Pradyumna: (reading:) "By performing Vedic ritualistic activities, by giving money in charity and by undergoing austerity, one can temporarily become free from the reactions of sinful activities, but at the next moment he must again become engaged in sinful activities. For example, a person suffering from venereal disease on account of excessive indulgence of sex life has to undergo some severe pain in medical treatment, and he is then cured for the time being. But because he has not been able to remove the sex desire from his heart, he must again indulge in the same thing and become a victim of the same disease. So medical treatment may give temporary relief from the distress of such venereal disease, but unless one is trained to understand that sex life is abominable, it is impossible to be saved from such repeated distress. Similarly, the ritualistic performances, charity, and austerity which are recommended in the Vedas may temporarily stop one from acting in sinful ways, but as long as the heart is not clear, one will have to repeat sinful activities again and again."
Prabhupada: So, according to Vedic ritualistic ceremony, there is recommendation of prayascitta, condon... What is called?
Pradyumna: Atonement?
Prabhupada: Atonement. Yes. Atonement. So the example is given, just like a thief, he knows that stealing is not good. He has got experience that in the past he committed stealing, committed criminal offense by stealing, and he was arrested. Then he was punished. Still, he's stealing again. A man knows that stealing is not good. By ordinary law, stealing is punished, and in the scriptures also, stealing is prohibited because it is sinful. And one has seen that a person who is a thief was arrested and was punished. Everything he knows, but still, he commits stealing. Why? Therefore Bhagavata says through Sukadeva Gosvami that prayascittam vimarsanam. Simply official prayascitta will not help a man ceasing from sinful activities. Official. In Christian religion also, they accept, confess their sinful activities, and again they commit the same sinful activities. So Sukadeva Gosvami recommends that prayascittam vimarsanam. Unless one understands his constitutional position, unless he's convinced that why should he commit sinful activities simply for this body, which does not belong to him... It is a foreign. Actually, he has no connection with the body. Vimarsanam means cultivation of knowledge. So one has to cultivate knowledge. Then he can be stopped from sinful activities.
People, generally, they identify this body as self, and for bodily interest, he commits so many sinful activities, simply for satisfaction of the senses. But if he's cultured, if he's given proper knowledge that "Bodily concept of life is not your interest. You are spirit soul," aham brahmasmi, in this way, if he cultivates knowledge... That is very easily possible simply by engaging oneself in the service of the Lord. Kevalaya bhaktya. Simply by devotional service, one can raise himself to the position of perfect knowledge, and thus he can renounce all sinful activities.
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]
In ignorance -- means in bodily concept of life -- we commit sinful activities, but if we actually come to the platform of knowledge, jnana, then naturally there is vairagya, renunciation. Renunciation means renunciation of sinful activities. Renunciation does not mean renunciation of devotional service. Renunciation means that unwanted things, anartha-nivrttih. That is renunciation. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sanga atho bhajana-kriya, tato anartha-nivrttih syat [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. If one is actually advanced in spiritual life, execution of regular spiritual life, then automatically anartha-nivrttih, things which are not required, that becomes automatically stopped. Anartha-nivrttih syat. So that anartha-nivrttih is possible by sraddha, sadhu-sangah, bhajana-kriya, then anartha-nivrttih, then nistha, ruci, asakti, bhava. In this way, we develop our Krsna consciousness, love of Godhead. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Another example is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam of the elephant who enters into a lake and takes a bath very seriously, cleansing his body thoroughly. Then, as soon as he comes out onto shore, he again takes some dust from the earth and throws it over his body. Similarly, a person who is not trained in Krsna consciousness cannot become completely free from the desire for sinful activities. Neither the yoga process, nor philosophical speculations, nor fruitive activities can save one from the seeds of sinful desires. Only by being engaged in devotional service can this be done."
Prabhupada: The elephant... Hasti-snana, hasti-snana. This is very practical example. The elephant takes bath in the lake, very profusely throws water on his body, and becomes cleansed, and as soon as he comes on the shore, he takes again dust and spreads over his body. So these are natural examples. Similarly, there are different processes for getting out of the reaction of sinful activities, but you..., we take it. But if we again commit those sinful activities, then what is the use of such penance or prayascitta?
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972
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