotee shelter at His own lotus feet, even though such a person does not aspire for it, and that shelter satisfies all his desires. That is the Supreme Personality's special mercy.
</div>
<div class="text">
Kāma lāgi' kṛṣṇa bhaje—if one engages in the service of the Lord for sense gratification; paya kṛṣṇa-rase—the result is that he ultimately gets a taste for serving the lotus feet of the Lord. Kāma chāḍi' 'da' haite haya abhilāṣe: He then gives up all material desires and wants to become an eternal servant of the Lord.
</div>
</div>
</div>

If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, as enjoined in the revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to the demigods, sages or forefathers

2025-01-28T04:29:05Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, as enjoined in the revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to the demigods, sages or forefathers"}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|HanumanIC}}
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{{first|2017-06-22T23:50:46Z}}
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[[Category:Person]]
[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:Completely]]
[[Category:Engaging in Transcendental Loving Service to Krsna]]
[[Category:Enjoined]]
[[Category:Revealed Scripture]]
[[Category:Never]]
[[Category:Indebted]]
[[Category:Krsna and the Demigods]]
[[Category:Krsna and the Sages]]
[[Category:Forefathers]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 22 - The Process of Devotional Service]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25 Chapters]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, as enjoined in the revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to the demigods, sages or forefathers.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.140|CC Madhya 22.140, Translation and Purport]]
</div>
<div class="quote_translation">
If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, as enjoined in the revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to the demigods, sages or forefathers.
</div>
<div class="text">
After birth, every man is indebted in so many ways. He is indebted to the demigods for their supplying necessities like air, light and water. When one takes advantage of the Vedic literatures, one becomes indebted to great sages like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala and Asita. When one takes birth in a particular family, he becomes indebted to his forefathers. We are even indebted to common living entities like cows, from whom we take milk. Because we accept service from so many animals, we become indebted. However, if one is completely engaged in the Lord’s devotional service, he is absolved of all debts. This is confirmed in the following verse, quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.5.41|SB 11.5.41]]).
</div>
</div>
</div>

In this way (by performing devotional service to God) one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease

2025-01-26T15:44:42Z

Vaibhav:

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease"}}
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{{compiler|Alankrutha}}
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[[Category:In This Way]]
[[Category:Performing Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:One Can]]
[[Category:Giving Up Material Desires]]
[[Category:As Soon As]]
[[Category:One Is]]
[[Category:Free From Material Desire]]
[[Category:Free From...]]
[[Category:Repetition of Birth and Death]]
[[Category:Birth, Death, Old Age and Disease]]
[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 09 Chapter 04 Purports - Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 09 Purports]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>SB Canto 9</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:SB 9.4.26|SB 9.4.26, Translation and Purport]]
</div>
<div class="quote_translation">
The king of this planet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires.
</div>
<div class="text">
Severe austerities in the practice of devotional service are of many varieties. For example, in worshiping the Deity in the temple there are certainly laborious activities. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. One must decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple, bring water from the Ganges and Yamunā, continue the routine work, perform ārati many times, prepare first-class food for the Deity, prepare dresses and so on. In this way, one must constantly be engaged in various activities, and the hard labor involved is certainly an austerity. Similarly, the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyaṁ putrakā ([[Vanisource:SB 5.5.1|SB 5.5.1]]). Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease.
</div>
</div>
</div>

Simply by meeting Krsna or receiving Krsna's special favor, one can give up the desire for liberation. Being attracted by the transcendental qualities of Krsna, one can engage in His service

2025-01-26T15:37:11Z

Vaibhav:

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{{terms|"Simply by meeting Kṛṣṇa or receiving Kṛṣṇa’s special favor, one can give up the desire for liberation. Being attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, one can engage in His service"}}
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[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 24 - The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25 Chapters]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Simply by meeting Kṛṣṇa or receiving Kṛṣṇa’s special favor, one can give up the desire for liberation. Being attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, one can engage in His service.
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<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.127|CC Madhya 24.127, Translation]]
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<div class="quote_translation">
Simply by meeting Kṛṣṇa or receiving Kṛṣṇa’s special favor, one can give up the desire for liberation. Being attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, one can engage in His service.
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Lord Buddha advocated that we give up all material desires. It is not possible to become desireless, but it is possible to give up material desires

2025-01-26T15:35:36Z

Vaibhav:

