Two things required in human life: knowledge and vairāgya, detachment. The attachment increases. First of all, it increases. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). This whole world is based on sex life. A man has got attraction for woman; a woman has got attraction for man. This is nature's bondage. Shackle. And when they are actually united, either by the father, mother, or by their own way, that shackle, that attraction, increases. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Hṛdaya-granthim. Knot in the heart. "She is my wife." "He is my husband." Of course, now that knot is very slack. Formerly it was very strong because the woman was not allowed to mix with any other man, and the man was also not allowed with any other woman. This intermingling has slackened even that knot, hṛdaya-granthim. Therefore, even trifle cases, quarrel between husband and wife, there is divorce. Because that unity is not very strong now. That is good. Some way or other, it is slackened. So this "own-menship" comes from bodily concept of life.
Knot (Lectures, Conv. & Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So he is preparing the ground for teaching Bhagavad-gītā. We are so much attached to our bodily conception of life, and expansion of bodily conception of life. He is thinking in terms of bodily conception of life. Śyālāḥ bandhuḥ pitaraḥ pitāmahāḥ. Because somebody happens to be... Just like there are many thousands of women. One woman with whom I have got my bodily connection I take: "She is my wife. I have to give protection." This is all based on bodily connection. So long there was no bodily connection with that woman, you didn't care for her. But as soon as there is bodily connection, immediately the attachment is there. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). Generally, everyone has got attraction for woman. Woman has got attraction for man. That is general. But when they are united by marriage, the attraction becomes very acute, hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Hṛdaya-granthi means very hard knot. Hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. So this is called family attraction. Then I get my attraction for my children, for my society, for my home.
So the attachment of this material world is very strong. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Ṛṣabhadeva: Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etami (SB 5.5.8). This whole material world is an attachment of male and female. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam, sex impulse, attachment. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. And when they are married, when they are united, then it becomes a hard knot in the heart. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mamet. Then gradually, after being united, one becomes attached to gṛha, home, apartment, kṣetra,... Formerly there was no industry. So everyone must have some land to produce food. Gṛha-kṣetra, suta, then children; āpta, friends; vitta, then money, because without money, nothing can be maintained. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya mohaḥ. He becomes more and more illusioned. And ahaṁ mameti: (SB 5.5.8) "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my house. This is my children." So on, so on. Mama. "Mine." And "I am this person. I am this body." This is illusion.
Devotee: "When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness and becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and one at once comes to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. By bhakti-yoga you can understand the Absolute Truth as He is and samagram, in full. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. These words are used in... Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "You will understand Me in full and without any doubt." So one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he knows God in full and without any doubt. Then the... "Therefore only by hearing from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one understand the science of Kṛṣṇa."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
What is the benefit of this process? The benefit of this process is karma-granthi-nibandhanam. Karma-granthi-nibandhanaṁ chindanti. Chindanti means cut off. What is that, cut off? There is a knot of our activities. Without performing this ceremony, or without following these instructions, to hear, chant, think and worship, we cannot be out of the great knot of our material activities. So long we are engaged in material activities, we are just acting one after another just like filmspool. We have seen film—one picture after another, one picture, one picture one... There are hundreds and thousand and millions of pictures. Similarly, for my past activities I am now in this picture. So my present activity is making another picture forward. Just like in my past activities I created this body. Similarly, by my present activity also I am creating my next body. So this transmigration of soul is going on. But if you adopt this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then karma-granthi-nibandhanaṁ chindanti. This knot, one after another, this will be cut off.
Now there are living entities of different grades. There is one living entity, it is very small, microscopic bacteria. It's name is indra. Don't think that bacteria was unknown in the past. The bacteria's also were known. In the Vedic literatures they were known. So there is one... They have got different names. Not that simply they say "bacteria." So one bacteria is called indra-gopa. It is very small. It is to be seen by microscope. So Brahma-saṁhitā says that beginning from this indra, the indra-gopa bacteria, up to the Indra... Another Indra is, he is called the heavenly king. His name is also Indra. This bacteria is called indra-gopa, and the other Indra, who is king of the heaven, he is called Indra. So Brahma-saṁhitā says beginning from this Indra up to that Indra... Beginning from that bacteria up to the king of heaven, yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma, everyone is enjoying or suffering according to his own activities. Gopam aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam ātanoti (Bs. 5.54). Bandha, the same thing, nibandhanam. According to the knot of fruitive result, everyone is enjoying or suffering. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām. But one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, his karma-nibandhana is cut off. Karmāṇi chindanti.
Pradyumna: (reads synonyms) Translation: "With sword in hand, intelligent men cut through the labyrinthine knots of reactionary work, or karma, by remembering the Lord. Therefore, who will not pay attention to His message?"
Prabhupāda: So knot. We have experience... (microphone adjusted) Do it nicely. Karma-granthi. Granthi means knot. So... Just like a man, if it is tied very strongly with ropes, hand and legs, he cannot move independently, similarly, we are tied up by the laws of material nature. Material nature. Just like we, when we become criminal, we become... We are always bound up by the laws of the state; either criminal or civil, it doesn't matter. But criminal is more strong. When we are under criminal laws, then it becomes very painful. We cannot violate the state laws, either criminal or civil; it doesn't matter. But if we violate the civil law, there is no such strong punishment, but if we violate the criminal laws, then it is very strong.
So, so long one is not conscious that "What is the position of my life? What I am doing?" that is called knot, tied up very tightly. So here is the medicine. What is that? Yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. Just like if there is very hard knot, you take a sharp knife and you can cut it, then the knot will open, immediately. Similarly, this knot, this materialistic way of life, is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And this knot is, the beginning of the knot is sex life. Beginning of this knot. We are tied up by this sex life. The lowest is the hog. There is also the sex life.
So knot begins... Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). The world, we are bound up within this material law of nature—why? Because we have got strong desire for sex. Not only also human society, in animal society also. The central point is sex. Yan maithunādi... These people are working so hard because they have got the aim, "I will enjoy sex life." Just like in your country, the hippies. They have given up everything, but sex is there. They cannot give it up. They have renounced everything, their father's property, their happy life, everything, but the sex is there. They cannot leave it. That is the central point of knot. "Where you shall go, sir? Here is your knot."
Therefore, this knot is very difficult to cut, but here is suggested, "If you take this sword..." What is that sword? Yad anudhyāsinā. Always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Take this sword. This sword is only remedy. Yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. If you take this sword, then karma-granthi-nibandhanam, this hard knot of karma... Karma means fruitive activities. I am doing something now, so I am creating another body. If I am acting like a dog, then I am creating another body, dog's body, hog's body, tree's body, or even demigod's body. If you act piously, then you create demigod's body. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). But that is also knot; that is not freedom. Just like you are American boys and girls. You are supposed to be born of rich nation, rich father, than us Indians. We are born of poor father. So... But that does not mean that you are free from this knot. That is there. To become...
