Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, science has developed methods where they can have sense gratification and . . . just like if they get some disease, they can give them some medicine, and then the disease goes away very easily. So in this way, they're actually giving more facility for more sense gratification.
Prabhupāda: So do you like to accept it, that disease? Therefore it has been condemned, prāyaścitta. Perhaps you have read it in the beginning of Sixth Canto. Prāyaścitta . . . Parīkṣit Mahārāja condemned, "What is the use of this Vedic prāyaścitta if it is suffering again and again? Then what is the use?" That he has condemned. But prāyaścitta vimarśanam. Therefore the rascal should be given knowledge that "You are attacked with some disease. Very good. You are injected with some medicine, you are cured, then again you are attacked. So why you are going in this way? Stop it." And that is knowledge. That knowledge is also not perfect, because even a man in knowledge, he knows that "If I go to prostitute, I'll be attacked with syphilitic poison, and last time I had the same trouble, I had to spend so much money." But still he'll go, because he has no knowledge. So even one has no knowledge, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes detestful: "Oh . . ." That is the, mean, gift of bhakti.
- kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
- vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
- dhunvanti kārtsnyena aghaṁ
- nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
- (SB 6.1.15)
That the whole world is dark, misty. So you can invent so many means. Just like they have got, what is called, crackers? In the mist? Sometimes that is blown so that warn people that "Don't come here. There is danger."
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Flares.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can invent so many means of curing the danger. But as soon as the sun is there, immediately all mist is over. Similarly, we have invented so many medicines and counteractions for so many things. But if one becomes a devotee, all these troubles immediately . . . that is the only one medicine. He has no more any inclination. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42): "No more I want." And that is wanted. (break) . . . asmi varaṁ na yāce. One should be fully satisfied: "No more I want this material disease. That's all. Enough of it." That mentality required: "I don't want anything material facility." Sannyāsa means that, that "I shall live with the minimum necessities of life and simply devote . . ." That is sannyāsa. "I shall become a sannyāsī and enjoy all material facilities"—that is not sannyāsa. (break) . . . recommended that "If there is no need, don't take even cloth. Remain naked." That is sannyāsa. But because we have to preach, we have to go the people, therefore some covering. Otherwise, this is also not necessary for a sannyāsī. Nothing. Lie down on the floor like the Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, and take water in your palm; no dress. Śukadeva was also not dressing—naked. That is the perfection of sannyāsa.