Preface xi

can free yourself from the bondage of works,” (Bg. 2.39) A human being is some-
times restricted in sense gratification due to certain circumstances such as disease,
etc., but this is not the prescription. Without knowing the actual process by which
the mind and senses can be controlled, less intelligent men either try to stop the
mind and senses by force, or they give in to them and are carried away by the waves
of sense gratification.

The regulative principles and the rules of yoga, the various sitting postures and
breathing exercises performed in an attempt to withdraw one’s senses from the
sense objects are methods meant for those who are too much engrossed in the
bodily conception of life. The intelligent man who is situated in Krsna consciousness
does not try to forcibly stop his senses from acting. Rather, he engages his senses in
the service of Krsna. No one can stop a child from playing by leaving him inactive.
A child can be stopped from engaging in nonsense by being engaged in superior
activities. The forceful restraint of sense activities by the eight principles of yoga is
recommended for inferior men. Being engaged in the superior activities of Krsna
consciousness, superior men naturally retire from the inferior activities of material
existence.

In this way Lord Caitanya teaches the science of Krsna consciousness. That
science is absolute. Dry mental speculators try to restrain themselves from material
attachment, but it is generally found that the mind is too strong to be controlled
and that it drags them down to sensual activities. A person in Krsna consciousness
does not run this risk. One has to engage his mind and senses in Krsna conscious
activities, and Lord Caitanya teaches one how to do this in practice. Before accepting
sannydsa (the renounced order), Lord Caitanya was known as Visvambhara. The
word visvambhara refers to one who maintains the entire universe and ' who leads
all living entities. This maintainer and leader appeared as Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya
to give humanity these sublime teachings. Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher of life’s
prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Krsna. He is the
complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gitd, Mahabharata and the Upanisads, He is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this
age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His sarikirtana movement. No previous
qualification is necessary. Just by following His teachings, anyone can become a
perfect human being. If one is fortunate enough to be attracted by His features, one
is sure to be successful in one’s life mission. In other words, those who are interested
in attaining spiritual existence can be easily relieved from the clutches of mdyd by
the grace of Lord Caitanya. These teachings presented in this book are nondifferent
from the Lord.

Being engrossed in the material body, the conditioned soul increases the pages of
history by all kinds of material activities. The teachings of Lord Caitanya can help
human society stop such unnecessary and temporary activities. By these teachings,
humanity can be elevated to the topmost platform of spiritual activity. These
spiritual activities actually begin after liberation from material bondage. Such
liberated activities in Krsna consciousness constitute the goal of human perfection.
