Open in App
Open in App

Why you are avoiding illicit sex? This is life!

The brainwashing issue has become the main topic of conversation. Srila Prabhupada brings it up frequently, discussing all the aspects and analyzing the psychology of our accusers, revealing their deficient thinking. When I went to join him after his breakfast nap, he immediately took it up again. I can understand how people feel threatened by their children taking up a completely different way of life and different values, but still it seems to me that from a practical point of view what Srila Prabhupada has introduced can hardly be criticized. "How can they take it that what we're doing is a bad thing?" I asked. "If we're training people how to avoid intoxication, how to avoid illicit sex, abortion, contraception." Prabhupada just smiled and shook his head. Right from the start of his preaching, he's had experience of these kinds of objections. "They say, 'Why you should avoid? This is life! Why you are brainwashing?' One boy was there in the beginning. What was his name? Ranchor, his name, I gave him. So his father argued, 'Why you are avoiding illicit sex? This is life! Why you are afraid? I'll give you car. I'll give you girls. You enjoy. What is this philosophy, nonsense philosophy?' His father was arguing. I think everyone's father argues like that. Lord Roland said, he said, 'Why you are prohibiting this thing? This is our life. It is impossible.' " I observed that there are vegetarians in general society and also people who abstain from the various sinful activities. They are not accused of being brainwashed, so why, I mused, should they object if we avoid the combination of these things? Prabhupada had a succinct answer. " 'It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss.' If the majority are fools and rascal, if you say something sane, then they'll . . . the sane man, he is insane. He's crazy." "Then how to fight them?" I asked. "That is the position," Prabhupada replied. "The only means is that in spite of all opposition we have to chant Hare Krishna. That will cleanse. Otherwise there is no other way. Argument and logic, they have no brain to understand. It requires this transcendental method, ceto darpana marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], by chanting Hare Krishna. That is wanted. You have to chant Hare Krishna and let them get the chance to hear. Then they will be able to catch it, what we are saying. Not directly; it is not possible." I agreed with the spiritual premise, but it seemed too general and long range for the current dilemma. "Then how are we going to fare in this court case?" I asked. "Because in these court cases it's a question of presenting one side against the other." But Prabhupada was talking on two tracks, presenting two approaches. "No, the philosophy is there. Court case means there is philosophy-there is logic. So for that we have got so many books. But general mass of people, chanting. When there is court case we are prepared to defend. We are not fools. We can talk that what is the aim of life. They cannot say anything. The transmigration of the soul, the aim of life which we are discussing in our book, that's fact. How he can deny the transmigration of the soul from one body to another? And if that is accepted, the whole problem is solved. He does not know what kind of life he is going to get. Therefore they do not accept this philosophy. If once accepted, then next question-'What kind of life we are going to get, either to become a tree or a dog or human being?' What arrangement you have done that you will get next life human being? Then the pious and impious activities comes one after another. The basic principle they are denying. 'After this body is finished, everything is finished.' Bhasmi bhutasya dehasya punar agama . . . 'The body will be burned into ashes, and where is life? Who is coming? Who is going? That's all.' They do not see the soul. Their medical science cannot find out where is soul." He had me look up the definition of brainwashing in the dictionary. I read it out: "Brainwashing: clearing the mind of established ideas by persistent suggestion and indoctrination." Prabhupada chuckled. In one sense it was true. "We are doing that. They are under the impression, 'Work hard, earn money, and enjoy life.' We say, 'No. Don't work hard for sense gratification but work hard for self realization.' Indoctrine." I made the point that any form of education is indoctrination. "Whatever you teach someone, you teach according to whatever you see as the correct value." Prabhupada agreed. "Yes. The child goes to the school. His brain is packed up: 'I shall play all day.' He likes to play, but it is indoctrination that 'No, you should read. You must become graduate.' Education is required. The child wants to play, but we have to educate him that 'No, play is not all. You have to be educated.' Similarly, this animal life-eating, sleeping, mating-this is already there. No. We say, 'Not only this; you have to realize God.' This kind of 'brainwash' is required. If we do not understand God, then what is the difference between you and dog? He knows how to eat, how to sleep. He doesn't require any high education how to eat. Everyone knows how to eat, how to use sex. Nobody requires any university education. "When the animals enjoy sex, they know which part of the body has to be used. There is no need of education; he knows it. And these rascals, they are presenting Freud's philosophy, sex. Just see how they are wasting time." 

When I responded that nowadays there are so many books on sex education, Prabhupada told a little story. "One man was canvassing, hawking. So he was [saying], 'Here is a book of cow protection.' He has written one book to take care of the cows. So one old man called him, 'What you are selling?' Now, 'I am selling this book.' 'What is that book?' 'Maintaining the cow.' So, 'Why you are selling? First of all give this book to your mother, because you are no better than cow, so she will learn how to give you protection!' That means he wanted to impress upon him that 'Cow protection doesn't require any education. You have written a book? So you are such a rascal, cow intelligence. Better give this book to your mother. She will maintain you. Don't sell it. Everyone knows how to give cow protection.' So similarly, this sex literature; there is no need of sex literature. Sex literature is there in Sanskrit also. That is how to restrict sex. For what purpose one should indulge in sex, that is called Kama sastra." Then he told me another anecdote, an experience he had while traveling during his householder life. "I have seen this Freud philosophy became so prominent that sometimes in the year . . . 1940s maybe. So one young woman was traveling, and another young man was traveling. So they began to discuss about sex very openly. And both of them unknown. Still, they engaged themselves in discussing the sex literature without any shame. Young boy, young girl, they began to discuss on sex openly, as 'scientific.' " "What is this scientific?" I asked, a bit puzzled. Prabhupada again chuckled and with a good deal of sarcasm got down to the real point. "Scientific means after discussing for some time, you propose that 'Let us enjoy sex.' That's all. It is common thing in your country?unknown girl, unknown boy, and talk for some time, 'Let us go to some restaurant,' and then talk more intimately, and then sex." I agreed from my own previous practical experience. "That's the whole social system. The only reason they go to a dance is to pick up some woman for sex life. That's all. Most of my friends used to go out specifically to find some woman to have sex." "Yes," Prabhupada rejoined. "This dancing club means this."


Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 5 by Hari Sauri Dasa