This motorcar civilization will be finished within another hundred years. It has begun, say, for the last hundred years, and after a hundred years, when... The scientists say the petroleum will be finished within fifty years or like that, so, say hundred years, this motorcar will be finished. So anything we manufacture, the so-called empire, so-called material civilization; it is finished, it will be finished. That is another knot only, that we become captivated. So "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? We must have three dozen motorcar and three dozen wine bottles and this..." This is their civilization.
So this is karma-bandhana. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings therefore,
- sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa
- te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa
This knot, karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Sat-saṅga, this is sat-saṅga. This is sat-saṅga. You are hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the front of Kṛṣṇa and practicing how to become pure. This is called sat-saṅga. And asat-saṅga means this intoxication, illicit sex and drinking, so many things, asat-saṅga. The advertisement, "Come on, here is cigarette, 'Kool,' make your brain cool." (laughter)
So this is called knot. In so many ways, they are tied up. So actually, if anyone is kovida... Kovida. Here it is used. What is the meaning of kovida? "Intelligent." Kovida means intelligent. So intelligent persons should see to it. Just like it is a little, little intelligent. Just like we can see when the advertisement, we can immediately understand, "What is this nonsense advertisement? He's smoking, and it is cool?" So contradiction. You'll find contradiction everywhere. Because they are not intelligent, they are thinking intelligent. But anyone who is intelligent, they can understand what is the trick.
So they do not know. They want freedom. In the freedom, in the name of freedom, they are becoming animals. That's all. This is the civilization. But here it is said, kovida, intelligent. Intelligent man should take up this sword to cut the knot of our attachment for this material enjoyment. What is that? Anudhyāsinā. Anu means always. Another anu means following. Anu means always, and anu means following. Following means spiritual master or ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. "How ācārya, how spiritual master dealing, let me follow that." Or, anu, as soon as he becomes accustomed, then anu, anukṣaṇa, always chanting. Anudhyāsinā. Asinā, asinā means by sword. Anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ, karma-bandha-nibandhana. We have to cut up this knot of karma-bandhana. By the karma-bandhana, we are transmigrating from one soul, one body to another. This is not Darwin's theory.
Now you can make your choice, whether you are going to be dog or whether you are going to be god. Both. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. "Those who are devotees engaged in My devotional service, they come to Me." And when you go to God, you must have a body like God. Just like if you want to enter into the water, then you must have a body like a fish. Otherwise you cannot enter into the water. Similarly, when you enter the spiritual world, then you have a body like God. And if you don't want, if you want to enjoy unrestricted sense, then you take the body of a hog. So nature is open to everyone. You can select your own. Not that you are forced. You can have your... Therefore it is said, kovida, one must be intelligent to select "What is my next life? How I can get out of?" That is the whole instruction of the Vedas, how we can get out of these clutches of karma-bandhana, the knot of karma, one after another.
So one must be intelligent. Then he can become free from this knot, hard knot of material life, by cutting it with the weapon, yad anudhyāsinā. And what is that? Chindanti ko... Chindanti: cuts; kovidāḥ, intelligent. Tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim. Kathā-ratim. One should be intelligent enough to understand or to hear kathā of Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have to do this. Just like you are all sitting here. It doesn't require that you have to pass M.A. examination, Ph.D. examination. God has given you the ear. Simply you sit down and hear from a realized person. The words are there, the message are there. Just like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, especially. Everything is there to understand about God. Simply you have to increase your attachment for hearing. That is, that qualification required. Not that first of all you pass M.A. examination, then you come here and you can understand. No. Simply by hearing, hearing, hearing, you will become expert. Kovida. Simply. That... This process has been approved by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You can remain in your position, but try to hear the transcendental message from realized soul. Then gradually you will be enlightened and you will be free from this knot, this material bondage.
Thank you very much. (end)
That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). Mithunī-bhāvam. There is sex impulse between man and woman. There are two classes of living entities, man and woman, or male or female. So the male is attracted by the female, and the female is attracted by the male. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam. But what is that attraction, central point? Sex life. So this mentality, this propensity, is there not only in human body, but in the animal body also, that same propensity, sex life. So... But everyone is searching after, "Where is a male? Where is a female?" And when they are united, the karma-granthi becomes tighter. That's all. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). They are searching after, and as soon as they are united, they become tightly knot. Hṛdaya-granthi.
Therefore the Vedic civilization is to educate from the very beginning a child to become a brahmacārī. That is the basic principle of education. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Not that "In old age, when I shall retire, I shall see what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That will be very difficult. From the very beginning of life, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... Especially... There are many kinds of religious principles, but dharmān bhāgavatān. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Real dharma is Bhāgavatam," means our understanding our relationship with God, Bhagavān. That is real dharma. Dharmān bhāgavatān. So here the same thing is explained, that yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. Simply by chanting or hearing or meditating upon Kṛṣṇa, yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ karma-granthi-nibandhanam. This asinā... Just like we require a knife to cut the knot, similarly, if we want to cut the knot of this material existence...
So śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. In the previous verse, it has been explained, yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. One has to be engaged always thinking. This is the sword. You have to take this sword of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become free. The knot is cut by this sword. So... Now how we can get this sword? That process is described here that you simply, with faith, you try to hear. You'll get the sword. That's all. Actually, our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading. We are getting the sword one after another, simply by hearing. I started this movement in New York. You all know. I had no actually any sword. Just like in some religious principles, they take the religious scriptures in one hand and another hand, sword: "You accept this scripture; otherwise, I'll cut your head." This is also another preaching. But I had also sword, but not that kind of sword. This sword—to give chance people to hear. That's all.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
- chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
- kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
- dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
- (SB 1.2.21)
Translation: "Thus the knots of the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions, or karma, is terminated when one sees the self as master."
Prabhupāda: So bhidyate means cut into pieces. What is that? Knot. Hṛdaya-granthi. Hṛdaya means heart, and granthi means knot. So our everyone's heart is knot. What is that knot? The knot is sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). This is knot. The material enjoyment begins There is, everyone's heart, man, woman... Man wants to have woman; woman wants to have man. This is searching after. And some way or other, if they unite, the knot becomes tied up, very strong. That is called knot. Then as soon as the knot is there, then house, then land, then gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children. Then friends, then money. In this way, one after another, one after another, we become knotted in so many things. This is called knot. Hṛdaya-granthi, one after the other. Just like, to make it tight, you give one knot, again a knot, another knot, another knot, another knot, to make it secure. So this is our position. This material world, we are knotted in so many ways, and we are creating more knot. In this life... (tapping sound in background) Who is making that sound? Oh...
So we have to cut down this knot. We are bound up in this material life by so many knots. So the process of cutting down, we have begun: yad anudhyāsinā. What is that verse? Yad anudhyāsinā, yes (SB 1.2.15).
