Tag: Sex desire

Posted on

SB 3.2.7 Notes – 5/17/22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6R25l2rMBQ&t=3448s

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 3.2.7:

  • The comparison of Kṛṣṇa to the sun is very appropriate. As soon as the sun sets, darkness automatically appears. But the darkness experienced by the common man does not affect the sun itself either at the time of sunrise or of sunset. 
  • As the sun appears in the morning and gradually rises to the meridian and then again sets in one hemisphere while simultaneously rising in the other, so Lord Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance in one universe and the beginning of His different pastimes in another take place simultaneously. 
  • As soon as one pastime is finished here, it is manifested in another universe. And thus His nitya-līlā, or eternal pastimes, are going on without ending. 
  • As the sunrise takes place once in twenty-four hours, similarly the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa take place in a universe once in a daytime of Brahmā, the account of which is given in the Bhagavad-gītā as 4,300,000,000 solar years. 
  • But wherever the Lord is present, all His different pastimes as described in the revealed scriptures take place at regular intervals.
  • One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish.
  • Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. 
  • Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. 
  • Abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārī? It is not possible. 
  • But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things.
  • We are now in hazy conclusion what is our position. We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating.
  • So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desire is cut off, at that time he can understand what is his position.
  • Therefore two things must go on in parallel line. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. 
  • That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same time you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.

SB 3.2.7 TRANSLATION:

Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Vidura, the sun of the world, Lord Kṛṣṇa, has set, and our house has now been swallowed by the great snake of time. What can I say to you about our welfare?

The disappearance of the Kṛṣṇa sun may be explained as follows, according to the commentary of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Vidura was struck with great sorrow when he got the hint of the annihilation of the great Yadu dynasty as well as of his own family, the Kuru dynasty. Uddhava could understand the grief of Vidura, and therefore he first of all wanted to sympathize with him by saying that after the sunset everyone is in darkness. Since the entire world was merged in the darkness of grief, neither Vidura nor Uddhava nor anyone else could be happy. Uddhava was as much aggrieved as Vidura, and there was nothing further to be said about their welfare.

The comparison of Kṛṣṇa to the sun is very appropriate. As soon as the sun sets, darkness automatically appears. But the darkness experienced by the common man does not affect the sun itself either at the time of sunrise or of sunset. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and disappearance are exactly like that of the sun. He appears and disappears in innumerable universes, and as long as He is present in a particular universe there is all transcendental light in that universe, but the universe from which He passes away is put into darkness. His pastimes, however, are everlasting. The Lord is always present in some universe, just as the sun is present in either the Eastern or the Western Hemisphere. The sun is always present either in India or in America, but when the sun is present in India, the American land is in darkness, and when the sun is present in America, the Indian hemisphere is in darkness.

As the sun appears in the morning and gradually rises to the meridian and then again sets in one hemisphere while simultaneously rising in the other, so Lord Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance in one universe and the beginning of His different pastimes in another take place simultaneously. As soon as one pastime is finished here, it is manifested in another universe. And thus His nitya-līlā, or eternal pastimes, are going on without ending. As the sunrise takes place once in twenty-four hours, similarly the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa take place in a universe once in a daytime of Brahmā, the account of which is given in the Bhagavad-gītā as 4,300,000,000 solar years. But wherever the Lord is present, all His different pastimes as described in the revealed scriptures take place at regular intervals.

As at sunset the snakes become powerful, thieves are encouraged, ghosts become active, the lotus becomes disfigured and the cakravākī laments, so with the disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the atheists feel enlivened, and the devotees become sorry.

Krishna’s pats times are Nitya lila – eternal 

Even in the darkness.. The devotee never forgets Krsna and becomes even more attached to Krsna due to separation.they feel sad that Krsna left them and become even more active…. But non-devotees forget Him .. Devotees see Krsna in the deity .. everything is arranged for us by acharyas to remember Krishna.. 

Feeling of separation – painful.. Love in separation. Vipralambha bhava.. 

People who stay up late at night are attacked by negative personalities.. 

The normal way of life is as soon as sunsets they would sleep.. 

To be able to take rest early in the evening and do sadhana in the brahma muhurta .. 

