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Overcoming Material Desires

Statement of the problem. What are we here for?

Madhya‑lila: Chapter Twelve, Text 135

ei‑mata puradvara‑age patha yata sakala sodhila taha ke varnibe kata

TRANSLATION

Outside the gateway of the temple, aIl the roads were also.cleansed, and no one could tell exactly how this was done.

In commenting on the cleansing of the Gundica temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was personally giving instructions on how one should receive Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within one’s cleansed and pacified heart. If one wants to see Krsna seated in his heart, he must first cleanse the heart, as prescribed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Siksastaka (ceto‑darpana‑marjanam). In this age, everyone’s heart is unclean, as confirmed in Srimad‑Bhagavatam (hrdy antah‑stho hy abhadrani).To wash all dirty things accumulated within the heart, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised everyone to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. The first result will be that the heart is cleansed (ceto‑darpana‑marjanam). Similarly, Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.17) also confirms this statement:
srnvatam sva‑kathah krsnah punya‑sravana‑kirtanah
hrdy antah‑stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt‑satam

“Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.”

If the devotee at all wants to cleanse his heart, he must chant and hear the glories of the Lord, Sri Krsna (srnvatam sva‑kathah krsnah). This is a simple process. Krsna Himself will help cleanse the heart because He is already seated there. Krsna wants to continue living within the heart, and the Lord wants to give directions, but one has to keep his heart as clean as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu kept the Gundica temple. The devotee therefore has to cleanse his heart just as the Lord cleansed the Gundica temple. In this way one can be pacified and enriched in devotional service. If the heart is filled with straw, grains of sand, weeds or dust (in other words, anyabhilasa‑purna), one cannot enthrone the Supreme Personality of Godhead there. The heart must be cleansed of all material motives brought about through fruitive work, speculative knowledge, the mystic yoga system and so many other forms of so‑called meditation. The heart must be cleansed without ulterior motive. As Srila Rupa Gosvami says: anyabhilasita sunyam jnana‑karmady‑anavrtam. In other words, there should not be any external motive. One should not attempt material upliftment, understanding the Supreme by speculative knowledge, fruitive activity, severe austerity and penance, and so on. All these activities are against the natural growth of spontaneous love of Godhead. As soon as these are present within the heart, the heart should be under-stood to be unclean and therefore unfit to serve as Krsna’s sitting place. We cannot perceive the Lord’s presence in our hearts unless our hearts are cleansed.

A material desire is explained as a desire to enjoy the material world to its fullest extent. In modern language, this is called economic development. An inordinate desire for economic development is considered to be like straws and grains of sand within the heart. If one is overly engaged in material activity, the heart will always remain disturbed. As stated by Narottama dasa Thakura:
samsara visanale, diva‑nisi hiya jvale, judaite na kainu upaya

In other words, endeavor for material opulence is against the principle of devotional service. Material enjoyment includes activities such as great sacrifices for auspicious activity, charity, austerity, elevation to the higher planetary system, and even living happily within the material world.

Modernized material benefits are like the dust of material contamination. When this dust is agitated by the whirlwind of fruitive activity, it overcomes the heart. Thus the mirror of the heart is covered with dust. There are many desires to perform auspicious and inauspicious activities, but people do not know how life after life they are keeping their hearts unclean. One who cannot give up the desire for fruitive activity is understood to be covered by the dust of material contamination. Karmis generally think that the interaction of fruitive activities can be counteracted by another karma, or fruitive activity. This is certainly a mistaken conception. If one is deluded by such a conception, he is cheated by his own activity. Such activities have been compared to an elephant’s bathing. An elephant may bathe very thoroughly, but as soon as it comes out of the river, it immediately takes some sand from the land and throws it all over its body. If one suffers due to his past fruitive activities, he cannot counteract his suffering by performing auspicious activities. The sufferings of human society cannot be counteracted by material plans. The only way suffering can be mitigated is by Krsna consciousness. When one takes to Krsna consciousness and engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord‑‑beginning with chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord‑‑the cleansing of the heart begins.

