Hare Krishna to all,
Being a neophyte and out of getting proper knowledge, i want to know in general, that's what's our scriptures say about sex?
I know that sex done outside the marriage is considered a very big sin? And done within marriage in proper accordance with rules and regulations is still fair.
But my question is that if sex done within marriage is fair, then why scriptures still consider it to be a cheap activity and sinful? Just bcoz dual partnes do it out of pleasure. Is that the reason.
I am looking for proper guidance on it and please do forgive me if any senior devotee thinks this subject to be vulgur? But this forum is filled with great senior devotees who are really mature to understand such things..
Replies
Thanks everyone for your guidance
Hare Krishna!
In Vedic scriptures, sex is considered a sacred activity when performed within the boundaries of marriage and according to prescribed rules and regulations. However, it is also emphasized that the ultimate goal of spiritual life is to transcend material desires, including the desire for sex.
While sex within marriage is accepted, it is also seen as a potential distraction from spiritual progress. The scriptures caution against excessive attachment to sensual pleasure, as it can hinder one's spiritual advancement. This is because sex primarily focuses on bodily pleasure and reinforces the identification with the temporary material body, which is different from the eternal spiritual nature of the soul.
To help practitioners gradually reduce their attachment to sex and cultivate higher spiritual consciousness, the scriptures recommend practicing celibacy, especially for those aspiring for spiritual perfection. By practicing self-control and channeling their energy towards devotional service, individuals can gradually overcome the influence of material desires and experience higher levels of spiritual realization.
For example, just as a person engaged in deep sleep is unaware of their surroundings, a spiritually advanced person experiences a higher taste and fulfillment that surpasses the temporary pleasure derived from sex. Similarly, just as a thirsty person finds temporary relief by drinking saltwater, but it only increases their thirst, material desires, including the desire for sex, can never fully satisfy the soul.
It is important to approach this topic with sensitivity and respect for individual circumstances. Seek guidance from experienced devotees, spiritual teachers, and scriptures to understand the deeper spiritual aspects of sex and how it relates to your personal journey towards Krishna consciousness.
References:
Bhagavad-gita 2.59: "The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness."
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.20: "Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Grhamedhis, so-called grhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress."
Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.45: "Materialistic life is based on sex life. The existence of all materialistic life is due to the desire of the living entity to lord it over the material world and to become Krishna, the supreme enjoyer. Therefore, Krishna comes to teach us that sex is not enjoyable."
Hare KRsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
To answer your question - our philosophy says all living entities have 4 activities - eating, sleeping, mating and defending. If the other 3 are not considered low or bad, how mating alone can be considered bad or low?
Mating outside of marraige is considered very bad and prohibited. Within marraige, with teh principles of religion, Krsna says - I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles.
then why scriptures still consider it to be a cheap activity and sinful? - where did you get this idea from? It is neither cheap nor sinful, if it is within the confines of marraige.
Haribol,
YOur servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Well there is no sex in the spiritual world... you can probably guess why? If not its because all have spiritual bodies- they dont need sex (material pleasure)
Hare Krishna,
PAMHO
Srimad Bhagavatam mentions little about spiritual sex in Canto 1, not much. I can only assume that its not as gross as material sex, maybe via some mantras. I didn't find enough info about it.
Warm Regards
Hare Krsna
Just bcoz dual partnes do it out of pleasure. Is that the reason ?
No. Lord Sri Krishna or vedic scriptures are not against pleasure experienced by the living entity. The scriptures are against attempt of living entity to gain pleasure by exploitation of material nature.
The scriptures are against pleausre hunt by living entity that is separate or independent or against Sri Krsna. Why ? Because it is impossible for the living entity to enjoy separate or independent or against Krishna.
The whole material creation is manifested to make us realize this one point. We cannot be happy by being independent of Sri Krishna. We are not the enjoyers, we are meant to serve Krsna . Enjoyment is automatically granted to living entity when we serve and give pleasure to Krsna. That is the highest way to exist.
But my question is that if sex done within marriage is fair, then why scriptures still consider it to be a cheap activity and sinful ?
It is not about the institution of marriage. It is about the purpose. What is the purpose of sex ?
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu
kāmo ’smi bharatarṣabha
Translation : I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bhāratas (Lord Sri Krsna says this)
Purport : Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Kṛṣṇa conscious.( BG 7.11)
If the purpose of sex is what has been stated above, then there is nothing wrong with it. It is as good as preaching Krsna consciousness, because it will result in Krsna conscious devotees being born and they will spread Krsna consciousness. In fact Lord Sri Krishna calls it as yajna.
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye
saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīn viṣayān anya
indriyāgniṣu juhvati
Some [the unadulterated brahmacārīs] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses. ( BG 4.26)
Purport : the householders, who have some license for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint. Sex life, intoxication and meat-eating are general tendencies of human society, but a regulated householder does not indulge in unrestricted sex life and other sense gratification. Marriage on the principles of religious life is therefore current in all civilized human society because that is the way for restricted sex life. This restricted, unattached sex life is also a kind of yajña because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency toward sense gratification for higher, transcendental life.
When one performs sex for the purpose of begetting Krsna consious children, Krsna is pleased. The performers do get sex enjoyment during the act. But most importantly when children are born out of such sacrifice, those children will provide so much more enjoyment for their parents and Sri Krsna. You have see some of the devotee children who are born of Krsna conscious conception to fully understand and appreciate this.
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur is a perfect example. When the rath of Lord Jagannatha was passing in front house of Srila Bhakti Vinod thakur, the rath stopped for very long time. Despite all efforts the rath of Lord Jagannatha would not move at all. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur at that time arranged for his unnamed newly born son to be brought in front of the Jagannath deity on the rath. One garlad fell from Lord Jagannatha fell on the baby. Immediatelly after this incident, Lord Jagannatha's rath moved on easily. That baby was named Vimala Prasad, because the first maha prasad of Lord Jagannatha traditionally first goes to Vimala devi (form of Lakshmi devi). This was the beginning of life of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur.
When is sex cheap activity and sinful ?
When it is centered on giving pleasure to oneself. Such sex is pure exploitation. It is worse than animalistic. It is bondage. It continues the cycle of birth and death.
āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca
Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire. ( BG 3.39)
t is said in the Manu-smṛti that lust cannot be satisfied by any amount of sense enjoyment, just as fire is never extinguished by a constant supply of fuel. In the material world, the center of all activities is sex, and thus this material world is called maithunya-āgāra, or the shackles of sex life. In the ordinary prison house, criminals are kept within bars; similarly, the criminals who are disobedient to the laws of the Lord are shackled by sex life. Advancement of material civilization on the basis of sense gratification means increasing the duration of the material existence of a living entity. Therefore, this lust is the symbol of ignorance by which the living entity is kept within the material world. While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.
Hare Krsna