SB 3.2.6 

The conditional changes of the living entity are explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in the instructions given to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī by Lord Śrī Caitanya: “The living entities all over the universes are enjoying the effects of the respective fruitive results of their own work, life after life. Out of all of them, some may be influenced by the association of pure devotees and thus get the chance to execute devotional service by attainment of taste. This taste is the seed of devotional service, and one who is fortunate enough to have received such a seed is advised to sow it in the core of his heart. As one cultivates a seed by pouring water to fructify it, the seed of devotional service sown in the heart of the devotee may be cultured by pouring water in the form of hearing and chanting of the holy name and pastimes of the Lord. The creeper of devotional service, so nourished, gradually grows, and the devotee, acting as a gardener, goes on pouring the water of constant hearing and chanting. The creeper of devotional service gradually grows so high that it passes through the entire material universe and enters into the spiritual sky, growing still higher and higher until it reaches the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana. The devotee-gardener is in touch with the abode of the Lord even from the material plane by dint of performing devotional service to the Lord simply by hearing and chanting. As a creeper takes shelter of another, stronger tree, similarly the creeper of devotional service, nourished by the devotee, takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord and thus becomes fixed. When the creeper is fixed, then the fruit of the creeper comes into existence, and the gardener who nourished it is able to enjoy this fruit of love, and his life becomes successful.” That Uddhava attained this stage is evident from his dealings. He could simultaneously reach the supreme planet and still appear in this world.

Brahmanda bramhita kona.. Bhagyavan.. It is very rare to see pure devotees.. If one associates with such devotees one advances in KC.. 

We only get taste in the association of devotees.. 

The water of fertilization is hearing and chanting.. 

Krishna is never absent for a devotee.. His past times are eternal.. 

In kali yuga.. Many are not KC you have a chance to preach everyday.. 

FAVA BEANS, Jerusalem artichoke for Diabetes, Cow urine for liver problems

SB 1.2.21 Date: Nov. 1 1972 Location: Vṛndāvana

Translation = “Thus the knots of the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions, karma, is terminated when one sees the self as master.”

Prabhupāda:

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

[SB 1.2.21]

This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate [SB 1.2.20]. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advance in spiritual understanding, or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga…, he’s not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking bīḍī. You see?

These are the small tests. One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish. There is no need. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha, things which are not wanted, which has no meaning. So mukta-saṅga means no material attachment. That is mukta-saṅga. When one is actually liberated, these are the signs.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society you’ll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning.

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become…, abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena. One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses. This is brahmacarya. Tapasya. It requires tapasya.

At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārī? It is not possible. Especially in the Western countries, the boys and girls, they are educated in one place, co-education, and they live in the same building, and there are so many things. You know better than me.

So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.

Tayor hṛdaya-granthim. And when they’re actually united, that knot becomes more and more tight. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then gradually, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ, that knot, sex desire… That is the test whether one’s sex desire has diminished. That is the test. Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21]. We are now in hazy conclusion what is our position. We do not know. We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating. There are…, therefore, there are so many parties = the jñānī party, the yogī party, the karmī party, generally. And within each and every party there are hundreds and thousands of parties. So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desire is cut off, at that time he can understand what is his position. What is his position.

Therefore two things must go on in parallel line. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same times, he has to act = not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.

Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. One has to practice tapasya. Tapa. Tapa means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience. Just like brahmacārī lies down on the floor. A sannyāsī also, they follow the same practice as far as possible. Taking bath three…, thrice daily, and so many rules and regulation are there. But at the present age, it is not possible to follow all the rules and regulation, but at least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.

BG 18.1 

Arjuna said: O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the purpose of renunciation [tyāga] and of the renounced order of life [sannyāsa], O killer of the Keśī demon, master of the senses.

Actually the Bhagavad-gītā is finished in seventeen chapters. The Eighteenth Chapter is a supplementary summarization of the topics discussed before. In every chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses that devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life. This same point is summarized in the Eighteenth Chapter as the most confidential path of knowledge. In the first six chapters, stress was given to devotional service: yoginām api sarveṣām … “Of all yogīs or transcendentalists, one who always thinks of Me within himself is best.” In the next six chapters, pure devotional service and its nature and activity were discussed. In the third six chapters, knowledge, renunciation, the activities of material nature and transcendental nature, and devotional service were described. It was concluded that all acts should be performed in conjunction with the Supreme Lord, represented by the words oṁ tat sat, which indicate Viṣṇu, the Supreme Person. The third part of Bhagavad-gītā has shown that devotional service, and nothing else, is the ultimate purpose of life. This has been established by citing past ācāryas and the Brahma-sūtra, the Vedānta-sūtra. Certain impersonalists consider themselves to have a monopoly on the knowledge of Vedānta-sūtra, but actually the Vedānta-sūtra is meant for understanding devotional service, for the Lord Himself is the composer of the Vedānta-sūtra, and He is its knower. That is described in the Fifteenth Chapter. In every scripture, every Veda, devotional service is the objective. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā.

As in the Second Chapter a synopsis of the whole subject matter was described, in the Eighteenth Chapter also the summary of all instruction is given. The purpose of life is indicated to be renunciation and attainment of the transcendental position above the three material modes of nature. Arjuna wants to clarify the two distinct subject matters of Bhagavad-gītā, namely renunciation (tyāga) and the renounced order of life (sannyāsa). Thus he is asking the meaning of these two words.

