Main point: To
reach perfection in Krsna consciousness, one must follow the instructions of
the Goswamis and control the mind and senses as instructed by Rupa Goswami and
the Upadesamrta.
väco vegaà manasaù krodha-vegaà
jihvä-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etän vegän yo viñaheta dhéraù
sarväm apémäà påthivéà sa çiñyät
väcaù—of speech;
vegam—urge; manasaù—of the mind; krodha—of anger; vegam—urge; jihvä—of the
tongue; vegam—urge; udara-upastha—of the belly and genitals; vegam—urge;
etän—these; vegän—urges; yaù—whoever; viñaheta—can tolerate; dhéraù—sober;
sarväm—all; api—certainly; imäm—this; påthivém—world; saù—that personality; çiñyät—can
make disciples.
A sober person who
can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and
the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all
over the world.
In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (6.1.9–10) Parékñit Mahäräja placed a
number of intelligent questions before Çukadeva Gosvämé. One of these questions
was: “Why do people undergo atonement if they cannot control their senses?” For
instance, a thief may know perfectly well that he may be arrested for his
stealing, and he may actually even see a thief arrested by the police, yet he
continues to steal. Experience is gathered by hearing and seeing. One who is
less intelligent gathers experience by seeing, and one who is more intelligent
gathers experience by hearing. When an intelligent person hears from the
lawbooks and çästras, or scriptures, that stealing is not good and hears that a
thief is punished when arrested, he refrains from theft. A less intelligent
person may first have to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop
stealing. However, a rascal, a foolish man, may have the experience of both
hearing and seeing and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal.
Even if such a person atones and is punished by the government, he will again
commit theft as soon as he comes out of jail. If punishment in jail is
considered atonement, what is the benefit of such atonement? Thus Parékñit
Mahäräja inquired:
dåñöa-çrutäbhyäà yat päpaà
jänann apy ätmano ’hitam
karoti bhüyo vivaçaù
präyaçcittam atho katham
kvacin nivartate ’bhadrät
kvacic carati tat punaù
präyaçcittam atho ’pärthaà
manye kuïjara-çaucavat
He compared atonement to an elephant’s bathing. The
elephant may take a very nice bath in the river, but as soon as it comes onto
the bank, it throws dirt all over its body. What, then, is the value of its
bathing? Similarly, many spiritual practitioners chant the Hare Kåñëa
mahä-mantra and at the same time commit many forbidden things, thinking that
their chanting will counteract their offenses. Of the ten types of offenses one
can commit while chanting the holy name of the Lord, this offense is called
nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù, committing sinful activities on the strength
of chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. Similarly, certain Christians go to
church to confess their sins, thinking that confessing their sins before a
priest and performing some penance will relieve them from the results of their
weekly sins. As soon as Saturday is over and Sunday comes, they again begin
their sinful activities, expecting to be forgiven the next Saturday. This kind
of präyaçcitta, or atonement, is condemned by Parékñit Mahäräja, the most
intelligent king of his time. Çukadeva Gosvämé, equally intelligent, as befitting
the spiritual master of Mahäräja Parékñit, answered the King and confirmed that
his statement concerning atonement was correct. A sinful activity cannot be
counteracted by a pious activity. Thus real präyaçcitta, atonement, is the
awakening of our dormant Kåñëa consciousness.
Atonement is not
effective in removing the sinful desire.
Three examples of ineffective atonement:
1.Thief who keeps stealing despite having
heard, seen, and gotten punished
himself.
2. The elephant bathing.
3.
Christians sinning then confessing then sinning again.
Real atonement involves coming to real knowledge, and for
this there is a standard process. When one follows a regulated hygienic
process, he does not fall sick. A human being is meant to be trained according
to certain principles to revive his original knowledge. Such a methodical life
is described as tapasya. One can be gradually elevated to the standard of real
knowledge, or Kåñëa consciousness, by practicing austerity and celibacy
(brahmacarya), by controlling the mind, by controlling the senses, by giving up
one’s possessions in charity, by being avowedly truthful, by keeping clean and
by practicing yoga-äsanas. However, if one is fortunate enough to get the association
of a pure devotee, he can easily surpass all the practices for controlling the
mind by the mystic yoga process simply by following the regulative principles
of Kåñëa consciousness—refraining from illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication
and gambling—and by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord under the
direction of the bona fide spiritual master. This easy process is being
recommended by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé.
