Because we have become mad, whole human civilization is meant for these four things: illicit sex, meat-eating and intoxication and gambling

Expressions researched:
"because we have become mad, we are . . . whole human civilization is meant for these four things: illicit sex, meat-eating and intoxication and gambling."

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We are drinking. This is forbidden. We are eating meat. This is forbidden. We are having illicit sex. This is forbidden. We are having gambling. This is forbidden. This is called vikarma. But because we have become mad, we are . . . whole human civilization is meant for these four things: illicit sex, meat-eating and intoxication and gambling.

751128 - Lecture SB 05.05.01 - Delhi

If we give up this kind of civilization, then what is to be done? Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. The next engagement is tapasya, tapo. Tapasya means austerity, penances, voluntarily acceptance of something, some means of activity which may not be very palatable. But still, we have to do that. Just like a patient, if he is forbidden by the physician not to take a certain type of foodstuff, it may be pain . . . just like typhoid fever. The doctor advises, "Don't take any solid food." But if we . . . I am accustomed to take paraṭha. So in typhoid to take paraṭha means death. Similarly, we have to follow the śāstric injunction. If we really want to come out this material bondage . . . material bondage means this body. Our real problem is this body. That we do not know. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti. This will come that, "We have now become mad after sense gratification." Pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means prakṛṣṭa-rūpena mattaḥ. Mattaḥ means mad. And when this affix is there, prefix is there, that pra, pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpena, sufficiently mad. So in this material world we have become sufficiently mad—not only mad, but sufficiently mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). And we are engaged in activities which are forbidden. Forbidden. Just like we are drinking. This is forbidden. We are eating meat. This is forbidden. We are having illicit sex. This is forbidden. We are having gambling. This is forbidden. This is called vikarma. But because we have become mad, we are . . . whole human civilization is meant for these four things: illicit sex, meat-eating and intoxication and gambling.