King Purajana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen Becomes Angry
*The great sage Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> continued: My dear King, once upon a time King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> took up his great bow, and equipped with golden armor and a quiver of unlimited arrows and accompanied by eleven commanders, he sat <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sat> on his chariot driven by five swift horses and went to the forest named Pa�ca <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/panca>-prastha <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prastha>. He took with him in that chariot two explosive arrows. The chariot itself was situated on two wheels and one revolving axle. On the chariot were three flags, one rein, one chariot driver, one sitting place, two poles to which the harness was fixed, five weapons and seven coverings. The chariot moved in five different styles, and five obstacles lay before it. All the decorations of the chariot were made of gold.* *PURPORT* These three verses explain how the material body of the living entity is under the control of the three qualities of the external energy. The body itself is the chariot, and the living entity is the owner of the body, as explained in *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* (2.13 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/2/13?d=1>): *dehino ’smin yathā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yatha> dehe <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/dehe>.* The owner of the body is called the *dehī <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/dehi>,* and he is situated within this body, specifically within the heart. The living entity is driven by one chariot driver. The chariot itself is made of three *gu**ṇ**as,* three qualities of material nature, as confirmed in *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* (18.61 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/18/61?d=1>): *yantrārū**ḍ**h**ā**ni* *māyayā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mayaya>.* The word *yantra <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yantra>* means “carriage.” The body is given by material nature, and the driver of that body is Paramātmā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/paramatma>, the Supersoul. The living entity is seated within the chariot. This is the actual position. The living entity is always being influenced by the three qualities—*sattva <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sattva>* (goodness), *rajas* (passion) and *tamas* (ignorance). This is also confirmed in *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* (7.13 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/7/13?d=1>). *Tribhir gu**ṇ**amayair* *bhāvaiḥ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhavaih>:* the living entity is bewildered by the three qualities of material nature. These three qualities are described in this verse as three flags. By a flag, one can come to know who the owner of the chariot is; similarly, by the influence of the three qualities of material nature, one can easily know the direction in which the chariot is moving. In other words, one who has eyes to see can understand how the body is being driven, influenced by the particular type of quality of material nature. In these three verses the activity of the living entity is described to prove how the body becomes influenced by the quality of ignorance, even when a person wants to be religious. Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> Muni <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/muni> wanted to prove to King Prācīnabarhiṣat that the King was being influenced by the *tamo-guṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/guna>,* the quality of ignorance, even though the King was supposed to be very religious. According to *karma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/karma>-kāṇḍīya <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/kandiya>,* the process of fruitive activities, a person performs various sacrifices directed by the *Vedas,* and in all those sacrifices animal-killing, or experimenting on the life of animals to test the power of Vedic *mantras,* is enjoined. Animal-killing is certainly conducted under the influence of the mode of ignorance. Even though one may be religiously inclined, animal sacrifice is recommended in the *śāstras,* not only in the *Vedas* but even in the modern scriptures of other sects. These animal sacrifices are recommended in the name of religion, but actually animal sacrifice is meant for persons in the mode of ignorance. When such people kill animals, they can at least do so in the name of religion. However, when the religious system is transcendental, like the Vaiṣṇava <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vaisnava> religion, there is no place for animal sacrifice. Such a transcendental religious system is recommended by Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> in *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* (18.66 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/18/66?d=1>): *sarva <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sarva>-dharmān <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/dharman> parityajya <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/parityajya> mām <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mam> ekaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ekam> śaraṇaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/saranam> vraja <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vraja> ahaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/aham> tvāṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tvam> sarva <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sarva>-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/moksayisyami> mā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ma> śucaḥ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sucah>* “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” Because King Prācīnabarhiṣat was engaged in performing various sacrifices in which animals were killed, Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> Muni <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/muni> pointed out that such sacrifices are influenced by the mode of ignorance. From the very beginning of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>* (1.1.2 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/1/2?d=1>) it is said: *projjhita <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/projjhita>-kaitavo ’tra.