Impersonal speculation, monism (merging into the existence of the Supreme), speculative knowledge, mystical yoga and meditation are all compared to grains of sand. They simply cause irritation to the heart. No one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by such activities, nor do we give the Lord a chance to sit in our hearts peacefully. Rather, the Lord is simply disturbed by them. Sometimes yogis and jnanis in the beginning take to the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha‑ mantra as a way to begin their various practices. However, when they falsely think that they have attained release from the bondage of material existence, they give up chanting. They do not consider that the ultimate goal is the form of the Lord or the name of the Lord. Such unfortunate creatures are never favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for they do not know what devotional service is. They are described in Bhagavad‑gita in this way

tan aham dvisatah kruran samsaresu naradhaman ksipamy ajasram asubhan asurisv eva yonisu

“Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.” (Bg. 16.19)

The demons are always envious of the Lord and are therefore most mischievous. By His practical example, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has shown us that all the grains of sand must be picked up thoroughly and thrown outside. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also cleansed the outside of the temple, fearing that the grains of sand would again come within.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains that even though one may become free from the desire for fruitive activity, sometimes the subtle desire for fruitive activity comes into being within the heart. One often thinks of conducting business to improve devotional activity. However, the contamination is so strong that it may later develop into misunderstanding, described as kuti‑nati (faultfinding) and pratisthasa (the desire for name and fame and for high position), jiva‑himsa (envy of other living entities), nisiddhacara (accepting things forbidden in the sastra), kama (desire for material gain) and puja (hankering for popularity). The word kuti‑nati means duplicity. As an example, one may attempt to imitate Srila Haridasa Thakura by living in a solitary place. One’s real desire may be for name and fame‑‑in other words, one thinks that fools will accept one to be as good as Haridasa Thakura just because one lives in a solitary place. These are all material desires. A neophyte devotee is certain to be attacked by other material desires as well‑‑women and money. In this way the heart is again filled with dirty things and becomes harder and harder, like that of a materialist. Gradually one desires to become a reputed devotee or an avatara (incarnation).

The word jiva‑himsa (envy of other living entities) actually means stopping the preaching of Krsna consciousness. Preaching work is described as paropakara, welfare activity for others. Those who are ignorant of the benefits of devotional service must be educated by preaching. If one stops preaching and simply sits down in a solitary place, he is engaging in material activity. If one desires to make a compromise with the Mayavadis, he is also engaged in material activity. A devotee should never make compromises with nondevotees. By acting as a professional guru, mystic yogi or miracle man, one may cheat and bluff the general public and gain fame as a wonderful mystic, but all this is considered to be dust, straw and grains of sand within the heart. In addition, one should follow the regulative principles and not desire illicit sex, gambling, intoxicants and meat.

To give us practical instructions, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cleansed the temple twice. His second cleansing was more thorough. The idea was to throw away all the stumbling blocks on the path of devotional service. He cleansed the temple with firm conviction, as is evident from His using His own personal garments for cleaning. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to see personally that the temple was thoroughly cleansed as clean as marble. Clean marble gives a cooling effect. Devotional service means attaining peace from all disturbances caused by material contamination. In other words, it is the process by which the mind is cooled. The mind can be peaceful and thoroughly cleansed when one no longer desires anything but devotional service.

Even though all dirty things may be cleansed away, sometimes subtle desires remain in the mind for impersonalism, monism, success and the four principles of religious activity (dharma, artha, kama and moksa). All these are like spots on clean cloth. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also wanted to cleanse all these away.

By His practical activity, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed us how to cleanse our hearts, Once the heart is cleansed, we should invite Lord Sri Krsna to sit down, and we should observe the festival by distributing prasada and chanting the Hare Krsna maha‑mantra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to teach every devotee by His personal behavior. Everyone who spreads the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepts a similar responsibility. The Lord was personally chastising and praising individuals in the course of the cleaning, and those who are engaged as acaryas must learn from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu how to train devotees by personal example. The Lord was very pleased with those who could cleanse the temple by taking out undesirable things accumulated within. This is called anartha‑nivrtti, cleansing the heart of all unwanted things. Thus the cieansing of the Gundicamandira was conducted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to let us know how the heart should be cleansed and soothed to receive Lord Sri Krsna and enable Him to sit within the heart without disturbance.

