Prabhupada: Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number 23. (devotees repeat)
evam nivasatas tasya
lalayanasya tat-sutan
kalo 'tyagan mahan rajann
astasityayusah samah
[SB 6.1.23]
So in this way the Ajamila, he practiced this unfair way of livelihood. Bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair garhitam vrttim asthitah. So vrtti means livelihood. If one adopts abominable livelihood, there is no, I mean to say, hope of spiritual advancement, finished because... We have learned from Bhagavad-gita. Arjuna says Krsna, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. "Krsna, you are the Supreme Brahman, param dhama, the supreme resort of everything, and pavitram paramam bhavan, and the supreme pure." So nobody can approach Krsna if he's impure. That is not possible. In the Bhagavad-gita still it is said, yesam tu anta-gatam papam: "One who is free from all contamination of sinful activities, yesam anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, "simply engaged in pious activities only," te, "such persons," dvanda-moha-nirmukta, "without any doubt and duality," bhajante mam drdha-vratah, "with fixed up mind he can become Krsna conscious."
So this Ajamila, he learned all this nonsense, abominable way of livelihood. And therefore his example is given, how he was downtrodden and fallen. Still by the grace of Narayana how he was elevated, that is the itihasa, history, which is, Suta Gosvami is citing, how Krsna consciousness is powerful. That is the motive of narrating Ajamila udha, delivering Ajamila. So here it is said, evam nivasatas tasya lalayanasya tat-sutan. Everyone is tat-sutan, his children. Even one big economic, economist professor, Prof. Marshall, he says... I was student of economics in the Marshall book. He says that economic development begins out of family affection. Family affection. That is the basis. That was his understanding, that nobody would work for livelihood unless he is attached in family. That is his proposition. So here he was attached to the family. Lalayanasya tat-sutan. Atah grha-ksetra sutapta vittaih [SB 5.5.8]. Material bondage is that family affection. It is not that one has to give up this procedure. No, that is not.
The Vedic civilization is so nice that you accept the platform which is suitable for you, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. The spiritual... These are called asrama. Asrama means where spiritual culture is practiced. That is called asrama. Perhaps you know this asrama word. Asrama means... It is not a place for sense gratification. It is a place for advancing in Krsna conscious. That is asrama. So there are four asramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacari, grhastha... Grhastha is also asrama, family. That is also asrama. If the grhastha life is meant for cultivating Krsna consciousness, it is all right. This is asrama. Grhastha asrama, then retired life, vanaprastha. Although grhastha asrama is allowed, but not for all the time, that up to the death, no. That is not allowed. After fiftieth year... Twenty-five years to fiftieth year the young man's spirit is there, the sex power is strong, so the grhastha-asrama is a concession for satisfying sex, that's all. But not more than fifty years. Then you must give up. That is the Vedic civilization. You accept grhastha asrama.
Up to twenty-fifth year you remain a brahmacari, learn from guru how to become brahmacari, guru-kula. Brahmacari gurukule vasan danta, how to practice self-control, sense control. A brahmacari is forbidden to see even young girl. Even the spiritual master's wife is young... Sometimes spiritual master is considered as mother. Adau mata guru-patni. There are seven mothers. So real mother, adau mata... Guru-patni, the spiritual master's wife, she is also mother. Adau mata guru-patni brahmani. The wife of a brahmana is mother. Actually every woman is mother. That is moral instruction. Matrvat para-daresu. Anyone, any woman who is not your wife, except your wife, every woman is to be considered as mother. This is education.
The nutshell of education is defined by Canakya Pandita that "Who is pandita, learned?" So he does not say that one who has passed MA, PhD, DAC, no. He doesn't say that. He says, "Any person who has learned to see like this." What is that? Matrvat para-daresu: "Everyone's wife should be considered..." Para-dara. Para means others' wife. Matrvat, mother. Therefore the Vedic system is, when we address another woman, "Mother," no other address. "Mother, can I do this? Would you like this?" The address should be "Mother." Practice. This is practice, the brahmacari's practice. He goes to every householder's wife: "Mother, give me some..." Just like this child. If he is taught from the very beginning of his life that "Address all women as mother..." That training and intermingling with anyone, then it is a different training. That is brahmacari. So brahmacari is taught that how he should behave in society, what is the aim of life. That is brahmacari. Matrvat para-daresu.
Para-dravyesu lostravat. And other's property? Just like garbage. Nobody goes. But I have seen. Nowadays garbage is also tackled. I have seen in Hong Kong, one woman is finding out something valuable from the garbage. This is Kali-yuga. It is untouchable, but still, people are trying to get something from the garbage, so downtrodden, this Kali-yuga. So matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat, atmavat sarva-bhutesu: "All other living entities think like yourself." That means your pains and pleasure, as you feel, you should take up others' pains and pleasure, not that you protect yourself from all danger and you cut the throat of the poor animals on the plea that it has no soul. This is not education. This is education, that whether the animal has soul or not soul we shall consider later on. But when knife is on my throat I cry, and he also cries. Why shall I say that "It has no soul, and let me kill it"? So that means he does not know how to see other living entities like himself. Buddha philosophy is based on this, that "Whatever you feel, pain, you should not inflict to others." This is education. Matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat atmavat. So this is moral education, and in the sastra it is also said that there are seven mothers.
adau mata guru-patni
brahmani raja-patnika
dhenur dhatri tatha prthvi
sapteti matari smrta
Real mother and guru-patni, the wife of spiritual master or teacher... Adau mata guru-patni, brahmani, the wife of a brahmana. And raja-patnika, the queen, she is also mother. Dhenu, cow. Dhenur dhatri, nurse. Dhenur dhatri, tatha prthvi, as well as the earth. Earth is mother because they are giving us so many things, fruit, flowers, grains for our eating. Mother gives for eating. Cow gives us milk. This is sense.