Two words used in this verse to address the Supreme Lord – Hṛṣīkeśa and Keśi-niṣūdana – are significant. Hṛṣīkeśa is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all senses, who can always help us attain mental serenity. Arjuna requests Him to summarize everything in such a way that he can remain equipoised. Yet he has some doubts, and doubts are always compared to demons. He therefore addresses Kṛṣṇa as Keśi-niṣūdana. Keśī was a most formidable demon who was killed by the Lord; now Arjuna is expecting Kṛṣṇa to kill the demon of doubt.

Real Vocation in life.. 

Posted on

SB 2.9.33 – Part 4 – Notes – 1/4/22

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.33 – Part 4:

  • One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.
  • One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.
  • One who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. 
  • In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā
  • The Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam.
  • Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.
  • The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.
  • Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham. 
  •  The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul.  
  • One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish.
  • If one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. 
  • One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things.  
  • Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense. 
  • At least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study. 
  • You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you. 
  • Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā. 

SB 2.9.33 TRANSLATION:

Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.

Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.

Brahmājī also accepted the same truth when he was instructing Nārada. He said:

so ’yaṁ te ’bhihitas tāta

bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ

(Bhāg. 2.7.50)

There is no other cause of all causes than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore this verse aham eva never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should therefore follow the path of the Brahma sampradāya, or the path from Brahmājī to Nārada, to Vyāsadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. This very confidential instruction to the pure devotees of the Lord was also given to Arjuna and to Brahmā in the beginning of the creation. The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.

BG 18.66

One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists – some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Karma-yogīs, empiric philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, mā śucaḥ, “Don’t fear, don’t hesitate, don’t worry,” are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but such worry is useless.

SB 2.9.33

Therefore He is materially impersonal, just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house. Similarly, the Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam. 

Nirastha – Negation by absence

Kuhakam – Illusion 

Krsna seems to be impersonal in the material world because you do not see Him. Everything is contained in Him. Everything belongs to Him. 

So there is impersonal and personal forms of the lord. 

BG 7.8 

Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.

The light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahma-jyotir, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. And praṇava, or the oṁ-kāra transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hymn, addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound oṁ-kāra. But they do not realize that oṁ-kāra is the sound representation of Kṛṣṇa. The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.

The example of the sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of the Absolute Truth. But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.

SB 6.4.34

They give the argument of ghaṭākāśa-paṭākāśa, in which the body is compared to a pot with the sky within and the sky without. When the pot breaks, the sky inside becomes one with the sky outside, and so the impersonalists say that the living being becomes one with the Supreme.

SB 7.1.9

The all-pervading Personality of Godhead exists within the heart of every living being, and an expert thinker can perceive how He is present there to a large or small extent. Just as one can understand the supply of fire in wood, the water in a waterpot, or the sky within a pot, one can understand whether a living entity is a demon or a demigod by understanding that living entity’s devotional performances. A thoughtful man can understand how much a person is favored by the Supreme Lord by seeing his actions.

‘

SB 1.2.21 Lecture – https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/721101sbvrn/

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.

hidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

[SB 1.2.21]

This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate [SB 1.2.20]. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advance in spiritual understanding, or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga…, he’s not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking bīḍī. You see?

These are the small tests. One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish. There is no need. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha, things which are not wanted, which has no meaning. So mukta-saṅga means no material attachment. That is mukta-saṅga. When one is actually liberated, these are the signs.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society you’ll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning.

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become…, abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena. One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses. This is brahmacarya. Tapasya. It requires tapasya.

At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārī? It is not possible. Especially in the Western countries, the boys and girls, they are educated in one place, co-education, and they live in the same building, and there are so many things. You know better than me.

So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.

So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.

Tayor hṛdaya-granthim. And when they’re actually united, that knot becomes more and more tight. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then gradually, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ, that knot, sex desire… That is the test whether one’s sex desire has diminished. That is the test. Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21]. We are now in hazy conclusion what is our position. We do not know. We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating. There are…, therefore, there are so many parties = the jñānī party, the yogī party, the karmī party, generally. And within each and every party there are hundreds and thousands of parties. So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desire is cut off, at that time he can understand what is his position. What is his position.

Therefore two things must go on in parallel line. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same times, he has to act = not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.

Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. One has to practice tapasya. Tapa. Tapa means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience. Just like brahmacārī lies down on the floor. A sannyāsī also, they follow the same practice as far as possible. Taking bath three…, thrice daily, and so many rules and regulation are there. But at the present age, it is not possible to follow all the rules and regulation, but at least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.

These are tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena va, tyāgena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyāgena means renouncement. I like something, but voluntarily I should give it up. That is called tyāga. Of course, one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, Kṛṣṇa helps him to become qualified in these matters. So bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21].