The fifteenth verse, we began, yad anudhyāsinā. These knots are there. The whole world is working so hard on account of being knotted in so many ways. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you take this sword, and carefully work, then all these knots will be cut off. You will become free. The living entity, soul, is bound up the subtle body and gross body on account of these knots, attachment. And different attachment. And Kṛṣṇa is giving us facilities as we want. If you want a human body, you get it. If you want animal body, you get it. If you want tiger's body, you get it. You want Brahmā's body, demigod's body, you get it. That is going on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). You are, God is within you, and you are hankering after something, God is noting down: "All right." Even if you forget, He'll give you. "You wanted this facility. Now here it is. You can take." Kṛṣṇa is so kind.
Just like there is a proverb. The vulture goes very high, three miles, four miles high. It is very difficult for us to fly, single-handed. But the aim is, "Where is a dead body?" He's looking forward, "Where is a dead body?" The aim is, not very good. He's looking after some dead corpse to eat. That is his business. But he has gone very high, four miles high. Similarly, all these so-called rascal scientists, their aim is how to stuck-up in this knot of material existence, and they are trying to become so many things. You see? Hṛdaya-granthi. Real attachment is here. Just like the hog; the real attachment is the stool. But he's getting very fat, "Oh, I am so happy." You see? So this is going on. Nature is very clever. Just to make you attached to stool, she gives you certain body, type of body, hog. You become very pleased: "Oh, I am so happy. I am living in heaven." Sometimes actually Indra, the king of heaven, he was cursed to become a hog, and he was, he became hog. He had so many kiddies, wife, and living in filthy place, eating stool. So Brahmā came that for his absence, the management in the heavenly kingdom is not going nice. So he came: "Indra, now please come with me." "Where shall I go to, sir?" "Heaven." "What is that? I cannot go. I have got responsibility. I have got my wife, my children, and I am happy here. I do not know what is heaven."
So this is the attachment. Even if you say... Just like what we are, we are doing? We are canvassing, "Please come with us, go, let us go." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, rādhā-kṛṣṇa bolo, saṅge calo, ei-mātra bhikhā cāi. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that "Kindly chant 'Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa' and come with me. We are going back to home, back to Godhead." Nobody is interested. "What is this 'Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa' nonsense? We are very happy here." Knot. Even if you describe, "Oh, here is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. You see how nicely They're dressed and They enjoy. Just see dancing here." They're... They don't care for it. "Oh, we are very happy here. Why shall I go to Goloka Vṛndāvana?" "You will not be able to stay here." "Oh, that's all right. As long as I can stay, let me enjoy this stool." That's all. Attachment. This is called attachment. Attachment is so strong that even if you explain that "You will go back to home, back to Godhead. Your father is Kṛṣṇa, all-powerful. You can enjoy there blissful life, eternal life," "No. It is better here."
So by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, if people take to it seriously and become advanced... The same process, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17), simply hearing about Kṛṣṇa, as we are doing. Then, gradually, we come to the platform of goodness, and the lower modes of material nature, namely ignorance and passion, cannot disturb us. We become situated in goodness. And then, gradually, this stage comes, evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). You become engladdened, you become joyful, by discharging devotional service. And the knots, you will be no more interested with this rascal life of material existence. Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as we have discussed, gradually will bring you to that stage where no more knot for the material attachment. Bhidyate, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ. Now everyone is... We are speaking that "You are not this body; you are soul..." The people cannot understand. They are in doubt, "Oh, how is it I am soul? I am this body." But as soon as you come perfectly in spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the doubts will be over: "I am spirit soul, I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then that will be fixed up (SB 1.2.21).
- bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
- chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
- kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
- dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
We are bound up by karma, by karma acting. In this life, I am acting in such a way so that I am preparing my next life. Again, next life, I shall act in such a way, I shall prepare my next life. In this way, one after another, one after another, one after another. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if we simply act for Kṛṣṇa, yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9), simply if we act for Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more karma-bandhana. Then one after another, that will be finished.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.:)
- bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
- chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
- kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
- dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
- (SB 1.2.21)
Translation: "Thus the knots of the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions, karma, is terminated when one sees the self as master."
Prabhupāda:
- bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
- chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
- kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
- dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advanced in spiritual understanding or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga..., he's not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking biḍi. You see. These are the small tests.
Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society, you'll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become..., abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena (SB 6.1.13). One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses. This is brahmacarya. Tapasya. It requires tapasya. At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārīs? It is not possible. Especially in the Western countries, the boys and girls, they are educated in one place, co-education, and they live in the same building, and there are so many things. You know, better than me.
So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice, one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam. Tayor hṛdaya-granthim. And when they're actually united, that knot becomes more and more tight. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then gradually, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ, that knot, sex desire... That is the test whether one's sex desire has diminished.
We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating. There are, therefore, there are so many parties. The jñānī party, the yogi party, the karmī party. Generally... and within each and every party there are hundreds and thousands of parties. So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desires is cut off, at that time, he can understand what is his position, what is his position.
Therefore two things must go on in parallel lines. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he's given medicine. At the same time, he has to act, not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do, at the same time you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). One has to practice tapasya. Tapas. Tapas means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience.
Pradyumna: "Such knowledge is called paramparā, or deductive knowledge, coming down from the authority to the submissive aural receiver, bona fide by service and surrender. One cannot challenge the authority of the Supreme and know Him also at the same time. He reserves the right of not being exposed to such a challenging spirit of an insignificant spark of the whole, subjected to the control of illusory energy. The devotees are submissive, and therefore the transcendental knowledge descends from the Personality of Godhead to Brahmā, and from Brahmā to his sons and disciples in succession. This process is helped by the Supersoul within such devotees. That is the perfect way of learning transcendental knowledge. This enlightenment perfectly enables the devotee to distinguish spirit from matter, because the knot of the spirit and matter is untied by the Lord. This knot is called ahaṅkāra, and it falsely obliges a living being to become identified with matter. As soon as this knot is loosened, therefore, all the clouds of doubt are at once cleared off. He sees his master and fully engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, making a full termination of the chain of fruitive action. In material existence a living being creates his own chain of fruitive work and enjoys the good and bad effects of those actions life after life. But as soon as he engages himself in the loving service of the Lord, he at once becomes free from the chain of karma. All his actions no longer create any reaction."
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Have kīrtana. (end)
So here it is very clearly described that anyān mohinyā. Mohinī, mohinyā striyā, by the formation. So we should not be attracted. But generally, people are attracted. The whole world, the material world is going on that the woman is attractive for man and the man is attractive for woman. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. This is the general platform of attraction between man and woman. And when they are united by such attraction, then they become more materially knotted. And then they are after...
- puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ
- tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ
- ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair
- janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti
- (SB 5.5.8)
Our material bondage is due to an illusion. What is that illusion? That "I am this body." Dehātma-buddhi. "I am this body, and anything which is required for this body or which I possess for the comfort of this body, that is mine." Both of them are illusion, because I am not this body; I am soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But the illusion is everyone is thinking, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." So this is illusion. Therefore the Vedic system is, to save one from this illusion, the first stage of life is brahmacārī, to understand the value of life and strictly without any association with woman. That is called brahmacārī. Strictly.
