Austerities- From the book PQPA

From the book PQPA chapter 6: The Perfect Devotee


Śyāmasundara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this afternoon we were discussing austerities.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Mm?

Śyāmasundara: If we don't practice austerities voluntarily, then we must involuntarily practice some austerities.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, under the direction of the spiritual master one should... You have no mind to follow austerities, but when you accept a spiritual master, you have to carry out his order. That is austerity.

Śyāmasundara: Even if you don't want to practice austerity, you must.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, you must. Because you have surrendered to your spiritual master, his order is final. So even if you don't like it, you have to do it. To please me.

Śyāmasundara: Ah.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: But you don't like... [He laughs.] Nobody likes to fast, but the spiritual master says, "Today, fasting," so what can be done? [Śyāmasundara laughs.] A disciple is one who has voluntarily agreed to be disciplined by the spiritual master. That is austerity.

Śyāmasundara: Say, like our parents or many people in the material world, completely enamored by the material life—they don't want to undergo austerity or bodily pain, but still they must. They are being forced by nature to suffer austerities.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: That is forced austerity. That is not good. Voluntary austerity will help.

Śyāmasundara: If you don't undergo voluntary austerity, then you must be forced to undergo austerity.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: That is the difference between man and animal. An animal cannot accept austerity. But a man can accept it. There is a nice foodstuff in the confectioner's shop, so a man wants to eat it, but he sees that he has no money, so he can restrain himself. But when a cow comes, immediately she pushes her mouth in. You can beat her with a stick, but she will tolerate it. She will do that. Therefore an animal cannot undergo austerity. Our austerity is very nice. We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and Kṛṣṇa sends very nice foodstuffs, and we eat. That's all. Why are your people not agreeable to such austerity? Chanting, dancing and eating nicely?

Bob: What is that?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Because we are following austerities, Kṛṣṇa sends us nice things. So we are not losers. When you become Kṛṣṇa-ized, then you get more comforts than at the present moment. That's a fact. I have been living alone for the last twenty years, but I have no difficulties. Before taking sannyāsa I was living in Delhi. So I had no difficulties, although I was living alone.

To be continued...