Prohibited activities

Expressions researched:
"activities which are prohibited" |"prohibited activities" |"prohibition of four sinful activities" |"prohibitive sinful activities"

SB Canto 3

For the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, there are three sinful activities which are prohibited—namely illicit sex, intoxication, and eating food other than the prasāda offered to Kṛṣṇa.

SB 3.16.22, Purport:

The four Kumāras were cognizant of their situation in the modes of passion and ignorance because, although in Vaikuṇṭha, they wanted to curse devotees of the Lord. Since they were conscious of their own weakness, they prayed to the Lord to remove their still-existing passion and ignorance. The three transcendental qualifications—cleanliness, austerity and mercy—are the qualifications of the twice-born and the demigods. Those who are not situated in the quality of goodness cannot accept these three principles of spiritual culture. For the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, there are three sinful activities which are prohibited—namely illicit sex, intoxication, and eating food other than the prasāda offered to Kṛṣṇa. These three prohibitions are based on the principles of austerity, cleanliness and mercy. Devotees are merciful because they spare the poor animals, and they are clean because they are free of contamination from unwanted foodstuff and unwanted habits. Austerity is represented by restricted sex life. These principles, indicated by the prayers of the four Kumāras, should be followed by the devotees who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB Canto 4

Those who are so-called religious and indulge in these four principles of prohibited activities are pseudoreligionists.

SB 4.26.10, Purport:

The King became tired after killing so many animals. When a man comes in contact with a saintly person, he becomes aware of the stringent laws of nature and thus becomes a religious person. Irreligious persons are like animals, but in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement such persons can come to a sense of understanding things as they are and abandon the four principles of prohibited activities—namely illicit sex life, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. This is the beginning of religious life. Those who are so-called religious and indulge in these four principles of prohibited activities are pseudoreligionists. Religious life and sinful activity cannot parallel one another. If one is serious in accepting a religious life, or the path of salvation, he must adhere to the four basic rules and regulations. However sinful a man may be, if he receives knowledge from the proper spiritual master and repents his past activities in his sinful life and stops them, he immediately becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is made possible just by following the rules and regulations given by the śāstra and following the bona fide spiritual master.

One who comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be very cautious and refrain from prohibited activities, as defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Upadeśāmṛta.

SB 4.26.13, Purport:

This indicates that although a neophyte devotee may fall down from the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness due to his immaturity, his service to Kṛṣṇa never goes in vain. However, a person who remains steadfast in his family duty or so-called social or family obligation but does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness receives no profit. One who comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be very cautious and refrain from prohibited activities, as defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Upadeśāmṛta:

atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca

prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ

jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca

ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati

(NOI 2)

A neophyte devotee should neither eat too much nor collect more money than necessary. Eating too much or collecting too much is called atyāhāra. For such atyāhāra one must endeavor very much. This is called prayāsa. Superficially one may show himself to be very much faithful to the rules and regulations, but at the same time not be fixed in the regulative principles. This is called niyamāgraha. By mixing with undesirable persons, or jana-saṅga, one becomes tainted with lust and greed and falls down from the path of devotional service.

SB Canto 6

In the Western countries especially, these four prohibited activities practically constitute the life and soul of the modern population.

SB 6.5.36, Purport:

If a young man immediately adopts the path of the renounced order in accordance with the instructions of Nārada or a member of his disciplic succession, his parents become very angry. This same phenomenon is occurring in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because we are instructing all the young boys in the Western countries to follow the path of renunciation. We allow gṛhastha life, but a gṛhastha also follows the path of renunciation. Even a gṛhastha has to give up so many bad habits that his parents think his life has been practically destroyed. We allow no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication, and consequently the parents wonder how, if there are so many no's, one's life can be positive. In the Western countries especially, these four prohibited activities practically constitute the life and soul of the modern population. Therefore parents sometimes dislike our movement, just as Prajāpati Dakṣa disliked the activities of Nārada and accused Nārada of dishonesty. Nevertheless, although parents may be angry at us, we must perform our duty without hesitation because we are in the disciplic succession from Nārada Muni.

CC Adi-lila

In the beginning the students of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities—illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication—they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life.

CC Adi 17.265, Purport:

The sannyāsīs of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are bona fide. All the students of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have undergone the regular process of initiation. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa by Sanātana Gosvāmī, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām: by the regular process of initiation, any man can become a brāhmaṇa. Thus in the beginning the students of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities—illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication—they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life. When one is found to be regularly following these principles, he is given the first initiation (hari-nāma), and he regularly chants at least sixteen rounds a day. Then, after six months or a year, he is initiated for the second time and given the sacred thread with the regular sacrifice and rituals. After some time, when he advances still further and is willing to give up this material world, he is given the sannyāsa order. At that time he receives the title svāmī or gosvāmī, both of which mean "master of the senses." Unfortunately, debauched so-called brāhmaṇas in India neither offer them respect nor accept them as bona fide sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expected the so-called brāhmaṇas to offer respect to such Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. Nevertheless, it does not matter whether they offer respect, nor whether they accept these sannyāsīs as bona fide, for the śāstra describes punishment for such disobedient so-called brāhmaṇas.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

The conclusion is that when all the rules, regulations, recommended and prohibited activities revealed in scriptures are taken together, the remembrance of the Supreme Lord is invariably the essence of everything.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 12:

"O best of the Bhāratas, it is the prime duty of persons who want to become fearless to hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and to chant about Him and always remember Him. Lord Viṣṇu is always to be remembered; indeed, He is not to be forgotten for even a moment. He is the sum and substance of all regulative principles." The conclusion is that when all the rules, regulations, recommended and prohibited activities revealed in scriptures are taken together, the remembrance of the Supreme Lord is invariably the essence of everything. Remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within one's heart is the goal of devotional service. When devotional service is performed purely and affectionately, there is no question of regulative principles. There are no do's and don't's.

