6 urges to Control to advance in Bhakti

SBVT writes: “…lust, anger, greed, illusion, intoxication, envy and other irritations always arise
within the mind and thus attract the mind towards material sense objects. This is effected through six
agencies (the urges mentioned in this verse). SBVT continues, “Thus agitated, the cultivation of
suddha-bhakti is not possible. In order to make the hearts of those who are pursuing the path of bhajana
intent on bhakti, Sri Rupa Gosvami has composed this verse first…”

“These six urges present various types of obstacles in the immature stage for the practitioner entering
the path of bhakti. At that time the devotee, by taking shelter of the mood of exclusive saranagati and by
avoiding the ten kinds of offences to the holy name (nama-aparadha), becomes fit to dispel these
obstacles through the power of harinamakirtana and so on.”

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur comments that the injunction mentioned in this verse is not directly bhakti, but
is a limb of saranagati – pratikulyasya varjanam. One who learns to take shelter solely of Krsna, by
tolerating, and rejecting the urges mentioned in this verse becomes fixed in worshipping Krsna directly
through the 9 limbs of actual sadhana bhakti – sravanam, kirtanam, etc.

SBSST writes, “Those whose senses are not controlled can never become devotees of Sri Hari.”

So this verse is intended to make us a Goswami, that we may take fully to the path of serving Krsna. Our
material identification causes us to experience urges of the body, mind, and words. There are 3 urges of
the body, and 3 urges of the mind and words combined. The urges of the mind and words are described
first.

Vaco Vegam:

SBSSST writes that the demands of speech refer to:

- The speculations of the followers of impersonalism
- To the logical deliberations of the karma-kandis
- To all talk not related to the service of Sri Krsna, but related to varieties of desire for material
enjoyment.

In order to curb the urge to simply speak anything and everything, like the frog croaking only for the
snake of time, I must train my speaking power to always glorify Krsna’s Name, Form, Qualities, and
Pastimes. Srila Prabhupada writes: “Many people are talking nonsensically and writing volumes of
useless books, and all this is the result of the urge to speak.” SP quotes the verses:

- Na yad vacas citra padam harer yaso

- Tad vag visargo janatagha viplavo

For one who properly trains himself to speak, Srila Prabhupada writes, “The preacher of kåñëa-kathä is
always beyond the clutches of death.”

Notes:
- In this age of technological explosion, there is an unimaginable escalation of prajalpa on the net, in
emails, on phones, etc. Be very careful to avoid the disease of chronic distraction. People have
become so hyper, that if they don’t get a message, or an email, they feel like their life is useless.
- The effect of such an explosion, is that my creativity is destroyed, we end up only being reactive,
and in this way vaco vegam leads to uncontrolled manasa and krodha vegam.
- People just become zoombies with no focus to do anything tangible in their lives – they just keep
tapping screens. Cannot do anything practical.
- Types of vaco vega: useless talk, arguments, gossips, debates, faultfinding, speaking falsehoods,
blaspheme devs, worldly talk.

Manasa Vegam

SBSST writes the manasa vegam refers to unrestricted attachment (avirodha priti), as well as anger
arising from impediments (virodha-yukta krodha).

This attachment refers to:

- Attachment for the faith of the mayavadis

- Respect to the adherence of karma-kanda activity
- Faith in the words of sense enjoyers

In Verse two of NOI, the effect of manasa vegam is seen in laulyam or the “The restlessness or fickleness
of mind” that causes a practitioner to run from this path to that path with the desire to enjoy the fruits
of these various paths.

SP offers the solution

krsna surya sama maya haya andhakara

yahan krsna tahan nahi mayara adhikara.

SP writes, “Kåñëa is just like the sun, and mäyä is just like darkness. If the sun is present, there is no
question of darkness. Similarly, if Kåñëa is present in the mind, there is no possibility of the mind's being
agitated by mäyä's influence.”

Now that I am in the ashram, all I have to do is follow Srila Prabhupada’s recommendation “However, if
one always thinks of Krsna and how to serve Krsna best, one's mind will naturally be controlled.”

Notes:
- Try to cultivate feelings for Krsna’s service, service to the Vaisnavas, for preaching, for memorizing
verses, for teaching, etc
o E.g. BGP, influenced deeply by Vedic sound, others, diety worship, long kirtans, Long time
with the dieties
o Find your sacred space; visrama stanam.
o Associate not with mediocre association, but with those who have this depth of higher
taste.
- A bramachari is one who is haunted by Vedic sound, and is hunting for service.
-
-
- Neglect the mind;
- Intellectually reason with the mind – oh, mind why are you bathing me in the burning donkey urine
of the desire for fame – Manah Siksha
- Loudly call out the Holy Names – As in Raghunath das Goswami’s instructions – bakadibhid iha. By
calling out to the Lord or his devotees, at the point where one is unable to tolerate the mind’s urge,
the mind’s impulses become controlled.
- Chant Hare Krsna in the damodharastakam tune. A prayerful begging tune – mentioned by a
spiritual master to his disciple.
- To seek counsel – mantra to deliver the mind, mantrana, the counselor to get guidance on essential
things
- SB: 11.13.4 – ten items that influence the modes of nature. Manage it to get the best setting to
advance since the mind is a neutral instrument that can be trained to think either way
o Agamo – Literature; apha – drinking water (can drink caranamrta), bathing water (at body
temp is best), praja (association), desa (place of stay), kalah (time of day at which I am
active); karma (activities done during the day); janma – garbhadana; dhyanam – meditation;
mantra – slogan; samskara – impressions.
- Dealing with Matajis:
o Sense vibes, yours towards the object, and the object’s towards you. When you go to such
places with such association, just give, there is nothing to receive.
o If there is an issue, then reveal it immediately
o Would you feel agitated if the dancers were your sister or your mother. No! Are these
people any less than your sisters and your mother? No!!!
o Even then if I feel disturbed, then sit in the ashram and chant Hare Krsna – this is not the
time and place for performance. Keep preparing

Krodha vegam

The frustration of the mind’s attachments and desires causes frustration and anger. The method of
controlling anger, SP writes is:

“…but when Kåñëa or His pure devotee is blasphemed, a genuine devotee becomes angry and acts like
fire against the offenders.”

Srila Prabhupada writes, “…our material identification creates three kinds of urges…”, it is this material
identification that causes us to become angry on our own account – but if I can identify as Krsna’s
servant, then I can become genuinely angry when either Krsna’s service, or the service of His servants is
impeded.

Notes:
- Most of us have krodha b/c we have expectations.
- ACT – Adjust (change expectations); Clarify (express needs in a Vaisnava way), Transcend (elevate
our consciousness to go beyond our current problems).
- Don’t get violent or silent; explode or implode
o Exploding destroys relationships, imploding causes health issues – blood impurities, cancer,
chest pain, and so many other issues.
- Clarify your needs and values, with the needs and values of the other party; it is the needs and
values that is causing the friction; don’t fabricate stories, tell the facts, and then express how the
incident makes you feel.
- Use the anger constructively – don’t lose your temper, use it.
- Control the material desires in the heart – frustration in these desires results in anger.

The following three vegas refer to the urges of the body. The tongue, belly and genitals are all satisfied
by a woman. Do not fall into the trap of being caught by these things and so seeking a woman.

Jiva Vegam:

SBSST writes:
- Anxiousness to relish any of the six kinds of taste
- Greed to enjoy animal flesh, fish, eggs, wine, excessive ghee, milk, rabadi (a condensed milk-
sweet), cream and so on is known as the impetuosity of the tongue.
- Sadhus also avoid eating foods that are overly bitter or spiced with hot chili, SP also says tamarind.
- Consumption of betel nut, the mixture of betel with various spices (pana), cigarettes, marijuana,
hemp, opium and other intoxicating substances, as well as onions and garlic, are also counted as
impetuous demands of the tongue.
- To eat very costly and delicious food items such as rabadi and cream offered to the demigods
(devatas) at the houses of wealthy persons is detrimental for renounced (niskincana) Vaisnavas.

- One should very carefully save oneself from the vehemence of the tongue by honouring the food
remnants (maha-prasada) of Bhagavan and His devotees.
- Although maha-prasada may be very tasteful, it is not included within the demands of the tongue.
By honouring it with great faith one can conquer the demands of the tongue.
- But if on the pretext of accepting prasada one desires one’s own enjoyment and cunningly relishes
its taste, that is also included as the passion of the tongue.

Srila Prabhupada adds:

- However, if one accepts prasada only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also
falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.
o Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating
prasäda.
- If we offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food, we are involved
in trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.
- If we accept the invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food, we are also trying
to satisfy the demands of the tongue.
We are warned in CC:

Jihvara lalasa iti-uti dhaya

sisnodara-parayana krsna nahi paya

"That person who runs here and there seeking to gratify his palate and who is always attached to the
desires of his stomach and genitals is unable to attain Krsna."

Solution: One should very feelingly recite the prayers to honor prasad as Krsna’s mercy, and then
honour the Lord’s and His servants’ remnants with great faith. This practice will help us control our
tongue. Remember the verse from Padyavali, “may your remnants be as relishable as the lips of a fresh
young girl.”

Udara Vegam:

SBSST writes: “Gluttonous persons usually suffer from different types of diseases. By eating too much,
many difficulties ensue. Persons who eat excessively generally become subservient to the demands of the
genitals and thus become debauchees.”

Eating too much can be controlled by making a practice of properly honouring prasad, eating at
scheduled times, with a scheduled quantity, and observing fasting days such as Janmastami, Ekadasi,
etc.

Upastha Vegam:

- Is everything not for the sake of procreating Krsna Conscious children within marriage; including
o Thinking, talking, planning, engaging, or using artificial means, etc

Conclusion
- One who is regulated, and self-controlled can achieve great things in his service to SP
o Remember the Marsh-mellow experiment
- A slight amount of austerity is necessary to keep our mind and senses sharp. That is why one has to
be very careful in following certain principles in our life.
- The essential point is that a renunciate depends only on Krsna, in our case what the ashram can
provide.
- Being dependent on a particular type of phone, particular tastes, on others outside the ashram –
our vairagya is finished.
o E.g. acquiring different types of phones
- Remember than simply acquiring external things detracts from your main cultivation of increasing
your taste for hearing and chanting about Krsna – these things must be controlled.
o Living should not be lavish
o Bramachari ashram means self control and sensitivity
Don’t become so result oriented that if you fail to control your senses, you walk out of the ashram.
Remember the story of the monk who replied to an inquisitive person asking “What do you do here?”
The monk said, “ I walk, and I fall, I then get up and walk, then again I fall, but I again get up and walk.
That’s all I do in this monastery.” Don’t worry about the output – it will come. 20% pass – no matter.
Keep going.