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Bodily needs

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

They are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete.
BG 10.4-5, Purport:

Intelligence refers to the power to analyze things in their proper perspective, and knowledge refers to understanding what is spirit and what is matter. Ordinary knowledge obtained by a university education pertains only to matter, and it is not accepted here as knowledge. Knowledge means knowing the distinction between spirit and matter. In modern education there is no knowledge about spirit; they are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete.

He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death.
BG 10.12-13, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one's transcendental relationship with Him. He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death. Not only does Arjuna confirm this, but all the Vedic literatures, the Purāṇas and histories. In all Vedic literatures Kṛṣṇa is thus described, and the Supreme Lord Himself also says in the Fourth Chapter, "Although I am unborn, I appear on this earth to establish religious principles." He is the supreme origin; He has no cause, for He is the cause of all causes, and everything is emanating from Him. This perfect knowledge can be had by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

King Ṛṣabha propagated this mission, and at the last stage He became completely aloof from the material bodily needs, which is a rare stage not to be imitated by foolish men, but to be worshiped by all.
SB 1.3.13, Purport:

Foolish men seek after material sense pleasure as a substitute for real happiness, but such foolish men forget that temporary so-called happiness derived from sense pleasures is also enjoyed by the dogs and hogs. No animal, bird or beast is bereft of this sense pleasure. In every species of life, including the human form of life, such happiness is immensely obtainable. The human form of life, however, is not meant for such cheap happiness. The human life is meant for attaining eternal and unlimited happiness by spiritual realization. This spiritual realization is obtained by tapasya, or undergoing voluntarily the path of penance and abstinence from material pleasure. Those who have been trained for abstinence in material pleasures are called dhīra, or men undisturbed by the senses. Only these dhīras can accept the orders of sannyāsa, and they can gradually rise to the status of the paramahaṁsa, which is adored by all members of society. King Ṛṣabha propagated this mission, and at the last stage He became completely aloof from the material bodily needs, which is a rare stage not to be imitated by foolish men, but to be worshiped by all.

SB Canto 5

One whose practice has freed him from the anxieties of bodily needs is no longer in conditional life.
SB 5.19.14, Purport:

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra: one whose practice has freed him from the anxieties of bodily needs is no longer in conditional life. Such a person is freed from conditional bondage. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must fully discharge his devotional duties without material attachment. Then his liberation is guaranteed.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

You are so working hard... Why? Is it meant for simply sense gratification and satisfying the bodily needs? That is being done by the hogs and dogs.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Just like in the Western world, they have been endowed with so much facilities of comfortable life, but because they do not know how to utilize the comfortable situation of life, there is so much chaos and confusion. The so rich nations, young boys and girls, they are turning to be hippies. Because they do not find... It is hackneyed. The same wine, same women, and same motorcar and same road, it has become disgusting. That is the nature's way. Because human life is not meant for that purpose. Human life is meant for, as it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. You are working so hard... You are so working hard... Why? Is it meant for simply sense gratification and satisfying the bodily needs? That is being done by the hogs and dogs. The... We see the hogs and dogs, they are always busy. So this human form of life is not meant for that purpose. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Earn money, but... Be comfortable, but utilize time—tattva-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is your aim of life.

Dehambhara-vārtikeṣu means persons here in the ordinary men, they are simply interested how to satisfy the bodily needs.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

There are two classes of persons. One is interested for developing material standard of life, and one is interested for spiritual development of life. So a householder, he can also become a mahātmā, provided he has got this tendency that he wants to develop his spiritual life. Then he is mahātmā. And not interested to increase economic development, or persons who are too much attached for enjoyment. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Dehambhara-vārtikeṣu means persons here in the ordinary men, they are simply interested how to satisfy the bodily needs. That's all. They are called dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. The materialistic civilization means how to keep this body very comfortably. Not only in this life. From their thinking also they accept works of piety, just like charity, religion. How? So next life they may be elevated to the heavenly planets and they can enjoy very long duration of life, association of very beautiful girls, and drink so many beverages. Their only aim is like that, how to provide this material body with all comforts. They are called dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Deha means this body, and bhara, just to maintain this body.