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[[Category:Teachings of Lord Kapila Chapter 14 - Bhakti as Ultimate Liberation]]
[[Category:Teachings of Lord Kapila Chapters 01 to 18]]
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<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<h3>Teachings of Lord Kapila</h3>
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<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Lord Buddha advocated that we give up all material desires. It is not possible to become desireless, but it is possible to give up material desires. It is the nature of the living entity to desire; it is not possible to be desireless. If one is desireless, he is dead.
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[[Vanisource:TLK 14 Bhakti as Ultimate Liberation|Teachings of Lord Kapila, 14]]
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<div class="quote_translation">
Lord Kapila said: The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind's natural duty is to serve. When that spirit of service is engaged in devotion to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better than salvation.
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<div class="text">
The senses of the living entity are always engaged in some occupation, either in activities prescribed in the Vedic injunctions or in material activities. The natural inclination of the senses is to work for something, and the mind is the center of the senses. The mind is actually the leader of the senses; therefore it is called sattva. Similarly, the leader of all the demigods who are engaged in the activities of this material world - in managing the sun, moon, etc. - is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is stated in the Vedic literature that the demigods are different limbs of the universal body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our senses are also controlled by different demigods; our senses are representations of various demigods, and the mind is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses, led by the mind, act under the influence of the demigods. When the service is ultimately aimed at the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the senses are in their natural position. The Lord is called Hṛṣīkeśa, for He is actually the proprietor and ultimate master of the senses. The senses and the mind are naturally inclined to work, but when they are materially contaminated, they work for some material benefit or for the service of the demigods, although actually they are meant to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses are called hṛṣīka, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called Hṛṣīkeśa. Indirectly, all the senses are naturally inclined to serve the Supreme Lord. That is called bhakti.

Kapiladeva said that in devotional service the senses, without desire for material profit or other selfish motives, are engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That spirit of service is far better than siddhi, salvation. Bhakti, the inclination to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is in a transcendental position far superior to mukti, or liberation. Thus bhakti is the stage after liberation. Unless one is liberated, one cannot engage the senses in the service of the Lord. When the senses are engaged either in material activities of sense gratification or in the activities of the Vedic injunctions, there is some motive, but when the same senses are engaged in the service of the Lord without ulterior motive, that is called animittā and is the natural inclination of the mind. The conclusion is that when the mind, undeviated either by Vedic injunctions or by material activities, is fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated far above mere liberation from material entanglement.

Bhakti, devotional service, is transcendental even to mukti, liberation. Generally people are concerned with dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. In the beginning, there is dharma (religion), then artha (economic development), kāma (sense gratification), then mokṣa (merging into the Supreme One). However, bhakti is above all these. Mukti is not very important for a bhakta. In the words of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura: muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate 'smāt. "Mukti herself is standing with folded hands, waiting to serve the devotee." (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107) This is the experience of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, who was a very rich South Indian brāhmaṇa. Due to bad association, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura became a very staunch prostitute hunter, and he spent all his money on a prostitute named Cintāmaṇi. One night, during a terrible rainstorm, Bilvamaṅgala went to see Cintāmaṇi, but the prostitute was thinking, "Surely tonight Bilvamaṅgala will not come. This is a terrible storm." Nonetheless, Bilvamaṅgala came, despite all difficulties. Somehow he managed to cross the raging river, and when he saw the gates of Cintāmaṇi's house closed, he somehow managed to jump over them. Despite all the dangers, he reached Cintāmaṇi's house, and the prostitute, being very astonished, said, "How is it you have come tonight? Oh, you are so attracted to this skin! If you just had this much attraction for Kṛṣṇa, it would certainly be to your benefit." Bilvamaṅgala then immediately left the prostitute's house and went to Vṛndāvana. The fact was that in his previous life he had executed devotional service up to bhāva-bhakti. Thus the prostitute Cintāmaṇi actually became his guru. While in Vṛndāvana, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura wrote a book named Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, which has been recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In that book, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura writes: "If we have devotion fixed on You, My Lord Bhagavān, then we can easily see Your divine form as kaiśora-mūrti, a young boy."

Another name for Kṛṣṇa is Kaiśora. The word kaiśora refers to the age before marriage - that is, it refers to a boy between the ages of eleven and sixteen. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is always kaiśora-mūrti. By devotional service, one can see the kaiśora-mūrti of Kṛṣṇa very easily.

When Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was going to Vṛndāvana, he was still attracted to women. One night he stayed at the house of a very rich merchant, and the merchant's wife told her husband that Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was attracted to her. She asked her husband what to do, and the merchant simply said, "Serve him." Finally Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura came to his senses, and he thought, "These eyes are my enemies." When the beautiful woman approached him, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura said, "Mother, please give me the pins out of your hair. I am very mad after the beauty of women. So let me pluck out my eyes." In this way, he blinded himself. Although he could not see, in Vṛndāvana he was supplied milk by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus he personally realized Kṛṣṇa through bhakti and wrote of his personal experience. He wrote, "Mukti is not a very important thing. She is always at my service with folded hands, saying, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " Thus a devotee is not very anxious for mukti because he is already liberated. If a man has a million dollars, why should he hanker after ten rupees?

Bhakti should be animittā, without motive. Actually Kṛṣṇa can fulfill all of our wishes without difficulty because He is almighty and full of all opulences. If we want material happiness from Kṛṣṇa, it is certainly not difficult for Him to grant it. He can also give us mukti, liberation, but it is foolishness to ask anything from Kṛṣṇa except bhakti. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that asking God for mukti or anything else other than bhakti is like going to a rich man and asking for ashes. There is another story, about an old woman who was carrying a bundle of dry wood through the forest. Somehow or other the bundle, which was very heavy, fell to the ground. The old woman became very disturbed, and thought, "Who will help put this bundle back on my head?" She then began to call on God, saying, "God help me." Suddenly God appeared and said, "What do you want?" She said, "please help me put this bundle back on my head." So this is our foolishness. When God comes to give us some benediction, we simply ask Him to load us down again with all these material bundles. We ask Him for more material things, for a happy family, for a large amount of money, for a new car or whatever.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us that we should only beg God for His service life after life. This is the actual meaning of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. When we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Hare Hare, we are actually addressing God and His energy, Harā. Harā is Kṛṣṇa's internal potency, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Lakṣmī. Jaya rādhe! This is daivī prakṛti, and the devotees take shelter of the daivī prakṛti, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Thus the Vaiṣṇavas worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa and Sītā-Rāma. In the beginning of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra we first address the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, Hare. Thus we say, "O Rādhārāṇī! O Hare! O energy of the Lord!" When we address someone in this way, he usually says, "Yes, what do you want?" The answer is, "Please engage me in Your service." This should be our prayer. We should not say, "O energy of the Lord, O Kṛṣṇa, please give me money. Please give me a beautiful wife. Please give me many followers. Please give me some prestigious position. Please give me the presidency." These are all material hankerings, which should be avoided. Lord Buddha advocated that we give up all material desires. It is not possible to become desireless, but it is possible to give up material desires. It is the nature of the living entity to desire; it is not possible to be desireless. If one is desireless, he is dead. Desirelessness means purifying one's desire, and desire is purified when we only desire the service of Kṛṣṇa.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches:

<div class="quote_verse">
:na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
:kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
:mama janmani janmanīśvare
:bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
</div>

"O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.29|CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]])." He requests Lord Kṛṣṇa's service birth after birth. It is not that He is seeking salvation; rather, He simply wants to serve Kṛṣṇa one life after another. The devotees are not anxious to merge into the existence of the Supreme. The Buddhist philosophy advocates nirvāṇa, the negation of all material desires. Buddha does not offer more than this. Śaṅkarācārya gives a little more, saying that we should become desireless in this material world and then enter into the Brahman effulgence. This is called brahma-nirvāṇa. According to the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, however, we should negate material desires and be situated on the Brahman platform, but in addition we should engage in the devotional service of the Lord. This is called bhakti. Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand this, but Kṛṣṇa says that this devotional service is on the transcendental platform.

The Sāṅkhya philosophy of the atheist Kapila, which is a material philosophy, is simply the study of the twenty-four elements. However, the real Sāṅkhya philosophy, propounded by Kapiladeva, is transcendental to the twenty-four elements and material activity. Thus in this Sāṅkhya philosophy, which is actually bhakti-yoga, there is no desire for material benefits. On the material platform, a person works for his own personal sense gratification or for some expanded sense gratification. One may work for himself, family, wife, children, society, community, nation or humanity at large. This is simply expanded sense gratification. Whether one steals for himself, family, community or whatever, the fact remains that he is a thief. It is said that when Alexander the Great arrested a common thief, the thief told Alexander, "What is the difference between us? I am a small plunderer, and you are a great plunderer." Being very sensible, Alexander released him, saying, "Yes, there is no difference." Regardless whether the sense gratification is for oneself, one's family, one's nation or whatever, it is, after all, sense gratification. The quality changes only when we work for the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa.

