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Jump in Swim around and drown (an essay about grhastha life)

Jump in Swim around and drown (an essay about grhastha life)
PAMHO
AGTSP
Once in one of our first temples in ISKCON Denmark around 1983-1984 , we had our very first wedding cermony , 3 set of
grhasthas where getting married and Devamrta Swami led all of us Bramacaries "save away" from the wedding into
another room.I will never forget his comment and laughing about this:" Grhastha life mostly means, JUMP IN SWIM
AROUND AND DROWN".He slapped his legs and laughed really loud.The meaning is this obviously mostly when a grhastha
gets married he/she thinks oh it will be save and I will not fall victim to illict sex with my husband/wife.
However over time the temptation is there due to bodily attachements .There is one danger that Srila Prabhupada
once warned about in Vrindavan and I have heard this from Brahmananda Prabhu one of Srila Prabhupadas first
disciples.He asked that grhastha couples do not live in the same room, otherwise he warned they may fall down into
illicit sex, basically it means seperate sleeping quaters. The TP at that time in Vrindavana told Srila Prabhupada
I am not having illcit sex with my wife though I live in the same room.Srila Prabhupada later told
Brahmananda and other devotees that it will happpen eventually.Thus in cultured Indians houses it used to be a
custom that women live in the inner part of the house and the men in the outer part (also protects the women in
case of intruders,criminals etc).Lord Caitanya told Raghunath das Goswami when he joined him in Puri,
you have been saved from the place where people pass stool:

CC Antya 6.197: "My dear Raghunātha dāsa, your father and his elder brother are just like worms in stool in the
ditch of material enjoyment, for the great disease of the poison of material enjoyment is what they consider happiness.

CC Antya 6.198: "Although your father and uncle are charitable to brāhmaṇas and greatly help them,
they are nevertheless not pure Vaiṣṇavas. However, they are almost like Vaiṣṇavas.

CC Antya 6.199: "Those who are attached to materialistic life and are blind to spiritual life must
act in such a way that they are bound to repeated birth and death by the actions and reactions of their activities.

CC Antya 6.200: "By His own free will, Lord Krsna has delivered you from such a condemned
materialistic life. Therefore the glories of Lord Krsna's causeless mercy cannot be expressed."

Lets look at Srila Prabhupadas purport:
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 6.197

tomāra bāpa-jyeṭhā — viṣaya-viṣṭhā-gartera kīḍā
sukha kari' māne viṣaya-viṣera mahā-pīḍā
SYNONYMS

tomāra — your; bāpa — father; jyeṭhā — his elder brother; viṣaya — of material enjoyment; viṣṭhā — stool;
gartera — of the ditch; kīḍā — worms;
sukha kari' — as happiness; māne — they consider; viṣaya — of material enjoyment; viṣera — of the poison;
mahā-pīḍā — the great disease.
TRANSLATION

"My dear Raghunātha dāsa, your father and his elder brother are just like worms in stool in the ditch of material
enjoyment, for the great disease of the poison of material enjoyment is what they consider happiness.
PURPORT

When a man is attached to material enjoyment, he is attached to many miserable conditions, but nevertheless he accepts
his condemned position as one of happiness. Sense enjoyment is so strong for such a person that he cannot give it up,
exactly as a worm in stool cannot give up the stool. From the spiritual point of view, when a person is too absorbed
in material enjoyment, he is exactly
like a worm in stool. Although such a position is utterly miserable to the eyes of liberated souls, the materialistic
enjoyer is greatly attached to it.

the next sloka is very instructive:


"Although your father and uncle are charitable to brāhmaṇas and greatly help them, they are nevertheless not pure Vaiṣṇavas.
However, they are almost like Vaiṣṇavas.
PURPORT

As stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, some people, usually very rich men, dress like Vaiṣṇavas
and give charity to brāhmaṇas. They are also attached to Deity worship, but because of their attachment to material enjoyment,
they cannot be pure Vaiṣṇavas.
Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaḿ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]. The pure Vaiṣṇava has no desire for material enjoyment.
That is the basic qualification of a pure Vaiṣṇava. There are men, especially rich men, who regularly worship the Deity,
give charity to brāhmaṇas and are pious in every respect, but they cannot be pure Vaiṣṇavas. Despite their outward show of
Vaiṣṇavism and charity, their inner desire is to enjoy a higher standard of material life. Raghunātha dāsa's father,
Govardhana, and uncle, Hiraṇya dāsa, were both very charitable to brāhmaṇas. Indeed, the brāhmaṇas from the Gauḍīya district
were practically dependent upon them. Thus they were accepted as very pious gentlemen. However, they presented themselves
as Vaiṣṇavas to the eyes of people in general, although from a purely spiritual point of view they were ordinary human beings,
not pure Vaiṣṇavas. Actual Vaiṣṇavas considered them almost Vaiṣṇavas, not pure Vaiṣṇavas. In other words, they were
kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, for they were ignorant of higher Vaiṣṇava regulative principles. Nevertheless, they could not
be called viṣayīs, or blind materialistic enjoyers.