It is said for sixteen years within the womb of his mother, he did not come out purposefully so that he may not be materially attached. Because a small child, the baby comes out from the mother's womb. Within the womb, when he's in suffering, he prays to God, "This time kindly release me. Now I shall begin bhagavad-bhajana." One who is little advanced in his previous life... Because it is very, very terrible condition within the womb of the mother. We have forgotten. But we can imagine, if you are packed up in a bag and put hand and legs tightly knotted, just imagine. You cannot live even for three minutes. They say if you are airtight packed-up like that, as we are put into the womb of the mother, we cannot exist more than three minutes. But we existed by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Only by the mercy. That is also nowadays very dangerous. In that packed-up condition, he's there, he's already suffering, and the mother is planning to go to the doctor and kill the child. Just imagine how precarious condition in the womb of the mother. And if we do not try in this life that "I shall not again enter into the womb of the mother," then what is the value of this life? We have to learn it from the śāstra. You cannot see actually, but the medical science explains that a child is placed in this way. In Bhāgavata also it is stated how the child grows his body, how it is put into that precarious condition.
So this is the illusion. Therefore śāstra says, ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). How a man becomes entangled in this material world, everything is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. This material world means sex attraction, mithunī-bhāva. The man is searching after woman; woman is searching after man. This is material life, in human life, in bird's, beast's... Just these sparrows—they are trying to make some nest on this chandelier to enjoy sex and lay eggs. Therefore they require some place. The basic principle is sex. First of all sex life, then other necessities. First of all, seeing, man and woman. Then, when they unite, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). When they unite and they get children, then the hard knot of heart—"She, my wife. She's (He's) my husband. We cannot separated..." Hard knot. Hṛdaya-granthi. Already there is attraction. Now this attraction becomes more and more tight, after unity. Then we require a place to live together, "Home, sweet home." Yes, very sweet. The whole day and night, work. And this is moha. He is working hard day and night. There is not a single moment leisure, and still, he's: "Sweet home." This is illusion.
So long the life is there, everyone is thinking, "I have got this responsibility. I have got this responsibility. I have got this responsibility," and they are working very, very hard and doing all nonsense. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Now, somebody's stealing for the sake of family maintenance, doing so many sinful activities, but when they are scattered again by the laws of nature, nobody will be sympathetic to me if I suffer for my own sinful activities. But they do by the so-..., for the so-called family. They get money, and they... Due to affection... First of all, whatever he earns, by hook or by crook, first of all he wants to see that his wife, children, are fed up very nicely. And, at last, if there is some remnants, he can eat, out of affection. You see?
So therefore this affection is the very hard knot for being bound up in this material world, this affection. Therefore the Vedic civilization is that the affection is to be cut off compulsory at a certain age, not that the affection should continue. If the affection continues, then there is no chance of my becoming free from this material world. There is no chance. Therefore vānaprastha. Because the wife's..., affection with the wife, is very, very strong. So vānaprastha means the husband and wife, they give up the affection.
So in the previous verse, Kuntīdevī prayed to Kṛṣṇa, sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi: "Please cut off my attraction, the rope..." Just like rope is cut. If your hands and legs are tied up with rope, and if you want to be free, then the knot is cut into pieces.
So our affection for this material world has to be cut into pieces. That is the aim of human life. The living being, nobody knows when he dropped into this ocean of material existence. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Anādi. Ādi means the beginning of creation, and anādi means before that. This creation, this material world, it is created and annihilated, as is the nature of anything material.
It is not so easy to give up attraction for kingdom, wife, children, and motorcar, and paśu, and animals, and so many... He was king, emperor. How much possessions he had! So it is not very easy to give up the attraction for these possessions. Therefore it is called virūḍhām, virūḍhāṁ mamatām. The attraction is so deep-rooted. The example is this, a tree standing. It does not want to give it up, capture. So the attraction begins from this sex attraction. Puṁsaḥ mithunī-bhāvam, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). In the beginning there is attraction. A man wants woman, woman wants man. But as soon as they're united, that attraction becomes deep-rooted. First of all desire. At that time, the attraction is not deep-rooted, but as soon as they are united, either legally or illegally, that attraction becomes deep-rooted, virūḍhām. Puṁsaḥ mithunī-bhāvam, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mithaḥ, as soon as they unite, hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, is, they, now that attraction becomes a hard knot into the heart.
So our intelligence is like... Even Mother Yaśodā. She was trying to bind Kṛṣṇa, and at the end, at the time of knotting, there was two fingers small, I mean to say, there was scarcity. So our intelligence is like that. However I may be intelligent, however I may to cheat Kṛṣṇa, at least, little difference. Little difference. The little difference, that he never thought that "I'll be killed by the nails, not by any atomic bomb." He thought simply atom bomb can kill. He never thought that Kṛṣṇa can kill even by nails. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti (Bs. 5.32). He can do everything. But he wanted to be cheap God, to surpass... But it could not be done. This is the asura. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. And the asuras... Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). They may think themselves as very advanced in knowledge, but they are rascal number one because their so-called knowledge, the effect of knowledge, is taken away by māyā. They are called Māyāvādīs. They are very much proud of their knowledge. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These rascals, these atheist class demons, their actual knowledge is taken away." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Nitāi: "Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut."
Prabhupāda:
- jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya
- puruṣasyātma-darśanam
- yad āhur varṇaye tat te
- hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam
- (SB 3.26.2)
What is jñāna, knowledge? We have got... Jñāna means consciousness or living symptoms. That is jñāna. Cetana. Cetana, ce..., nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Nitya and cetana. Cetana means consciousness. Two things we find, generally, conscious and unconscious. Just like this table is unconscious, but a small ant, it is conscious. That ant is coming this side, you try to stop it, it will struggle, it will resist. Because it is conscious. But the table, you take it and throw it away, it will not protest, because it is unconscious. So, this consciousness is the symptom of life, and that develops one after another.
Therefore too much attachment for woman is not good, because, or too much attachment for anything in this material world, that is doomed. Therefore, here it is said, hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam, my attachment, my heart attraction is so strong, it is like granthi, knot. So ātma-darśanam means hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam, opening the knot. Hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam, that is ātma-darśanam. When I become free from all attachment of this material world, that is called hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. And how the hṛdaya-granthi, knot in the heart begins? That begins, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. We are in this material world, it is going on, puṁsaḥ, the man, and striyā, of the woman, attachment. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī, what is that attachment? Sex. Sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat tayor, the desire is there, and as soon as they unite by marriage or by agreement, by any way, then hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Then the attachment becomes more and more. There are thousands and millions of women, but the woman with whom I have got my bodily relation, I cannot forget her, and she cannot forget me. Hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. The attachment increases. And as soon as they are united the, that is hṛdaya-granthi, knot between heart to heart. "You my dear, you my heart."
