By Yugala Kishor Das
In response to “A Request for help in starting a new website for Struggling Devotees.”
The process of celibacy as given to us by Srila Prabhupada is rather simple.
Self-control in matters of sex starts with brahmacarya, passes through grhastha and eventually goes back to absolute celibacy in sannyasa.
Brhamacarya means several things, namely, not associating with women, eating properly, taking appropriate association, and engaging oneself in active devotional service.
a) THE VOW OF NOT ASSOCIATING WITH WOMEN. This includes the mind, body and the speech. Pure and simple, brahmacaris are not to think of women, nor in being in physical contact with women (it includes actual sexual indulgence), nor are they to speak about women. There goes out TV, newspapers, magazines, movies, and no-devotional entertainment. Sometimes, even so-called devotional entertainment may be detrimental to brahmacarya vows. Nowadays, it is very common to see, in ISKCON temples, dance performances by young, attractive girls and young women. In my humble opinion, even these kinds of entertainment events are to be avoided, at all cost, by someone who is serious about celibacy.
b) EATING PROPERLY. This is another big one. People interested in celibacy are not free to eat any kind of foodstuff, even it is prasadam. First of all, sweetmeats are to be avoided. This includes not only Indian sweets (even though mahaprasadam) but also cakes, pies, and a myriad of all kinds of tempting preparations.
Secondly, vegetarian food even though cooked by non-devotees must be avoided. In the West, we often see ISKCON devotees going to vegetarian restaurants, Buddhists, Indians, Chinese, etc. to consume their bhoga. Eating food cooked by non-devotees carries a great risk of contamination. (The story of Bhishmadeva, as found in Mahabharata, comes to mind). And one of those is the aggravation of sex desires.
Thirdly, avoid at all cost eating late in the day. Specifically, avoid eating after sunset.
Fourthly, avoid food that is pungent, spicy, and too sweet. Avoid food that is aphrodisiac, which does include many non-animal-based foodstuff. Avoid yogurt late in the day!
c) TAKING PROPER ASSOCIATION. This is also crucial. Brahmacaris should hang around other brahmacaris or sannyasis. In turn, sannyasis should take association of other sannyasis, or give association to brahmacaris. As far as grhasthas is concerned, they should practice, more or less the same restrictions, save and except those necessary to handle their secular duties, in which case, avoiding women’s association is not practical.
d) ENGAGEMENT IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICES. This is equally important. One should pick a specific service, related to some ISKCON Temple or center, and serve the Deity, in a humble way.
e) PRAYING. Make a habit to visit the Deity, in your temple, and beg the Lord for his mercy, by way of controlling your senses. Do it daily. After all, Sri Krishna is known as Hrishikesha, because He fully controls the senses, the mind and the intelligence. If you do not reside nearby a temple, then obtain a picture of the Lord and have His darshana every single day, in your home, and ask for help from Him. We should start with the conviction all problems of material life (sex included) are not overcome on our own. The help of the spiritual master and the Lord Himself is required. Even though we may have an addiction to sex indulgence or aberrant sexual behavior, as in addiction to pornography, we ought to start with the realization that we can’t do it alone. Hence, praying is essential.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Your servant, Yugala Kishor Das
Thank you for your very nice response prabhu. We hope devotees like yourself will make contributions to the website once it is up and running. Please keep in touch. However, just as Mahatma prabhu commented, some devotees struggle more than others and need more focused support in this area. Even a brahmacari who is trying to attain complete celibacy may feel ashamed to approach a senior devotee at his temple to discuss his weakness. Or a householder that doesn’t want anymore children might feel embarrassed to discuss their falldowns with someone else. So the website will attempt to offer a compassionate support system for those devotees who are struggling to control their sexual urges. This is all in the seedling stage so any devotees who feel they can contribute to this project will be very much welcome. We still have no one to help with the technical aspects of the website. Our email address is: forstrugglingdevotees@gmail.com. Thank you.
Hare Krishna.
dasa anudasa
On top of all these nice instructions like to add Srila Prabhupada’s advise o chantng 64 rounds daily toorcome sex desire and be flly engaged n remembering Lord Caitanya and Radha Krsna.Srila Bhaktiinod Thakura has given us woderfull book called Gauranga lila smarana mangala stotram it is availabe online for example at http://www.salagram.net/Gauranga-Lila-Smarana-Mangala-Stotram.html
.Celibacy is just the begining to help us constatly remember the lotufeet of Sriman Mahaprabhu.