True atonement is
coming to the platform of real knowledge, Krsna
consciousness.
1. The gradual process of coming to
knowledge.
2.The fast process of directly approaching
Krsna consciousness
a. following the rules and
regulations
b. serving Krsna under the spiritual
master
First one must control his speaking power. Every one of us
has the power of speech; as soon as we get an opportunity we begin to speak. If
we do not speak about Kåñëa consciousness, we speak about all sorts of
nonsense. A toad in a field speaks by croaking, and similarly everyone who has
a tongue wants to speak, even if all he has to say is nonsense. The croaking of
the toad, however, simply invites the snake: “Please come here and eat me.”
Nevertheless, although it is inviting death, the toad goes on croaking. The
talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Mäyävädé philosophers may be
compared to the croaking of frogs. They are always speaking nonsense and thus
inviting death to catch them. Controlling speech, however, does not mean
self-imposed silence (the external process of mauna), as Mäyävädé philosophers
think. Silence may appear helpful for some time, but ultimately it proves a
failure. The meaning of controlled speech conveyed by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé
advocates the positive process of kåñëa-kathä, engaging the speaking process in
glorifying the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa. The tongue can thus glorify the name,
form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. The preacher of kåñëa-kathä is always
beyond the clutches of death. This is the significance of controlling the urge
to speak.
The restlessness or fickleness of the mind (mano-vega) is
controlled when one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kåñëa. The
Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.31) says:
kåñëa——sürya-sama; mäyä haya andhakära
yähäì kåñëa, tähäì nähi mäyära adhikära
Kåñëa is just like the sun, and mäyä is just like darkness.
If the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, if Kåñëa is
present in the mind, there is no possibility of the mind’s being agitated by
mäyä’s influence. The yogic process of negating all material thoughts will not
help. To try to create a vacuum in the mind is artificial. The vacuum will not
remain. However, if one always thinks of Kåñëa and how to serve Kåñëa best,
one’s mind will naturally be controlled.
Similarly, anger can be controlled. We cannot stop anger
altogether, but if we simply become angry with those who blaspheme the Lord or
the devotees of the Lord, we control our anger in Kåñëa consciousness. Lord
Caitanya Mahäprabhu became angry with the miscreant brothers Jagäi and Mädhäi,
who blasphemed and struck Nityänanda Prabhu. In His Çikñäñöaka Lord Caitanya
wrote, tåëäd api sunécena taror api sahiñëunä: “One should be humbler than the
grass and more tolerant than the tree.” One may then ask why the Lord exhibited
His anger. The point is that one should be ready to tolerate all insults to
one’s own self, but when Kåñëa or His pure devotee is blasphemed, a genuine
devotee becomes angry and acts like fire against the offenders. Krodha, anger,
cannot be stopped, but it can be applied rightly. It was in anger that Hanumän
set fire to Laìkä, but he is worshiped as the greatest devotee of Lord
Rämacandra. This means that he utilized his anger in the right way. Arjuna
serves as another example. He was not willing to fight, but Kåñëa incited his
anger: “You must fight!” To fight without anger is not possible. Anger is
controlled, however, when utilized in the service of the Lord.
As for the urges of the tongue, we all experience that the
tongue wants to eat palatable dishes. Generally we should not allow the tongue
to eat according to its choice, but should control the tongue by supplying
prasäda. The devotee’s attitude is that he will eat only when Kåñëa gives him
prasäda. That is the way to control the urge of the tongue. One should take
prasäda at scheduled times and should not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat shops
simply to satisfy the whims of the tongue or belly. If we stick to the
principle of taking only prasäda, the urges of the belly and tongue can be controlled.
In a similar manner, the urges of the genitals, the sex
impulse, can be controlled when not used unnecessarily. The genitals should be
used to beget a Kåñëa conscious child, otherwise they should not be used. The
Kåñëa consciousness movement encourages marriage not for the satisfaction of
the genitals but for the begetting of Kåñëa conscious children. As soon as the
children are a little grown up, they are sent to our Gurukula school in Dallas,
Texas, where they are trained to become fully Kåñëa conscious devotees. Many
such Kåñëa conscious children are required, and one who is capable of bringing
forth Kåñëa conscious offspring is allowed to utilize his genitals.
When one is fully practiced in the methods of Kåñëa
conscious control, he can become qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master.
Controlling the
six urges (Vegas) by using them in Krsna's
service:
1. speaking 2. mind
3. anger 4. tongue/belly 5. genitals
When one can do
so, he is qualified to be a bonafide spiritual master.