It is noteworthy that Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam never states that kṛṣṇa uvāca ("Kṛṣṇa says") or kapiladeva uvāca ("Kapiladeva says"). Rather, it states bhagavān uvāca ("the Supreme Personality of Godhead says"). This means that the version is perfect. If we receive knowledge from an ordinary man, there will be many defects. An ordinary person is subject to illusion, and he also has the tendency to cheat. Although an ordinary person may be a very advanced scholar, he does not possess perfect knowledge. Perfection is something totally different from what we find in the material world. Perfection means that there is no mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Therefore it is stated bhagavān uvāca, for Bhagavān is all-perfect. We should therefore take knowledge from Bhagavān or from one who speaks according to the version of Bhagavān.

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We are not presenting anything that we ourselves could manufacture. Whatever we manufacture is sure to be defective or deficient. What is the value of my philosophy? What is the value of my thought? Generally, people say, "In my opinion," thinking that "my opinion" really means something. People do not think, "I am simply a rascal." People value their opinion, thinking it something very big. Everyone in this material world has imperfect senses; therefore whatever knowledge has been gathered through the senses is necessarily imperfect. As we have stressed over and over, we have to receive knowledge from the disciplic succession. Knowledge has to be received from Bhagavān, the perfect one. If we simply follow this system, we can become a guru for the whole world.

The devotee never thinks that he is a great bhakta. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, has stated, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: "I am lower than the worms in stool." ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 5.205|CC Adi 5.205]]) This is the Vaiṣṇava conception. A Vaiṣṇava is by nature very humble. He never says, "I am the Supreme; I have become God." Kṛṣṇa says, "I am God. Worship Me." The Vaiṣṇava says, "Kṛṣṇa is God. Worship Kṛṣṇa." It is not difficult to become a guru, provided that we repeat what Kṛṣṇa says. Whatever Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā is dharma. Dharma is one. It cannot be different. Dharma means abiding by the orders of God. However, if we do not know God or His orders, we can only set about manufacturing some rubbish and fighting among ourselves. This is not dharma but philosophical speculation. All of this speculation and manufactured dharma has been kicked out of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because it is all cheating. Bhāgavata-dharma is not cheating, for it is related to the Supreme Lord. Bhakti can be applied only to Bhagavān, and if there is no Bhagavān, there is no bhakti. If Bhagavān is zero, where is bhakti? Bhakti is the transaction between Bhagavān and the bhakta. Bhagavān is there, and the bhaktas are there, and the bhaktas address Bhagavān, feed Bhagavān, chant Bhagavān's names, invoke people to hear about Bhagavān, publish books about Bhagavān and worship Bhagavān, and in this way they are constantly absorbed in Bhagavān. This is the process of bhakti.
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Mukti means to give up all these material desires and be situated in your original constitutional position, Krsna consciousness. That is liberation

2025-01-26T15:34:21Z

Vaibhav:

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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Mukti means to give up all these material desires and be situated in your original constitutional position, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is liberation. Liberation does not mean that when you get liberation—you have got now two hands—you will have four hands, like that. No. Liberation means change of consciousness. Now we are conscious of material enjoyment: "Give me nice wife. Give me nice wealth. Give me nice education. Give me this. Give me this," so many. There is no end. So therefore Bhāgavata says, hitvā anyathā rūpam: "These are all meant, the necessities of the body.".
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[[Vanisource:750224 - Lecture SB 01.01.03 - Caracas|750224 - Lecture SB 01.01.03 - Caracas]]
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<div class="text">
Mukti means to give up all these material desires and be situated in your original constitutional position, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is liberation. Liberation does not mean that when you get liberation—you have got now two hands—you will have four hands, like that. No. Liberation means change of consciousness. Now we are conscious of material enjoyment: "Give me nice wife. Give me nice wealth. Give me nice education. Give me this. Give me this," so many. There is no end. So therefore Bhāgavata says, hitvā anyathā rūpam: "These are all meant, the necessities of the body." Sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: "You be situated in your original consciousness, namely Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is mukti, liberation." Therefore the definition of bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, no other material desires; no desires, material. . . Desire means we desire now material desire.

