Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.62

Harikeśa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, First Chapter, sixty-second verse. [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

stambhayann ātmanātmānaṁ yāvat sattvaṁ yathā-śrutaṁ na śaśāka samādhātuṁ mano madana-vepitam [SB 6.1.62]

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Prabhupāda:

stambhayann ātmanātmānaṁ yāvat sattvaṁ yathā-śrutaṁ na śaśāka samādhātuṁ mano madana-vepitam [SB 6.1.62]

So his mind became very much agitated, young man, and he is seeing in his front that another young man and woman embracing and kissing. It is very difficult to restrain. Unless one is very advanced, it is not possible. That I was reciting, the verse by Yamunācārya, yadāvadhi mama cettaḥ padāravinde, kṛṣṅa-padāravinde nava-nava-dhāman rantum āsīt, tadāvadhi bata nārī-saṅgame bhavati suṣṭu niṣṭhi... Unless one is very strong in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, it is very difficult to restrain the mind and the senses. It is very difficult. Here it is said, mana madana-vepitum. Madana means Cupid, or the lusty desires. So he was agitated. His mind was agitated by lusty desires. Therefore we have to be very careful for the association. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ [Bg 2.62].

[While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.]

We develop different consciousness by particular association. Therefore, for advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness we must associate with the devotees. You cannot advance in Kṛṣṅa consciousness without being in the association of devotees. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says... [Indian people talking] [aside:] Tell them that Hindi will be in the evening. Tell them that Hindi will be evening. They are going away. Yes. Between half past seven to half past eight. So mano madana-vepitam. Cupid is always disturbing. This material world means this Madana, Cupid, whole material world. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ [SB 7.9.45]. Gṛhamedhi means those who have decided to prolong this body for sense enjoyment. That is going on. Everyone is trying so hard. In big, big cities they are working so hard like hogs and dogs, not for... They say that "We are hungry. We must work very hard." But that is not the fact. The real fact is that "We want to enjoy sex." So far hunger is concerned, you can control, but sex desire, it is very difficult to control.

So this material world means that maithunādi. Maithuna means sex intercourse. That is the beginning of material life. You know very well how strong is sex desires in the Western countries. Even old man going to die, he has also. Although he cannot enjoy sex, still, he is trying his best by medicine, by other means, by intoxication, by stimulant. So that is the only happiness of this material world.

yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṅḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkhaṁ tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṅā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ kaṅḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ [SB 7.9.45]

[Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhīs, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṅas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṅas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals.]

The human civilization means to create the population dhīra, not to be disturbed by sex impulse. This is human civilization. Not that so many so-called sādhus and... They are now preaching openly the yoga by sex. Yoga by sex. They have invented. Yoga means to find out the Supreme Lord within one's self, within the core of the heart. That is real yoga. Yoga means to connect. To connect with whom? With sex life? No. The sex life connection is there even in the birds, beast, ants, animals, worms—everywhere—because the whole world is going on on sex life. Does it require any yoga system? But people are fallen so down that they have invented, because people want it, and these rascals, they exploit. This is going on.

So real yoga system means to control the senses, not to increase or indulge. Now they are clearly advertising in the Western countries, "Transcendental Meditation. There is no restriction. There is no question of faith," and so many things, means as people want it. They want money, and they advertise like that. People do not want to follow the religious principles. People do not want any restriction. They advertise, "Yes. You haven't got to follow any restriction. You haven't got to believe in some religion. You simply pay me $125, and I give you mantra, and you become happy." This is going on.

But that is not the fact. Real fact is how to control the mind. Here we see that mana madana-vepitam. Na śaśāka samādhātuṁ mano madana-vepitam. Our mind is always agitated for sense enjoyment. Mind is the master of the senses, or the chief man, just like superintendent. Mind is dictating, and the senses... The mind is dictating, "You go there," immediately the legs go. "You see here," the eyes see. So mind is the center. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṅi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg 15.7], Bhagavad-gītā. This living entity, mamaivāṁśo. Kṛṣṅa says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So question may be, "Then why they are rotting here? If the living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, or God, so why does he not live with God?" The immediate answer is, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṅi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg 15.7]. These living entities, these conditioned souls who has come to this material world, the only reason is that they want to satisfy the senses, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṅi. Therefore there is struggle for existence. He wants to enjoy. He wants to become the enjoyer. But he is not enjoyer. That is called illusion. He is enjoyed. He cannot enjoy. Enjoyer is only Kṛṣṅa, puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ śāśvatam.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam adyam [Bg 10.12].

[Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.]

Kṛṣṅa, the Lord, is described as puruṣa, and living entities are described as prakṛti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā, jīva-bhūto mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat [Bg 7.5],

[Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.]

Kṛṣṅa has explained. There is material energy and spiritual energy. So jīva-bhūta. Jīva-bhūta, the living entities, they have been described as prakṛti, and prakṛti means female. And Kṛṣṅa has been described as puruṣa. So puruṣa is the enjoyer, and prakṛti is the enjoyed. Don't think that "enjoyed" means simply sex. No. "Enjoyed" means subordinate, to carry out the order of the puruṣa. This is the position of Kṛṣṅa and ourself. We are part and parcel, just like the hands and legs are my part and parcel of the body. So the duty of the hands and legs are that carry out my order. I say my legs, "Carry me there." He will... It will do immediately. My hand—"Just take it." I'll take it. The hand will take it. So this is prakṛti and puruṣa. The puruṣa orders, and the prakṛti performs the duty. This is the real..., not that as soon as we say prakṛti and puruṣa, immediately there is question of sex. No. Means... Prakṛti means obedient, obedient to the puruṣa. This is natural way.

In the Western countries they are artificially trying to become equal, but that is not possible by nature. And there is no such question, inferiority or superiority. There is no such question. Such like the begin..., in the beginning, yato vā imani bhūtāni jayante [Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1].

[The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything is born.]

Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Wherefrom this puruṣa and prakṛti relationship begun? Janmādy asya yataḥ: it has begun from the Absolute Truth. Therefore Absolute Truth is Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, the same puruṣa and prakṛti. But Rādhārāṅī is the servitor, serving. Rādhārāṅī is so expert that She always attracts Kṛṣṅa by Her service. This is Rādhārāṅī's position. Kṛṣṅa is called Madana-mohana. Here in Vṛndāvana there is Madana-mohana, and Rādhārāṅī is called Madana-mohana-mohinī. Kṛṣṅa is so attractive that we are attracted by Cupid, and Kṛṣṅa attracts Cupid. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. And Rādhārāṅī is so great that She attracts Kṛṣṅa. Therefore She is the greatest. In the Vṛndāvana, therefore, people are accustomed to chant Rādhārāṅī's name more than Kṛṣṅa's name—"Jaya Rādhe." Yes. If you want Kṛṣṅa's favor, you just try to please Rādhārāṅī. So this is the way.

Now here it is said, mana madana-vepitam: "Mind was agitated." So this mind agitation will go on unless one is attracted by Madana-mohana. If we do not be attracted by the Madana-mohana, so long we are not attracted by Madana-mohana, we must be attracted by Madana, madana-vepitam. This is the process. And unless you can control your mind, unless you are able to control your mind not to be disturbed by Madana, there is no question of liberation or salvation. The ultimate goal of life is how to become free from this material engagement, repetition of birth, death and threefold miseries. That is the perfection. They do not know what is the goal of life, what is the perfection of life, the whole world. Especially in this age they are so fallen that they do not know what is the goal of life. All these big, big political parties, philosophers, scientists, they have no knowledge. They are in the darkness. Therefore it is called illusion, in the darkness. But we understand that kṛṣṅa sūrya sama: "Kṛṣṅa is just like sun." Kṛṣṅa sūrya-sama māyā andhakāra: "And this darkness means māyā."

kṛṣṅa sūrya-sama; māyā andhakāra yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra [Cc Madhya 22.31]

[Kṛṣṅa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.]

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

This is the process.

So it is a great science. Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is most scientific movement to get the whole human society from the pitch of darkness. Gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛham andha-kūpam. The Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father, "What you have learned most...," I mean to say..., I forget. Yes, "The best thing, what you have learned?" He said, hitvāndha kūpaṁ, hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

Tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. The same thing. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. The materialistic persons, they are always in anxiety. Tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. Dehinām means not only human society. Anyone who has accepted this material body, even a small ant, and a big, the demigods, Indra and Lord Brahmā, such big, big... They are also living entities, and the ant is also living entity. By their pious activities they have got big, big post as demigods, long, prolonged life and many other facilities. But they are all living entities.

So these living entities means everyone has got a material body. Material body means it will end. Antavanta ime dehā [Bg 2.18], in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. However strong you may be for one..., antavanta ime dehā, it will end. You cannot... You may run in the morning three miles and then take very stimulative foodstuff, and... Everyone is trying to become very strong. That is good, but however strong we may be, even Hiraṅyakaśipu, it is not possible to stay here. Hiraṅyakaśipu became very, very strong. He insured that he would not die in daytime, at nighttime, and in the water, in the land, on the sky, not by any human being, not by any demigods, not by any animal, not by any weapon. Everything he insured there. That's all right. But God's policy is so nice that, all his insurance keeping aside, He killed him not by weapon—by the nails. He forgot this, that "I may be killed by the nails." Then he thought, "I shall not be killed by any animal or man." So Nṛsiṁhadeva, you cannot say it is lion or man—mixed. And he thought that he would not die in daytime or nighttime, but he was killed in the evening. It is neither day nor night. So he would not be killed in the sky, in the water or in the land, so he was killed on the threshold. Therefore we should always remember that we cannot cheat God. He is always at least little more intelligent.