But if one becomes addicted to prostitute-hunting then he'll be fallen. That is the example. Then he'll become thief, rascal, cheater, drunkard, and so on, so on, so on. Why? Now, only for maintaining the family. The family maintenance, the cats and dogs, they also do, the birds also do, but they do not do anything unnatural. A bird maintains his children, brings some fruit or something in the mouth and puts into the mouth of the small kiddies. So that is natural. But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. This is culture. So but nowadays they have manufactured. "Necessity has no law." "I require money, so somehow or other I must have it. Let me adopt this means, that means." No. So evam nivasatas tasya lalayanasya. The lalayanasya tat-sutan. So without understanding what is the duty of human being, because he is fallen, so we should not bother for maintaining our family and children till the time of death.
No. Up to twenty-five years. A brahmacari is trained to refrain from sex life. That is brahmacari, celibacy. But if he is still not able, then he is allowed to accept grhastha life. There is no cheating, hypocrisy, that I proclaim myself as brahmacari or sannyasi, and I secretly do all nonsense. This is hypocrisy. The hypocrisy life will not make one advance in spiritual life. That is the example given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His personal associate you know, Chota Haridasa, Junior Haridasa. He was a very nice singer, so he was singing in the assembly of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and one day he went to beg some rice from Sikhi Mahiti's sister, and there was a young woman, and he lustfully saw there. That is sometimes natural. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu understand that. Just to teach us, while He was eating, He said, "Who brought this rice?" "Chota Haridasa." "So ask him not to see Me anymore. Finish." Everyone was surprised. "What happened?" Then by inquiry it was found that he lustfully saw on young woman. So just... Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so strict that He rejected him from His associates. Then other big, big devotees requested him that "He has committed some mistake, and please excuse him. He is your servant." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "All right, then you bring him back. You live with him. I am leaving this place. I am leaving this place." They said, "No, sir, we shall not raise this question anymore."
So when this Chota Haridasa found it impossible to again go into the assembly of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he found it hopelessness. Then he went to Triveni and committed suicide. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu knows everything. Then, sometimes after, He inquired, "What about Chota Haridasa?" Somebody said, "Sir, You rejected him. Out of disappointment, he has committed suicide in the..." "Oh, that's nice." Just see how strict. "That's nice." He never expect (expressed?) any, any sympathy: "Oh, I rejected this person and he has committed suicide?" Oh. No, He said, "That's nice. That's all right." He said like that. This is one thing.
Another thing, Sivananda, one of His very exalted devotee, he was taking care of all devotees who were coming to Caitanya Mahaprabhu to visit during Ratha-yatra. So his wife came and offered Caitanya Mahaprabhu obeisances, and he saw that the wife is pregnant. So immediately asked, "Sivananda, your wife is pregnant." "Yes". "All right, when she gives birth to a child, you keep his name like that." Now see. One man, simply he saw with lusty desire to a young (woman) man; he was rejected. And one man has his wife pregnant; He adored him: "That's all right." So sex life is not forbidden in this movement but hypocrisy is forbidden. If you become hypocrite, then there is nowhere to... That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Chota Haridasa, he presented himself as a brahmacari and he was looking after a young woman. Then He understood, "He is a hypocrite. Reject him." And Sivananda Sena, he was a grhastha. Grhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes, my remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement.
So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four asramas, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. Whichever asrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right, you marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Krsna consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's opinion. Param param jigamisor bhava..., niskincanasya bhajanonmukhasya, param param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa. He was very nicely situated in His family life. When He was family man, He married twice. One wife died; He married again. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us not to become... But when He took sannyasa, He was very, very strict. No woman could come very near to Him. From distance... This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. So you have to follow strictly the rules and regulation. If you are serious, then this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement.
niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya
param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya
visayinam sandarsanam atha yositam ca
ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu
[Cc. Madhya 11.8]
Those who are determined that "In this life we shall finish this material way of life, or material..." That is real struggle for existence. Actually everyone is trying. Material life means it is full of distress, duhkhalayam. Krsna says. So so long you'll prolong this material way of life, that is called struggle for existence. The "struggle for existence" and "survival of the fittest," this word is very common but nobody knows what is that struggle for existence and what is the platform of becoming fittest. Nobody knows. It is we are preaching that "If you remain in this material world, then struggle for existence will continue." And fittest means one who has come to the spiritual platform, he is fittest to survive. What is survival? Who is going to survive? Do you mean to say by cultivating health culture, very strong, you'll survive? Nobody will survive. So who will survive? Only Krsna conscious. If he is strictly Krsna conscious, then he will survive. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. The Krsna conscious person who has studied Krsna only, nothing more, perfectly, that is fit. This body also, this body is not permanent. That's a fact. But tyaktva deham, after giving up this body no more material body; spiritual body, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1].
So we should be very serious. We should not fall down from the standard of Vedic culture. If you are actually serious about stopping this... Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. This is struggle for existence. In this material world everyone is struggling to survive. But who is surviving? That way, materialistic way of life, will not help you to survive. That is... Prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27]. Nature is so strong that you must die. "I am very strong." You may be very strong, that's all right, but you must. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought, "How to avoid death?" Just like Hiranyakasipu. So he thought that "Yamaraja is the superintendent of death. He comes to take, so I shall make such policy that he may not come to me." What is that policy? "So bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell, he'll not come." So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they'll survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Krsna conscious.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976
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