So hṛdaya-granthi, we are, how we are becoming tied up between so-called one heart to another. Ataḥ gṛha, first of all attachment for man and woman, then attachment for the apartment, gṛha, then land, gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children, then āpta, friends, society, friendship, love. Suta, āpta, then vitta, money. In this way we increase our, the knot, one after another. One knot, two knots, three knots, fourth knot, it is going on. And self-realization means opening the knots, opening the knots. The knots began like that. Janasya moho yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). And here it is said, hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Bhedanam means separate them. Separate them. That is self-realization. Self-realization means that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So 'ham, "I am as good as the Supreme Spirit, Kṛṣṇa. Somehow or other I am now in contact with this material attachment." This is called ātma-darśana. And that is clearly explained, ātma-darśana means hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Ātma-darśanam does not mean hṛdaya-granthi vṛddhi or increasing. Therefore, real ātma-darśana, real liberation, real consciousness is separation from this material attachment. Voluntarily, forcefully, or by knowledge, that is required.
Therefore you will find, India, Vedic civilization is meant for this unknotting, the hṛdaya-granthi. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory. Vānaprastha is compulsory. If you really follow Vedic principle you become student, brahmacārī, you learn everything. What is this life, what is this world, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, what is your relationship with Him. These studies, that is complete study. But still, if you want to be knotted by hṛdaya-granthi, gṛhastha, a concession, all right.
Therefore you will find, India, Vedic civilization is meant for this unknotting, the hṛdaya-granthi. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory. Vānaprastha is compulsory. If you really follow Vedic principle you become student, brahmacārī, you learn everything. What is this life, what is this world, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, what is your relationship with Him. These studies, that is complete study. But still, if you want to be knotted by hṛdaya-granthi, gṛhastha, a concession, all right. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithuna. Mithuna, that concession is for sex life. Gṛhastha life is a concession given for enjoying sex life. Otherwise, there is no need of gṛhastha life. Therefore there were many brahmacārīs, akhanda-brahmacārī, never married in life, many. But that is not possible at the present. But there is training. The brahmacārī is taught that this is the position: "Don't be knotted with this material world." But still, if he cannot do that, then with the permission of the spiritual master, he accepts a wife. That is gṛhastha life. But that also not for many years. Say for 25 years. After 25 years he will remain a student brahmacārī, then you accept one wife according to religious ritualistic ceremony, but no illicit sex. That is not allowed. Bachelor daddy is not allowed. That is very dangerous.
So one gentleman, he challenged me. He's atheistic class. He said, "What is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence? It is just like an watch. If you wind the watch, it goes and gives time. Similarly, it is just like a machine—the whole world is going on." That's all right. Still, you are lacking knowledge, because Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to prepare each and every watch. He has made two watches, male and female, and they are producing. That is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence. Therefore even if you supposed to be very intelligent, still, you are lacking intelligence. You cannot be as intelligent as Kṛṣṇa. There must be some less quantity. Just like Yaśodāmāyi wanted to bind Kṛṣṇa with ropes, and as soon as she was going to knot it, there was little difference.
So this is the training of Bhagavad-gītā. This is the training of Bhāgavata. Everywhere the Vedic principle, the first principle is that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. In the previous verse we have already studied, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān, because we have forgotten what is our position. Gata-smṛti. Smṛti means memory. There is one word, alpa-medhasām, and there is another word, su-medhasam. These words are there, tad-bhavati alpa-medhasām, in the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are trying to be happy in this material world, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ... (BG 7.20). They, people generally, they are kāma, this kāma, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī, this is kāma. This kāma is manifested in different ways. The actually the central point is kāma. So that when that kāma is fulfilled Because a man is searching after woman and woman is searching after man, when they unite, then the kāma becomes hard knot, very tightly. When they are separated, there is chance of not being tied, but as soon as they are tied by marriage or by some way or other, then tayor mitha hṛdaya-granthim āhur. Hṛdaya-granthim. We are already attracted to these things, and when it is united, then we see practically in our Indian families that when the boy is grown up and the girl is grown up, the father-mother unite them by marriage system. Everywhere. But India still going on. Why? Because unless he is married, he'll not get attracted to this material life.
Pradyumna: "As I have advised you, My dear sons, you should act accordingly. Be very careful. By these means you will be freed from the ignorance of the desire for fruitive activity, and the knot of bondage in the heart will be completely severed. For further advancement, you should also give up the means. That is, you should not become attached to the process of liberation itself."
Prabhupāda:
- karmāśayaṁ hṛdaya-granthi-bandham
- avidyayāsāditam apramattaḥ
- anena yogena yathopadeśaṁ
- samyag vyapohyoparameta yogāt
- (SB 5.5.14)
So, the bhakti-yoga process is described in the previous verses. Real purport is, karmāśayam, how to be free from karmāśayam. So long our mind will be absorbed in karmāśayam, then there is no question of becoming free from this material body.
So here are the examples in the śāstras, that Bharata Mahārāja, elected or selected, nominated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ṛṣabhadeva... And He retired, avadhūta-veṣa. Avadhūta-veṣa means He is no more within the social community. Just like the word nirgranthā... Kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has explained this word nirgranthā. Nirgranthā means one who has no granthi, no tight knot with this material world. And the another meaning, one who has no connection with granthā, nirgranthā. So there are two classes of men. One is foolish rascal, no education. He is called also nirgranthā, and another person who has no connection with this material world, he is also nirgranthā. So here the sign of Ṛṣabhadeva, He became just like a madman, a deaf and dumb, a rascal, a fool, a ghost. But He is not madman. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is... Apparently it may look like that, but He is Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has no connection, either you call Him deaf and dumb, fool, rascal, whatever you call. You can call. Tṛṇād api sunīcena. He has no connection with this body. This is avadhūta-veṣa. When one, no more he has got any connection with this material body, he is avadhūta-veṣa.
Thank you very much. (end)
So regular resultant action of sinful life, one has to. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "You go to Droṇācārya and tell him the lies." "What is that?" "Now, tell him that 'Your son Aśvatthāmā is dead.' " Because Droṇācārya had some benediction that unless he is shocked by the death of his son, he will never die. So Kṛṣṇa had to take this diplomatic, because it is politics. So Kṛṣṇa... Because Droṇācārya will not believe anyone. He knew that Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is a most pious man; he never tells lies. So if Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira goes and says that "Your son is dead," then he will believe. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa could have gone personally, but He knew that people do not believe Him. (laughter) He is very tricky. (laughter) So therefore no tricky man can excel Him. A man may be very tricky, very intelligent, but he will not be able to excel Kṛṣṇa. He is more tricky. Just like in His childhood, Kṛṣṇa was naughty, so mother wanted to bind Him. So Kṛṣṇa also became tricky. Mother first of all brought some rope and bound, and when it was to be knotted, it was short. And then again she joined another rope. In this way, whatever rope store she had, she brought one after another, and at last, when knotting, it is too... What is called?
