37 The four prominent features of au-

tumn are that there is no water in the

é sky, the weeds that grew here and there in the
rainy season all wither away, the muddy
roads and fields dry up, and the ponds of
water become crystal clear. These four fea-
tures of the autumn atmosphere are com-
pared to the four orders of life.

In the varnasrama system the student goes to the dsrama

€ of the master to take lessons from him and serve him, even
as a menial servant. These troubles of the student are at once

\ mitigated when he attains transcendental knowledge in terms of
his relation with Sr Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. As the
white clouds no longer bear the burden of water in the autumn

© sky, the student finds that the troubles of drawing water for the
master becomes a burdenless job if the student, by the grace of
his master, attains to spiritual knowledge.

Householders who beget children without restriction, like
weeds in the rainy season, become solitary as soon as they attain
to the stage of devotional service. The family planning of a god-
less civilization cannot check weedlike unwanted population.
People should learn to check sex life by voluntary restraint. This

< voluntary restraint is possible when one is dovetailed with the
: service of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavaa-gita.
visaya vinivartante
niraharasya dehinah
rasa-varjam raso’py asya
si param drstva nivartate
“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment,
though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such
engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in con-
sciousness. (Bg. 2.59)
84