Srila Rupa Goswami’s padyavali, Sudainya-ukti, verse 59.

namani pranayena te sukrtinam tanvanti tundotsavam
dhamani prathayanti hanta jalada-syamani netranjanam
samani sruti-saskulim muralika jatany alankurvate
kamanivrta-cetasam iha vibho nasapi na sobhate

namani-the names; pranayena-with love; te-of You; sukrtinam-of the saintly devotees; tanvanti-manifest; tunda-for the mouth; utsavam-a jubilant festival; dhamani-the bodily splendor; prathayanti-manifests; hanta-indeed; jalada-of a raincloud;(who gives water) syamani-the dark color; netra-for the eyes; anjanam-ointment; samani-the music; sruti-saskulim-the ears; muralika-from the flute; jatani-produced; alankurvate-decorates; kama-in material sense gratification; anivrta-finding happiness; cetasam-in our hearts; iha-here; vibho-O almighty Lord; na-does not; asa-desire; api-also; nah-to us; sobhate-appear beautiful.

O My Lord! Your holy name has affectionatly manifested a festival in the mouths of pious people. (devotees). Your bodily splendor, like a dark raincloud, are the black ointment for their eyes. The music of Your flute has decorated their ears. But our heart has been occupied with material desires, so, we do not desire to relish this. It does not appear beautiful to us.

Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati’s Caitanya-Candramrta, verse 49.

Kalah kalair balina indriya‑vairi‑vargah sri‑bhakti‑marga iha kantaka‑koti‑ruddhah
ha ha kva yami vikalah kim aham karomi caitanyacandra yadi nadya krpam karosi

kalah‑the time; kalih‑the age of Kali; balinah‑very strong; indriya‑senses;vairi‑vargah‑enemies; sri-bhakti‑ of devotional service; margah‑the path; iha‑here; kantaka‑of thorns; koti‑with millions; ruddhah‑obstructed; ha‑alas; ha‑alas; kva‑where?; yami‑shall I go; vikalah‑weak and agitated; kim‑what?; aham‑shall I; karomi‑do; caitanyacandra‑ O Lord Caitanyacandra; yadi‑if; na‑not; adya‑now; krpam‑mercy; karosi‑You do;

Now it is the age of Kali. My enemies, the senses, have become very strong. The splendid path of pure devotional service is blocked by millions of brambles. I am weak and agitated. Alas! Alas! Where can I go? O Lord Caitanyacandra, if now You will not give me Your mercy, what can I do?

Srila Rupa Goswami’s astadasa-cchandah-stava verse 11 (part 2)

api spharamode pratipada sudha-koti-madhure purana-gramantar vahati tava lila-rasa-jhare
mano-vatsah patum visaya-visa-garte visati me krpa-yastya turnam damaya tam amum tarnaka-pate

api-although; sphara-intense; amode-sweet fragrance; pratipada-at every moment; sudha-of nectar; koti-millions; madhure-sweetness; purana-of the Puranas; grama-the multitude; antah-within; vahati-flowing; tava-of You; lila-of transcendental pastimes; rasa-of nectar; jhare-in the swift stream; manah-of the mind; vatsah-the calf; patum-to drink; visaya-of material sense happiness; visa-of the poison; garte-in the hole; visati-enters; me-of me; krpa-of mercy; yastya-with the stick; turnam-quickly-damaya-bring under control- tam-it; amum-him; tarnaka-pate-O Lord of the calves.