We are prakṛti, nature, spiritual nature, parā prakṛti. The material nature is aparā prakṛti, and we living entities, we are trying to enjoy this prakṛti. Therefore sometimes the living entity, either man or woman, he is described as puruṣa. Puruṣa means the one who keeps the feeling of becoming enjoyer. That is puruṣa. So this material world is prakṛti and puruṣa. It is said in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat. The whole basic principle of materialistic civilization is the attachment between man and woman. Puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāva. Mithunī-bhāvam is sex. And tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. On account of this sex relationship, the man or woman is bound up. Hṛdaya-granthi. Granthi means knot, and hṛdaya means heart. So the man is thinking of the woman, and the woman is thinking of man. Hṛdaya granthim āhuḥ. Then we require material possession. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is our material, conditional life.
So those who do not observe these rules and regulations, they are called ajitātmanaḥ, uncontrolled victims of senses, victimized by the senses, ajitātmanaḥ. So their business is to sleep as much as possible. They are never practiced to get up early in the morning. Unless they are bound or knot(?), they cannot take to this practice. These are ajitātmanaḥ. So niṣphalaṁ. These ajitātmanaḥ means they are passing their days without any benefit, niṣphalaṁ, without any result. Human life is meant for good result. Arthadam adhruvam. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja's description. That is the fact. The human life is so valuable, and I shall waste it simply by sleeping? Therefore the Gosvāmīs, our predecessor gurus, they have shown. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. They conquered over these things, nidrā, sleeping... Nidrā is very dangerous according to Vedic civilization. It is simply waste of time. If one is not serious about the value of this human form of life he may waste his time by sleeping. But no. The... If we follow our predecessors, our Gosvāmīs, who were all ministers... But they came to Vṛndāvana to practice...
Actually, it so happened in Benares. There was a swami. His name was Trailuṅga Swami. Trailuṅga Swami, he was wandering in the street naked. Government... It is not very old story, say about 150 years ago this happened in Benares. So he was naked yogi, and government will not allow, police will not allow. So he was thrice arrested and put into the custody, and thrice he came out. Then he became very famous man, simply by exhibiting one perfection of yoga. That means a yogi can come out. Not only Trailuṅga Swami, but we have seen one Mr. Chakravarti in our childhood in a circus, he was playing this part. He was packed up. First of all, his hands and legs were tightly knotted with seal. Then he was put into a bag and the bag was also sealed. Then with this bag he was put in a box. The box was locked and sealed. And he came out from that box—in everyone's presence. We have seen it. And again, he was seen that he was packed up in that way.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So this is a fact. The family affection... Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat. There is a propensity of men, association with woman, mithunī-bhāvam etat. Everyone is trying to find out a man or woman. And when they unite, that attraction becomes tightly knot. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). Hṛdaya-granthim. And then the economic impetus starts. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ. Gṛha, home; kṣetra, land, or the office for earning money; gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children; friends, āpta; and vitta, money—in this way one becomes entangled in the so-called economic development. Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). People take to religion mostly for economic development. People go to temple, church, for economic development. "O God, give us our daily bread," in the church they pray. This is economic development. So materially they want... Anyway, they want to be happy materially. That is bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Materially means this body. This body is matter, and I, the person who is living within the body, I am spirit.
Pradyumna: "There is another evidence in the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twenty-second Chapter, 37th verse, wherein Sanat-kumāra says: 'My dear King, the false ego of a human being is so strong that it keeps him in material existence as if tied up by a strong rope. Only the devotees can cut off the knot of this strong rope very easily, by engaging themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others, who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness but are trying to become great mystics or great ritual performers, cannot advance like the devotees. Therefore it is the duty of everyone to engage himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to be freed from the tight knot of false ego and engagement in material activities.' "
Prabhupāda: Bhaja vāsudeva. There is a verse like that, that as by taking shelter at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can get released from all kinds of material tribulations, such kind of immunization is not possible by practicing yoga, tapasya, jñāna. This is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In all ways, it is recommended that we have to, we should take shelter...
- samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
- mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
- bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
- padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
- (SB 10.14.58)
If one takes shelter of mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ... Murāri is Kṛṣṇa's another name. So puṇya-yaśo, His name is famous as piety. Puṇya-yaśo murāri. If anyone takes shelter of His lotus feet, then the great ocean of nescience becomes a small pit, and one can jump over it very easily.
Pradyumna: "This tight knot of false ego is due to ignorance. As long as one is ignorant about his identification, he is sure to act wrongly and thereby become entangled in material contamination. This ignorance of factual knowledge can also be dissipated by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as it is confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa as follows: 'Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness...' "
Prabhupāda: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving evidences from different Vedic literatures to support his statement. Here is a statement from Padma Purāṇa. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his Tattva-sandarbha, has proved it, without any doubt, that the Purāṇas are supplementary to Vedas. They are... Just like Upaniṣads is part and parcel of the Vedas, similarly, Purāṇas are also part and parcel of the Vedic literature. There are philosophers, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept Purāṇas as Vedic literature, but Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has proved in his Tattva-sandarbha, in the beginning, that Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, itihāsa-purāṇa, they are part and parcel of the Vedic literature. Supplementary. Purāṇa means that which supplements. So evidences from Purāṇa is as good as the evidence from the Vedic quotation.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Then? What is next? Kṛṣṇa-bhakti pāya, tabe kṛṣṇa-nikaṭa yāya. Then his beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there. Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins from there. If by chance, in this way... Just like the football is being kicked. Some way or other, if he goes out of the line the kicking is stopped. Similarly, we also, if we get the shelter and association of a bona fide saintly person, then this business of being kicked by lust and anger is stopped by his instruction, by his advice. Santa chindanti asya mano-vyāsaṅgam ukti. The whole trouble is in the mind. Mind. Just like there is a knot. So knot is to be cut or it is to be opened. So this mental knot with this material attraction is cut by the instruction of saintly persons. The cutting weapon is instruction. Therefore one should take advantage of the instruction of saintly persons so that the knot of material attachment may be cut and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness may begin, so that his path of liberation is open.
Thank you very much. (end)
Initiation Lectures
Prabhupāda: There is a ring? All right. Give her this ring and now just cover the head. You cover. You cover the head. And somebody stuck up this, his cloth and his (her) cloth. Knot. Make a knot. You make. Yes. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Godbrothers and sister, give them good wishes.
Devotees: Haribol! Haribol! All glories to Satsvarūpa and Jadurāṇī! Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Prabhupāda: Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (chants) Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Boston center is in your charge, husband and wife. So you have to develop. You do it, and your children will do it. In this way just engage fully, heart and soul, in Kṛṣṇa's service. Oh, this is mixed?
Brahmānanda: No, it's not.
Prabhupāda: Bring that. Mix it. Mix it. Yes, mix it. (oṁ apavitraḥ recitation-fire sacrifice) Offer. Svāhā. Take. Everyone, you also take, little, little, some. Vande aham... (recites maṅgalācaraṇa and prayers again, with devotees repeating) Now take one banana. Give him one. Yes, you take one. He'll give. Hayagrīva. Give Hayagrīva one. Give me one. Yes. Now turn(?) down. Yes. (chants namo brahmaṇya-devāya prayer three times) Just put slowly. (chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra responsively with devotees two times) Now bow down.
