The Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they were ideal saintly persons. About them it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. They conquered over the necessities of this body, which is called viṣaya. Conquering over sleeping, conquering over sex life and conquering over eating, these things are required. Pious life means gradually decreasing the unnecessarily bodily demands. That is pious life. That is the sum and substance. Because Kṛṣṇa says here that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ: "Those who are living pious life." And those who are not living pious lives, they are called duṣkṛtina, sinful life.
So by indulging in sex . . . sinful life it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa also says in various places in the Bhagavad-gītā. I have repeatedly informed you, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is completely freed from all sinful life . . . janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. This is puṇya-karma, not to indulge in sex . . . illicit sex life, not to indulge in nonvegetarian diet, not to indulge in gambling and not to indulge in intoxicants.
So catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of men who are actually leading pious life, such persons . . . (applause) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Such persons, when they are distressed . . . ārta means distressed. We have got so many distresses in this material life—tri-tāpa—three kinds of distresses—pertaining to the body, pertaining to the mind, distresses offered by other living entities. Adhibhautika, adhyātmika, adhidaivika. We are always in distress; that is a fact. But there is a covering influence of māyā that even in distressed condition, we think that we are happy. That is covering influence of māyā.
So ārto arthārthī. Arthārthī. Ārta and arthārthī, these two qualities are alleged to belong to the gṛhasthas. And jñānī or jijñāsuḥ, the . . . these qualities are supposed to be belonging to the tyāgīs. The bhogīs . . . the gṛhasthas are called bhogīs, and the tyāgīs are brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs.
So jñānī, when he makes searching after God, there is no question of being put into distressed condition or in need of money. They are searching after God for God's sake, what is the nature of God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are inquiring, inquisitive about Brahman, what is the nature of Brahman. They are called jñānī. And jijñāsuḥ, they are also within the category of the jñānīs.
So the jñānīs and the jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, they are better than the ārta and the arthārthī. Ārta means distress, and arthārthī means those who are in need of money. So even being ārta or even being distressed and in need of money, we approach Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa says mām. Not any other demigods. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Mām means, Kṛṣṇa says, mām means Kṛṣṇa.
So four kinds of men, those who are leading pious life, sukṛtino 'rjuna . . . because they have no other alternative than to approach God for mitigating their distress. Actually, our inventions for so many distressed mitigating instruments . . . just like medicine, take for example. When a man is diseased, generally the counterpart is physician and good medicine. But śāstra says that actually they are not counteracting agents, because it is found that a man suffering from certain type of disease, although attended by the first-class physician and although offered first-class medicine, he dies. Why? Because there is no sanction of the Supreme Lord.
So our counteracting method, even though they are very efficient, still, unless it is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa and God, they will not be effective. There are many such examples. Some years ago, perhaps you know, they . . . in America, they started one very strong and stout ship. It is known . . . I think it was named Titanic. So it was guaranteed that it will never be drowned; it is so well-looking. And all the important men of America started in that ship for the first time, and after few miles immediately it was drowned. So in spite of all scientific protection, in spite of all good brains behind the manufacture of this Titanic ship, it was drowned.
So in this way we have to study that this ārta and arthārthī, because they are . . . their background is sukṛtina, pious activities, they know that without God's help we cannot mitigate any of our distressed condition or needy condition. Therefore the ārta and arthārthī whose background is pious life, they approach God: "Kṛṣṇa, please help me," although it is not pure devotion.