* All kinds of religious systems that are involved in cheating are completely kicked out of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>.* In the *bhagavad-dharma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/dharma>,* the religion dealing with one’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, animal sacrifice is not recommended. In the performance of *saṅkīrtana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sankirtana>-yaj�a <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yajna>*—Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna>, Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna>, Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> Kṛṣṇa, Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Hare/ Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Rāma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rama>, Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Rāma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rama>, Rāma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rama> Rāma, Hare <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hare> Hare—there is no recommendation for animal sacrifices. In these three verses, King Pura�jana’s going to the forest to kill animals is symbolic of the living entity’s being driven by the mode of ignorance and thus engaging in different activities for sense gratification. The material body itself indicates that the living entity is already influenced by the three modes of material nature and that he is driven to enjoy material resources. When the body is influenced by the mode of ignorance, its infection becomes very acute. When it is influenced by the mode of passion, the infection is at the symptomatic stage. However, when the body is influenced by the mode of goodness, the materialistic infection becomes purified. The ritualistic ceremonies recommended in religious systems are certainly on the platform of goodness, but because within this material world even the mode of goodness is sometimes polluted by the other qualities (namely passion and ignorance), a man in goodness is sometimes driven by the influence of ignorance. It is herein described that King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> once went to the forest to kill animals. This means that he, the living entity, came under the influence of the mode of ignorance. The forest in which King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> engaged in hunting was named Pa�ca <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/panca>-prastha <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prastha>. The word *pa�ca <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/panca>* means “five,” and this indicates the objects of the five senses. The body has five working senses, namely the hands, the legs, the tongue, the rectum and the genitals. By taking full advantage of these working senses, the body enjoys material life. The chariot is driven by five horses, which represent the five sense organs—namely the eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue. These sense organs are very easily attracted by the sense objects. Consequently, the horses are described as moving swiftly. On the chariot King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> kept two explosive weapons, which may be compared to *ahaṅkāra <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ahankara>,* or false ego. This false ego is typified by two attitudes: “I am this body” (*ahantā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ahanta>*), and “Everything in my bodily relationships belongs to me” (*mamatā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mamata>*). The two wheels of the chariot may be compared to the two moving facilities—namely sinful life and religious life. The chariot is decorated with three flags, which represent the three modes of material nature. The five kinds of obstacles, or uneven roads, represent the five kinds of air passing within the body. These are *prāṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prana>, apāna <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/apana>, udāna <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/udana>, samāna <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/samana>* and *vyāna.* The body itself is covered by seven coverings, namely skin, muscle, fat, blood, marrow, bone and semen. The living entity is covered by three subtle material elements and five gross material elements. These are actually obstacles placed before the living entity on the path of liberation from material bondage. The word *raśmi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rasmi>* (“rope”) in this verse indicates the mind. The word *nī**ḍ**a* is also significant, for *nī* *ḍ**a* indicates the nest where a bird takes rest. In this case *nī**ḍ**a* is the heart, where the living entity is situated. The living entity sits in one place only. The causes of his bondage are two: namely lamentation and illusion. In material existence the living entity simply hankers to get something he can never get. Therefore he is in illusion. As a result of being in this illusory situation, the living entity is always lamenting. Thus lamentation and illusion are described herein as *dvi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/dvi>-kūbara,* the two posts of bondage. The living entity carries out various desires through five different processes, which indicate the working of the five working senses. The golden ornaments and dress indicate that the living entity is influenced by the quality of *rajo <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rajo>-guṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/guna>,* passion. One who has a good deal of money or riches is especially driven by the mode of passion. Being influenced by the mode of passion, one desires so many things for enjoyment in this material world. The eleven commanders represent the ten senses and the mind. The mind is always making plans with the ten commanders to enjoy the material world. The forest named Pa�ca <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/panca>-prastha <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prastha>, where the King went to hunt, is the forest of the five sense objects: form, taste, sound, smell and touch. Thus in these three verses Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> Muni <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/muni> describes the position of the material body and the encagement of the living entity within it. *It was almost impossible for King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> to give up the company of his Queen even for a moment. Nonetheless, on that day, being very much inspired by the desire to hunt, he took up his bow and arrow with great pride and went to the forest, not caring for his wife.