TEXT 41
nanubhuya na janati
puman visaya-tiksnatam
nirvidyate svayam tasman
na tatha bhinna-dhih paraih
SYNONYMS
nanot; anubhuyaexperiencing; nanot; janatiknows; pumana person; visaya-tiksnatamthe sharpness of material enjoyment; nirvidyatebecomes aloof; svayamhimself; tasmatfrom that; na tathanot like that; bhinna-dhihwhose intelligence is changed; paraihby others.
TRANSLATION
Material enjoyment is indeed the cause of all unhappiness, but one cannot give it up unless one has personally experienced how much suffering it is. Therefore one should be allowed to remain in so-called material enjoyment while simultaneously advancing in knowledge to experience the misery of this false material happiness. Then, without help from others, one will find material enjoyment detestful. Those whose minds are changed by others do not become as renounced as those who have personal experience.
PURPORT
It is said that unless a woman becomes pregnant, she cannot understand the trouble of giving birth to a child. Bandhya ki bujhibe prasava-vedana. The word bandhya means a sterile woman. Such a woman cannot give birth to a child. How, then, can she perceive the pain of delivery? According to the philosophy of Prajapati Daksa, a woman should first become pregnant and then experience the pain of childbirth. Then, if she is intelligent, she will not want to be pregnant again. Actually. however. this is not a fact. Sex enjoyment is so strong that a woman becomes pregnant and suffers at the time of childbirth. but she becomes pregnant again, despite her experience. According to Daksas philosophy. one should become implicated in material enjoyment so that after experiencing the distress of such enjoyment. one will automatically renounce. Material nature, however. is so strong that although a man suffers at every step, he will not cease his attempts to enjoy (trpyanti neha krpana-bahu-duhkha-bhajah). Under the circumstances, unless one gets the association of a devotee like Narada Muni or his servant in the disciplic succession, ones dormant spirit of renunciation cannot be awakened. It is not a fact that because material enjoyment involves so many painful conditions one will automatically become detached. One needs the blessings of a devotee like Narada Muni. Then one can renounce his attachment for the material world. The young boys and girls of the Krsna consciousness movement have given up the spirit of material enjoyment not because of practice but by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His servants.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/6/5/41

Previous: SB 6.5.40     Next: SB 6.5.42

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada