We
don't usually hear Srila Prabhupada speak so directly about "sex life."
He tactfully uses the words "sense gratification" to indicate a broad
range of materially entangling desires. But here in this purport Srila
Prabhupada is very specific.
"The highest benefit that can be awarded to a human being is to train him to be detached from sex life, particularly because due to sex indulgence only the conditioned life of material existence continues birth after birth." SB 2.6.20 purport
"The highest benefit that can be awarded to a human being is to train him to be detached from sex life, particularly because due to sex indulgence only the conditioned life of material existence continues birth after birth." SB 2.6.20 purport
He then goes on to explain how the ashramas in the varnashrama system
are there to accomplish this aim. Ideally starting from childhood there
is brahmacari training. Later on after household life it then becomes
easier to give up sex life altogether and prepare for vanaprastha and
sannyasi. This is the structure of civilized human society with the aim
of spiritual perfection.
For those within the system who purposefully disregard the strict practice their fate is described here. It's not all that bad. It's not hopeless. Srila Prabhupada does say "the pious householders." But they do miss the boat this time around.
"The householders and persons who have broken the vow of celibacy deliberately cannot enter into the kingdom of deathlessness. The pious householders or the fallen yogis or the fallen transcendentalists can be promoted to the higher planets within the material world (one-fourth of the energy of the Lord), but they will fail to enter into the kingdom of deathlessness." SB 2.6.20 purport
I wanted to take a minute to express my sincere and heartfelt sympathies for the children who were subjected to sexual (and other) abuse in the gurukulas. And to their families. The institution that was to be providing education for becoming free from sex desire, brahmacari, came under the control of persons who misused their power. The guardians and educators becoming molesters and abusers. So unfortunate. Although it is understandable in this age we are living.
Without this brahmacari training from childhood there is no question of varnashrama. It is a very fallen age. Ever so thankfully the Hare Krishna mantra is there by the inconceivable mercy of the Lord with or without varnashrama.
And there is this at the end of Srila Prabhupada's purport:
"For a transcendentalist, therefore, who at all wants to be promoted to the kingdom beyond material miseries, it is worse than suicide to deliberately indulge in sex life, especially in the renounced order of life. Sex life in the renounced order of life is the most perverted form of religious life, and such a misguided person can only be saved if, by chance, he meets a pure devotee." SB 2.6.20 purport
For those within the system who purposefully disregard the strict practice their fate is described here. It's not all that bad. It's not hopeless. Srila Prabhupada does say "the pious householders." But they do miss the boat this time around.
"The householders and persons who have broken the vow of celibacy deliberately cannot enter into the kingdom of deathlessness. The pious householders or the fallen yogis or the fallen transcendentalists can be promoted to the higher planets within the material world (one-fourth of the energy of the Lord), but they will fail to enter into the kingdom of deathlessness." SB 2.6.20 purport
I wanted to take a minute to express my sincere and heartfelt sympathies for the children who were subjected to sexual (and other) abuse in the gurukulas. And to their families. The institution that was to be providing education for becoming free from sex desire, brahmacari, came under the control of persons who misused their power. The guardians and educators becoming molesters and abusers. So unfortunate. Although it is understandable in this age we are living.
Without this brahmacari training from childhood there is no question of varnashrama. It is a very fallen age. Ever so thankfully the Hare Krishna mantra is there by the inconceivable mercy of the Lord with or without varnashrama.
And there is this at the end of Srila Prabhupada's purport:
"For a transcendentalist, therefore, who at all wants to be promoted to the kingdom beyond material miseries, it is worse than suicide to deliberately indulge in sex life, especially in the renounced order of life. Sex life in the renounced order of life is the most perverted form of religious life, and such a misguided person can only be saved if, by chance, he meets a pure devotee." SB 2.6.20 purport
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