Category:Based on Sense Gratification
Theme Analysis
The central problem of material existence is the misidentification of the self with the body and its senses. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that any life or civilization based on sense gratification is inherently conditional and temporary. In the material world, progress is often measured by the ability to increase sensory comfort, but Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that this "advancement" only deepens the soul's entanglement in the cycle of birth and death. While a perfect civilization aims at the satisfaction of the soul (atma), the current modern civilization is built upon the artificial expansion of sensory needs.
A significant portion of Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings on this subject focuses on the transformation of domestic and social structures. He notes that householder life, when based on sense gratification (maithunādi-gṛhamedhi), provides only meager and flickering happiness. However, if a marriage is based on mutual cooperation for spiritual advancement rather than sensory enjoyment, it becomes a powerful vehicle for liberation. Śrīla Prabhupāda cautions that even family affection can be degrading if its root is personal gratification; instead, family members should work together to please Kṛṣṇa.
Furthermore, Śrīla Prabhupāda exposes "pretentious religiosity." He explains that any religious process that promises material gain or sensory satisfaction—whether gross or subtle—is a failure because it cannot provide perpetual protection to its followers. Even the initial reluctance of Arjuna to fight was analyzed by Śrīla Prabhupāda as being based on sense gratification, as Arjuna was more concerned with his personal emotional comfort than his divine duty. The ultimate cure for this "material disease" is the redirection of the senses. By hearing the Lord's glories and seeing His beauty, the living entity moves from the mahamaya platform of selfish dance to the yogamaya platform of the gopis, whose only desire is the happiness of the Supreme Lord.
- The Root of Entanglement: Conditional material existence is fundamentally based on sense gratification; increasing these activities only increases the duration of material bondage.
- Marriage and Family Life: A Kṛṣṇa conscious marriage is distinct because it is based on spiritual cooperation and the raising of godly children rather than mutual sensory enjoyment.
- Religiosity and Duty: Śrīla Prabhupāda rejects any form of religion that aims at sensory gain, labeling it "pretentious" and unable to save the soul from degradation.
- The Path to Liberation: Liberation is achieved by re-engaging the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa, shifting the focus from personal interest to the absolute happiness of the Lord.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Based on Sense Gratification - The Foundation of Material Disease.
Pages in category "Based on Sense Gratification"
The following 19 pages are in this category, out of 19 total.
A
- A Krishna Conscious marriage is not based on sense gratification but rather mutual cooperation between husband and wife for making advancement in spiritual life and also for raising Krishna Conscious children
- Advancement of material civilization on the basis of sense gratification means increasing the duration of the material existence of a living entity. BG 1972 purports
- All pretentious religiosity based on gross or subtle sense gratification is completely rejected in the process of bhagavata-dharma, or the transcendental religion that is the eternal function of the living being
- Any process of religiosity based on sense gratification, gross or subtle, must be considered a pretentious religion because it is unable to give perpetual protection to its followers
- Arjuna's proposal not to fight was based on sense gratification. BG 1972 purports
- Artificial needs of life are activities of the senses. Modern advancement of civilization is based on these activities of the senses, i.e., it is a civilization of sense gratification. Perfect civilization is the civilization of atma, or the soul proper
- As far as fruitive activities are concerned, they are mainly based on the platform of sense gratification. Therefore an advanced Krsna conscious person does not take to them
C
I
- I must caution that we must be careful to avoid so far as possible affection for family based on sense gratification. Be happy in your family life by working cooperatively to please Krishna, and she should be your assistant
- It is the sign of advancement in KC that the devotee does not care for nice varieties of material engagements based on sense gratification but he finds increasing pleasure in those places where the service of the Lord is being carried out with enthusiasm
P
- People are often misguided by temporary attractive things based on sense gratification, but service rendered to the sense objects is both misleading and degrading
- Presently human civilization is based on sense gratification, and consequently more and more people are becoming addicted to different types of things. No one respects brahminical culture
T
- The householder's lif it is said, yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham: (SB 7.9.45) the householder's life is based on sense gratification, and therefoe is based on sense gratification, and therefore the happiness derived from it is very meager
- The predominated gopis were bound to Krsna in such pure love. For them there was no question of sexual love based on sense gratification. Their only engagement in life was to see Krsna happy in all respects, regardless of their own personal interests
- The whole material disease is based on the process of sense gratification, and liberation from the diseased condition is re-engagement of the senses to see the beauty of the Lord, hear His glories, and act on His account