Text 17]
The First Step in God Realization
29
persons must go there at the end of life, and for that matter, after fifty years of age, to live a life of spiritual regeneration for the sake of being freed from family attachment, which is considered to be the shackle of material life. One is recommended to quit home just to get rid of material attachment, because one who sticks to family life until death cannot get rid of material attachment, and as long as one is materially attached, one cannot understand spiritual freedom. One should not, however, become self-complacent simply by leaving home or by creating another home at the holy place either lawfully or unlawfully. Many persons leave home and go to such holy places, but due to bad association, again become family men by illicit connection with the opposite sex. The illusory energy of matter is so strong that one is apt to be under such illusion at every stage of life, even after quitting one's happy home. Therefore, it is essential that one should practice self-control by celibacy without the least desire for sex indulgence. Sex indulgence, for a man desiring to improve the condition of his existence, is considered to be suicidal, or even worse. Therefore, to live apart from family life means to become self-controlled from all sense desires, especially sex desires. The method is that one should have a sitting place duly sanctified, made of straw, skin of the deer and carpet, and thus sitting on it one should chant the holy name of the Lord without offense, as prescribed above. The whole process is to drag the mind from material engagements and fix it on the lotus feet of the Lord. This simple process alone will help one advance to the highest stage of spiritual success.
TEXT 17
अभ्यसेन्मनसा शुद्धं त्रिवृद्धमाक्षरं परम् । मनो यच्छेजितश्वासो ब्रह्मबीजमविसरन् ॥१७॥
abhyasen manasā śuddham trivṛd-brahmākṣaram param mano yacchej jita-śvāso brahma-bījam avismaran
abhyaset —just get it into practice;  manasā —by the mind;  śuddham —sacred;  trivṛt —composed of the three;  brahmākṣaram —transcendental letters;  param —the supreme;  manah —mind;  yacchet —get under control;  jita-śvāsah —by regulating the breathing air;  brahma —absolute;  bījam —seed;  avismaram —without being forgotten.