Although the very sweet nectar stream of Your transcendental pastimes swiftly flows through the Puranas, the calf of my mind has now entered a ditch to drink the poison of material sense happiness. O Lord of the calves, please quickly curb him with Your stick of mercy.
Srimad‑Bhagavatam Canto 7: Chapter Nine, Text 40

jihvaikato ‘cyuta vikarsati mavitrpta sisno ‘nyatas tvag‑udaram sravanam kutascit
ghrano ‘nyatas capala‑drk kva ca karma‑saktir bahvyah sapatnya iva geha‑patim lunanti

jihva‑‑the tongue; ekatah‑‑to one side; acyuta‑‑O my infallible Lord; vikarsati‑‑attracts; ma‑‑me; avitrpta‑‑not being satisfied; sisnah‑‑the genitals; anyatah‑‑to another side; tvak‑‑the skin (for touching a soft thing); udaram‑‑the belly (for various types of food); sravanam‑‑the ear (for hearing some sweet music); kutascit‑‑to some other side; ghranah‑‑the nose (for smelling); anyatah‑‑to still another side; capala‑drk‑‑the restless eyesight; kva ca‑‑somewhere; karma‑saktih‑‑the active senses; bahvyah‑‑many; sa‑patnyah- co‑wives; iva‑‑like; geha‑patim‑‑a householder; lunanti‑‑annihilate.
TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.

PURPORT

The human form of life is meant for God realization, but this process, which begins with sravanam kirtanam visnoh‑‑hearing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord‑‑is disturbed as long as our senses are materially attracted. Therefore devotional service means purifying the senses. In the conditioned state our senses are covered by material sense gratification, and as long as one is not trained in purifying the senses, one cannot become a devotee. In our Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, we advise from the very beginning that one restrict the activities of the senses, especially the tongue, which is described by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura as most greedy and unconquerable. To stop this attraction of the tongue, one is authoritatively advised not to accept meat or similar uneatable things nor to allow the tongue to hanker to drink or smoke. Even the drinking of tea and coffee is not permitted. Similarly the genitals must be restricted from illicit sex. Without such restraint of the senses, one cannot make advancement in Krsna consciousness. The only method of controlling the senses is to chant and hear the holy name of the Lord; otherwise, one will always be disturbed, as a householder with more than one wife would be disturbed by them for sense gratification.

Srimad‑Bhagavatam Canto 9: Chapter Nineteen, Text 14

na jatu kamah kamanam upa bhogena samyati havisa krsna‑vartmeva bhuya eva bhivardhate

na‑‑not; jatu‑‑at any time; kamah‑‑lusty desires; kamanam‑‑of persons who are very lusty; upabhogena‑‑by enjoyment of lusty desires; samyati‑‑can be pacified; havisa‑‑by supplying butter; krsna‑vartma‑‑fire; iva‑‑like; bhuyah‑‑again and again; eva‑‑indeed; abhivardhate‑‑increases more and more.
TRANSLATION

As supplying butter to a fire does not diminish the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful. [In fact, one must voluntarily cease from material desires.]

Bhagavad‑gita As It Is: Chapter Three, Text 37

sri‑bhagavan uvaca
kama esa krodha esa rajo‑guna‑samudbhavah
mahasano maha‑papma viddhy enam iha vairinam

sri‑bhagavan uvaca‑‑the Personality of Godhead said; kamah‑‑lust; esah‑‑this; krodhah‑‑wrath; esah‑‑this; rajah‑guna‑‑the mode of passion; samudbhavah‑‑born of; maha‑asanah‑‑all‑devouring; maha‑papma‑‑greatly sinful; viddhi‑‑know; enam‑‑this; iha‑‑in the material world; vairinam‑‑greatest enemy.
TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all‑devouring sinful enemy of this world.
PURPORT

When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Krsna is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion. Or, in other words, the sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed into yogurt. Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world. Wrath is the manifestation of the mode of ignorance; these modes exhibit themselves as wrath and other corollaries. If, therefore, the mode of passion, instead of being degraded into the mode of ignorance, is elevated to the mode of goodness by the prescribed method of living and acting, then one can be saved from the degradation of wrath by spiritual attachment.
The Supreme Pewrsonality of Godhead expanded Himself into many for His ever‑increasing spiritual bliss, and the living entities are parts and parcels of this spiritual bliss. They also have partial independence, but by misuse of their independence, when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust. This material
creation is created by the Lord to give facility to the conditioned souls to fulfill these lustful propensities, and when completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities, the living entities begin to inquire about their real position.

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