When Ṛṣabhadeva, the father of Mahārāja Bharata, after whose name this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa . . . the name Bhārata-varṣa is not only the name for India, but it is the name for this planet. Formerly, five thousand years ago, the whole planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. The Vedic culture was all over the world. These Europeans and Americans, they are coming of the same stock, Indo-Āryan stock.
There is a great history behind this, how some of the kṣatriyas, they left India during the time of Paraśurāma. He declared war against the kṣatriyas and he was incarnation of God. He was killing the kṣatriyas like anything, and some of the kṣatriyas fled from India and came to this part of the world.
So from historical point of view you Europeans and Americans, you belong to the kṣatriya stock of old India, and somehow or other you have forgotten this Vedic culture. Originally you belonged to this Vedic culture. The Vedic culture was all over the world, even in America—different types of worship or concept of God. The Red Indians also had some religion.
So apart from that historical point of view, the Vedic culture prescribes tapasya. Tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accept some bodily inconvenience. That is called tapasya. There are many tapasvī undergoing austerity. They meditate in winter in water up to . . . up to the neck, standing within water, meditate.
To stand within water in winter, severe cold, is not very comfortable business, but they voluntarily accept it. This is called tapasya. And summer season, they blaze fire all round and sit down in the midst and meditate. I am giving you some of the examples, how severely they accept tapasya.
So tapasya is required. Without tapasya you cannot make advancement in spiritual life, or life of knowledge. If you simply give away in the animal propensities of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—and don't accept the process of tapasya, then your human life is failure. You have to accept some tapasya if you want to make solution of the problems of life. Śukadeva Gosvāmī first recommends tapasya.
Just like here, in our institution, whoever comes and becomes an initiated member, we first of all ask them to undergo tapasya. Tapasya. Especially in your country, it is a great tapasya to give up illicit sex life, to give up intoxication up to the point of smoking and tea drinking, and to give up meat-eating and to give up gambling. Although they're only four, but it is very difficult to give up these four items.
Even Lord Zetland, in England, when he was asked to do this . . . one of my Godbrothers . . . Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland, he inquired from my Godbrother, "Swāmījī, whether you can make us brāhmin?" So he said, "Yes, why not? You have to give up these four principles of life, prohibited: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating."
The Lord Zetland replied: "Impossible." Yes, it is impossible. Because in Europe and America, this is the way of life from the very beginning. And from India, our Indian gentlemen come here to learn this art, how to do it nicely. And they think it is advancement. India is automatically taught this tapasya by their culture, but they come here to forget that culture and accept another type of life.
But real . . . real fact is if you want to advance in spiritual understanding, if you want to make a solution of all the problems of your life, then you have to accept this life of austerity, tapasya. Restriction. Restriction is meant for human being, not for the animals. Just like in our common dealing, when you drive your car, you have got some restriction.
You cannot drive your car on the left side. That is offense. "Keep to the right." You cannot drive your car when there is red light or yellow light. You have to follow the restriction. But the dog, if it keeps to the left or crosses the street when there is red light, it is not punished, because it is animal, dog. But if you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Why?
That means you have got advanced consciousness. If you do not follow the rules and regulation, then you are nothing but animal. Human being, human life, means voluntarily accepting the laws, the rules and regulation. That is human life. But now the propaganda is that everyone, one wants to be free, no regulative life. This is animal life.
Just try to understand. The regulations, law books, restrictions, they are meant for human being, not for animals. And if you want freedom from all restriction, then you come to the animal life. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommends first tapasya. If you want to stop the problems of life, then you have to accept the life of austerity, tapasya.