General Lectures

Do you mean to say scientific advancement of education is simply for this purpose—how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate, and how to defend? No. That is not human civilization. These are bodily needs undoubtedly, but we are not body.
Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

"Please get up. Don't be sleeping simply for these four principal things(?)." These are not problems, eating, sleeping, mating, and... The Vedic literature says, "Wherever you take your birth, the eating, sleeping, and mating and defending is there, even in animal life." Suppose there is a cat. It knows how to eat, it knows how to sleep, it knows how to mate, and it knows how to defend. The dog also knows. The hog also knows. So do you mean to say scientific advancement of education is simply for this purpose—how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate, and how to defend? No. That is not human civilization. These are bodily needs undoubtedly, but we are not body. That we do not know. We are spirit soul. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely in a very common sense words:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
(BG 2.13)
We have got our senses; they want some satisfaction. So these are, these principles are bodily needs.
Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

So Ṛṣabhadeva recommends that human form of life is specifically meant for austerity, regulative principles, not to do anything according to whims. Very regulative life, that is human life. We require, so long we have got this body, we require four things for maintenance of the body: āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. We require to eat something, every one of us. We require to sleep; therefore we must have an apartment or sleeping place. That may be very nice or... But we must have some place to sleep, shelter. So eating, sleeping. Then some protection, defense, and sense gratification. We have got our senses; they want some satisfaction. So these are, these principles are bodily needs. These are not the needs of the spirit soul. So long we have got this body, we have to satisfy it, but not, I mean to say, unrestricted. That is not human life. That is the difference between human life and animal life. But at the present moment human life has become more than animal life. The animals have restricted periods of sense gratification, but the human life has no restricted... So Ṛṣabhadeva is instructing, "This should not be done." If you want to purify your existence, then you have to live under restriction. Just like a patient, a diseased fellow. If he wants to be cured, he must live restricted life under the direction of the physician; otherwise, he is sure to die, or he is sure to suffer, prolonging the disease. He must. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised His sons, "My dear boys, if you want to purify your existence, then you have to live a restricted life." Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1).

Conversations and Morning Walks

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Why should you have illicit sex life? Everyone's need is sex life. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. These are the bodily needs. So śāstra has sanctioned, "All right. You can live peacefully by married life and have sex life for children, good children." That is allowed.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda : Therefore in this age the only method... It is a concession to the fallen people of this world, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. They 'll not be able to follow all the regulative principles; therefore they must commit all kinds of abominable activities. Under the circumstances the śāstra or God has given a concession that you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gradually you will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life. Other things you cannot follow. You are already fallen. So you take to this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense. And in order to save yourself from the offenses, a little austerity that you cannot have illicit sex life. Why should you have illicit sex life? Everyone's need is sex life. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. These are the bodily needs. So śāstra has sanctioned, "All right. You can live peacefully by married life and have sex life for children, good children." That is allowed. But why should you have illicit sex life? What is this? Irresponsible life. "I shall not take responsibility of family life, and I shall go on as so-called bachelor and have illicit life." But that is not good.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Comfortably means we require primary necessities, to eat something, to sleep somewhere or have some sex—this is also bodily need—and to defend, that's all. These are the primary necessities.
Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Simple thing. And then live comfortably, eat comfortably, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Comfortably does not mean satisfaction of the senses. Comfortably means we require primary necessities, to eat something, to sleep somewhere or have some sex—this is also bodily need—and to defend, that's all. These are the primary necessities. That can be arranged anywhere. God has given all facilities. Grow your own food, eat, and live anywhere. Just this place was rough like that, now it is handled nicely, it is very attractive. (Bengali) Any damn place, you cleanse it, it becomes home. And any nasty man, you decorate him, he becomes a bridegroom. (laughs) (Bengali) (japa)

Page Title:Bodily needs
Compiler:Ramananda
Created:16 of Apr, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=4, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:10