Prabhupada gave a powerful lecture this morning, issuing a strong warning to the devotees to be careful to avoid indulging in sex in the holy dhama, thereby committing offences. The increasing conglomeration of householders and single women in the community is an ongoing concern for him. Although he is not against them staying here, his many recent comments have made it clear that there is a need for caution. Today he voiced his concern to the assembly of devotees.
He warned that no-one can approach Krsna unless he has a background of piety. "Therefore we shall be very, very careful about impious activities. Impious activities, we know the four legs of impious activities: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. So therefore we should be very, very careful about these impious activities. You cannot make any spiritual progress by simultaneously acting impiously and at the same time ... Just like if you have got dry wood, then the fire ignites very easily. And if you bring wet fuel, it takes time. Of course, as soon as there is fire, the wetness of the fuel will dry, but it will require extra energy. And if you put dry fuel, then it ignites very easily. So in order to keep us dry without being wetted by the impious activities, then spiritual progress will be very quick. We should remember that."
He explained that Lord Caitanya has warned against the attraction of women and money for one who wants to advance in Krsna consciousness. Prabhupada clarified that Lord Caitanya was not referring to a particular gender. "Woman means for man the woman is woman, and for the woman the man is woman; not that woman means a particular class. Woman means 'which are enjoyable.' So in this material world the man is enjoyable by the woman and the woman is enjoyable by the man. For both of them, visayinam sandarsanam atha yositam. Yosit means enjoyable.
"This body is superfluous. The bodily structure, it can be changed. Perhaps you know, now in medical science they can change the woman's body into man's body, and the man's body into woman's body. It was formerly being also changed. In Bhagavata you'll find that in a garden where Lord Siva was engaged with Uma, husband and wife, all of a sudden many saintly persons entered to see Lord Siva. At that time Uma, Parvati, became very much ashamed. She was not very properly dressed. So immediately the saintly persons, they left, that 'Lord Siva is now in his private affairs.' So Lord Siva, to please Parvati, he immediately said, 'Hence forward, anyone who will enter this forest, he'll become woman.' So one king, with his party, without the knowledge he entered the forest, and all of them became women.
"The idea is that the man's body can be transformed into woman's body, and the woman's body can be transformed into man's body. Because we are not this body. Suppose I have got this dress. This man's dress I can transform into woman's dress with a sari, but that does not mean I am woman. So every one of us living entities, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The outward dress, man and woman, that is dress. Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya. We are changing this dress. So in this material world, because our mentality is to enjoy, therefore he is called purusa. Purusa means both men and women, because everyone has got the spirit, 'I shall enjoy.'"
He told his attentive audience that by coming in contact with the modes of nature in the spirit of enjoyment we have therefore become polluted and subsequently obtained these material bodies. Therefore we have to come to the nirguna platform. "Nirguna means to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or be engaged in devotional service. Immediately you can be placed on the transcendental platform as soon as you begin your devotional service. Avyabhicarena, without any deviation. Ananya-bhakti. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. That is wanted."
He went on to say that if we are simply interested in fulfilling the bodily necessities of eating, sleeping, sex and defense then we are called visayi. "So we should be very careful. Visayinam, a devotee, if he thinks, 'Oh, here is a nice woman. If I could enjoy her,' or 'Here is a nice man. If I could enjoy him.' This is visayi. Visayinam sandarsanam. To see one woman is not dangerous, but to think of enjoying, that is dangerous. Similarly, to see one man is not dangerous, you cannot avoid that, you are on the street here. But to see with the spirit of enjoyment, that is dangerous. So we should be very careful. That requires, I mean to say, training, very strong training in Krsna consciousness. Unless one is strongly in Krsna consciousness, that long habit of enjoying spirit cannot be given up."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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