Pradyumna: I don't understand how sometimes we . . . how the intoxication of some type of wine would go along with the ruling of a country.
Prabhupāda: Well, for rulers is a pleasure. They must have some pleasure. Just like ordinary men, they drink with woman, dancing, it is a recreation. So this is material recreation, to be little intoxicated, and several nice young girls around. That gives him some encouragement. You see? They have to take so much risk, so much responsibility. For recreation they require it. They should be given little facility.
Devotee: Can they still make spiritual advancement? Spiritual advancement?
Prabhupāda: Well, spiritual advancement is going on. They are taking advice from great saintly persons, they are observing, they are performing big, big sacrifices, spending money, treasury. That is their spiritual advancement. You are satisfying Kṛṣṇa in spite of . . . all these devatās, the demigods, they also enjoy. In higher planetary system, like Indra, he is prostitute-hunter number one, Indra. (laughter) But he is a great devotee at the same time.
Devotee: But he is still in material world.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is material. So those who are going to directly to transfer to the spiritual world, for them all these things are prohibited. But those who want to remain here, at the same time they have got some particular duty, these are also. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says those who are preparing, bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya niṣkiñcanasya (CC Madhya 11.8), they must give up all these things. They should be niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya yad dhanaṁ viduḥ (SB 2.9.6). You have read that?
Niṣkiñcana. Devotee, they don't want all these, anything, any glaring possession. Even Brahmā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa: "I don't care for to take birth as Brahmā." Kīṭa-janma hau jathā tuwā dās (Śaraṇāgati): "Better let me become an insect where Your devotee is there." So our purpose is different. We don't want even the exalted place like Brahmā in this material world. We don't want. That is our determination. We want Kṛṣṇa, go back to home, back to Godhead.