View source for When the senses are engaged in the Lord's service, they are like poisonous snakes with their fangs removed, and so they are no longer dangerous

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{{terms|"cobra"|"cobras"|"fang"|"fangs"|"senses"|"serpent"|"serpents"|"snake"|"snakes"|"teeth"}}
{{notes|Selected from Vedabase query: snake* or serpent* or cobra* and fang* or teeth and sense*}}
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{{first|12Nov09}}
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[[Category:Senses]]
[[Category:Engage]]
[[Category:Service of the Lord]]
[[Category:Likeness]]
[[Category:Poison]]
[[Category:Snake]]
[[Category:Fangs]]
[[Category:Remove]]
[[Category:No Longer]]
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" class="section" sec_index="0" parent="compilation" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is"><h2>Bhagavad-gita As It Is</h2>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 1 - 6"><h3>BG Chapters 1 - 6</h3>
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<div id="BG342_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" book="BG" index="152" link="BG 3.42" link_text="BG 3.42">
<div class="heading">If by intelligence one engages one's mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by complete surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, automatically, the mind becomes stronger, and even though the senses are very strong, like serpents, they will be no more effective than serpents with broken fangs.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 3.42|BG 3.42, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">With intelligence one has to seek out the constitutional position of the soul and then engage the mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That solves the whole problem. A neophyte spiritualist is generally advised to keep aloof from the objects of the senses. But aside from that, one has to strengthen the mind by use of intelligence. If by intelligence one engages one's mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by complete surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, automatically, the mind becomes stronger, and even though the senses are very strong, like serpents, they will be no more effective than serpents with broken fangs. But even though the soul is the master of intelligence and mind, and the senses also, still, unless it is strengthened by association with Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is every chance of falling down due to the agitated mind.</p>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 13 - 18"><h3>BG Chapters 13 - 18</h3>
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<div id="BG1854_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_13_-_18" book="BG" index="168" link="BG 18.54" link_text="BG 18.54">
<div class="heading">In that brahma-bhūta stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating one's individuality becomes hellish, the idea of attaining the heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like serpents' teeth that are broken. As there is no fear of a serpent with broken teeth, there is no fear from the senses when they are automatically controlled.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">In the material concept of life, when one works for sense gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no misery. The devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing for which to lament or desire. Since God is full, a living entity who is engaged in God's service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just like a river cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure devotee has no thought other than Kṛṣṇa, he is naturally always joyful. He does not lament for any material loss or aspire for gain, because he is full in the service of the Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment, because he knows that every living entity is a fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a servant. He does not see, in the material world, someone as higher and someone as lower; higher and lower positions are ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do with ephemeral appearances or disappearances. For him stone and gold are of equal value. This is the brahma-bhūta stage ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]), and this stage is attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating one's individuality becomes hellish, the idea of attaining the heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like serpents' teeth that are broken. As there is no fear of a serpent with broken teeth, there is no fear from the senses when they are automatically controlled. The world is miserable for the materially infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuṇṭha, or the spiritual sky. The highest personality in this material universe is no more significant than an ant for a devotee. Such a stage can be achieved by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who preached pure devotional service in this age.</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_3" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3>
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<div id="SB396_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="315" link="SB 3.9.6" link_text="SB 3.9.6">
<div class="heading">Because a pure devotee accepts everything in the sense of serving the Lord, the poisonous teeth of accumulation of wealth are extracted. If a snake has its poison removed and bites a man, there is no fatal effect.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.9.6|SB 3.9.6, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">A pure devotee may be attracted to accumulating wealth just like an ordinary man, but the difference is that a devotee acquires money for the service of the Lord, whereas the ordinary man acquires money for his sense enjoyment. Thus the acquisition of wealth by a devotee is not a source of anxieties, as is the case for a worldly man. And because a pure devotee accepts everything in the sense of serving the Lord, the poisonous teeth of accumulation of wealth are extracted. If a snake has its poison removed and bites a man, there is no fatal effect. Similarly, wealth accumulated in the cause of the Lord has no poisonous teeth, and the effect is not fatal. A pure devotee is never entangled in material worldly affairs even though he may remain in the world like an ordinary man.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_4" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 4"><h3>SB Canto 4</h3>
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<div id="SB4128_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="503" link="SB 4.12.8" link_text="SB 4.12.8">
<div class="heading">Yogīs endeavor to control the senses, but for a devotee controlling the senses is no difficulty at all. The senses are compared to serpents, but for a devotee the serpents' poison teeth are broken.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.12.8|SB 4.12.8, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">When a devotee comes to the platform of pañcama-puruṣārtha, simply engaging in devotional service to the Lord, the fourth puruṣārtha, liberation, becomes very insignificant in his eyes. Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has stated in this connection that for a devotee liberation is a hellish condition of life; as for sense gratification, which is available in the heavenly planets, the devotee considers it to be a will-o'-the-wisp, having no value in life. Yogīs endeavor to control the senses, but for a devotee controlling the senses is no difficulty at all. The senses are compared to serpents, but for a devotee the serpents' poison teeth are broken. Thus Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has analyzed all kinds of benedictions available in this world, and he has clearly declared that for a pure devotee they are all of no significance.</p>
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