This is good and helpful advice.
I notice that when the word “brahmacarya” is broken down into “brahma” and “acarya”, we can see that it refers to more than only celibacy, but refers to dedicating all one’s character and activities to spiritual pursuits.
Obviously, the vow of celibacy becomes easier when mind and body are trained in constant engagement in Krishna consciousness through good association, active service, prayer and diet.
Srila Prabhupada often pointed out that even householder devotees are considered brahmacaris if they control their senses and are constantly engaged in devotional service.
But devotees who are having difficulties in following or even having some serious compulsive behavior may be comforted to know that they are still welcome, cared for, not alone and isolated, not hopeless of ever achieving success, with no friends and no place to turn. We do not want to make it so that their only alternative is to reject Krishna consciousness as impossible, at least for them.
We have to face the unfortunate fact that a very high percentage of devotees have had difficulties with the 4 regs and/or 16 rounds at some time, and yet it is our society’s mission and duty to take care of these people and keep them interested and active in Krishna consciousness as much as possible.
And at the same time we cannot “water down” or sugar coat the fact that unless one can come up to the actual standard, one really is not engaged in high grade devotional service and one’s chanting will suffer and one will not very quickly achieve the desired success and goal of life, Krishna prema.
On one of the “memories” videos one woman recounted how a young teenage daughter of devotees was dying of some disease, and they asked Srila Prabhupada about her destination. She found it difficult to chant 16 rounds but was chanting some smaller number. The parents expected some reassuring statement that the brave girl was certain to go to Krishnaloka, but Srila Prabhupada did not mince words. He spoke of the fate of the unsuccessful yogi who would have to return in another lifetime.
I love the fact that in ISKCON we are dealing with reality and the facts of life. Some Christian denominations more or less tell everyone they are going to heaven, because death is frightening and that is a comforting thing to say. But the fact is that as long as we are still striving to enjoy matter we will need (and get) a material body.
One of the defnitions of Brahmacary is given in sastra:
” The vow of Brahmacary is meant to help one completly abstain from sex indulgence in words, and mind-at all times and under all circumstances and in all places”
One of the perfect examples of this is Srila Haridasa Thakura even when tempted by Mayadevi personified he did not fall a victim.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has advised us in his Kalyana kalpa Taru:
Oh my dear mind, please tell me why you uselessly adore and worship such false things in this world? This material world is simply composed of five gross elements: earth, water, fire, air & ether, but the pure spirit soul somehow wants to keep himself in a most degraded condition of abject ruination by remaining within this unfathomable ocean of inauspiciousness.
The spirit soul actually lives beyond these five gross elements, and he is always spotlessly pure, devoid of material designations, and abounds in auspicious spiritual happiness. He is certainly a fit receptacle for pure love of Godhead, which is beyond the range of maya’s illusions. Oh my dear mind, my dear friend! You are meant to be situated in pure transcendental existence as pure spirit soul, so I ask you now—why do you become enchanted and captivated again and again within this dull material universe?
Just become a little introspective for once, and try to keep in mind the fact that a pure spirit soul is actually eternal and full of nectar. Such intelligent judgements are quite befitting you. Reassuming your real form as pure soul, just remain always in Vrndavana under the shelter of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Make the worship of the Divine Couple your only object of pursuit.
It is not possible to quench the thirst of this temporary mundane lust, for its nature is to continuously create a disturbing situation. Although you desire the things associated with lust, still you can not always get them. And even if you do get the things you lust after, you cannot keep them, for such temporary things will give up your company very soon.
My dear mind, you faithfully render service to this mundane lust, but I see that it actually cannot give you anything substantial; rather, it simply burns my entire body with miserable dissatisfaction. So then just give up all your false material lust and accept the true, spiritual lust by worshiping the Cupid of Vrndavana. Krsna
Thank you Payonidhi Prabhu, for these beautiful quotations from Kalyana Kalpa Taru.
I wish my mind would take good advice like this!