* *PURPORT* One form of hunting is known as woman-hunting. A conditioned soul is never satisfied with one wife. Those whose senses are very much uncontrolled especially try to hunt for many women. King Pura�jana’s abandoning the company of his religiously married wife is representative of the conditioned soul’s attempt to hunt for many women for sense gratification. Wherever a king goes, he is supposed to be accompanied by his queen, but when the king, or conditioned soul, becomes greatly overpowered by the desire for sense gratification, he does not care for religious principles. Instead, with great pride, he accepts the bow and arrow of attachment and hatred. Our consciousness is always working in two ways—the right way and the wrong way. When one becomes too proud of his position, influenced by the mode of passion, he gives up the right path and accepts the wrong one. *Kṣatriya <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ksatriya>* kings are sometimes advised to go to the forest to hunt ferocious animals just to learn how to kill, but such forays are never meant for sense gratification. Killing animals to eat their flesh is forbidden for human beings. *At that time King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> was very much influenced by demoniac propensities. Because of this, his heart became very hard and merciless, and with sharp arrows he killed many innocent animals in the forest, taking no consideration.* *If a king is too attracted to eating flesh, he may, according to the directions of the revealed scriptures on sacrificial performances, go to the forest and kill some animals that are recommended for killing. One is not allowed to kill animals unnecessarily or without restrictions. The Vedas regulate animal-killing to stop the extravagance of foolish men influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance.* *Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> Muni <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/muni> continued to speak to King Prācīnabarhi**ṣ**at: My dear King, any person who works according to the directions of the Vedic scriptures does not become involved in fruitive activities.* *Otherwise, a person who acts whimsically falls down due to false prestige. Thus he becomes involved in the laws of nature, which are composed of the three qualities [goodness, passion and ignorance]. In this way a living entity becomes devoid of his real intelligence and becomes perpetually lost in the cycle of birth and death. Thus he goes up and down from a microbe in stool to a high position in the Brahmaloka planet.* *When King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> was hunting in this way, many animals within the forest lost their lives with great pain, being pierced by the sharp arrowheads. Upon seeing these devastating, ghastly activities performed by the King, all the people who were merciful by nature became very unhappy. Such merciful persons could not tolerate seeing all this killing.* A person in the mode of ignorance commits many sinful activities. In the *Bhakti <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhakti>-rasāmṛta <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rasamrta>-sindhu <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sindhu>,* Śrīla Rūpa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rupa> Gosvāmī explains that a man becomes sinful out of ignorance only. The resultant effect of sinful life is suffering. Those who are not in knowledge, who commit violations of the standard laws, are subject to be punished under criminal laws. Similarly, the laws of nature are very stringent. If a child touches fire without knowing the effect, he must be burned, even though he is only a child. If a child violates the law of nature, there is no compassion. Only through ignorance does a person violate the laws of nature, and when he comes to knowledge he does not commit any more sinful acts. The King became tired after killing so many animals. When a man comes in contact with a saintly person, he becomes aware of the stringent laws of nature and thus becomes a religious person. Irreligious persons are like animals, but in this Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness movement such persons can come to a sense of understanding things as they are and abandon the four principles of prohibited activities—namely illicit sex life, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. This is the beginning of religious life. Those who are so-called religious and indulge in these four principles of prohibited activities are pseudoreligionists. Religious life and sinful activity cannot parallel one another. If one is serious in accepting a religious life, or the path of salvation, he must adhere to the four basic rules and regulations. However sinful a man may be, if he receives knowledge from the proper spiritual master and repents his past activities in his sinful life and stops them, he immediately becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is made possible just by following the rules and regulations given by the *śāstra <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sastra>* and following the bona fide spiritual master. At present the whole world is on the verge of retiring from a blind materialistic civilization, which may be likened to hunting animals in the forest. People should take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness movement and leave their troublesome life of killing. It is said that the killers of animals