<div class="quote_verse">
:anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
:jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
:ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
:śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
:(Brs. 1.1.11)
</div>

This is bhakti-mārga, means simply to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-mārga—no other desire, no other motive. So that is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says,

<div class="quote_verse">
:na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
:kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
:mama janmani janmanīśvare
:bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
:(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)
</div>

This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We are following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and therefore His instruction should be followed. What is it? Na dhanam: "I don't want any wealth, material wealth," na dhanam. Na janam: "I don't want any so-called followers." Then, na sundarīṁ kavitām: "Neither I want a very beautiful wife." "Then what do You want? These are the material things everyone wants." No, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktiḥ: "Even I don't want liberation." Liberation means there is no more janma. But He said, janmani janmani: "Life after life, I want to be engaged in Your devotional service." This is real characteristic, and that should be followed.
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Karmis, or persons attached to material sense enjoyment, generally cannot give up their material desires, but krsna-katha is such a potent medicine that if one is induced to hear krsna-kirtana, he will certainly be freed from this disease

2025-01-25T11:37:09Z

Vaibhav:

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[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 10 Chapter 01 Purports - The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10 Purports - Chapters 01 to 13]]
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<div id="section">
<h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="sub_section">
<h3>SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13</h3>
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<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
If anyone, willingly or unwillingly, hears kṛṣṇa-kathā, his bhava-roga, the disease of birth and death, will certainly stop. Therefore kṛṣṇa-kathā is called bhavauṣadha, the remedy to stop the repetition of birth and death. Karmīs, or persons attached to material sense enjoyment, generally cannot give up their material desires, but kṛṣṇa-kathā is such a potent medicine that if one is induced to hear kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, he will certainly be freed from this disease.
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[[Vanisource:SB 10.1.4|SB 10.1.4, Translation and Purport]]
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<div class="quote_translation">
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparā system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?
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In India it is the practice among the general populace to hear about Kṛṣṇa, either from Bhagavad-gītā or from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in order to gain relief from the disease of repeated birth and death. Although India is now fallen, when there is a message that someone will speak about Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, thousands of people still gather to hear. This verse indicates, however, that such recitation of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam must be done by persons completely freed from material desires (nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ). Everyone within this material world, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, is full of material desires for sense enjoyment, and everyone is busy in sense gratification, but when thus engaged one cannot fully understand the value of kṛṣṇa-kathā, either in the form of Bhagavad-gītā or in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

If we hear the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from liberated persons, this hearing will certainly free us from the bondage of material activities, but hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam spoken by a professional reciter cannot actually help us achieve liberation. Kṛṣṇa-kathā is very simple. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As He Himself explains, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: "O Arjuna, there is no truth superior to Me." ([[Vanisource:BG 7.7 (1972)|BG 7.7]]) Simply by understanding this fact—that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—one can become a liberated person. But, especially in this age, because people are interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā from unscrupulous persons who depart from the simple presentation of Bhagavad-gītā and distort it for their personal satisfaction, they fail to derive the real benefit. There are big scholars, politicians, philosophers and scientists who speak on Bhagavad-gītā in their own polluted way, and people in general hear from them, being uninterested in hearing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from a devotee. A devotee is one who has no other motive for reciting Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam than to serve the Lord. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore advised us to hear the glories of the Lord from a realized person (bhāgavata paro diya bhāgavata sthane). Unless one is personally a realized soul in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a neophyte should not approach him to hear about the Lord, for this is strictly forbidden by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who quotes from the Padma Purāṇa:

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:avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
:pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
:śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
:sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
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One should avoid hearing from a person not situated in Vaiṣṇava behavior. A Vaiṣṇava is nivṛtta-tṛṣṇa; that is, he has no material purpose, for his only purpose is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So-called scholars, philosophers and politicians exploit the importance of Bhagavad-gītā by distorting its meaning for their own purposes. Therefore this verse warns that kṛṣṇa-kathā should be recited by a person who is nivṛtta-tṛṣṇa. Śukadeva Gosvāmī epitomizes the proper reciter for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja, who purposefully left his kingdom and family prior to meeting death, epitomizes the person fit to hear it. A qualified reciter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the right medicine (bhavauṣadhi) for the conditioned souls. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore trying to train qualified preachers to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā throughout the entire world, so that people in general in all parts of the world may take advantage of this movement and thus be relieved of the threefold miseries of material existence.

