Article by: Damagosha Dasa
Hare Krsna
Note–Below are two lectures tidbits. The first one Srila Prabhupada explains the difference between bhoga-tyaga-or accepting enjoyment or renunciation for the service of the Lord and gives some nice examples
NOD Vrndavana Oct 19 1972
So sometimes… Just like there is example. We asked this question,bhoga-tyāga, to our Guru Mahārāja. So… What is the difference…? Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he left everything for Caitanya Mahāprabhu’sservice. His lucrative service, minister post and everything, he re…Tyāga. And Rāmānanda Rāya, he was governor. He was governor andgṛhastha, and living very luxuriantly. He’s bhoga, he’s bhoga platform. Now both of them were devotees of Lord Caitanya. So what is the difference? This question was put. So our Guru Mahārāja replied: Just like a woman. According to our Vedic system, when the husband is out of home, the women is not supposed to dress herself very nicely. Proṣita bhartṛkā. It is called proṣita bhartṛkā. The system was that one should dress herself in such a way that people can understand what is her position—whether she’s unmarried, whether she’s married, whether she’s widow, whether her husband is away, whether she’s a pro…, she’s a prostitute, everything. By the dress one should understand. “She is, she is widow,” “She has got her husband,” “Her husband is now away from home.” “Oh, she is a prostitute,” “She’s not married.” In this way. Because she’s not to be asked. Simply by the dress one can understand. So the proṣita bhartṛkā. She does not dress herself, she lies down on the floor, does not change her clothes very nicely, does not dress the, comb the hair, proṣita bhartṛkā. And the same woman, when her husband is at home, she take twice bath and dresses herself, applies oil and very nice dress, ornaments, and so many things. Women know how to decorate themselves. But the… There is no difference. Her not dressing herself nicely and dressing herself nicely, it may be considered that bhoga and tyāga. But either of these positions is for center is husband. Center is husband. Therefore bhoga-tyāga is not consideration. If for Kṛṣṇa I have to give up everything, I will give up. And if Kṛṣṇa, I’ll have to accept everything, I will accept. This is required. Not the position of bhoga-tyāga, but service. If by giving up everything I can serve Kṛṣṇa well, I shall give it up, everything. And if by accepting everything I shall serve Kṛṣṇa very nicely, then I accept everything. That is required.Ānukūlyena.
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