So this is our life. Everyone should take sannyāsa. But because it is Kali-yuga, it is restricted because it is very difficult. But as far as possible, we have to preach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So although it is little difficult, so we should practice it, especially those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and for preaching work should take sannyāsa, particularly of our Guru dāsa. Now he is Guru dāsa Swami, his name is. So his particular life is: since the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is my faithful disciple, and from 1965 or '6, he is with me. And he is very innocent boy, and I got him married. His wife is also great devotee, you know, Yamunā. So now Yamunā has taken a very nice path. She has also become sannyāsīnī. Although there is no sannyāsīnī for women, but she has voluntarily taken. She is doing very nice; therefore I advised her husband that "You also take sannyāsa." Because wife's affection is very, very tight knot. It is stated, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etad tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). Naturally there is tendency—a man wants woman; a woman wants man. This is the material world, puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam, sex impetus. That is natural.
General Lectures
Everyone is trying to attract others. A girl is trying to attract another boy, the boy is trying to attract another girl. These attracting features is going on. And as soon as they are actually attracted and joined together, the illusion becomes doubly knotted. Tayor mitha hṛdaya-granthim āhur. Hṛdaya-granthim means everything is within the heart. If I study, "Oh, what is this attraction?" if I understand how it is simply combination of blood, stool and urine and intestine and muscle and skin and hair and nails, then if I study philosophically, so what is there? Have I got any attraction for all these things? No. So it is all false. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), that if we clarify our heart, then we become liberated. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting process is clarifying.
So tayor mitha hṛdaya-granthim āhur. As soon as a man and woman is combined together, that means the knot of material attraction becomes doubly tightened. Then they want apartment, gṛha. Ato gṛha-kṣetra. Kṣetra means... Of course, nowadays everyone is seeking after employment, but formerly nobody, there was no industry, no big business. Everyone has to produce something, foodstuff, out of the kṣetra, field. So if you become a family man you must have some source of income.
A man is hankering after another woman, and the woman is hankering after another man. This is the basic principle of material life. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. Mithunī-bhāvam means sex. Tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim. And when they actually come into sexual life, each one of them becomes too much attracted. Hṛdaya-granthim. Granthi means very hard knot: "I cannot leave you." He says, "I cannot leave you. You are my life and soul," and she says, "You are my life and soul." For a few days. (laughs) And then again divorce. You see? But the beginning is there. Basic principle of material attraction is this sex life. This is general. Those who have organized the sex life in social convention in so many ways... The marriage is also another convention to give a very finishing nice touch than the animal. That's all. Just like sometimes it is said marriage is legalized prostitution. So for social convention the marriage is a license, but it is also based on the sex life. But for keep up social life, one has to accept some regulative principle. Therefore sex life like animals and sex life in marriage, there is difference. It is better. That is accepted in civilized world.
If one man is with eyes, open eyes, he can lead hundreds and thousands of men behind him. But if the leader and the led, both of them are blind, then the result will be that all of them will fall into the ditch. So, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They're promising, "My dear citizens, my dear countrymen, if you give me vote, because the country needs me at the present moment, then I shall give you all comforts, all solutions." But he is īśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. By the laws of God, by the laws of nature, he is tightly packed up. You see? If your hands are tightly knotted, if your legs are tightly, then how you can work? So these leaders, they do not know that they are under the control of the stringent laws of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Suppose if there is a heavy earthquake. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean... And there is some suggestion like that, some years they will mix together, by the scientists. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean mix together. Then how you can check? Your hands and legs are tightly packed up. You cannot check the laws of nature. Therefore blind leaders who are so tightly packed up by the laws of nature, how they can lead? They cannot lead. They cannot lead to the goal of life. The goal of life is God or Kṛṣṇa, but they are enamored by the glimmering of, the glittering of this material nature.
That is materialistic way of life, indriyāṇi, senses. So the everyone... A boy is hankering after a girl, a girl in hankering after a boy, or a man is hankering after woman, woman is hankering... This is going on. This is not unnatural. This is the natural life. And tayor mitho, the hankering is there. But as soon as they meet or unite, it becomes a hard knot, tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8), a hard knot in the heart, that "I am matter. I am this matter. This world belongs to me. This country belongs to me. This body belongs to me." That means hard knot. Instead of transcending from the concept of body life, it becomes still more hard knot. It is very difficult. Therefore those who are practicing yoga, or trying to be on the transcendental platform, the restriction is that one must cease sex life, if you at all interested. But that is not possible. Therefore our, this method, we don't say "Stop sex life," but we say "Don't have illicit sex life." Illicit sex life, of course, even there is no question of transcendent life, that is a question of civilized life. Civilized life. In every civilized society—it may be Hindu society or Muslim society or Christian society—any civilized human society, there is the system of marriage. And beyond marriage, if there is sex life, that is called illicit sex life. That is never indulged in any society. So what to speak of transcendental life? Transcendental life must be purified from mental concoction or bodily concept of life. It is the transcendental platform. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: These things are going on. That means they are attracted. Attracted. Puṁsāṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etad. They'll dress. Woman will dress very nicely so that she can attract man, and man will also do something which will, he'll attract woman. Mithunī-bhāvam tayor mitha... In this way, when they are united-hṛdāya-granthim āhuḥ, a very strong knot: "Oh, you are mine. I am yours." (laughter) "You are mine. I am yours." In this way they pull on this material life. And then, gradually, "Now we must have good apartment to live and enjoy sex life." Puṁsāṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etad tayor mithaḥ hṛdāya-granthim āhuḥ, tathā gṛha. "Now have skyscraper building." Kṣetra: "Land. We must produce food grains." Tathā gṛha-kṣetra-suta: "We must have children."
Dr. Patel: No, but according to the Taittiriya Upaniṣad...
Prabhupāda: No, no, this is... This is the material life.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That's all. So what is the difference between man and dog? The dog is also seeing another she-dog—the most beautiful creation of God. The ass is also seeing the she-ass-most beautiful creation. So what is the difference between ass and dog and this? And a devotee says,
- yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
- nava-nava-(rasa-)dhaman(y udyataṁ) rantum āsīt
- tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame (smaryamāne)
- bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanam (ca)
So long I have become devotee, since then, as soon as I think of sex, I spite on it." This is devotee. (break) ...whole world is going on simply by this perverted vision: the woman is very beautiful for the man and the man is very beautiful to the woman. This is the knot, hṛdaya-granthi. Otherwise how they will work? Reciprocally, they are seeing beautiful. Sometimes the women like big, big beard. Yes, they like. And they keep. The Mohammedans, they say, "We keep beard. Women like it." They don't want this shaven headed. Huh? What is your experience? (laughter)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That you cannot, because you are not independent. Uru-damni baddhaḥ. If you are tied hands and legs with strong rope, how you can think of "I shall become free in this way. I shall become free...?" But your hands and legs are tied up, so why do you think foolishly that you shall become free in this way, you shall become free this way? First of all open this, the tightening knot; then you plan that "I shall become..." But there is no such chance. So what is the value of your thinking like that?
