Category:Anartha
Theme Analysis
In Sanskrit, the word artha means "meaning" or "value," and the prefix an negates it. Therefore, anartha refers to things that are meaningless, unwanted, and unnecessary. Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies the foundational anartha of conditioned life as the false bodily conception—the illusion that "I am this material body." Because of this gross misconception, the living entity develops a complex web of mental desires for sense gratification. These desires manifest as deeply ingrained bad habits, specifically the four pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that no one is born with these habits; a baby does not ask for a cigarette. These anarthas are acquired entirely through bad association.
A central theme in this category is the contrast between modern materialistic civilization and the purificatory process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that modern society has built a massive, artificial economy based entirely on anarthas—addicting the world to unnecessary luxuries, tea, coffee, and meat. However, human life is actually meant for anartha-nivṛtti, the clearing away of these unwanted things. The only practical method to achieve this is bhakti-yoga. Śrīla Prabhupāda guarantees that if one associates with pure devotees and engages seriously in bhajana-kriyā (the practice of devotional service), all anarthas will automatically and effortlessly vanish. He frequently points to the miraculous transformation of his Western disciples as practical proof: despite being deeply accustomed to these bad habits, they easily gave them up by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and tasting the superior nectar of spiritual life.
- The Root of the Problem: The fundamental anartha is the misconception of bodily identification, which binds the eternal soul to a temporary material dress and generates endless desires for sense gratification.
- Acquired Bad Habits: Sinful activities (meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex) are not natural to the soul. They are unnecessary, unwanted habits acquired strictly through bad material association.
- The Artificial Economy: Modern civilization falsely measures progress by the multiplication of anarthas, creating artificial necessities and luxuries that entangle humanity in misery and ignorance.
- The Supreme Cure: The only effective method to vanquish anarthas is the practice of unalloyed bhakti-yoga. Through association with devotees and serious chanting, unwanted habits are naturally destroyed.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Anartha - Giving Up Unwanted Things Through Devotional Service.
Subcategories
This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total.
Pages in category "Anartha"
The following 52 pages are in this category, out of 52 total.
1
A
- Anartha means meaningless. No artha. Artha means meaning. So if we want to stop this anartha, misconception of life, then we have to take to bhakti-yoga
- Anartha means things we do not want. Artificially we are practiced to things. Just like meat-eating. Meat-eating, we do not practice it from the beginning of our birth
- Anartha means things which are not wanted. We are accustomed to so many things, rascal things, which is not at all wanted. But we have been accustomed. By bad association
- Anartha means unwanted bad habits. So when we are children, innocent, we have no bad habits, but as we grow and associate with bad company, we also acquire all these bad habits. So to give up all these bad habits means we have to associate with sadhus
- Anartha, this anartha, this misconception of life, if you want to discard this misconception of life, that "I am this body," and you act according to that consciousness and suffer... This is your disease
- Anarthas, unwanted things, come down from one bodily life to another. To get out of this entanglement, one has to take to the devotional service of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
B
- Because I have accepted this body which is made of either of the three modes of material nature, and identifying, therefore I have created so many anartha. Anartha means unwanted things
- Becoming Krsna conscious brings about anartha-apagamah, the disappearance of all anarthas, the miserable conditions we have unnecessarily accepted. The material body is the basic principle of these unwanted miserable conditions
- By this process (reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, and serving the person bhagavata) we can attain the stage of bhagavad-bhakti, but first we must get rid of all these anarthas, unwanted things
F
- Following this, Sri Balarama married Revati, daughter of King Raivata, ruler of Anarta Province. This is explained in the Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. After the marriage of Baladeva, Krsna married Rukmini
- Four things of sinful activities - illicit sex and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating - these are anartha. Anartha means it is not necessary at all
H
- How to get out of this anartha, unwanted thing. That means is bhakti-yoga. People, though, do not know it. They are in the darkness of ignorance. Therefore this Srimad-Bhagavatam
- Human life is meant to get rid of anarthas, unwanted things, but where is the university or college where this science of purification is taught? The only institution is this Krsna consciousness society
I