Now unless one is taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice, he has got so many doubts = “Why I shall do this? Why I shall do that?” But when he is raised to the platform of goodness, as it is expressed, mukta-saṅgasya jāyate, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam [SB 1.2.20], when he understands the science of God, automatically he becomes disinterested with these unwanted things. Kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Karmāṇi, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54].

We are bound up in this material existence due to our karma. According to my past karma, I have got this body, and again, as we are acting in this body, I am preparing forward my next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. We have got varieties of body. Varieties of body. Not that because we are all human beings… We have got common factors—two hands, two legs, one head—but each body is different from the other body. You won’t find one pair of body exactly of the same nature. That is not possible. Because everyone’s karma is different. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. According to our karma, we get different types of body.

So we have to stop this karma. We have to stop this karma. How you can stop this karma? Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If we simply act for Kṛṣṇa, then we get rid of the resultant action of karma. Yajñārthe karma. Whatever you do, you do for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa’s the origin of viṣṇu-tattva. So whatever you are ordered to do for Kṛṣṇa, you are not bound up by the karma. Otherwise, good or bad, you are bound up by the resultant action of karma.

So when one is actually in the liberated stage… Liberated stage means to remain fixed up in devotional service, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Otherwise it is not possible. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20]. You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you.

You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness, or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from this shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.

kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

[Cc. Madhya 22.31]

Kṛṣṇa is just like sunshine, and māyā is just like darkness. So wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be any possibility of darkness. So you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then there is no possibility of māyā. And māyā means to engaged in fruitive activities.

Tṛtīya-karma, karma-saṅgaḥ anya tṛtīya-śaktir iṣyate. Māyā... So long we are in māyā, we have to engage ourself in fruitive activities, karma. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. One who is liberated, being engaged in devotional service, his karma, fruitive activities, stop immediately.

Yas tu indra. Indra means the king of heaven. And there is another indra, indra-gopa. It is a…, it is an insect, very small. That is called indra-gopa. So it is said, “Beginning from that Indra, the king of heaven, down to this indra, the small insect,” yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma, “everyone is enjoying, suffering according at the karma.”

The, that Indra, the king of heaven, is… You can become the king of heaven, provided you have got a mass of pious activities; you are promoted. Just like if you have got sufficient education, you can become high-court judge. It is not very difficult. Similarly, this Indra, Candra, Brahmā, big, big demigods, they have got all these posts on account of their great pious activities. Puṇya. Puṇya-karma. Similarly, the hogs and dogs and other animals, they are due to the pāpa-karma, impious activities. So both of them are resultant action of our karma.

So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma—yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa, bandhana—as he’s bound up by the resultant action of karma. Bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam āta… They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand.

But for the devotees it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54]. Bhakti-bhājām, those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chickpeas. Chickpeas, if you sow on the ground, it will fructify into a plant. But the same chickpea, if it is fried and you sow on the ground, it will not fructify. So our karma should be fried up by devotional service. Then it will not produce any result. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66].

So there is no resultant action of a devotee’s activity. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Unless you have completely finished your resultant action of karma, you cannot be promoted to the spiritual world. You have to accept a type of material body so long karma will go on.

Therefore in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said that people are engaged as karmīs, and Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye. One is engaged in karma, it is not very good.

…na sādhu manye yata ātmano ‘yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ

[SB 5.5.4]

By karma only we are getting different types of body, although it is temporary. But as soon as we are encaged in this body, we become subject to threefold miseries of life.

So for a devotee, there is no more karma, or there is no more material body. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. After giving up this body, a devotee, he does not get anymore birth in this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. In his spiritual body he comes back home, back to Godhead.

So the same thing is expressed here = kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare. He realizes that “I am eternal servant of God, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.” Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. He realizes it. And because he realizes it, he engages himself in that way. And that is the perfection of life.

BG 4.19 

One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

BG 2.38

Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin.

Lord Kṛṣṇa now directly says that Arjuna should fight for the sake of fighting because He desires the battle. There is no consideration of happiness or distress, profit or loss, victory or defeat in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That everything should be performed for the sake of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental consciousness; so there is no reaction to material activities. He who acts for his own sense gratification, either in goodness or in passion, is subject to the reaction, good or bad. But he who has completely surrendered himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is no longer obliged to anyone, nor is he a debtor to anyone, as one is in the ordinary course of activities. It is said:

“Anyone who has completely surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, Mukunda, giving up all other duties, is no longer a debtor, nor is he obliged to anyone – not the demigods, nor the sages, nor the people in general, nor kinsmen, nor humanity, nor forefathers.” (Bhāg. 11.5.41) That is the indirect hint given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in this verse, and the matter will be more clearly explained in the following verses.

BG 5.8 – 9

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

BG 4.37

As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

BG 5.16

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.