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Imported quote 13742 The four principles of life allow one to live according to religious principles, to earn money according to one's position in society, to allow the senses to enjoy the sense objects according to regulations, and to progress along the path of liberation from this material attachment. As long as the body is there, it is not possible to become completely free from all these material interests. It is not, however, recommended that one act only for sense gratification and earn money for that purpose only, sacrificing all religious principles. At the present moment, human civilization does not care for religious principles. It is, however, greatly interested in economic development without religious principles. For instance, in a slaughterhouse the butchers certainly get money easily, but such business is not based on religious principles. Similarly, there are many nightclubs for sense gratification and brothels for sex. Sex, of course, is allowed in married life, but prostitution is prohibited because all our activities are ultimately aimed at liberation, at freedom from the clutches of material existence. It is advised therefore that one not act in a way that will obstruct the regular process of advancement in spiritual life and liberation. The Vedic process of sense gratification is therefore planned in such a way that one can economically develop and enjoy sense gratification and yet ultimately attain liberation. Vedic civilization offers us all knowledge in the sastras, and if we live a regulated life under the direction of sastras and guru, all our material desires will be fulfilled; at the same time we will be able to go forward to liberation.
(More...) Imported quote 16116 Therefore the culture of Vidya or transcendental knowledge is essential for the human being. Sense enjoyment in the diseased condition of the senses must be as much restricted as possible. Unrestricted sense enjoyment in the diseased condition is the path of Avidya or death. The living entities are not without senses. Every living entity in his original spiritual form has all the senses and they are materially manifested covered by the material body and mind. Activities of the material senses are perverted reflections of the original form. Engagement of the spirit soul by the material covering is the diseased condition of the spirit soul. Real sense enjoyment is possible when the covering of the disease is removed. In our pure spiritual form freed from all material contamination and pure enjoyment of the senses is possible. A diseased person must wait for the healthy state of recovery to enjoy the real perception of senses. The aim of human life should not therefore be perverted sense enjoyment but curing the material diseases. Aggravating the material disease is no sign of Vidya. It is the sign of culturing Avidya. The degree of fever must not be increased from 105 to 107 to meet ultimate death. The degrees are to be reduced to the normal state of 97. That should be the aim of human life. The modern trend of material civilization is to increase the degree of the feverish material condition and it has reached to the point of 107 degree in the form of atomic energy and the foolish politicians are crying that at any moment the world may go to hell. That is the result of advancement of material knowledge without any reference to the most important part of life namely culture of spiritual knowledge. Here is a warning by the Ishopanishad that we must not follow such dangerous path leading to death. On the contrary we must side by side develop the culture of spiritual knowledge so that we may completely be immune from the cruel hands of death.
(More...) Imported quote 17125 In India one Punjabi, that father was anxious to get the daughter married, and the brother wrote the father, "My dear father, don't bother about my sister's marriage. We have arranged ourself, brother and sister." You see? So sex life is so strong. Although socially it is forbidden that brother and sister should not marry or should not have sex life, but that is also come. It is Kali-yuga. So that sex life facility is there automatically by nature. So why there is forbidden, "Not this sex life, not that..."? Just like we forbid: no illicit sex, that without marriage, there is no sex. One may argue, "What is the difference, married sex and not-married sex? The business is the same." No, there is some meaning. This restriction mean to bring him to the position of the daivi sampat, sattva-samsuddhiḥ. The purpose is to bring him to the platform of daivi sampat. If he becomes like cats and dogs, then he cannot attain this daivi sampat. If there is rules and regulation, restriction following, then gradually he will come to the platform of daivi sampat. And what is the purpose of daivi sampat? Daivi sampad vimoksaya [Bg 16.5]: "If you develop your daivi sampat, then you become fit for vimoksaya, for liberation." What is that liberation? Liberation means janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg 13.9] Liberation from these four things: no more birth, no more death, no more disease, no more old age.
(More...) Imported quote 18202 So viraga, bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad. Here our material disease is that we want to satisfy our sense. This is material life. The whole material civilization is going on, we have repeatedly said... Advancement of civilization means advancement of sense gratification. That's all. So bhakti means just the opposite. So, so long we are, I mean to say, very much interested in sense gratification, there is no question of bhakti. That is not possible. So we have to reduce the tendency for sense gratification by increasing our devotional activities. That is the process. Therefore it is said, bhaktya puman jata-viraga. Viraga, from where? Viraga means distasteful, virakti. The other word is virakti: "No, no, I don't like." That is called viraga.
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