The spiritual path is lost by the second six principles." And what are these? Now, atyāhāra. Atyāhāra means to eat more than what you need or to accumulate more than what you need. Āhāra means eating, and āhāra means accumulation. So, of course, any householder, he requires some deposit in the bank for emergency. That is, of course, allowed for householders. But just for us, we are sannyāsī; we are renounced order of... We haven't got to accumulate any money. You see? That is the system of Indian philosophy. But those who are householder, family men, they may have some deposit for emergency. Otherwise, those who are renounced order, those who are brahmacārī, for them to keep money separately for his maintenance or for accumulating bank balance is not allowed. Atyāhāra. Similarly, āhāra, eating. You have to eat only things which can maintain your body properly. Now, say, for human being. Say, human being, the eating things are grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and so many things which are given by God for human eating. So we should be satisfied with those things which are meant for humanity. We should not simply... For the pleasure of the tongue we should not eat anything. That is called atyāhāra. So atyāhāra and then prayāsa. Prayāsa means to labor very hard to achieve a thing. Life should be conducted in such a way that our necessities of life may come not with great effort, easily, easily. We should not encumber ourself, our life, living policy, in an encumbered way. Then our spiritual progress will be hampered. The modern society has practically encumbered the whole human activities, and therefore they have no time for spiritual culture. You see? But the conception of Vedic civilization was that people used to be satisfied on agricultural produce and for three months working during rainy season. So they get some agriculture produce and they used to eat the whole year. So nine months they were free to advance in spiritual culture and only three months they used to work for accumulating their foodstuff.
Atyahara means
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
There are six formulas which can deviate us from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there are six formulas which can encourage us, which can enhance, advance us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And what are they? Now, first of all let me state what are "against" principles, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness, against the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What are they?
- atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca
- prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ
- jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca
- ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati
- (NOI 2)
Ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati. Vinaśyati means is lost. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is lost. How? By these six processes. What are the six processes? Atyāhāra. Atyāhāra means to eat more than you require, and atyāhāra means to accumulate wealth more than what you require.
The whole trouble of the world is that nobody is satisfied. If he's a poor man, if he thinks, "Oh, my income is $100. If I get $400 per month, then I will be very happy." But when he gets $400, he expects, "Oh, if I get $1,000, then I shall be happy." In this way it is going on. Nobody is satisfied. But here it is said, yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. That automatically comes, as we make progress in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our demand for more enjoyment, more accumulation of wealth, diminishes. That is the symptom of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ.
So atyāhāra. Atyāhāra means to acquire more than we need. Because we have to maintain this body and soul together, then we must earn something or acquire something to keep my health and body fit. That is all right. But we should not try unnecessarily for accumulating more. Suppose if I am satisfied by some grains and vegetables and fruits and milk, if my health is properly kept, why should I eat more than that simply for satisfying the palate, my tongue? Oh, no. We should not do that. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. So atyāhāra, atyāhāra, to accept more than what we need, that is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So to increase it no credit. To decrease it is credit. That is credit. Nityā hi jantoḥ. It is already there. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānām. Bhūtānām means "of all living entities." Amongst the ants, they are very intoxicant. Therefore they find out sugar. The all kinds of liquor preparation is made from sugar. You know that? Sugar is fermented with acid and then distilled. It becomes liquor. And the ants are very much fond of sugar. You keep up one piece of sugar candy. Then the news will be immediately spread, and all the ant class will go there: "Here it is, sugar, yes. Gold rush." (laughter) You see? So every living entity has got a tendency for certain class of thing, especially sex and eating nonvegetarian things. If you eat vegetarian fruits and flowers and grains, you'll not eat more than you require. That is nature. You'll eat only what is needed by yourself. You cannot eat any more. It is very good. If you don't eat... Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Atyāhāra, eating more than needed, is against spiritual life. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Everything is there. Rūpa Gosvāmī has said. Atyāhāra means eating more than you require, or eating, enjoying more than. We require, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. We require little, little everything... (break) ...for spiritually advancing. They remain without dress. Even in the severest type of cold, they remain without dress, sitting, only smearing the body with some ashes. They'll take bath in the morning and cover the body with ashes, not very thick. But he'll sit down whole day and night and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. No business. No endeavor for food. If food comes, by God's grace, they will eat; otherwise no, they'll not go anywhere. Completely dependent: "If God gives, then I shall eat. Otherwise we shall not endeavor." This is our first endeavor, what to eat, where to live, where to sleep, where to have sex life. This is our all endeavor. They stop all this endeavor. That is spiritual life. Stop everything. That is called... And I am going in a secluded place and thinking, "How many women I have hunted." What is this nonsense? Eh? And showing, "I have become very much advanced. I am leader." And my leading is I'm thinking of woman. That's all. And money.
That's all. That is the business. But if you want to defeat the sun... Sun is very powerful. It is very difficult to fight. But you can fight with the sun. How? Simply by reading kṛṣṇa-kathā, the words of Kṛṣṇa. Uttama-śloka-vārtayā. Vārtayā. Uttama-śloka, Kṛṣṇa. So this is the simple process. You don't waste your time by talking nonsense. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has advised, atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Prajalpaḥ.
- atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca
- prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ
- jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca
- ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati
- (NOI 2)
Our devotional life can be finished, means may be baffled... Those who are in devotional life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they is fortunate. This fortune can be ruined by six things. Be careful. What is that? Atyāhāra. Atyāhāra means eating more than necessity or collecting more than necessity. Āhāra. Āhāra means collecting. We require to collect some money, but we should not collect more than necessity. That we shouldn't. Because if I get more money, then immediately māyā will pa... "Why don't you spend for me?" Yes. So don't collect more than ... What you require, you collect. Or similarly, āhāra means eating. Don't eat more than necessity. Actually, we have to come to the point of nil, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. And that is not possible because we have got this body. But minimum. So atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ, and too much unnecessary spoiling energy.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So sleeping is waste of time. Therefore spiritual advancement means minimizing sleeping. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. About the Gosvāmīs' life it is said they conquered over nidrā-āhāra. If you eat extraordinarily, then you will sleep also extraordinarily. If you eat frugally, as much minimum required, then you can conquer over sleep. Eating, sleeping. Sleeping depends on eating. Atyāhāra. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). The people in the material world.... Atyāhāra means collecting more than necessity. One, somebody has got millions of dollars; still, he is working hard day and night to increase the bank balance. Why? You have got sufficient money; now you engage your life for spiritual advancement and take little food. God has given you enough. Why you are wasting your time in collecting money and eating more? That is misuse. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Āhāra means eating, and āhāra means collecting. So these are against bhakti principles. Collecting more than necessity or eating more than necessity. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Prayāsa, things which are not done very easily, I have to endeavor very, very hard, that kind of work should be avoided. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpaḥ, and talking nonsense.
Page Title: | Atyahara means |
Compiler: | Rishab, Visnu Murti |
Created: | 22 of Feb, 2012 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=2, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 7 |