and the following purport by Srila Prabhupada:
"Those who are attached to materialistic life and are blind to spiritual life must act in such a way that they are bound
to repeated birth and death by the actions and reactions of their activities.
PURPORT

As clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaḿ karma-bandhanaḥ: if one does not act as
a pure devotee, whatever acts he performs will produce reactions of fruitive bondage (karma-bandhanaḥ). Similarly,
in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.4) it is said:
nūnaḿ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
asann api kleśa-da āsa dehaḥ
"A materialistic person, madly engaged in activities for sense enjoyment, does not know that he is entangling himself
in repeated birth and death and that his body, although temporary, is full of miseries." A viṣayī, a person blindly
caught in a web of materialistic life, remains in the cycle of birth and death perpetually. Such a person cannot
understand how to execute pure devotional service, and therefore he acts as a karmī, jñānī, yogī or something else,
according to his desire, but he does
not know that the activities of karma, jñāna and yoga simply bind one to the cycle of birth and death.

and this final instruction of Lord Caitanya about the bondage of attached grhastha life CCAntya 6.200:
TRANSLATION

"By His own free will, Lord Kṛṣṇa has delivered you from such a condemned materialistic life.
Therefore the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy cannot be expressed."
PURPORT

In the Brahma-saḿhitā (5.54) it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām. Lord Kṛṣṇa is
so merciful that He can stop the reactions of karma for His devotee. Everyone — from the small
insect called indra-gopa up to Indra, the King of heaven — is bound by the reactions of fruitive activities.
yas tv indra-gopam atha vendram aho sva-karma-
bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam ātanoti
karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājāḿ
govindam ādi-puruṣaḿ tam ahaḿ bhajāmi
[Bs. 5.54]
Everyone, whether an insect or the King of heaven, is entangled and bound by the actions and reactions of his karma.
However, when one becomes a pure devotee, free from material desires and from bondage to karma, jñāna and yoga, one
is freed from material actions and reactions by the causeless mercy of
Kṛṣṇa. One cannot express sufficient gratitude to Kṛṣṇa for being freed from the materialistic way of life.


We would think by our modern days ISKCON thinking the father of Raghunath das Goswami and his uncle was great devotees, but
Lord Caitanya did not see it this way,though Lord Caitanya had affection for them ,he warned about being a devotee having
and enjoying spirit.We have even seen this in the sannyasa asrama where persons have bought themselves houses in the name
of Vairagya, this would never have been approved of by Lord Gaurahari and those who strictly understand this 6chapter of
Antya lila of the CC, can understand what is renounciation as set by Srila Raghunath das Goswami, full renouncition of
peronal wealth and power.Now if one lives in a Gaudiya institution like ISKCON and Gaudiya math, we have to be careful
to never become attached to positions ,wealth and false prestige.

Lord Caitanya was very strict about having all devotees chant 64 rounds daily ,He himself was chanting 300.000 daily as
confirmed in Prema Vilasa (as did Srila Haridas Thakura),through Srila Rupa Goswami He instructed all vaisnavas to chant
100.000 names daily ,Srila Prabhupada writes 16 rounds is 28.000 names so 64 rounds is more than 100.000 names.
Krsna has also in the Aila Gita in the 11 Canto instructed about the danger of the attachment to the opposite sex:

SB 11.26.2: A person fixed in transcendental knowledge is freed from conditioned life by giving up his false identification
with the products of the material modes of nature. Seeing these products as simply illusion, he avoids entanglement with the
modes of nature, although constantly among them. Because the modes of nature and their products are simply not real, he does
not accept them.

SB 11.26.3: One should never associate with materialists, those dedicated to gratifying their genitals and bellies.
By following them one falls into the deepest pit of darkness, just like a blind man who follows another blind man

SB 11.26.10: Although I was a powerful lord with great opulence, that woman gave me up as if I were no more than an
insignificant blade of grass. And still, naked and without shame, I followed her, crying out to her like a madman.

SB 11.26.11: Where are my so-called great influence, power and sovereignty? Just like an ass being kicked in the face
by his she-ass, I ran after that woman, who had already given me up.