Dear Akruranath Prabhu
The advise Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is giving in Kalyana Kalpa taru is to take shelter of Lord
Caitanya and Radha Krsna and constantly chant the holy name.16 rounds is a bare minimum .The mind can be our friend and our enemy.We should keep fighting of the lower modes such as lust anger an greed.And just keep chanting Hare Krsna.Sril Prabhuapda says in some of his lectures that we have to see how much we have become free from lust anger and greed.We ourself have to take that test with ourselves.And not cheat ourself.
tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayash cha ye
cheta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati [SB 1.2.19]
[SB 1.2.19: “As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.”]
The problem is when we devotees do nto take enough time for hearing an chanting about Krsna, then we become weak, we are tatastha sakti and at every moment can choose between Maya and Krsna.
This pleasure of the flesh is compared by Krsna to Uddhava like a worm in stool, in the Aila Gita in the 11 Canto We should not be weak , but become strongly fixed in devotional service.
Maya will always tell us :” Your naughty soul , you have not done enough sensegratification”.
But there is no happiness, in what Srila Prabhupada describes in his lectures as these” nonsense things”.. like in his recorded commentary to Bhaja hure mana.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has advised us to become strong in KC.
”
So push the onward march oh soul against an evil deed that stands with soldiers lust and hate a hero
be indeed”
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Pl accept my Obeisances to the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.
The post vividly portrays the essence of self control and brings out the easy and best steps for self control
Looking forward to more such wonderfull posts from your grace.
Also our humble thanks to varahanarasimha Prabhu and Akruranatha prabhu to enlight and dwell deeper on with your expert advice.
Thanks
fallen soul / servant in training
sathyanarayanan
Please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
and all pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead!
Hare Krsna!
I have been studying all the helpful notes presented here. Getting absolute control of the potential for sex desire appears to be the goal.
Celibacy should be simple, but I’m afraid that some spiritual aspirants are up against some issues in today’s modern society.
This is not for those who are already married. But, Srila Prabhupada did dissuade male devotees from marrying a woman who was older. The recommendation was that the man should be at least five years older than the woman. The problem here could be the potential for some unnatural emotions regarding sexuality between the couple. Those who are already married like this may have to be careful about associating with each other so as not to be too much involved in sex that may be contrary to the principles of Vaisnavism. But, generally, it may be difficult for some couples to realize a natural control of their sexuality. Educational programs may help.
We may have some karma in the lower modes from previous lives. It is possible to attract the birth of a human being who has better karma through the Garbhadana Samskara. But, otherwise, there is a need for Krsna conscious programming that over-rides any bad karma from previous lives.
The norm in ancient Vedic culture is for the child of five to move into the house of the Gurukula. Good Krsna conscious programming early in life can help when the child becomes an adult. Adults have the inner child of childhood conditioning as well as the inner child of karma from previous lives. The adult that did not get very good Krsna conscious programming early in life, must now use Krsna conscious programming to over-ride any inclination to maha-maya in their adult life.
The majority of society today is supportive of illicit sex it seems. We must be strong enough not to be bewildered by this modern trend. At the same time we can now very easily access the “adult book store” through the internet. For some it is like an alcoholic having access to alcohol with a few clicks of the mouse.
Your servant in Krsna consciousness,
Citraketu dasa
DHARMA
yajnaya-dharma@yahoo.com
Regarding online pronography, I remember reading one senior devotee responding to a question about how it seemed like a victimless crime. Aside from the obvious fact that the viewer of pornography is himself a victim, and that onanism is also an offense against the soul who is supposed to take birth as a result of a seminal discharge, this devotee pointed out something important which might not be as obvious, although it should be:
The pornography industry, like the prostitution industry, thrives on the exploitation of unprotected and wayward girls. Patronizing these industries makes one complicit in the corruption and mistreatment of these girls in much the same way that eating beef makes one complicit in killing a cow.
In law school I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by feminist professor Catherine McKinnon. She has represented women who have been victimized and brutally treated by pornographers, and she has studied this industry. While there might be some women who have been able to become economically successful and somewhat powerful in the sex film industry, it is still largly the province of low-class men with an organized crime mentality.