should neither live nor die. If they live only to kill animals and enjoy women, life is not very prosperous. And as soon as a killer dies, he enters the cycle of birth and death in the lower species of life. That also is not desirable. The conclusion is that killers should retire from the killing business and take to this Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness movement to make life perfect. A confused, frustrated man cannot get relief by committing suicide because suicide will simply lead him to take birth in the lower species of life or to remain a ghost, unable to attain a gross material body. Therefore the perfect course is to retire altogether from sinful activities and take up Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness. In this way one can become completely perfect and go back home, back to Godhead. *After this, the King, very much fatigued, hungry and thirsty, returned to his royal palace. After returning, he took a bath and had an appropriate dinner. Then he took rest and thus became freed from all restlessness.* *PURPORT* A materialistic person works throughout the whole week very, very hard. He is always asking, “Where is money? Where is money?” Then, at the end of the week, he wants to retire from these activities and go to some secluded place to rest. King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> returned to his home because he was very much fatigued from hunting animals in the forest. In this way his conscience came to stop him from committing further sinful activities and make him return home. In *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* materialistic persons are described as *duṣkṛtinaḥ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/duskrtinah>,* which indicates those who are always engaged in sinful activities. When a person comes to his senses and understands how he is engaging in sinful activities, he returns to his conscience, which is herein figuratively described as the palace. Generally a materialistic person is infected by the material modes of passion and ignorance. The results of passion and ignorance are lust and greed. In the life of a materialist, activity means working in lust and greed. However, when he comes to his senses, he wants to retire. According to Vedic civilization, such retirement is positively recommended, and this portion of life is called *vānaprastha.* Retirement is absolutely necessary for a materialist who wants to become free from the activities of a sinful life. King Pura�jana’s coming home, taking bath and having an appropriate dinner indicate that a materialistic person must retire from sinful activities and become purified by accepting a spiritual master and hearing from him about the values of life. If one would do this, he would feel completely refreshed, just as one feels after taking a bath. After receiving initiation from a bona fide spiritual master, one must abandon all kinds of sinful activities, namely illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. The word *ucitāhāra**ḥ* used in this verse is important. *Ucita <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ucita>* means “appropriate.” One must eat appropriately and not take after food as hogs take after stool. For a human being there are eatables described in *Bhagavad-gītā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/gita>* (17.8 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/17/8-10?d=1>) as *sāttvika <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sattvika>-āhāra <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/ahara>,* or food in the mode of goodness. One should not indulge in eating food in the modes of passion and ignorance. This is called *ucitāhāra,* or appropriate eating. One who is always eating meat or drinking liquor, which is eating and drinking in passion and ignorance, must give these things up so that his real consciousness may be awakened. In this way one may become peaceful and refreshed. If one is restless or fatigued, one cannot understand the science of God. As stated in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>* (1.2.20 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/2/20?d=1>): *evaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/evam> prasanna <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prasanna>-manaso bhagavad-bhakti <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhakti>-yogataḥ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yogatah> bhagavat <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavat>-tattva <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tattva>-vij�ānaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vijnanam> mukta <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mukta>-saṅgasya <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sangasya> jāyate <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/jayate>* Unless one can become free from the influence of passion and ignorance, he cannot be pacified, and without being pacified, one cannot understand the science of God. King Pura�jana’s returning home is indicative of man’s returning to his original consciousness, known as Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness. Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness is absolutely necessary for one who has committed a lot of sinful activities, especially killing animals or hunting in the forest. *After this, King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> decorated his body with suitable ornaments. He also smeared scented sandalwood pulp over his body and put on flower garlands. In this way he became completely refreshed. After this, he began to search out his Queen.* *After taking his dinner and having his thirst and hunger satisfied, King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> felt some joy within his heart. Instead of being elevated to a higher consciousness, he became captivated by Cupid, and was moved by a desire to find his wife, who kept him satisfied in his household life.* *At that time King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> was a little anxious, and he inquired from the household women: My dear beautiful women, are you and your mistress all very happy like before, or not?