SB 11.26.12: What is the use of a big education or the practice of austerities and renunciation, and what is the use
of studying religious scriptures, of living in solitude and silence, if, after all that, one's mind is stolen by a woman?

SB 11.26.13: To hell with me! I am such a fool that I didn't even know what was good for me, although I arrogantly
thought I was highly intelligent. Although I achieved the exalted position of a lord, I allowed myself to be conquered
by women as if I were a bullock or a jackass.

SB 11.26.14: Even after I had served the so-called nectar of the lips of Urvaśī for many years, my lusty desires kept
rising again and again within my heart and were never satisfied, just like a fire that can never be extinguished by the
oblations of ghee poured into its flames.

SB 11.26.15: Who but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who lies beyond material perception and is the Lord of
self-satisfied sages, can possibly save my consciousness, which has been stolen by a prostitute?

SB 11.26.16: Because I allowed my intelligence to become dull and because I failed to control my senses, the great confusion
in my mind did not go away, even though Urvaśī herself gave me wise counsel with well-spoken words.

SB 11.26.17: How can I blame her for my trouble when I myself am ignorant of my real, spiritual nature? I did not control
my senses, and so I am like a person who mistakenly sees a harmless rope as a snake.

SB 11.26.18: What is this polluted body anyway — so filthy and full of bad odors? I was attracted by the fragrance and beauty
of a woman's body, but what are those so-called attractive features? They are simply a false covering created by illusion.

SB 11.26.19-20: One can never decide whose property the body actually is. Does it belong to one's parents, who have given
birth to it, to one's wife, who gives it pleasure, or to one's employer, who orders the body around? Is it the property
of the funeral fire or of the dogs and jackals who may ultimately devour it? Is it the property of the indwelling soul,
who partakes in its happiness and distress, or does the body belong to intimate friends who encourage and help it?
Although a man never definitely ascertains the proprietor of the body, he becomes most attached to it. The material
body is a polluted material form heading toward a lowly destination, yet when a man stares at the face of a woman he
thinks, "What a good-looking lady! What a charming nose she's got, and see her beautiful smile!"

SB 11.26.21: What difference is there between ordinary worms and persons who try to enjoy this material body composed
of skin, flesh, blood, muscle, fat, marrow, bone, stool, urine and pus?

SB 11.26.22: Yet even one who theoretically understands the actual nature of the body should never associate with women
or with men attached to women. After all, the contact of the senses with their objects inevitably agitates the mind.

SB 11.26.23: Because the mind is not disturbed by that which is neither seen nor heard, the mind of a person who
restricts the material senses will automatically be checked in its material activities and become pacified.

SB 11.26.24: Therefore one should never let his senses associate freely with women or with men attached to women.
Even those who are highly learned cannot trust the six enemies of the mind; what to speak, then, of foolish persons like me.

SB 11.26.25: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having thus chanted this song, Mahārāja Purūravā, eminent
among the demigods and human beings, gave up the position he had achieved in the planet of Urvaśī. His illusion
cleansed away by transcendental knowledge, he understood Me to be the Supreme Soul within his heart and so at last achieved peace.

SB 11.26.26: An intelligent person should therefore reject all bad association and instead take up the association
of saintly devotees, whose words cut off the excessive attachment of one's mind.

SB 11.26.27: My devotees fix their minds on Me and do not depend upon anything material. They are always peaceful,
endowed with equal vision, and free from possessiveness, false ego, duality and greed.

SB 11.26.28: O greatly fortunate Uddhava, in the association of such saintly devotees there is constant discussion
of Me, and those partaking in this chanting and hearing of My glories are certainly purified of all sins.

SB 11.26.29: Whoever hears, chants and respectfully takes to heart these topics about Me becomes faithfully
dedicated to Me and thus achieves My devotional service.

SB 11.26.30: What more remains to be accomplished for the perfect devotee after achieving devotional service
unto Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth, whose qualities are innumerable and who am the embodiment of all ecstatic experience?

SB 11.26.31: Just as cold, fear and darkness are eradicated for one who has approached the sacrificial fire,
so dullness, fear and ignorance are destroyed for one engaged in serving the devotees of the Lord.

for anyone interested in this subject they may also see the prayers of Prahlada Maharaja in 5 canto chapter 18 text .8 to 14.
your humble servant
  Paramananda das

Views: 198

Comment by Paramananda das on May 22, 2010 at 1:25pm
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has advised to daily chant 64 rounds and become a sat grhastha this is also the advise of Srila Prabhupada on at least 2 occasions

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