Srila Prabhupada acknowledged that even in Vedic society there remains a need for prostitution to cater to low-class men. However, it seems that in today’s conditoin of “dharmasya glani” the situation is very dire. In some parts of the world trafficking in femal slaves for the illicit sex industries (often children of a tender age) is going on. The whole thing is very cruel and violent to many poor victims.
One should not think that this kind of indulgence is not fraught with the karma of violence and exploitation of other people. These are not just images on a screen. The images are acquired through domination, exploitation and cruelty.
In addition, Catherine McKinnon was quite explicit about the effects of watching pornography on the way young men are acculturated to behave with their girlfriends and wives throughout their lives. Thus, this industry not only harms the women who act in the films, but also numerous other women throughout society.
This material generally lowers the morals of the entire population. It is not simply “harmless fun” by any stretch of the imagination, and by patronizing it, one patronizes an entire demonic chain of events.
The lack of KC comes out in the form of material desires .
Srila Prabhupada states that the more one is covered by the demoniac mentality the more one will be interested by lust and sex.
One can no go back to Godhead if one does not live in strict celibacy.
A society based on illicit sex is an animalistic society.
Engament in illcit sex is the root cause of all suffering.
These are som things that comes to mind from Srila Prabhupadas books .
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also writes:
And then, my friends, no more enjoy
Nor weep for all below;
The women, wine, and flesh of beasts
No love on thee bestow.
But thine to love thy brother man
And give thyself to God,
And God doth know your wages fair –
This fact is true and broad.
Maintain thy post in spirit world
As firmly as you can
Let never matter push thee down –
O stand heroic man.
O Sharagrahi Vaishnava soul
Thou art an angel fair;
Lead, lead me on to Vrindavana
And spirit’s power declare.
There rests my soul from matter free
Upon my Lover’s arms
Never believe that it is easy to remain celibate! Srila Prabhupad noted the power that accrues to one who maintains brahmacharya, and he often brought up the example of Gandhi, who he said defeated the British occupation of India from the strength he got from practicing celibacy.
Indeed, Srila Prabhupad noted that even old men are tempted by sex desire. The important thing is to understand that the goal of life is awakening ecstatic love for Krishna. Once that is obtained, then as for all lesser issues such as liberation and exploitation of the material senses, one becomes indifferent. Life’s goal is to pursue Krishna consciousness without the distractions of jnana (desire for liberation) and karma (desire for self-centric enjoyment). While we may try to separately achieve detachment, it is a very difficult thing to do. One can, on the power of mind and intellect, try to develop detachment, but self-abnegation will come automatically through the devotional service to Krishna. This is the true evidence of Bhakti…that one loses their taste for both material enjoyment and even for liberation.
I know from practical experience that this is the case. Knowledge and detachment are insufficient to achieve steady sense control. But, sense control, as if magic (and it is, by the Grace of Krishna) is easy attained with steady direction towards lovingly serving Krishna. The good qualities, including brahmacharya, will become ornaments of the bhakta. Just try to favorably and lovingly serve vaishnava and Krishna. Take it as an experiment if faith is lacking, and leaps of progress can be had. While Srila Rupa Goswami describes the stages (adau sraddha sadhu sanga, etc.), all are based on the loving practice of Krishna consciousness. It has therefore been suggested to keep your heart on the center of the target, love of Krishna, and those landmarks will pass by as if one were on a train headed to their ultimate destination. Respectfully offered, Pusta Krishna das
the key to sense control is tolerance: These are the quotes by Srila Prabhuapda and the acaryas:
Text 15
yam hi na vyathayanty ete
purusham purusharsabha
sama-duhkha-sukham dhiram
so ’mrtatvaya kalpate
Translation
O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada
Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation. In the varnashrama institution, the fourth stage of life, namely the renounced order (sannyasa), is a painstaking situation. But one who is serious about making his life perfect surely adopts the sannyasa order of life in spite of all difficulties. The difficulties usually arise from having to sever family relationships, to give up the connection of wife and children. But if anyone is able to tolerate such difficulties, surely his path to spiritual realization is complete. Similarly, in Arjuna’s discharge of duties as a kshatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. Lord Caitanya took sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, and His dependents, young wife as well as old mother, had no one else to look after them. Yet for a highe r cause He took sannyasa and was steady in the discharge of higher duties. That is the way of achieving liberation from material bondage.
Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
Practicing tolerance with this discernment, the experience of the sense objects will, with passage of time, not give distress at all. When one reaches this state where there is no distress from the objects of the senses, he is qualified for liberation (amrtatvaya).
Sridhara Swami’s Commentary
Rather than attempting to adopt a technique or remedy to try to purify the contacts of the senses with the sense objects; one should simply tolerate them as this leads to prodigious results. The Supreme Lord is declaring that whomever the sense objects are unable to overpower, subdue or afflict and who is equipoised in pleasure and pain not being attached to either due to spiritual knowledge becomes a fit candidate for immortality. which is liberation from the material bondage of birth and death due to the acquisition of spiritual knowledge.
I was meditating on Akruranath Prabhus response to my posting the quotes from Bhaktivinoda Thakuras ,Kalyana kalpa Taru.The fact is we need to hear such things, even if the rascal mind tells us , I want the filth of sensegratification.The mind can be the best friend or the worst enemy as Krsna explains so nicely in the 6th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.If we take to regulary and carefully studying Bhagavad Gita as it is, we are better equipped.Srila Prabhupadas formost complaint was that the devotees where not studying his books enough.Our dear Goduncle Tribhuvanatha Prabhu told us once how when he was TP in the Bhaktivedana Manor , when Srila Prabhupada would come .Every time he would ask him.Are the devotees reading my books every day?
I recall how in Dublin (1993) ,Tribhuvanatha Prabhu would read the CC every night untill he would fall asleep in the chair. Sometimes I would wake him up at night and beg him to please lie down , as I would be unhappy if he did not get nice rest . He would do so I believe, just to make me happy.He was a good example of strict Brahmacari life. Though I was a brahmacari at the time he sometimes warned us brahmacaries of the danger of married life and falling down from spiritual life.
I was reading in one purport how Sril Prabhupada states at the age of 45 the lastest one has to be finished having children. In KC there is no sex outside of marriage for producing KC children.
So after 45 there should be no sex at all.
there is anohter very important vers in the 11 Canto fromthe story about the prostitute Pingala:
11.8.7
dṛṣṭvā striyaḿ deva-māyāḿ
tad-bhāvair ajitendriyaḥ
pralobhitaḥ pataty andhe
tamasy agnau patańga-vat
One who has failed to control his senses immediately feels attraction upon seeing a woman’s form, which is created by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. Indeed, when the woman speaks with enticing words, smiles coquettishly and moves her body sensuously, his mind is immediately captured, and thus he falls blindly into the darkness of material existence, just as the moth maddened by the fire rushes blindly into its flames.
PURPORT
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains in this regard that just as a moth is killed by its attraction to the form of fire, similarly a bee can easily be killed by exploiting its attraction to the fragrance of flowers. Furthermore, hunters may trap and kill an elephant by exploiting its sensuous desire to touch a captive female elephant and may also kill a deer by attracting it with the sounds of their horns; and a fish is killed by its desire to taste the bait on a hook. Thus, one who desires to learn detachment from material illusion should accept these five helpless creatures as guru and learn the needful. Certainly one who is lusty to enjoy the illusory form of woman will be quickly buried in material illusion. Of the five types of fatal attraction involving material sense objects, the lesson of rūpa, or form, is illustrated in this verse.
Regarding Varahanarasimha Prabhu’s comments…To accept an external dress (of sannyas) when internally one has not awakened some feeling of love for Krishna, is not advisable in general. Most of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s disciples and followers were householders, and successfully pleased the Lord. Our Srila Prabhupad gave us Sannyas, often at very young ages, to preach Krishna consciousness around the world. I was one such individual, taking sannyas at age 22. Later, I took up householder life, but I never left Krishna consciousness. Fortunately, I have been able to continue preaching Krishna consciousness throughout these years, for my own purification and hopefully for the benefit of others. I may not be the ideal acharya (teaching by example, having left the sannyas ashram) but I have continued to serve Srila Prabhupad and Lord Chaitanyadeva sincerely.
