Description of Autumn 145

general become pregnant, because in that season generally all the husbands
become impelled by sex desire. This is exactly like the transcendentalists
who, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, are bestowed with the benediction
of their destinations in life. Srila Ripa Gosvami has instructed in his
Upadesamrta that one should follow devotional service with great
enthusiasm, patience and conviction and should follow the rules and
regulations, keep oneself clean from material contamination and stay in
the association of devotees. By following these principles, one is sure to
achieve the desired result of devotional service. For he who patiently
follows the regulative principles of devotional service, the time will come
when he will achieve the result, as the wives who reap results by becoming
pregnant.

During the autumn, the lotus flowers in the lakes grow in large numbers
because of the absence of lilies; both the lilies and the lotus flowers srow
by sunshine, but during the autumn season, the scorching sunshine helps
only the lotus. This example is given in the case of a country where the
king or the government is strong; the rise of unwanted elements like
thieves and robbers cannot prosper. When the citizens become confident
that they will not be attacked by robbers, they develop very satisfactorily.
A strong government is compared to the scorching sunshine in the autumn
season; the lilies are compared to unwanted persons like robbers, and the
lotus flowers are compared to the satisfied citizens of the government.
During autumn, the fields become filled with ripened grains. At that time,
the people become happy over the harvest and observe various ceremonies,
such as Navanna—the offering of new grains to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The new grains are first offered to the Deities in various temples,
and all are invited to take sweet rice made of these new grains. There are
other religious ceremonies and methods of worship, particularly in Bengal,
where the greatest of all such ceremonies is held, called Durga Puja.

In Vrndavana the autumn season was very beautiful then because of the
presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna and Balarama.
The mercantile community, the royal order and great sages were free to
move to achieve their desired benedictions. Similarly, the transcendental-
ists, when freed from the encagement of the material body, also achieved
their desired goal. During the rainy season, the mercantile community
cannot move from one place to another and so do not get their desired
profit. Nor can the royal order go from one place to another to collect
taxes from the people. As for saintly persons who must travel to preach
transcendental knowledge, they also are restrained by the rainy season.
But during the autumn, all of them leave their confines. In the case of the