However, one should generally accept the following principles to properly execute devotional service: (1) take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, (2) receive initiation from the spiritual master, (3) serve the spiritual master, (4) inquire and learn love from the spiritual master, (5) follow in the footsteps of holy persons devoted to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, (6) prepare to give up all kinds of enjoyment and miseries for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, (7) live in a place where Kṛṣṇa had His pastimes, (8) be satisfied by whatever is sent by Kṛṣṇa for the maintenance of the body and hanker for no more, (9) observe fasting on Ekādaśī day (this occurs on the eleventh day after the full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon.

Nectar of Devotion

If someone sees the face of the Lord while ārati is going on, he can be relieved of all sinful reactions coming from many, many thousands and millions of years past. He is even excused from the killing of a brāhmaṇa or similar prohibited activities.

Nectar of Devotion 9:

In the Skanda Purāṇa there is the following description of the result of seeing ārati (worship) of the Deity: "If someone sees the face of the Lord while ārati is going on, he can be relieved of all sinful reactions coming from many, many thousands and millions of years past. He is even excused from the killing of a brāhmaṇa or similar prohibited activities.

As we have already explained, there are different ceremonies to be observed, such as the birthday of Kṛṣṇa, the birthday of Lord Rāmacandra, the birthday of some prominent Vaiṣṇavas, the ceremony of Jhulana-yātrā with the Lord sitting on a swing, and Dola-yātrā (the Lord's activities in the month of March). In all festivals the Lord is seated on a car, and the car moves through different streets of the city so that people may take advantage of visiting the Lord. In the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa it is said, "In such a ceremony, if even a caṇḍāla (dog-eater), simply out of curiosity, sees the Lord on the cart, he becomes counted as one of the associates of Viṣṇu."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Vikarma means activities which are prohibited. We see, for these three things, āmiṣa-mada-sevayā, for sex life, for meat-eating, for drinking, people are working.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

Tapasya means I have got naturally some propensity, but that is not good. Not good in this sense, if we continue that propensity, then we have to accept this material body. This is the law of nature. There is a verse, pramattaḥ. What is called, that...? Now I'm forgetting that. That everyone is mad, mad after sense gratification. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ. So long we'll continue this propensity of sense enjoyment, you'll have to accept body. That is birth and death. So long. Therefore, the process should be how to make zero all these propensities. That is perfection. Not to enhance it. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). Nūnam, alas, indeed, pramattaḥ, these madmen. They are mad, those who are after these propensities, vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā, sex, intoxication and meat-eating. They're all madmen. Pramattaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma means activities which are prohibited. We see, for these three things, āmiṣa-mada-sevayā, for sex life, for meat-eating, for drinking, people are working. Not only working, dishonestly working. How to get money, how to get money, the black market, white market, this, that, only for these three things: āmiṣa-mada-sevā. Meat-eating, intoxication. (break) Why? Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. Simply for this sex, meat-eating and drinking. Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. In the Vedic literature, they have studied analytically, not now, since very, very long time. You see? This is natural inclination. The creation is not new. There were many, many creations.

1974 Correspondence

Along with the chanting of Hare Krsna we have to rigidly observe the prohibition of four sinful activities. If only these things we can do our lives can become perfect.

Letter to Bhumata -- Los Angeles 2 January, 1974:

I can understand that you are sometimes experiencing difficulties but that you are very sincerely trying to become Krsna Conscious and that you have a number of persons there who are interested in your presentation of Krsna Consciousness. Actually this material world is full of suffering conditions and the only way to become free from these sufferings which are due to past sinful activities is to chant Hare Krsna. In this age no other method of rectification is possible. Along with the chanting of Hare Krsna we have to rigidly observe the prohibition of four sinful activities. If only these things we can do our lives can become perfect. I think you have my books so please study them carefully. There is no other scripture which can compare to the Vedic scriptures so we should study these scriptures exclusively. When one becomes an initiated disciple although he has respect for the Christian Bible, nevertheless he must understand the Bhagavad-gita and must apply all study there and not spend time unnecessarily with other literatures. Therefore if you can chant and follow the four regulative principles and read our books only I am sure you will find a relief from all difficulties. Regarding marriage matters and second initiations, these things should be taken up with GBC representative for that zone.

Even though you are mixing with all kinds of the student class at the university, you must strictly refrain from the four prohibitive sinful activities, and as an initiated student you must not let a day pass when you do not chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra.

Letter to Niranjana -- Hyderabad 23 April, 1974:

You are asking what should your preaching work be now that you are attending the university. So the first preaching work is that yourself should become an ideal devotee. Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others. There is no point in telling another man to stop smoking if you yourself are smoking cigarettes. Even though you are mixing with all kinds of the student class at the university, you must strictly refrain from the four prohibitive sinful activities, and as an initiated student you must not let a day pass when you do not chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra. If you can follow just these things nicely that in itself will be strong preaching by behavior. You should also always wear Kunti beads around the neck and wear the marking of tilak. People will inquire from you and you can tell them about Krsna Consciousness and sell them books also.

You should also try to associate with the devotees in England and Scotland. If possible, visit the temple on Sundays and whenever you can, and always read my books. I will be coming to London in the first week of Maya and if you can come and see me at Bhaktivedanta Manor that will be very nice.