Why are gambling ,intoxication, meat eating and illicit sex considered destructive ?

krsna · September 17, 2004

The Story

of the

Four Regulative Principles

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Excerpts From Saptama Skandha of the Devi Bhagavata Purana

There is an interesting story that gives us some philosophical as well as moral, and practical examples as to why gambling, intoxication, meat eating and illicit sex are considered to have an alluring, consuming and destructive nature for all involved.

Once the heavenly physicians the Aswini kumaras were ejected from the court of Indra, after labelling them as out castes, and drunkards. Indra then banned them from the use of wine. Discontented with this the Aswini kumaras approached Chyavana who had just completed the performance of a yajna to the moon god Chandra offering him his favourite beverage Soma wine. Chyavana gave some of this prasadam to the Aswini kumaras, who drank it against the will of Indra.

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Infuriated at their behaviour king Indra sent his thunder bolt weapon Vajrayudha to kill the instigator Chyavana. But by his mystic powers the sage paralysed the hands of Indra leaving him helpless. Chyavana then performed another yajna and called a genie called Mada to return the complement, and kill Indra.

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Frightened at the sight of the genie Indra humbled, fell at the feet of the sage and begged for his life, and forgiveness. The sage then called the genie caught him and tore him into four pieces, and threw each part into a different place. Since that time it is considered that Mada the destructive genie is personally present in four places each of which is the killer of human society. Gambling, intoxication, hunting and meat eating, and illicit sexual activities.

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Something of interest from Agni Purana.

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According to Agni Purana (Chapter 159.), for one who has any part in the killing of a cow, Gohatya there are certain purificatory activities that one must abide by, otherwise that unfortunate sinful soul will undergo similar unnecessary sufferings that his victim, the cow underwent but by a much greater magnitude.

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There are also methods of atonement for such an act which are; For one month he should drink only barley water. He should live in a cow shed wearing the hide of the cow which he has killed. He can have some supper also but without salt. He must bathe for two months in cow's urine. During the day time he should follow the cows and tend to their comforts. He should drink the menstrual discharge with his face lifted upwards. Fasting is also recommended, during which time he should give away as charity ten cows and a bull. If this is not done then he should give all his hard earned wealth to qualified Vaishnava brahmins.

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If a man only stops the cow for others to kill he should bear a forth of the punishment; and if he stops and ties the cow for the killing he should bear half the punishment; and if he stops the cow, ties it, and supplies the weapon to kill it, then he has to suffer three quarters of the punishment to be relieved of his sinful deeds. Such is the way for a Slaughterhouse Civilisation.

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UPAPAATAKA (Upapapa) (Minor sins).

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In accordance with the Rashtramimamsaa (political philosophy) of ancient India, crimes were divided into two types. They were called Upapaatakas (minor crimes) and Paatakas (major crimes). Upapaatakas are given below :-

Cow slaughter in any case is considered abominable; sacrificing by one who is unworthy to perform it; seducing another man's wife; forsaking one's father, mother and teacher, forsaking self study, agni (fire) and son; becoming Parivettaa (one who gets married before one's elder brother is married), younger brother finishing education before the elder, giving an unmarried girl to Parivitti or Parivettaa, performing sacrifice by a Parivitti or a Parivettaa; slandering an unmarried girl of good character; living on the interest of money that is leant; violating one's vow; selling a pond, a garden, a wife or son; becoming an out caste, and or forsaking one's dependants or relatives by taking to asceticism without making provision for them; teaching the Vedas or other sacred scriptures after receiving remuneration for doing so; selling things which could or should not be sold; destroying or polluting the earth, working in mines, working on big machinery, destroying medicinal herbs; a man living by women selling herself; to impede sacrificial rites and to not show respect to devotees; to cut down fresh trees (not dried - dead) for fire wood; kidnapping women; mingling with slanderers of women; performing selfish or materially ambitious activities; eating forbidden rice 'or food' (cooked by non-devotees); not keeping Sacrificial fire; theft, including not repaying loans; learning forbidden or harmful sciences, doing things which are bad and will cause grief to others; stealing of base metals, grains and cows; contact with drunken women; killing women, Shudras, Vaishyas, and Kshatriyas and becoming an infidel, denying or not having faith in God are all Upapaatakas.

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Worse is causing grief to a Brahmin; inhaling the smell of liquor and other prohibited toxic things, what to speak of drinking or using them for recreational activities; resorting to tricks, political manoeuvres or deceit to main oneself or gain the upper hand; and engaging in pederasty (sodomy and or homosexuality) are sins which would make one not only sinful, but also an out caste.

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Slaughter of such beings as a dog, donkey, camel, lion, sheep, jungle or wild goat, fish, serpent and mongoose are sins of a mixed character depending on time, place and circumstance.

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Receiving money from the despicable, criminals, etc.; buying, selling and laundering; serving an unworthy person of low moral restraint or an untrained shudra; telling a lie, especially to a saintly person; acting so as to render oneself unworthy; killing worms and birds; eating food along with liquor (alcohol); stealing fruits, flowers and butea; and not living up to one's responsibilities, becoming a coward, and or committing suicide are also sins to be avoided by those in pursuit of developing and maintaining human qualities.

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One who wishes to commit suicide by dint of the activity is ignorant, and has no idea of who they are. They are most unfortunate and are to be pitied. However, their degree of selfishness is beyond compare for they only have thoughts for their own release - they have no thoughts for the sufferings of others, those who they would leave behind and who have done so much for them.

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Suicide may take many forms. The slow poisoning effects of toxic liquors, the impounding bellows of thick smoke, the use of psychoactive drugs or other addictive narcotics punish the body beyond the addicted users comprehension.

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All such activties give to one a further imprisonment in their subtle body as ghost - and that is not a matter of whether you believe it or not.

Then what to speak of the social implications of such an intoxicated society. Who can follow it's judgement? The amount of domestic violence, poverty, addiction and personal abuse, including abortion and misuse of rights and criminals maintaining their habits is phenomenal. What to speak of responsibility of life by intoxicated persons using machinery, such as cars, trucks, buses, or even air-craft - is such irresponsibility not sinful???

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However, in today's advanced human civilisation people do many or even all of these sins without even thinking them wrong. Society has created an uncaring population, only interested in enjoying themselves at any cost. Such insensitive impersonalism in former times was considered the behaviour of the lowest classes of people, barely human. Yet today, modern advanced civilisation propagates such ideals as the normal way of life to pursue. If one doesn't pursue these sinful paths one is looked upon as something possibly wrong with them.

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In this modern age practically most if not all of the above are accepted and endorsed by the majority of the population. To change the flow of the tide is not merely a task of legislation, rather one has to be open, honest and reflectively humble to accept that which seems to go against the flow.

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There is more to a Salmon than being a fish. It has the amazing ability to keep it's focus against all opposition, and swim up-stream against the strongest of currents. That for a fish, in the watery environment is no easy task.

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However, consider this. If a population, uncultured and without direction, as lemmings are noted to be, charged for added excitement off of a cliff, would you? Then why do we defiantly stand looking into the eyes of death, thinking we will not be consumed.

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A very dear friend, who used to encourage me in Krishna consciousness told a story to depict this scenario in a class given in Vrindavana (1984).

".....at the time of the French revolution ( all of the aristocracy was rounded up and systematically executed by the guillotine. The first few beheadings were quite exciting for the crowd to see. But as the entire aristocratic population fell prey to the sharp blade of the guillotine the novelty wore off. In fact it was such a common occurrence that within the crowd that it was boring.

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Some observant member of the crown noticed that the only way out from the execution was a Royal reprieve, for which all, right up to the very last moment were waiting. The tension in their bodies was so strong as they knelt there in position that, the breath of a reprieve made a powerful motion to leave the executioners block. Their freedom to enjoy.

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The crowd found some excitement in this too! But it was the macabre, which really excited them, to the point that a betting pool was set up.

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Just as the guillotine's blade was about to drop and behead the victim of political circumstance, there was a person who would tap the prisoner on the back, and say the words they longed to hear, "Vous et libre pourpartyr" (you are free to go). But alas, then the blade would fall sending the head into the basket. However, the momentum of the tensely strung prisoner caught in the thought of reprieve sent the body in motion. On the betting board they would gamble how far the headless corpse(s) would go.

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The winning corpse, a young aristocratic lady's bloody body is reputed to have gone several blocks before colliding with a brick wall."

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The moral to this story is that we are also wondering how long a headless society can continue in motion before hitting the proverbial brick wall? Especially as we see so many symptoms of a finale in sight.