So the conditioned soul, they want to cheat God. They want to deny God. They want to cheat God. That is not possible. In spite of all your insurance and cheating policy, you must have to die. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ ahaṁ, sarva-haram. "You do not accept Me. That's all right. You are collecting things for your enjoyment. But I shall... When I shall come as death, not only you shall be killed, but I shall take away whatever you possess." So this is intelligence, that... They say, "There is no God," and God says, "Yes, you see Me at the time of death." But you cannot avoid death. So before meeting death... Just like Hiraṅyakaśipu. Prahlāda Mahārāja so many times requested, "My dear father, why you are becoming atheist? By His grace you have got so much power. Just submit to Him." "No. There is no God. I am God." So this is called demon. In spite of being punished in so many ways, they will deny the existence of God.

So they are... Those who are not devotee, they will be agitated by the māyā, by Madana, by Cupid, by so many other illusory things. But if one becomes Kṛṣṅa conscious, then nothing can... Because Kṛṣṅa conscious person is not in want. He is not in want. So long we will be in want, our mind will be agitated. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advised that sadā samudvigna-dhiyām: "Those who are always agitated..." Everyone is agitated. Samudvigna. Tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. Anyone who has accepted this material body must be always agitated in mind, sadā. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because he has accepted this temporary body, he must be full of anxiety. It cannot be avoided. Asad-grahāt. Asato mā sad gama. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't keep yourself in this temporary world or temporary body. Must go to the spiritual world, back to home, back to..." This is Vedic injunction. Sad gama. Asato mā sad gama. Asad-grahāt. If you accept this temporary material world, means temporary body... Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam... [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

We are transmigrating from one body to another. This is asad-grahāt. Why I shall transmigrate if I am eternal? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg 2.20]. I am eternal. So this is intelligence: "How I can get permanent body so that I may not have to change bodies one after another." This is intelligence.

So this person... There are many important words in this verse, and it can be explained for a long time. The one word is that stambhayann ātmanā ātmānam. Just like a thief is going to steal. He also tries to control it: "I am going to steal. The after-effect will be that I will be arrested, and I will have to go to jail, and it is forbidden by śāstra and human laws also, state laws. So I am going to steal; there is risk." Actually there is risk. But this consciousness beats him, but he cannot control it. This is the position. He cannot control. He knows everything, but still, he steals. The same thing happened here. Here it is said, na śaśāka samādhātum. He was a brāhmaṅa, learned brāhmaṅa. He knew that "I am being agitated by these sex desires. It is not good. It is not good." Yathā-śrutam. Śruta. Śruta means Vedic knowledge. He had sufficient education in Vedic knowledge. Yathā-śrutam and yāvat sattvam, as far he could control... Stambhayann ātmanā ātmānam. He tried to control the mind as far as intelligence concerned, but na śaśāka—he could not control. Na śaśāka samādhātum. Why? The mind was too much agitated. This is the point. This is the point: that his mind was too much agitated, madana-vepitam, by lusty desire.

Lusty desire is very strong. Therefore it is in the injunction of the śāstra,

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsane vaset balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati [SB 9.19.17]

[One should not allow oneself to sit on the same seat even with one's own mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that even though one is very advanced in knowledge, he may be attracted by sex.]

That is vidvāṁsam api karṣati. This Ajāmila is a learned brāhmaṅa. He is vidvān. He is not a fool. But vidvāṁsam api karṣati. Therefore it is forbidden, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā: "Don't keep yourself in a lonely place and talk 'pish-pish' with woman, even she is mother, daughter or sister." Strictly forbidden. That "pish-pish" will kill you. Therefore it is forbidden that "Don't talk in solitary place with woman, even she happens to be your daughter, your mother and your sister." Generally one is not agitated in sex with mother, with sister, with daughter. But it is forbidden up to death. Even Brahmā became agitated by seeing his daughter. There is instances. Even Brahma, and what to speak of others?

So mind is so susceptible that... But this mind can be controlled only by Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata anāntarātmanā [Bg 6.47].

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

Mad-gata, thinking of Kṛṣṅa, āntarātmanā, within the core of heart. Mad gata anāntarātmṅā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ: "He is first-class yogī." So unless we can control the mind, we cannot become yogī. Yoga means indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means not reducing fat or this or... No. Yoga means controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and concentrate it upon Viṣṅu, Kṛṣṅa. Mat para. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is yoga. When we take shelter of Kṛṣṅa and practice yoga, then it will be successful, not that Transcendental Meditation, this, all foolish things. No. So we have to control the mind. If you want liberation from this material world, you have to control your mind. Therefore Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he showed us example that sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane [SB 9.4.18].

[Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṅa or about Kṛṣṅa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's temples and Kṛṣṅa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.]

Simply engage your mind thinking of Kṛṣṅa and talk of Kṛṣṅa. Then this agitation will not disturb you.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya... [break] [end]