Out of millions of persons, one may try to make his life perfect. Everyone is working like animal. There's no question of perfection of life. The animal propensities: eating, sleeping, mating and defending . . . so everyone is engaged like animals. They have no other business, just like animal—hogs, dogs, whole day and night working, "Where is stool? Where is stool?"
And as soon as gets some stool, gets some fat, "Where is sex? Where is sex?" No consideration of mother or sister. This is hog's life. So human life is not meant for hog civilization. So modern civilization is hog civilization, although it is polished with shirt and coat.
So we shall try to understand. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for understanding Kṛṣṇa. For understanding Kṛṣṇa, it requires little labor, austerity, penance. Tapasā brahmacāryeṇa śamena damena ca. (SB 6.1.13) Tapasya. One has to undergo tapasya; brahmacārya, celibacy. Tapasya.
Brahmacārya means stopping sex life or controlling sex life. Brahmacārya. Therefore Vedic civilization is, from the very beginning, to train the boys to become brahmacārī, celibacy. Not that modern days, the schools, boys and girls, ten years, twelve years, they're enjoying. The brain is spoiled. They cannot understand higher things. The brain tissues are lost.
So without becoming brahmacārī, nobody can understand spiritual life. Tapasya brahmacāryeṇa śamena damena ca. Śama means controlling the senses, controlling the mind; damena, controlling the senses; tyāgena; śaucena, cleanliness; tyāga, tyāga means charity.
These are the processes for understanding oneself, self-realization. But in this age it is very difficult to undergo all these processes. Practically it is impossible. Therefore Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa Himself, has made Himself easily available by one process:
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
In this age, Kali-yuga . . . Kali-yuga is considered to be the most fallen age. We are thinking that we are making very much advance, but it is the most fallen age, because people are becoming like animals. As the animals have no other interest than four principles of bodily necessities—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—so in this age people are interested with four principles of bodily want. They have no information of the soul, neither they are prepared to realize what is soul. That is the defect of this age.