* *King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> said: I do not understand why my household paraphernalia does not attract me as before. I think that if there is neither a mother nor devoted wife at home, the home is like a chariot without wheels. Where is the fool who will sit down on such an unworkable chariot?* *Kindly let me know the whereabouts of that beautiful woman who always saves me when I am drowning in the ocean of danger. By giving me good intelligence at every step, she always saves me.* *All the women addressed the King: O master of the citizens, we do not know why your dear wife has taken on this sort of existence. O killer of enemies, kindly look! She is lying on the ground without bedding. We cannot understand why she is acting this way.* *The great sage Nārada <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/narada> continued: My dear King Prācīnabarhi, as soon as King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> saw his Queen lying on the ground, appearing like a mendicant, he immediately became bewildered.* The King very much regretted having left his Queen and having gone to the forest to execute sinful activities. When a person regrets his sinful activities, the abandoning of Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness and good intelligence, his path of deliverance from the path of material clutches is opened. As stated in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>* (5.5.5 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/5/5/5?d=1>): *parābhavas tāvad abodha <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/abodha> jāto yāvan <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yavan> na <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/na> jij**�**ā**sata* *ātma <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/atma>-tattvam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tattvam>.* When a person loses his Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness and loses interest in self-realization, he must engage in sinful activities. All one’s activities in a life devoid of Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness simply lead to defeat and misuse of one’s life. Naturally one who comes to K ṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness regrets his previous sinful activities in the human form. Only by this process can one be delivered from the clutches of nescience or ignorance in materialistic life. One has to awaken his Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness by first regretting his past deeds. Just as King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> began to flatter his Queen, one should, by deliberate consideration, raise himself to the platform of Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness. To attain such an end, one must touch the lotus feet of the spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness cannot be achieved by self-endeavor. One must therefore approach a self-realized, Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> conscious person and touch his lotus feet. Prahlāda <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/prahlada> Mahārāja <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/maharaja> therefore said: *nai**ṣ**ā**ṁ** matis t**ā**vad urukram**ā**ṅ**ghri**ṁ* * sp**ṛ**ś**aty anarth**ā**pagamo* *yad <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yad>-arthaḥ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/arthah> mahīyasāṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mahiyasam> pāda <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/pada>-rajo <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/rajo>-’bhi**ṣ**eka**ṁ* * niṣki�canānāṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/niskincananam> na <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/na> vṛṇīta <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vrnita> yāvat <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yavat>* (*Bhāg.* 7.5.32 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/5/32?d=1>) One cannot come to the precincts of Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness unless he touches the dust of the lotus feet of a person who has become a *mahātmā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mahatma>,* a great devotee. This is the beginning of the surrendering process. Lord Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> wants everyone to surrender unto Him, and this surrendering process begins when one touches the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master. By sincerely rendering service to a bona fide spiritual master, one begins his spiritual life in Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness. Touching the lotus feet of a spiritual master means giving up one’s false prestige and unnecessarily puffed-up position in the material world. Those who remain in the darkness of material existence due to their falsely prestigious positions—so-called scientists and philosophers—are actually atheists. They do not know the ultimate cause of everything. Although bewildered, they are not ready to surrender themselves to the lotus feet of a person who knows things in their proper perspective. In other words, one cannot arouse Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna> consciousness simply by his own mental speculation. One must surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Only this process will help one. *King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> said: My dear beautiful wife, when a master accepts a servant as his own man, but does not punish him for his offenses, the servant must be considered unfortunate.