May 14, 1976, Honolulu

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Texts number thirteen and fourteen. [leads devotees in chanting] 

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]

[02:29] 

So, how to become advanced, these are the prescribed methods. Tapasā. Tapasā… Tapa means voluntarily taking some disadvantage. That is tapa. Tapa. Tapa means, just like if there is fire, so there is heat. But the method of tapasya is that during summer season they ignite some firewood all round and sit down. Already there is scorching heat, and still, all round fire, and one has to sit. These are the some of the examples of tapasya. Similarly, in the winter season it is very cold: one has to go down the water up to neck. This is the meaning of tapasya: voluntarily accepting some severe condition of life. So in this age it is very difficult, but this is the meaning of tapasya, voluntarily accepting inconveniences. When there is cold, one has to take the help of heater, fire. No. No heater, no fire, but go deep into the cold water. Of course, it is very difficult in your country, because the water is so cold, and if you go deep, immediately finish. [laughter] I have seen in New York. One dog, he jumped over—immediately finished. I have seen it. That is actual fact. 

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind and…, that these people in this age, they will not be able to undergo severe austerity. That is not possible. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. In this age every man is alpāyuṣaḥ. Alpāyuṣaḥ means very short-living. The limit is hundred years, but who is going to live hundred years? Nobody is. If one is eighty, seventy years, it is considered… Within sixty, seventy years everyone finished. But the age limit is hundred years. So what tapasya he’ll do? What meditation he will do? In the Satya-yuga, by meditation one could get perfection. Just like Vālmīki Muni. He meditated for sixty thousands of years. Because in those days a man used to live for 100,000’s of years. Gradually it is reducing. In the Satya-yuga man and woman used to live, human being, up to 100,000’s of years. Then, next yuga, it was ten thousands of years, reduced by ten times. And then, next yuga, next millennium, it is one thousands of years. And now, in the Kali-yuga, it is one hundred years. So it is very difficult to perform tapasya. But the recommendation is there, tapasā brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]

So brahmacarya. Tapasya begins—brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Meditation means tapasya. So tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena [SB 6.1.13]. Śama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy… That is natural. Yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnām yathā yuvaḥ [Vijñāpti-pañcaka]. Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that “I have taken vow, no illicit sex.” That is knowledge. “Why? Even if I am attracted, I shall not do this.” This is tapasya. And “Because I am now attracted, now we shall enjoy”—that is not tapasya. Tapasya means even one is attracted, he should not act. That is tapasya. There may be some difficulty to control, but that should be practiced. It can be practiced. It is not very difficult. But one has to practice the determination: “Now I have taken vow before Deity, because at the time of initiation it is promised before the Deity, before the fire and before the spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇava, that ‘I’ll not have illicit sex.’ That is promised. How can I break it?” This is tapasya. “I have taken vow before the Deity, before fire, before my spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇavas, ‘No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no drinking or intoxication, no gambling.’ I have promised it. If I am gentleman, how can I break my promise?” This is called jñāna. With knowledge one has to respect. That is called tapasya. With knowledge. Otherwise, to become attracted, that is not unnatural. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to say… He was sannyāsī. He said that “Even if I see a doll made of wood, a beautiful woman, My mind becomes agitated.” So what to speak of us? So this is the example, Caitanya Mahāprabhu giving Himself… To be agitated in the mind, that is not unnatural, but if you practice, then you’ll not be agitated anymore. If you practice by your knowledge, then you’ll not be agitated. That is called dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. You have to become dhīra. 

Dhīra and adhīra, there are two classes of men. One is sober, even there is cause of agitation, still he remains firm. He is called dhīra. And adhīra means as soon as there is cause of agitation, he became a victim. That is called adhīra. So we have to become dhīra. We have been adhīra in so many different forms of life, because I am coming to this human form of life after evolution of 8,000,000 forms of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa viṁśati [Padma Purāṇa]. That is evolution. So after… Bahu sambhavānte [SB 11.9.29]. After many, many years I have got this opportunity. In other, lower animal life, I have enjoyed the senses in so many ways. So sense enjoyment is not very difficult. Even there… Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt [SB 11.9.29]. The hogs and pigs, they have got facility for sense enjoyment. They do not care even who is who. Even she is mother or she is sister or she is daughter, they will enjoy sex. That is hog life. You have seen. There is no discrimination. And the monkeys, they are enjoying sex life. So everyone enjoys sense life. So “Why? I have got this valuable life, human form of life. Why I shall become a living entity like hogs and dogs?” This is called tapasya. “Why I shall become hogs and dogs and again I shall put myself in the cycle of birth and death? I have got this life after so many evolutionary process. Why not practice little tapasya in this life?” This is knowledge. “If by practicing little tapasya, restraint, I can get relief from this repetition of birth and death, why shall I not do it?” This is knowledge. And if I again become victimized… The laws of nature is there. If you want, you can enjoy. Nature will give you: “All right, you want so much sex. All right, come on, become a hog. Yes.” So nature is ready. It is not very difficult. Therefore the śāstra says, “No, no, no. This life is not for becoming a hog and dog.” Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1]

The whole world is working so hard. They are going to the office; they are going to the…, working hours to earn livelihood. But what is the pleasure? The pleasure is sex. That’s all. Their ultimate goal is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So one should consider, “The sex indulgence is given to the hogs and dogs, and for the same enjoyment I’ll have to work so hard?” This is knowledge. “For same enjoyment?” I have got this human form of life for understanding Kṛṣṇa, for understanding God, my position, what I am. I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I have been put into this body, and because I have been put into this body—the body is material—it must finished. It must be finished. Anything, it has got six changes. Anything material, it has got birth, it has got growth, it has got after-effect, then dwindles, and then finished—everything, anything you take, the material. This is called ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. So I am eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. I do not die after this body is finished, and again I will have to… Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. So this is knowledge. One has to always think of this. That is called tapasya. 

So a little… Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham [SB 7.9.45]. This is śāstra, that “What is this sex life?” It is said, kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means one who does not know what is the aim of life. Gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means although he is living with wife and children, but he knows what is the aim of life. That is the gṛhastha āśrama. As the sannyāsī knows what is the aim of life, similarly, a gṛhastha also may know. So such gṛhastha, sex life is allowed, who knows the aim of life. And one who does not know the aim of life, simply enjoys sex, he is called gṛhamedhi. These two words are there. In Sanskrit literature every word has got particular meaning, particular thought. Therefore it is called saṁskṛta, most performed and purified literature, saṁskṛta. Saṁskṛta means purified, saṁskāra, just like we offer saṁskāra at the time of initiation, purification. So our main problem is the sex life. That is… Because sex life is the basic principle of material life. Either you are human being or you are demigod or you are a bird, you are a beast, you are a fly, you are a fish, you are tree, plants—everything—the basic principle of material life is sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ [SB 5.5.8]. Everything is there. You have to… You have got books. You study and follow the practice. Be little sober. Then you will… It is not that you’ll not be able. You’ll be able. And Kṛṣṇa will help. As soon as you are very eager, then Kṛṣṇa will help: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg. 10.10]

So therefore the Deity worship is there. Along with Deity worship we should always pray, “Kṛṣṇa, kindly save me from the pitfalls of māyā.” He’ll do it. But if we want to cheat Kṛṣṇa and cheat guru, then you’ll be cheated. That’s all. The guru will not be cheated, neither Kṛṣṇa will be cheated. You’ll be cheated. That’s all. If you want to be cheated, then do whatever you like and prolong your this term of repetition of birth and death. And if you want to stop it, then here, the tapasā brahmacaryeṇa ṣamena ca damena ca tyāgena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyāgena. This is also one of the tapasya. Don’t keep with you anything, even… Then you will make plan: “Let me have illicit sex. Let me have intoxication,” as soon as you have got money. Best thing is, as soon as you get money, immediately you spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Tyāgena, charity. Charity. Tyāgena means charity. Not that you starve. No. That kind of starvation… You keep yourself fit to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but don’t keep much money. Immediately give in charity to Kṛṣṇa. 

Kṛṣṇa can take your charity as much as you can give. Just like Bali, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he secured the whole three worlds. He became the master of the three worlds, means the upper planetary system, down planetary system, middle planet. So, but he was a devotee also. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came to him as Vāmana. 

chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta vāmana
pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana
keśava dhṛta vāmana śarīra
jaya jagadīśa…
[Daśāvatāra Stotra 5]

So because he was very proud of his possession, so Vāmanadeva came to Bali Mahārāja: “Mahārāja, you are kṣatriya. You are very charitable, I have heard. If you can give me little land?” So Bali Mahārāja was very much pleased: “Yes, I will give You. How much land You want?” “Now, three feet.” “Three feet? For this You have come to me?” “Yes, that much, yes.” So, “All right, I will give You three feet.” So by one feet He covered the whole sky, and the other feet, He covered the whole down planetary system. So Bali Mahārāja understood that what kind of beggar is He. [laughter] Yes. So Vāmanadeva said, “My dear Bali Mahārāja, you promised three feet, but by two feet you have finished all your possession. So what about the other feet?” So Bali Mahārāja, he was a devotee. He said, “My Lord, don’t be worried. Still there is. It is my head. Place Your other feet on my head.” So Vāmanadeva said, “Now you have purchased Me by your charity. I shall remain your doorkeeper.” So if you make charity to Kṛṣṇa you can purchase Kṛṣṇa. Yes. Although Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful proprietor, you can purchase Kṛṣṇa. So do that. If you have got any money, spend for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 

Thank you very much. 

Devotees: Jaya! [end] 

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