Sex desire is the primary “shackle”, keeping one bound to the illusory conception of life. Krishna is the true Enjoyer and we are His eternal servants. One should desire to serve Him free from the two-fold obstacles of karma and jnana. Karma, in this connection, means the desire for exploitation of matter, sense enjoyment having no connection to Krishna’s service. Jnana, in this connection, means the desire for liberation merging into the brahman effulgence. Both of these are obstacles to reawakening our innate and natural loving propensity to serve Krishna favorably.
When we study the shastras with sincere bhaktas, we can chart the path directed toward suddha-bhakti. It does not matter if one is a sannyasi or a householder. Both attachment and aversion are mundane and unfavorable. Sannyas really is designed for preaching and dedicating 100% of one’s time and energy to serving Krishna. There are pitfalls, in the form of pratishta (false prestige), and if one maintains mundane attachment for sense exploitation, it is really a fool’s dress only. Nonetheless, we were grateful for Srila Prabhupad having given us the opportunity to render some extraordinary service in our youth for Sri Guru and Lord Chaitanya. But, as you have pointed out, tolerance of the urges is critical (vaco vegam, etc.). Detachment will not be sufficient however without development of love for Krishna which we must hope and pray for at every moment. Never believe however that Krishna will abandon His servitors…lessons to learn along the way. Pusta Krishna das
Some may ask where is the advise for ladies on these matters, two prominent examples cmes to mind
one is in the 5th Canto and it is the prayers of Sri Laxmidevi to Sri Pradyumna:
SB 5.18.18: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, the controller of all my senses and the origin of everything. As the supreme master of all bodily, mental and intellectual activities, He is the only enjoyer of their results. The five sense objects and eleven senses, including the mind, are His partial manifestations. He supplies all the necessities of life, which are His energy and thus nondifferent from Him, and He is the cause of everyone’s bodily and mental prowess, which is also nondifferent from Him. Indeed, He is the husband and provider of necessities for all living entities. The purpose of all the Vedas is to worship Him. Therefore let us all offer Him our respectful obeisances. May He always be favorable toward us in this life and the next.
SB 5.18.19: My dear Lord, You are certainly the fully independent master of all the senses. Therefore all women who worship You by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses are surely under illusion. They do not know that such a husband cannot actually give protection to them or their children. Nor can he protect their wealth or duration of life, for he himself is dependent on time, fruitive results and the modes of nature, which are all subordinate to You.
SB 5.18.20: He alone who is never afraid but who, on the contrary, gives complete shelter to all fearful persons can actually become a husband and protector. Therefore, my Lord, you are the only husband, and no one else can claim this position. If you were not the only husband, You would be afraid of others. Therefore persons learned in all Vedic literature accept only Your Lordship as everyone’s master, and they think no one else a better husband and protector than You.
SB 5.18.21: My dear Lord, You automatically fulfill all the desires of a woman who worships Your lotus feet in pure love. However, if a woman worships Your lotus feet for a particular purpose, You also quickly fulfill her desires, but in the end she becomes broken-hearted and laments. Therefore one need not worship Your lotus feet for some material benefit.
dear Pusta Krsna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Unfortunatly I have never gotten the good fortune to meet your good self.However great souls like yourself and others that left sannyasa has shown your love for Srila Prabhupada
by staying in KC .
I like to point to some verses in second chapter of Bhagavad Gita :
BG 2.54: Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?
BG 2.55: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Pārtha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness.
BG 2.56: One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.
BG 2.66: One who is not connected with the Supreme [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?
BG 2.67: As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.
BG 2.68: Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence.
BG 2.69: What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.
BG 2.70: A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires — that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still — can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
Now taking that we are spirit souls we do no have to indentify oursef with the ahankara, even if there may be a flow of material desires,we just have to not act on them and control the mind, gradually by KC the consciousness will become clear.If we keep ourself in KC the lower modes of nature will not act on us,.
Prabhu my name is Payonidhi das not VarahaNarasimha- VarahaNrasimha is the selfmanifested deity installed by Prahlada Maharaja in South India.