* *PURPORT* According to Vedic civilization, domestic animals and servants are treated exactly like one’s own children. Animals and children are sometimes punished not out of vengeance but out of love. Similarly, a master sometimes punishes his servant, not out of vengeance but out of love, to correct him and bring him to the right point. Thus King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> took his punishment dealt by his wife, the Queen, as mercy upon him. He considered himself the most obedient servant of the Queen. She was angry at him for his sinful activities—namely, hunting in the forest and leaving her at home. King Pura� jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> accepted the punishment as actual love and affection from his wife. In the same way, when a person is punished by the laws of nature, by the will of God, he should not be disturbed. A real devotee thinks in this way. When a devotee is put into an awkward position, he takes it as the mercy of the Supreme Lord. *tat <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tat> te <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/te> ’nukampā**ṁ** susam**ī**k**ṣ**am**ā**ṇ* *o bhu**�**j**ā**na ev**ā* *tma-kṛtaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krtam> vipākam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vipakam> hṛd <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hrd>-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/vidadhan> namas te <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/te> jīveta <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/jiveta> yo mukti <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/mukti>-pade <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/pade> sa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sa> dāya <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/daya>-bhāk <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhak>* (*Bhāg.* 10.14.8) This verse states that the devotee accepts a reversal of his position in life as a benediction by the Lord and consequently offers the Lord more obeisances and prayers, thinking that the punishment is due to his past misdeeds and that the Lord is punishing him very mildly. The punishment awarded by the state or by God for one’s own faults is actually for one’s benefit. In the *Manu <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/manu>-saṁhitā <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/samhita>* it is said that the King should be considered merciful when he condemns a murderer to death because a murderer punished in this life becomes freed from his sinful activity and in the next life takes birth cleared of all sins. If one accepts punishment as a reward dealt by the master, he becomes intelligent enough not to commit the same mistake again. *My dear slender maiden, when a master chastises his servant, the servant should accept this as great mercy. One who becomes angry must be very foolish not to know that such is the duty of his friend.* *My dear wife, your teeth are very beautifully set, and your attractive features make you appear very thoughtful. Kindly give up your anger, be merciful upon me, and please smile upon me with loving attachment. When I see a smile on your beautiful face, and when I see your hair, which is as beautiful as the color blue, and see your raised nose and hear your sweet talk, you will become more beautiful to me and thus attract me and oblige me. You are my most respected mistress.* *O hero’s wife, kindly tell me if someone has offended you. I am prepared to give such a person punishment as long as he does not belong to the brāhmaṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/brahmana> caste <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/caste>. But for the servant of Muraripu [Kṛṣṇa <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/krsna>], I excuse no one within or beyond these three worlds. No one can freely move after offending you, for I am prepared to punish him.* *My dear wife, until this day I have never seen your face without tilaka <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tilaka> decorations, nor have I seen you so morose and without luster or affection. Nor have I seen your two nice breasts wet with tears from your eyes. Nor have I ever before seen your lips, which are ordinarily as red as the bimba <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bimba> fruit, without their reddish hue.* Both man and woman desire one another; that is the basic principle of material existence. Women in general always keep themselves beautiful so that they can be attractive to their lusty husbands. When a lusty husband comes before his wife, the wife takes advantage of his aggressive activities and enjoys life. Generally when a woman is attacked by a man—whether her husband or some other man—she enjoys the attack, being too lusty. In other words, when one’s intelligence is properly utilized, both the intellect and the intelligent person enjoy one another with great satisfaction. As stated in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>* (7.9.45 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/9/45?d=1>): *yan <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yan> maithunādi-gṛhamedhi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/grhamedhi>-sukhaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sukham> hi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hi> tucchaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tuccham> kaṇḍūyanena <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/kanduyanena> karayor iva <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/iva> duḥkha <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/duhkha>-duḥkham <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/duhkham>* The actual happiness of the *karmīs* is sex life. They work very hard outside the home, and to satiate their hard labor, they come home to enjoy sex life. King Pura�jana <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/puranjana> went to the forest to hunt, and after his hard labor he returned home to enjoy sex life. If a man lives outside the home and spends a week in a city or somewhere else, at the end of the week he becomes very anxious to return home and enjoy sex with his wife. This is confirmed in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/bhagavatam>:* *yan <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/yan> maithunādi-gṛhamedhi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/grhamedhi>-sukhaṁ <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/sukham> hi <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/hi> tuccham <https://prabhupadabooks.com/d/tuccham> [SB *7.9.45 <https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/9/45?d=1>]*.* *Karmīs* work very hard simply to enjoy sex. Modern human society has improved the materialistic way of life simply by inducing unrestricted sex life in many different ways. This is most prominently visible in the Western world. KR IRS 14 11 23 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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