In his Anuvåtti explanation of Upadeçämåta, Çréla
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura writes that our material identification
creates three kinds of urges—the urge to speak, the urge or demands of the mind
and the demands of the body. When a living entity falls victim to these three
types of urges, his life becomes inauspicious. One who practices resisting
these demands or urges is called tapasvé, or one who practices austerities. By
such tapasya one can overcome victimization by the material energy, the
external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When we refer to the urge to speak, we refer to useless
talking, such as that of the impersonal Mäyävädé philosophers, or of persons
engaged in fruitive activities (technically called karma-käëòa), or of
materialistic people who simply want to enjoy life without restriction. All
such talks or literatures are practical exhibitions of the urge to speak. Many
people are talking nonsensically and writing volumes of useless books, and all
this is the result of the urge to speak. To counteract this tendency, we have
to divert our talking to the subject of Kåñëa. This is explained in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.5.10–11):
na yad vacaç citra-padaà harer yaço
jagat-pavitraà pragåëéta karhicit
tad väyasaà tértham uçanti mänasä
na yatra haàsä niramanty uçik-kñayäù
“Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord,
who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by
saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the
all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not
derive any pleasure there.”
tad-väg-visargo janatägha-viplavo
yasmin prati-çlokam abaddhavaty api
nämäny anantasya yaço ’ìkitäni yat
çåëvanti gäyanti gåëanti sädhavaù
“On the other hand,
that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of
the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a
different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about
a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization.
Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard,
sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”
The conclusion is that only when we talk about devotional
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can we refrain from useless
nonsensical talk. We should always endeavor to use our speaking power solely
for the purpose of realizing Kåñëa consciousness.
Urges caused by
material identification:
1. speech 2. mind
3. body
1. speech:
only speak and write about Krsna
As for the agitations of the
bickering mind, they are divided into two divisions. The first is called
avirodha-préti, or unrestricted attachment, and the other is called
virodha-yukta-krodha, anger arising from frustration. Adherence to the
philosophy of the Mäyävädés, belief in the fruitive results of the karma-vädés,
and belief in plans based on materialistic desires are called avirodha-préti.
Jïänés, karmés and materialistic planmakers generally attract the attention of
conditioned souls, but when the materialists cannot fulfill their plans and
when their devices are frustrated, they become angry. Frustration of material
desires produces anger.
Similarly, the demands of the body
can be divided into three categories—the demands of the tongue, the belly and
the genitals. One may observe that these three senses are physically situated
in a straight line, as far as the body is concerned, and that the bodily
demands begin with the tongue. If one can restrain the demands of the tongue by
limiting its activities to the eating of prasäda, the urges of the belly and
the genitals can automatically be controlled. In this connection Çréla
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says:
çaréra avidyä jäla, jaòendriya tähe käla,
jéve phele viñaya-sägare
tä’ra madhye jihvä ati, lobhamäyä sudurmati,
tä’ke jetä kaöhina saàsäre
kåñëa baòa dayämaya, karibäre jihvä jaya,
sva-prasäda-anna dila bhäi
sei annämåta khäo, rädhä-kåñëa-guëa gäo,
preme òäka caitanya-nitäi
“O Lord! This
material body is a lump of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths
leading to death. Somehow or other we have fallen into the ocean of material
sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and
uncontrollable. It is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world, but
You, dear Kåñëa, are very kind to us. You have sent this nice prasäda to help
us conquer the tongue; therefore let us take this prasäda to our full
satisfaction and glorify Your Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa and in love
call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityänanda.” There are six kinds
of rasas (tastes), and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes
controlled by the urges of the tongue. Some persons are attracted to the eating
of meat, fish, crabs, eggs and other things produced by semina and blood and
eaten in the form of dead bodies. Others are attracted by eating vegetables, creepers,
spinach or milk products, but all for the satisfaction of the tongue’s demands.
Such eating for sense gratification—including the use of extra quantities of
spices like chili and tamarind—is to be given up by Kåñëa conscious persons.
The use of pan, haritaké, betel nuts, various spices used in pan-making,
tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea is indulged in to
fulfill illicit demands. If we can practice accepting only remnants of food
offered to Kåñëa, it is possible to get free from mäyä’s victimization.
Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water are proper foods to offer
to the Lord, as Lord Kåñëa Himself prescribes. However, if one accepts prasäda
only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey
to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught
us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating prasäda. If we offer
palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food, we
are involved in trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. If we accept the
invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food, we are also
trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. In Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya
6.227) it is stated:
jihvära lälase yei iti-uti dhäya
çiçnodara-paräyaëa kåñëa nähi päya
“That person who runs here and
there seeking to gratify his palate and who is always attached to the desires
of his stomach and genitals is unable to attain Kåñëa.”
As stated before, the tongue,
belly and genitals are all situated in a straight line, and they fall in the
same category. Lord Caitanya has said, bhäla nä khäibe ära bhäla nä paribe: “Do
not dress luxuriously and do not eat delicious foodstuffs.” (Cc. Antya 6.236)
Those who suffer from diseases of
the stomach must be unable to control the urges of the belly, at least
according to this analysis. When we desire to eat more than necessary we
automatically create many inconveniences in life. However, if we observe
fasting days like Ekädaçé and Janmäñöamé, we can restrain the demands of the
belly.
As far as the urges of the
genitals are concerned, there are two—proper and improper, or legal and illicit
sex. When a man is properly mature, he can marry according to the rules and
regulations of the çästras and use his genitals for begetting nice children.
That is legal and religious. Otherwise, he may adopt many artificial means to
satisfy the demands of the genitals, and he may not use any restraint. When one
indulges in illicit sex life, as defined by the çästras, either by thinking,
planning, talking about or actually having sexual intercourse, or by satisfying
the genitals by artificial means, he is caught in the clutches of mäyä. These
instructions apply not only to householders but also to tyägés, or those who
are in the renounced order of life. In his book prema-vivarta, Chapter Seven,
Çré Jagadänanda Paëòita says:
vairägé bhäi grämya-kathä nä
çunibe käne
grämya-värtä nä kahibe yabe milibe
äne
svapane o nä kara bhäi
stré-sambhäñaëa
gåhe stré chäòiyä bhäi äsiyächa
vana
yadi cäha praëaya räkhite
gauräìgera sane
choöa haridäsera kathä thäke yena
mane
bhäla nä khäibe ära bhäla nä
paribe
hådayete rädhä-kåñëa sarvadä
sevibe
“My dear brother, you are in the
renounced order of life and should not listen to talk about ordinary worldly
things, nor should you talk about worldly things when you meet with others. Do
not think of women even in dreams. You have accepted the renounced order of
life with a vow that forbids you to associate with women. If you wish to associate
with Caitanya Mahäprabhu, you must always remember the incident of Choöa
Haridäsa and how he was rejected by the Lord. Do not eat luxurious dishes or
dress in fine garments, but always remain humble and serve Their Lordships Çré
Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa in your heart of hearts.”
2. mind: a.
aviroddha-priti (attachment)
b. virodha-yukta-krodha (anger
from frustration)
3. body:
a. tongue
b. belly
c. genitals
They are all in a
straight line; if the tongue is controlled by eating prasada, the others are controlled. Therefore:
don't eat
forbidden things;
avoid overeating;
don't run after
luxurious prasada;
fast
Ekadasi/Janmastami
The conclusion is that one who can control these six items—speech,
mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals—is to be called a svämé or gosvämé.
Svämé means master, and gosvämé means master of the go, or senses. When one
accepts the renounced order of life, he automatically assumes the title of
svämé. This does not mean that he is the master of his family, community or
society; he must be master of his senses. Unless one is master of his senses,
he should not be called gosvämé, but go-däsa, servant of the senses. Following
in the footsteps of the six Gosvämés of Våndävana, all svämés and gosvämés
should fully engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As
opposed to this, the go-däsas engage in the service of the senses or in the
service of the material world. They have no other engagement. Prahläda Mahäräja
has further described the go-däsa as adänta-go, which refers to one whose
senses are not controlled. An adänta-go cannot become a servant of Kåñëa. In
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (7.5.30), Prahläda Mahäräja has said:
matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä
mitho ’bhipadyeta gåha-vratänäm
adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamisraà
punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm
“For those who have decided to continue their existence in
this material world for the gratification of their senses, there is no chance
of becoming Kåñëa conscious, not by personal endeavor, by instruction from
others or by joint conferences. They are dragged by the unbridled senses into
the darkest region of ignorance, and thus they madly engage in what is called
‘chewing the chewed.’ ”
One
who wants to become Krsna conscious must control his senses.