Harikeśa: Well, relatively speaking, it's better to do...
Prabhupāda: That is another foolishness. Because you are so rascal, you do not know that "I cannot move even an inch and I am making plan." That is the proof that you are a rascal.
Keśavalāl Trivedi: Tena vinā tṛṇam api na calati. That is the way.
Harikeśa: But why are people in the capital...
Prabhupāda: Therefore we call them all rascals. That is our confirmation of our statement. Mūḍhas, you all rascals, without any exception. Hm? The other day the high-court judge, he's supposed to be the most intelligent person within this state, high-court judge, and he was talking so many nonsense.
Prabhupāda: Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is in Sanskrit, or, you know, ahaṁ mameti. Aham means I, and mama means mine. This is the illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Gradually.... First of all, there is attraction, male and female, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. The whole material world existing on sex attachment. Puṁsaḥ means male, and striyā means female. Their attachment. Even before marriage or unity, the attachment is there. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mithaḥ. And when they actually unite, hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, the hard knot in the heart, hard knot. Then after unity.... If, suppose one is married or united, then they want apartment, gṛha, then field. Formerly they used to earn money by producing food from the field. There was no factory. So ato gṛha-kṣetra, then children, then friends, then accumulation of money, ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). With all these things, the conception of "I" and "mine" increases, and he becomes entangled.
Dr. Wolfe: Prabhupāda, is it not so that so-called marital love and parental love is possessive?
Prabhupāda: You call it any love, the real idea is how to unite man and woman, that's all. That is the idea. Real, basic principle is how to unite a man and woman. It goes on as friend or husband and wife or this or that. The real purpose is they want to unite. And that unity is for sex. And then both of them become entangled. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is moha, illusion.
Prabhupāda: Both are costumed sumptuously with elaborate care; both wear festoons of flowers. Visitors are cautioned, 'When you go in the temple room remember that these statues you see are not representations of the Deities, they are the Deities. Kṛṣṇa is in everything, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere.' Temple kīrtana." There's a picture. "Eleven-story New York sect's center is former Carmelite Baird home." Picture of the temple. "Services in the temple are attended by about five hundred every Sunday. Many of these are from New York's Hindu population. Frequently husbands bring their pregnant wives, dedicating their unborn child to Kṛṣṇa. The kīrtana begins with the chanting of the mahāmantra, slowly at first and melodiously. Later the chant will speed up as the spirit of the devotion spreads. Often the most rapid and intense chanting is done by a hard-core knot of dhoti-ed men before the curtains of the shrine." The devotees get in one group and start... (laughter) Hard-core devotees. "The rhythm approaches that of an express train, and the atmosphere is apt to remind a lay visitor of an old-fashioned football rally. Some of the onlookers try to keep up with the central group, clapping their hands, swaying their bodies, throwing arms upwards and, among the younger, adapting modern dance steps to the rhythm. When the shrine curtains are drawn back, devotees kneel and press their foreheads..."
Bhūgarbha: He's been every place. He went to, in Paris he got in the Sorbonne and also in Pondicherry they have one French Institute, and there he got his Ph.D. And also in Holland there is one very important... So by his letters we can, many people will take our books.
Prabhupāda: No, he's undoubtedly very great Sanskrit scholar. He had written some book how to make the sacred thread, like that. How many knots should be there, how many... (laughter) Smārta brāhmaṇa.
Bhūgarbha: Now he's written another book to show how his line is changing. His latest book was about the five chapters of the Dasama-skanda, which is the rasa-līlā. That is his book now.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Bhūgarbha: So he's changing smārta, now he's turned different.
Prabhupāda: No, he has no training in bhakti.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: He is very intelligent.
Dr. Sharma: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: He's organizing this, that Poland, communist country. He has accepted hard knot. And knocking. (Bengali)
Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to go up to the roof now?
Prabhupāda: I have no objection. (Bengali) You are all able.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: (aside:) Yeah, tomorrow I'll go and see everything.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) So? No, I shall go. Utsāhād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥ sādhu..., ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. (break)
Ādi-keśava: In your Bhagavad-gītā you explain that to the materialist... He is subject to fear, anger and attachment.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
I am especially enthusiastic for our Krishna Consciousness philosophy or the teachings of Lord Caitanya to be advanced for the benefit of the learned circle and in this connection your well received expose at the university is encouraging. Please continue your efforts to convince them of the great universal necessity of this scientific philosophy to solve all the knotty difficulties of life by practical application of the Vedic knowledge according to the Parampara prescription of the bona fide Acaryas.
1971 Correspondence
P.S. The enclosed beads may be re-strung with knots between the beads. They should also be soaked in oil, which will make them strong.
1972 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1972, and I can very much understand your concern. After all, she is your beloved daughter, and you have sacrificed everything just to bring her to the point of proper education, training, and so many things are there between you. But what can I say? In your country the girls are independent, and from very young age they are accustomed to mix with young boys, so naturally there will be attraction, sex desire and marriage. Actually this whole material world is running on this attraction between man and woman. It is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam that once the boy and girl unite intimately the hard knot is formed, and the girl is thinking Oh, without him I am lost, and the boy is thinking Oh, without her I am lost, that is Maya's arrangement for keeping us bound-up tightly in the material atmosphere. If wife is there, then some money must be coming, that means work, land or factory, children, home, friends, community, nation—like that there is increasing complication of illusion of thinking: This is mine, that is mine. But they do not know that one day death will kick them out, mercilessly, and neither home, nor wife, nor children, nothing can prevent that.
But this kind of householder life of "grihameda" consciousness does not apply to our marriages in Krishna Consciousness Movement. No. Because the sex-urge is so strong in young persons, and because they are used to mixing freely with one another, I encourage my students to get themselves married. But our point is not that hard knot as above described. It is simply a relationship of mutually helping each other, man and wife, to make advancement in spiritual life, nothing more. We are not after home, money, fame, like that. But that does not mean that he shall not support her nicely, no. It is the duty of husband to protect wife in every way from the onslaught of material nature, and he must act always as her spiritual guide by being perfect example of devotee. Women are not so quick to learn, and they are weak by nature, so they should be protected in this way. In our Vedic science of living, it is enjoined that the society should be organized in such a way to protect women, children, old people and cows, because factually all of them are innocent. So children have parents, elderly persons must have grown up children to protect them, and woman must have husband.
1973 Correspondence
We have settled up the Bombay affairs and purchased the whole land at a cost of 17-18 lakhs, bribing so many claimants. It was a very hard knot. Now by the grace of Krsna the land is in our possession. We are the proprietors. Arrangements are being made to construct a gorgeous temple with the help of local patrons. The estimate of the Bombay temple is not less than 50 lakhs over and above the 18 lakhs we have already spent on this project.
| Page Title: | Knot (Lectures, Conv. & Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur, Rishab |
| Created: | 11 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=7, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |