Truth is a Woman

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura writes in his commentary to Srimad Bhagavatam 11 Canto:

[One may claim:] “Learned persons who can destroy doubts can certainly determine the truth.” [But actually:] No, they simply quarrel among themselves. Some maintain, with proof, that the world is real.  Some proclaim that the world is false, attacking the first claim. They show lack of knowledge of Paramätmä, because Paramätmä, understood only by realization, is beyond logical argument.  A person fixed in a goal other than Me, or a person who is fixed in defeating others’ arguments, achieves no result, such as piety, sin, Svarga or hell. Though it is pointless, that person does not stop arguing.  This is because of his nature arising from mäyä. 

“I offer respects to the great Lord of eternal qualities, whose material energy is the cause of agreement and disagreement among those who make philosophies and then argue with others, whose material energy continually bewilders them as to the real nature of ätmä.” – [SB 6.4.31]

[Nietzsche says in this connection in “Beyond Good and Evil”: Suppose Truth is a woman, what then? Would’t have we not a good reason to suspect that all philosophers, insofar as they were dogmatists, had a poor understanding of women; that the dreadful seriousness and awkward pushiness with which they have so far habitually approached Truth are clumsy and inappropriate ways to win over a woman. It’s clear that Truth did not allow Herself to be won over and all forms of dogmatism are nowadays standing there dismayed and disheartened, if they are standing at all.]

Moreover, though they have attained a path to achieve Me after many births, they fall from that path. Those who know the path to attain Me, after understanding the meaning of the scriptures, take to arguing, have their intelligence turned away from Me (parävåtta-dhiyäm), who look upon My devotees and no others with mercy (sva-lokät). My devotees are not eager for arguments. They make their lives successful by thinking of Me only and not about argumentation. It is hinted that one should not waste one’s life by inquiry about truth in the world through arguments.

The Aila-gita

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having achieved this human form of life, which affords one the opportunity to realize Me, and being situated in My devotional service, one can achieve Me, the reservoir of all pleasure and the Supreme Soul of all existence, residing within the heart of every living being.” Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura writes:

In the last chapter, the Lord said niùsaìgo mäà bhajed vidvän apramatto jitendriyaù: without bad association, being attentive, with controlled senses, the wise man should worship Me. (SB 11.25.34) It is said that the wise man contemplating his means of success, also contemplates the obstacles to success. Thus, associaton with women is a great obstacle. In order to say that even the person liberated in this body should fear association with women, He describes in two verses the condition of the liberated soul which was already mentioned.

Çré Kåñëa continued: “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.” Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura writes:

Being in this condition, he should not associate with materialists. Nothing is as dangerous as that. The qualities of the materialist are described. He takes pleasure in sex and eating.  What to speak of associating with many such people, even association with one of them causes fall down.

Çré Kåñëa continued:  “The following song was sung by the famous emperor Purüravä. When deprived of his wife, Urvaçé, he was at first bewildered, but by controlling his lamentation he began to feel detachment.”  Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura writes:

A history is now related.  Aila means Purüravä. First he was bewildered and then at Kurukñetra he met Urvaçé.  Worshipping the devatäs by fire given by the Gandharvas, he attained her association again on Gandharva-loka. When his lamentation dissipated after enjoyment there, bhakti, jïäna and vairägya, which had been covered by obstacles previously, appeared in him. Then he sang this song. The Ninth Canto can be consulted for the story.

Çré Kåñëa continued:  “When she was leaving him, even though he was naked he ran after her just like a madman and called out in great distress, "O my wife, O terrible lady! Please stop!"  Although for many years Purüravä had enjoyed sex pleasure in the evening hours, still he was not satisfied by such insignificant enjoyment. His mind was so attracted to Urvaçé that he did not notice how the nights were coming and going.” 

“King Aila said: Alas, just see the extent of my delusion! This goddess was embracing me and held my neck in her grip. My heart was so polluted by lust that I had no idea how my life was passing.  That lady cheated me so much that I did not even see the rising or setting of the sun. Alas, for so many years I passed my days in vain!  Alas, although I am supposed to be a mighty emperor, the crown jewel of all kings on this earth, just see how my bewilderment has rendered me a toy animal in the hands of women! [1]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.  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.  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?  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.[2]  Even after I had served the so-called nectar of the lips of Urvaçé 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.[3]  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?  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 Urvaçé herself gave me wise counsel with well-spoken words.” The BBT purport states:

As described in the Ninth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the goddess Urvaçé plainly told Purüravä that he should never trust women or believe their promises. Despite this frank advice, he became fully attached and thus suffered great mental anguish.

King Aila continued:  “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.” Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura elaborates:

I previously said that my discrimination had been stolen by a prostitute. But now I do not blame her. What wicked act has she done to me?  None.  What harm can a rope do to a person, though he thinks it is a snake? It can do no harm at all. An ignorant person will find fault in the rope.  He fears it out of ignorance.  Since I have uncontrolled senses, I have lived in this type of illusion.

King Aila continued:  “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.” Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura elaborates:

[Someone might point out to Purüravä:] “But the cause of your bewilderment was the woman with excellent qualities, fragrance and sweetness.”[To which he responds:] Her qualities were produced by my lack of discrimination. When one considers factually, what is the use of a body so contaminated?  What are those excellent qualities, like those of a flower, such as youth and fragrance?  I have projected these qualities on her by my illusion.

King Aila continued:  “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!"  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?[4]  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.” 

Çré Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä:

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunté, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them. – [Bg. 5.22]

King Aila continued:  “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 curtail its material activities and become pacified.  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 senses; what to speak, then, of foolish persons like me.”  [5] Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura writes:

[One may point out:] “But we see that even a sage who lives alone develops a disturbed mind.”  That is true.  It arises from previous impressions of seeing a woman. The correct method is described. When a person does not direct his senses to women, the unmoving mind becomes calm.

