104 THE PATH OF PERFECTION Failure and Success in Yoga 105

consciousness simply by coming in contact with the Society. In cation”? means not even taking tea or coffee—to say nothing of
this age, life is very short, and a yoga process that takes a long time other intoxicants. And there is no gambling and no meat-eating
will not help the general populace. In Kali-yuga, people are all so (including fish and eggs). Simply by following these four basic
unfortunate, and association is very bad. Therefore, this process rules and regulations, one becomes immediately uncontaminated.
of directly contacting the Supreme is recommended—hari-nama. No further endeavor is necessary. As soon as one joins this Krsna
Krsna is present in the form of His transcendental name, and we consciousness movement and follows these rules and regulations,
can contact Him immediately by hearing His name. Simply by material contamination is immediately removed, but one must be
hearing the name Krsna we immediately become freed from ma- careful not to be contaminated again. Therefore these rules and
terial contamination. regulations should be followed carefully.
As stated in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (7.28), Material contamination begins with these four bad habits, and
if we manage to check them, there is no question of contamina-
yesam tv anta-gatam papam | tion. Therefore, as soon as we take to Krsna consciousness, we
jananam punya-karmanam become free. However, we should not think that because Krsna
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta consciousness makes us free, we can again indulge in these four
bhajante mam drdha-vratah | bad habits and get free by chanting. That is cheating, and that will
not be allowed. Once we are freed, we should not allow ourselves
‘**Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, to become contaminated again. One should not think, ‘‘I shall
whose sinful actions ‘are completely eradicated, and who are freed drink or have illicit sex and then chant and make myself free.”
from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service According to some religious processes, it is said that one can com-
with determination.” It is herein stressed that one must be com- mit all kinds of sin and then go to church, confess to a priest, and
pletely fixed in Krsna consciousness, devoid of duality, and must be freed of all sin. Therefore people are sinning and confessing
execute only pious activities. Because the mind is flickering, and sinning and confessing over and over again. But this is not the
dualities will always come. One is always wondering, ‘‘Shall I be- process of Krsna consciousness. If you are freed, that’s all right,
come Krsna conscious, or should I engage in another conscious- but don’t do it again. After all, what is the purpose of confession?
ness?’’ These problems are always there, but if one is advanced by If you confess, ‘‘I have committed these sinful activities,” why
virtue of pious activities executed in a previous life, his conscious- should you commit them again? If a thief confesses that he has
ness will be steadily fixed, and he will resolve, ‘‘I will be Krsna been pickpocketing, he is freed of his sin by virtue of his confes-
conscious.” sion, but does this mean that he should go out again and pick
Whether we acted piously in this life or a previous life really pockets? This requires a little intelligence. One should not think
doesn’t matter. This chanting of Hare Krsna is so potent that that because by confessing one becomes freed, he should continue
through it we will immediately be purified. We should have the to commit sinful activities, confess again, and again become freed.
determination, however, not to become implicated in further im- That is not the purpose of confession.
pious activities. Therefore, for those who want to be initiated in We should therefore understand that if we indulge in
this Society for Krsna consciousness, there are four principles: no unrestricted sinful activities, we become contaminated. We
illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, and no gambling. We should be careful to have sex only according to the rules and
don’t say, ‘‘No sex.”’ But we do say, ‘‘No illicit sex.”’ If you want regulations, to eat only food that has been prescribed and properly
sex, get married and have Krsna conscious children. ‘No intoxi- - offered, to defend as Krsna advised Arjuna—for the right cause.