Srila Prabhupada in his books and instructions left many strong warnings about sannyasa I will quote a few ,(by the way the words quoted about sannyasa where not mine but Srila Prabhuapda
in comment 12) :
Bg 16.1-3
IN THE VARNASRAMA INSTITUTION THE SANNYASI, OR THE PERSON IN THE RENOUNCED ORDER OF LIFE, IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE HEAD OR THE SPIRITUAL MASTER OF ALL THE SOCIAL STATUSES AND ORDERS. A brahmana is considered to be the spiritual master of the three other sections of a society, namely, the ksatriyas, the vaisyas and the sudras, but a sannyasi, who is on the top of the institution, is considered to be the spiritual master of the brahmanas also. For a sannyasi, the first qualification should be fearlessness. BECAUSE A SANNYASI HAS TO BE ALONE WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT OR GUARANTEE OF SUPPORT, HE HAS SIMPLY TO DEPEND ON THE MERCY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. IF HE THINKS, “AFTER I LEAVE MY CONNECTIONS, WHO WILL PROTECT ME?” HE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THE RENOUNCED ORDER OF LIFE. One must be fully convinced that Krsna or the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His localized aspect as Paramatma is always within, that He is seeing everything and that He always knows what one intends to do. One must thus have firm conviction that Krsna as Paramatma will take care of a soul surrendered to Him. “I shall never be alone,” one should think. “Even if I live in the darkest regions of a forest I shall be accompanied by Krsna, and He will give me all protection.” That conviction is called abhayam, without fear. This state of mind is necessary for a perso n in the renounced o rder of li fe. Then he has to purify his existence. There are so many rules and regulations to be followed in the renounced order of life. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, A SANNYASI IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO HAVE ANY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A WOMAN. HE IS EVEN FORBIDDEN TO TALK WITH A WOMAN IN A SECLUDED PLACE. Lord Caitanya was an ideal sannyasi, and when He was at Puri His feminine devotees could not even come near to offer their respects. THEY WERE ADVISED TO BOW DOWN FROM A DISTANT PLACE. THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF HATRED FOR WOMEN AS A CLASS, BUT IT IS A STRICTURE IMPOSED ON THE SANNYASI NOT TO HAVE CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH WOMEN. One has to follow the rules and regulations of a particular status of life in order to purify his existence. For a sannyasi, intimate relations with women and possession of wealth for sense gratification are strictly forbidden. The ideal sannyasi was Lord Caitanya Himself,
this is to finsh this purport:
and we can learn from His life that He was very strict in regards to women. Although He is considered to be the most liberal incarnation of Godhead, accepting the most fallen conditioned souls, He strictly followed the rules and regulations of the sannyasa order of life in connection with association with woman. One of His personal associates, namely Chota Haridasa, was personally associated with Lord Caitanya along with His other confidential personal associates, but somehow or other this Chota Haridasa looked lustily on a young woman, and Lord Caitanya was so strict that He at once r ejected him from the society of His personal associates. Lord Caitanya said, “FOR A SANNYASI OR ANYONE WHO IS ASPIRING TO GET OUT OF THE CLUTCHES OF MATERIAL NATURE AND TRYING TO ELEVATE HIMSELF TO THE SPIRITUAL NATURE AND GO BACK HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, FOR HIM, LOOKING TOWARD MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AND WOMEN FOR SENSE GRATIFICATION–NOT EVEN ENJOYING THEM, BUT JUST LOOKING TOWARD THEM WITH SUCH A PROPENSITY–IS SO CONDEMNED THAT HE HAD BETTER COMMIT SUICIDE BEFORE EXPERIENCING SUCH ILLICIT DESIRES.” SO THESE ARE THE PROCESSES FOR PURIFICATION.
In his list of definitions of what a Vaisnava is, Jiva Gosvami in his Bhakti-sandarbha (202) cites the Skanda-purana’s instructions of Markandeya to Bhagiratha:
yathā skānde mārkaṇḍeya-bhagīratha-saṁvāde –
dharmārthaṁ jīvitaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam | pacanaṁ vipramukhyārthaṁ jñeyās te vaiṣṇavā narāḥ ||
atra śrī-viṣṇor ājñā-buddhyaiva tat tat kriyata iti vaiṣṇava-padena gamyate ||
“Those people for whom the purpose of life is religion, for whom the purpose of sexual intercourse are children, and for whom the purpose of cooking is to serve the brahmanas, go by the name of ‘Vaiṣṇava’.”