Avisrabdhaù means untrustworthy.  One cannot trust the five senses and the mind.

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[1] King Mucukunda similarly states: Having conquered the entire circle of directions and being thus free of conflict, a man sits on a splendid throne, receiving praise from leaders who were once his equals. But when he enters the women's chambers, where sex pleasure is found, he is led about like a pet animal, O Lord. (SB 10.51.51) This is confirmed also by Queen Rukmini: O infallible Kåñëa, let each of the kings You named become the husband of a woman whose ears have never heard Your glories, which are sung in the assemblies of Çiva and Brahmä. After all, in the households of such women these kings live like asses, oxen, dogs, cats and slaves. (SB 10.60.44)

[2] Vritti: A similar example of becoming distracted by the details and overlooking the principle is expressed by the yajïic brähmaëas in the twenty-third chapter of the Tenth Canto:  [The brähmaëas said:] To hell with our threefold birth, our vow of celibacy and our extensive learning! To hell with our aristocratic background and our expertise in the rituals of sacrifice! These are all condemned because we were inimical to the transcendental Personality of Godhead…  Indeed, infatuated as we are with our household affairs, we have deviated completely from the real aim of our life. But now just see how the Lord, through the words of these simple cowherd boys, has reminded us of the ultimate destination of all true transcendentalists. – [SB 10.23.40&45]

[3] In this way, Saubhari Muni enjoyed sense gratification in the material world, but he was not at all satisfied, just as a fire never ceases blazing if constantly supplied with drops of fat…[Saubhari Muni said:] In the beginning I was alone and engaged in performing the austerities of mystic yoga, but later, because of the association of fish engaged in sex, I desired to marry. Then I became the husband of fifty wives, and in each of them I begot one hundred sons, and thus my family increased to five thousand members. By the influence of the modes of material nature, I became fallen and thought that I would be happy in material life. Thus there is no end to my material desires for enjoyment, in this life and the next.  (SB 9.6.48, 52)

[4] Queen Rukmini similarly states: A woman who fails to relish the fragrance of the honey of Your lotus feet becomes totally befooled, and thus she accepts as her husband or lover a living corpse covered with skin, whiskers, nails, head-hair and body-hair and filled with flesh, bones, blood, parasites, feces, mucus, bile and air. (SB 10.60.45)

[5] King Parékñit asked Çukadeva Gosvämé: My dear Lord, for those who are completely pure in heart, knowledge is attained by the practice of bhakti-yoga, and attachment for fruitive activity is completely burned to ashes. For such people, the powers of mystic yoga automatically arise. They do not cause distress. Why, then, did Åñabhadeva neglect them? Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé replied: My dear King, you have spoken correctly. However, after capturing animals, a cunning hunter does not put faith in them, for they might run away. Similarly, those who are advanced in spiritual life do not put faith in the mind. Indeed, they always remain vigilant and watch the mind's action. All the learned scholars have given their opinion. The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even Lord Çiva became agitated upon seeing the Mohiné form of Lord Kåñëa, and Saubhari Muni also fell down from the mature stage of yogic perfection. An unchaste woman is very easily carried away by paramours, and it sometimes happens that her husband is violently killed by her paramours. If the yogé gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogé. The mind is the root cause of lust, anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. Combined, these constitute bondage to fruitive activity. What learned man would put faith in the mind?  (SB 5.6.1-5)

Do we have to follow varnasrama?

by Pandava bandhava das

Çré Kåñëa continued:  “As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.9)

Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravärté Öhäkura comments:

It is said:

“The çruti and småti literatures are to be understood as My injunctions, and one who violates such codes is to be understood as violating My will and thus opposing Me. Although such a person may claim to be My devotee, he is not actually a Vaiñëava.”

Devotees may think that, since they are devotees following purely, it is not necessary to follow injunctions and prohibitions in çruti and småti, such as vows like Ekädaçé and forbidden acts like putting coconut water in a bell metal vessel, or putting yogurt or milk in a copper vessel, or eating the Lord’s offerings before offering to the Lord.  However, understanding that the çruti and småti are the Lord’s order, they should follow those instructions.

That is the answers to the question “is it necessary for the devotees to follow varnasrama? If they are liberated, at the level of bhava and above, they are not required to follow, though most of them would still follow the rules for the sake of giving a good example to the common people and neophyte devotees. Those who are not liberated should follow the standard rules of varnasrama given by our founder-acharya, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Srila Prabhupada.

One of the most common arguments against varnasrama is that “we are not these bodies, so we don’t have to follow the rules connected with the bodies”.

Though it is true that we are not this body, it is also true that for most of us this is still a theoretical concept. When we make our choices in life we are still (in most cases) acting according to our material conditioning. For example, often the persons making the claim “we are not this body, therefore I should be allowed to do any type of service, especially those that award social prestige” are devotees currently situated in the grihasta asram. If they have realized that they are not their material conditioning they should have no problem doing any type of seva; they should not have preferences based on political agenda or social prestige. That means that they should not insist on giving the lecture at the Sunday feast or performing the arati, or dressing the deities for festivals. They should be as eager to go on traveling sankirtan, to clean the toilets, or to take out the garbage. Otherwise their claim “we are not this body” is simply hypocrisy.

Such claim could be taken seriously when it comes from a renunciant engaged in preaching, chanting and hearing Bhagavatam. If everything you do is direct devotional service then there is some provision for not following some of the secondary rules of varnasrama. But if you are a family person engaged in material activities most of the time and still playing the game “we are not this body”, this is not serious.