- If one is still attached to all these habits (illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling), he should know that he is not making progress. When one is actually advanced in bhajana-kriya, all these anarthas (unwanted things) will be finished
- If we turn our attention to Krsna's service, to bhakti-yoga, we can force ourselves to give up all anarthas, unwanted things
- If we want to stop this anartha, misconception of life, then we have to take to bhakti-yoga
- If you are really enthusiastic, these anarthas will be vanquished automatically
- In the beginning of life nobody smokes or nobody becomes intoxicated. It is learned by bad association. Similarly, it can be given up by good association. They are called anarthas. Anartha means unwanted bad habits
- In the name of civilization, we have increased so many unwanted things, unnecessarily. This is called anartha
- In Western countries, I have got thousands and thousands of disciples. They have given up all these things (illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating). That does not mean that they have become dead. No. It is anartha, unwanted
K
M
- Material advancement is called anartha, or things not wanted
- Material existence begins with the illusioned bodily conception of life, and on the basis of this conception there ensues a series of unwanted things (anarthas). These unwanted things are actually mental desires for various types of sense gratification
P
- People are suffering because of ignorance and are following a wrong path for happiness. This is called anartha. These material activities will never make them happy, and Narada instructed Vyasadeva to record the instructions of Srimad-Bhagavatam
- People will criticize us that "Why you are utilizing motor car ? Why you are utilizing aeroplane?" But our tactic is we can utilize any so-called anartha in the service of Krsna. That is our tactics
- People will not die without coffee and tea. But they have made the whole world self-dependent on coffee and tea, mercantile policy. There is anartha
- Practically everyone can see that you Western boys and girls, so many anarthas you practice, but as soon as you come to bhakti-yoga, everything is finished
S
T
- That I want, that I live happily and chant Hare Krsna. That's all. We don't want unnecessary luxury. Anartha should be reduced, nil, bare necessities
- That is the test who is a devotee. Simply by advertising himself, advertisements will not do. How much you are freed from the anarthas
- The first step is that you must associate with devotees & then take to bhajana-kriya. Then see, examine yourself that whether you are free from all the unwanted things. If all the unwanted things are vanquished, then you'll have firm faith
- The first step is that you must associate with devotees and then take to bhajana-kriya. Then see, examine yourself that whether you are free from all the anarthas, all the unwanted things
- The grossest type of anartha which binds the conditioned soul in material existence is sex desire, and this sex desire gradually develops in the union of the male and female
- The real interest is to approach Visnu, to go back to home, go back to Godhead. That he does not know. He is entangled with these material affairs. Anartha
- The whole world is full of anarthas, unnecessary, unnecessary thing. I am not brahmana; I am not Indian; you are not American; you are not ksatriya; or... This is all false identification
- The word anartha refers to unwanted things. Anarthas are vanquished when one becomes attached to the Krsna consciousness movement
- There is a problem now, especially in the Western countries, unwanted population. They do not want, but it is increasing. Similarly, unwanted necessities. This is called anartha. Simple thing
- There is no meaning of giving up spiritual cultivation & taking to or imitating something. This is called anartha. Anartha means unnecessarily you are inclined. So Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant for guiding us. Anartha-upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje
- There were the rulers of Kunti Province, Anarta Province, Kerala Province and many other countries and provinces
- They (boys and girls) have no tendency for going to the cinema or going to a hotel. No. They have stopped all anarthas, all unnecessary things. The whole human life is meant for purification
- To increase too much of these necessities of life, that is anartha. That is not required. So we have now increased the so many unwanted things, and we have been entangled
W
- We accept a disciple to engage in the bhajana-kriya - first of all he must give up these anarthas. So these anarthas, one cannot giving up smoking or drinking, but actually, if he takes to devotional service, he can very easily give up
- Whatever abominable characteristics we have developed, if we want to counteract it, we have to take to bhakti-yoga only. Anartha. Anartha. We have developed so many anartha. We don't require it, but we have developed all these symptoms
Y
- You can dress with so many outward coverings. But we spirit soul, we do not require this material dress, but somehow or other we have got it. This is anartha. Anartha means unwanted
- You foreigners, you have taken some interest. I am very much pleased. So constantly come here and hear about Krsna. This is the pastimeous place of Krsna, Vrndavana. So make your anarthas vanquished
- You'll find in our temple, we are cooking so many nice preparations. Perhaps you have tasted some of them. But we are not preparing tea or coffee or meat - nothing. These are anarthas. What is the necessity?