Srila Prabhupada often sang Gaura Panhu by Srila Narotama das Thakura:
1) I did not worship Lord Gauranga Prabhu and thus I became full of suffering. I refused to accept the treasure of pure love of Krsna, and thus I became lost.
2) I reject the treasure of love of Krsna and deliberately struggled to become poor. I dived into a host of sinful deeds.
3) I rejected the association of the saintly devotees, and instead tried to enjoy among the impious non-devotees. In this way I became caught in the noose of karma.
4) I continually drank the virulent poison of sense-gratification. I refused to swim in the nectar of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana movement.
5) Why do I stay alive? What happiness do I have? Why did Narottama dasa not die long ago?
Srila Prabhupadas purport is very instructive:(http://kksongs.org/authors/purports/gorapahu_acbsp.html) this is just part of the purport:
“Then he says that prema-rathana-dhana helāya hārāiṅu. Spiritual life means to develop real love. The… Everyone says love. There are so many signboards, so many papers, “love, love.” But there is no love. This is illusion. It is all lust. Love for intoxication, love for sex, love for this… This is going on. So actual love means… Love, this word, can be applicable only with Kṛṣṇa, with God. Because we are created for that purpose. To love means to love Kṛṣṇa. So that is wanted. That is spiritual love. So prema-rathana. I could achieve that transcendental position of love, but I am neglecting. Therefore I am calling my spiritual death. And these things are happening due to my past misdeeds. Due to my past deeds, misdeeds, I have got a type of body. Everyone who has got this material body, it is due to past misdeeds. Then… sometimes we call pious deeds. Actually, so long one gets this material body there is no pious deeds. Pious deeds means no more material body. That is pious deeds”
Srila Prabhupada woul sometimes tell the story of liquid beauty, it is also in one of his old BTG’s:
Once upon a time a prince met very beautiful young girl. He visited her house to see her but she was very chaste. The prince wanted to marry this beautiful girl but she didn’t want to marry him. So she said to him, You want to marry me, you are attracted by my beauty, so I will distill my beauty in the next ten days, I will distill my beauty into
So the prince agreed. Then the beautiful girl said, “If you still want to take me as your wife then you can take me.” The prince replied, “All right, that’s fine, I’ll come back in ten days and certainly I’ll take you as my wife my beautiful young maiden.”
As soon he left the beautiful young girl started to take very strong purgatives [medicine which would cause her to vomit and pass stool]. She kept all the vomit and stool in a big pot. She didn’t eat anything, she was simply passing stool and vomiting, so within ten days her whole beautiful body was destroyed. She was a gray color, she was very skinny, very weak, you couldn’t recognize her as the same person.
After ten days the prince came back to visit the beautiful young girl. She opened the door for him. When the prince saw her he said, “I have come to see one very beautiful lady who I am about to marry.” So the girl said, “I am that beautiful young lady.” He replied, “No it isn’t true. How could it be possible?” She said, “Yes I am that beautiful young lady, I have distilled my beauty, come and see it.” She took the prince to the place where she was keeping the big pot containing all of her stool, vomit and urine and she said, “Here is my beauty.”
Srila Prabhupada has given us important purports for all devotees aspiring for freedom from material desires in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.8 to 14 and advised us to take shelter of Lord Narasimha :
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsimhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.
PURPORT
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.22.39) Sanat-kumāra speaks the following words to Mahārāja Pṛthu:
yat-pāda-pańkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā
karmāśayaḿ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ‘pi ruddha-
srotogaṇās tam araṇaḿ bhaja vāsudevam
“Devotees always engaged in the service of the toes of the Lord’s lotus feet can very easily become free from hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees — the jñānīs and yogīs — cannot stop the waves of sense gratification, although they try to do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva.”
Every living being within this material world has a strong desire to enjoy matter to his fullest satisfaction. For this purpose, the conditioned soul must accept one body after another, and thus his strongly fixed fruitive desires continue. One cannot stop the repetition of birth and death without being completely desireless. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes pure bhakti (devotional service) as follows:
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaḿ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaḿ bhaktir uttamā
[Madhya 19.167]
“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nṛsimhadeva, who killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the personification of material desire. Hiraṇya means “gold,” and kaśipu means “a soft cushion or bed.”