The instructions of Bhagavad-gītā and the descriptions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are so pleasing that almost anyone suffering from the threefold miseries of material existence will desire to hear the glories of the Lord from these books and thus benefit on the path of liberation. Two classes of men, however, will never be interested in hearing the message of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—those who are determined to commit suicide and those determined to kill cows and other animals for the satisfaction of their own tongues. Although such persons may make a show of hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam at a Bhāgavata-saptāha, this is but another creation of the karmīs, who cannot derive any benefit from such a performance. The word paśu-ghnāt is important in this connection. paśu-ghna means "butcher." Persons fond of performing ritualistic ceremonies for elevation to the higher planetary systems must offer sacrifices (yajñas) by killing animals. Lord Buddhadeva therefore rejected the authority of the Vedas because his mission was to stop animal sacrifices, which are recommended in Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.

nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ sa-daya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātaṁ keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare (Gīta-govinda) Even though animal sacrifices are sanctioned in Vedic ceremonies, men who kill animals for such ceremonies are considered butchers. Butchers cannot be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for they are already materially allured. Their only interest lies in developing comforts for the temporary body.

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:bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ
:tayāpahṛta-cetasām
:vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
:samādhau na vidhīyate
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"In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place." ([[Vanisource:BG 2.44 (1972)|BG 2.44]]) Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:

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:manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā,
:jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu
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Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious and who therefore does not engage in the service of the Lord is also paśu-ghna, for he is willingly drinking poison. Such a person cannot be interested in kṛṣṇa-kathā because he still has a desire for material sense gratification; he is not nivṛtta-tṛṣṇa. As it is said, traivargikās te puruṣā vimukhā hari-medhasaḥ. Those interested in trivarga—that is, in dharma, artha and kāma—are religious for the sake of achieving a material position with which to gain better facilities for sense gratification. Such persons are killing themselves by willingly keeping themselves in the cycle of birth and death. They cannot be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

For kṛṣṇa-kathā, topics about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there must be a speaker and a hearer, both of whom can be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness if they are no longer interested in material topics. One can actually see how this attitude automatically develops in persons who are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Although the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are quite young men, they no longer read materialistic newspapers, magazines and so on, for they are no longer interested in such topics (nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ). They completely give up the bodily understanding of life. For topics concerning Uttamaśloka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master speaks, and the disciple hears with attention. Unless both of them are free from material desires, they cannot be interested in topics of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The spiritual master and disciple do not need to understand anything more than Kṛṣṇa because simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa and talking about Kṛṣṇa, one becomes a perfectly learned person (yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). The Lord sits within everyone's heart, and by the grace of the Lord the devotee receives instructions directly from the Lord Himself, who says in Bhagavad-gītā ([[Vanisource:BG 15.15 (1972)|BG 15.15]]):

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:sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
:mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
:vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
:vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
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"I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known; indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas." Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so exalted that one who is perfectly situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, under the direction of the spiritual master, is fully satisfied by reading kṛṣṇa-kathā as found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and similar Vedic literatures. Since merely talking about Kṛṣṇa is so pleasing, we can simply imagine how pleasing it is to render service to Kṛṣṇa.

When discourses on kṛṣṇa-kathā take place between a liberated spiritual master and his disciple, others also sometimes take advantage of hearing these topics and also benefit. These topics are the medicine to stop the repetition of birth and death. The cycle of repeated birth and death, by which one takes on different bodies again and again, is called bhava or bhava-roga. If anyone, willingly or unwillingly, hears kṛṣṇa-kathā, his bhava-roga, the disease of birth and death, will certainly stop. Therefore kṛṣṇa-kathā is called bhavauṣadha, the remedy to stop the repetition of birth and death. Karmīs, or persons attached to material sense enjoyment, generally cannot give up their material desires, but kṛṣṇa-kathā is such a potent medicine that if one is induced to hear kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, he will certainly be freed from this disease. A practical example is Dhruva Mahārāja, who at the end of his tapasya was fully satisfied. When the Lord wanted to give Dhruva a benediction, Dhruva refused it. Svāmin kṛtārtho'smi varaṁ na yāce ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.42|CC Madhya 22.42]]). "My dear Lord," he said, "I am fully satisfied. I do not ask for any benediction for material sense gratification." We actually see that even young boys and girls in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have given up their long practice of bad habits like illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so potent that it gives them full satisfaction, they are no longer interested in material sense gratification.
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