Sometimes we go to hear or see rāsa-līlā. But unless we are advanced in spiritual consciousness, this hearing of or seeing some rāsa-līlā, sometimes it brings us down. If one is actually seeing rāsa-līlā, the result will be hṛd-roga-kāmam apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ. This is the injunction in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If one has actually heard from a realized person about vikrīḍitam idam vraja-vadhūbhir viṣṇoḥ (SB 10.33.39), Viṣṇu and vraja-vadhū, the gopīs, vikṛtam, their līlā, their pastime . . . śraddhānvita anuśṛṇūyād atha varṇayed yaḥ. One who is actually advanced in spiritual consciousness, śraddhānvita, anuśṛṇuyāt, and hears from the realized person—anu; anu means paramparā, not from ordinary person, professional reciter, but from a realized person—the result will be hṛd-roga-kāmam apahinoti. Then the . . . our natural lusty desires will disappear. That is the result. But in spite of disappearing our this lusty desire, if we increase our lusty desire, that means we are spoiling our life. Therefore it is forbidden that neophyte students, they should not indulge in these affairs of rāsa-līlā. You should be very careful. People are very much accustomed to see rāsa-līlā in Vṛndāvana. Maybe they are advanced, but the test is whether he has given up his lusty desire. That is the test. If he has given up, then, after seeing rāsa-līlā, he should not have returned to home. My Guru Mahārāja used to say: "Do not go to Vṛndāvana with return ticket."
So therefore it is very confidential. There are ten cantos in Bhāgavatam. Nine cantos are devoted to understand Kṛṣṇa, nine cantos. Then Tenth Canto begins. Then Kṛṣṇa's birth and pastimes are mentioned there. So we should not jump over the Tenth Canto all of a sudden. People are very much anxious to jump over the Tenth Canto. No. Tenth Canto is the mukhāravinda. It is the face of Kṛṣṇa, smiling. But Kṛṣṇa worship begins from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody offers flowers and tulasī on the face of Kṛṣṇa. They offer on the feet. That is the beginning, the first and second canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, two lotus feet. So we have to go by and by. And when you are actually experienced devotional servant, then you try to understand the Tenth Canto. This is the way. Otherwise there may be falldown, as this Ajāmila fell down. He was neophyte, and as soon as he saw the śūdra and śūdrāṇī embracing, he became victimized.
So we should be very . . . brahmacārī, there are so many restrictions. Even to see woman—"A beautiful woman is going, let me see"—that is also forbidden. That is also subtle sex enjoyment. Gross and subtle. There are so many subtle sex enjoyments—to think of woman, to see a beautiful woman going on the street, or to talk about woman, to read about woman. There are eight kinds of subtle sexual intercourse. So it is restricted. But in the Kali-yuga it is very difficult to follow all the rules and regulation. One is not trained up. Even up to ripe old age, one becomes attracted by beautiful woman, especially in the Western countries. I have seen in Paris, old man, seventy-five years old, eighty years old, they are going to the brothel, they are going to the night club. They are purchasing ticket to enter into the club—fifty dollars. Then they have to pay for the woman and wine and everything. In this way . . .
So hṛd-roga-kāma, this hṛd-roga, hṛc-chaya, is a heart disease. It is very, very difficult to avoid unless one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is stated by Yamunācārya:
- yadavadhi mama cettaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde
- nava-nava-dhāmany rantum āsīt
- tadavadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne
- bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca
This is the test. Yadavadhi kṛṣṇa-padāravinde: "Since I have learned how to take transcendental bliss from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa . . ." He is explaining. He was an emperor. He had ample opportunity of enjoyment, material enjoyment. He was enjoying it. But he said: "Since I have become Kṛṣṇa conscious and I am taking pleasure in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, from that time," bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne, "whenever I think of enjoying with woman, I spit on it." This is the test. This is the test how I am becoming advanced. You do not require any certificate from any others. You can learn yourself. Just like when you are eating, you do not require any certificate from others, "Whether I am feeling all right?" Eating means you are hungry, so if you eat, you will feel satisfied. Your hunger will be satisfied. You will be getting strength. These are the symptoms that you have eaten. Similarly, when you'll no longer be attracted by this sex desire, then you should understand that, "I am now making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This is the test.