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All of the Ancient Prophecies will in due course of time be fulfilled.

THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM

(A Comprehensive Study) by Satyaraja Dasa, 1994

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Some verses from Srimad Bhagavatam - Bhagavat Purana:

loke vyavaayaamiShamadyasevaa nityaa hi jantorna hi tatra chodanaa |

vyavasthitisteShu vivaahayaj~na suraagrahairaasu nivR^ittiriShtaa ||

Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.11 ||

loke - in the material world; vyavaaya - sex indulgence; aamiSha - of meat; madya - and liquor; sevaaH - the taking; nityaaH - always found; hi - indeed; jantoH - in the conditioned living being; na - not; hi - indeed; tatra - in regard to them; chodanaa - any command of scripture; vyavasthitiH - the prescribed arrangement; teShu - in these; vivaaha - by sacred marriage; yaj~na - the offering of sacrifice; suraa-grahaiH - and the acceptance of ritual cups of wine; aasu - of these; nivR^ittiH - cessation; iShTaa - is the desired end.

In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication.

Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrifical offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.11)

yad ghraaNabhakSho vihitaH suraayaastathaa pashoraalabhana.m na hi.msaa |

eva.m vyavaayaH prajayaa na ratyaa ima.m vishuddha.m na viduH svadharmam ||

Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.13 ||

yat - because; ghraaNa - by smell; bhakShaH - the taking; vihitaH - is enjoined; suraayaaH - of wine; tathaa - similarly; pashoH - of a sacrificial animal; aalabhanam - prescribed killing; na - not; hi.msaa - wanton violence; evam - in the same way; vyavaayaH - sex; prajayaa - for the purpose of begetting children; na - not; ratyai - for the sake of sense enjoyment; imam - this (as pointed out in the previous verse); vishuddham - most pure; na viduH - they do not understand; sva-dharmam - their own proper duty.

According to the Vedic injunctions, when wine is offered in sacrifical ceremonies it is later to be consumed by smelling, and not by drinking. Similarly, the sacrificial offering of animals is permitted, but there is not provision for wide-scale animal slaughter. Religious sex life is also permitted, but only in marriage for begetting children, and not for sensuous exploitation of the body. Unfortunately, however, the less intelligent materialists cannot understand that their duties in life should be performed purely on the spiritual platform. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.13)

ye tvaneva.mvido'santaH stabdhaaH sadabhimaaninaH |

pashuun druhyanti vishrabdhaaH pretya khaadanti te cha taan ||

Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.14 ||

ye - those who; tu - but; anevam-vidaH - not knowing these facts; asantaH - very impious; stabdhaaH - presumptuous; sat-abhimaaninaH - considering themselves saintly; pashuun - animals; druhyanti - they harm; vishrabdhaaH - being innocently trusted; pretya - after leaving this present body; khaadanti - they eat; te - those animals; cha - and; taan - them.

Those sinful persons who are ignorant of actual religious principles, yet consider themselves to be completely pious, without compunction commit violence against innocent animals who are fully trusting in them. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.14)

What evidence do you have to show that animal killing is sanctioned by the Vedas? As the above verse state, any animal sacrifices prescribed in the karma kaaNDa portion of the shrutis is meant ultimately for renunciation of the act. Furthermore, Lord Chaitanya quotes a verse from the puraaNa which states:

ashvamedha.m gavaalambha.m sannyaasa.m palapaitR^ikam |

devareNa sutotpatti.m kalau pa~ncha vivarjayet ||

In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyaasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife (Brahma-vaivarta PuraaNa).

So even sacrifices like ashvamedha yagna are clearly forbidden for the Kali Yuga.

The Four Regulative Principles of Human life are not meant as an imposition, more a positive guideline to follow to keep one out of harms way.

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The biggest objection to people's trying to follow the "four reg's " is usually sex life. For most it is not that they are so addicted to sex, more that they don't understand who they are, and having listened to so many people from an early age emphasising (over-emphasising) the sexual act they have taken it as the norm' to pursue and enjoy.

As many of you would know basic moral issues have changed dramatically over the past fifty years, especially. From where there used to be values of common decency, now anything goes - it's all on the InterNet.

In their modern liberalistic so-called freedom the user/abuser have become near indistinguishable. In most cases mutual abuse of the body to gain sensual please has become the accepted norm. then to accentuate the feeling further the use of drugs, excitable clothing, or even contraptions formally used to restrain or torture by oppressors, has been incorporated into their game of darkness.

Do anything, but feel pleasure, even if it harms the body, or harms others. In many places the pornographic industry has supported these ideals. Some have taken it to the furthest extreme to accentuate the sexual act by creating Snuff Movies where at the highest point of sexual climax they kill their partner as the Black Widow spider does. Not exactly human ethics, eh?

If people had some idea that they are not that body, and then didn't exploit their bodies even through this liberalistic idea of mutual consent as a means of sexual-social interaction - using each other's body as a primary source of pleasure as depicted and marketed by the whole sex industry. The exploitation, misuse and abuse would be so much less. The whole thing is based on that basic misconception of who we really are, and then from there take it that they have an exclusive right to use, abuse, or misuse their body as they like.

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If their sexual activity were focused on the purpose of the progenitive function

their fulfillment/satisfaction with sex, as well as the quality of the nature of their relationships would be much more full.

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When we talk of Spiritual Sex we are not talking of some Tantrik sexual gratificational exercise that has become popularised by some lusty people. We are talking of sex-life that is ordained by the Lord in the scriptures, that is empowered and embellished by the loving functionary aspect of Godhead called Kandarpa (Bhagavad Gita As It Is, 10:28. and purport) or Kaamadev (Cupid) (Srimad Bhagavatam 10:55:1 purport.) one of the eternal associates of the Lord (Srimad Bhagavatam 3:1:28., purport). Thus according to the revealed scriptures, and our experience "Lord Viñëu lives in the form of Kämadeva, only for the satisfaction of His devotees" as kämadeva-svarüpeëa (Srimad Bhagavatam 5:18:5.) Although this Kämadeva is viñëu-tattva, His body is not spiritual but material like ours (Brahmäëòa puräëa: kämadeva-sthitaà viñëum upäste).

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The people of today want Safe-Sex. Safe from what? Safe from bad reaction - coming in the form of diseases. But actually the only Safe Sex in that case is that sex which is bound and endorsed with love that follows religious principles. All other sex-life one is bound to the actions and reactions of the material world in the form of karma. So if you want not only Safe-Sex, but Super Spiritual Sex then do it according to the Lord's direction. We are not against sex, but we are against sex that brings from it unwanted, neglected, diseased and or insipid children (varnasankara), who end up as a burden to not only the parents but the entire society.

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We are also against the loose casual sex that aides the spread of so much STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Diseases which come not only because of the nature of the sex, but also because of the quality of the sex as far as it being the sinful reactions for it.

However, anything that is done in a healthy - in union with the desire of the Lord. When anything is done under the sanction of the Lord all of his energies pervade it. From all of His administrative heads they give their blessings - this is the REAL Wholistic Approach that is so much desired and required, but so many are ignorant of.

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"Lakñmédevé (the Goddess of Fortune) advises all devotees who approach the Lord with material desires that according to her practical experience, the Lord is Kämadeva, and thus there is no need to ask Him for anything material. She says that everyone should simply serve the Lord without any motive. Since the Supreme personality of Godhead is sitting in everyone's heart, He knows everyone's thoughts, and in due course of time He will fulfil all desires. Therefore let us completely depend on the service of the Lord without bothering Him with our material requests".(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam 5:18:21. purport.)

Religious sex is specifically for bringing into the world good progeny, for the benefit of all of us. Furthermore intelligent persons who can control their senses and desires opt for abstinence rather than wanton fulfilment of lusty desires, and the reactions that come from it. Likened to an honest citizen who honours others rights, and a criminal who only thinks of him/herself.

Then what to speak of Gambling away all that one has been given. According to our individual karma we are each given an allotted amount of everything. But Gambling, much like intoxication (alcohol, tobaco, marijuana, LSD, heroine, meth-anphetamine, etc) becomes an addiction that devours one like a savage beast. The Gambler in denial of their addiction thinks to him/herself that "I'll just give it another try...... I must win next time." Yet they forget the thousands of times that they lost before, and how much the Gambling houses collect in revenue each year off such suckers.

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With all the above Material Problems, Spiritual Solutions are not far away, there just has to be some positive direction by the leaders of Society.