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There are 8,400,000 species, including plants, insects, reptiles, mammals, birds, and humans. The more we evolve, the more freedom we have... we have better facilities to enjoy our senses. As humans, we are significantly more advanced than all other lesser species.
But just think for a while... Is our intelligence being directed in the proper direction? Do we realise that we can strive for absolute freedom by following the teachings of the scriptures? Aren't we just getting lost in the pleasures of sense gratification? We are merely experiencing an illusion of more freedom. We are slaves to our senses. We act in accordance with our senses. And we believe we are free to do whatever we choose. True freedom is gaining liberation from the senses' grip over us.
The scriptures outline four principles, which we refer to as the regulative principles of freedom. Yes, they regulate us... and they liberate us. Let's go over them one by one.
The Four Regulative Principles of Freedom:
- No Meat Eating
- No Gambling
- No Intoxication
- No Illicit Sex
No Meat Eating:
There will be no eating of flesh or slaughter of animals. This principle is based on the pillar of compassion or mercy.
The attribute of mercy is destroyed when animals are slaughtered. Consuming dead animals turns one's body into a graveyard. These meals are tainted with passion and ignorance, and hence cannot be offered to the Lord. A person who consumes these foods contributes to a plot of violence against helpless creatures, limiting his/her spiritual advancement.
Even with all of that scientific logic and references, there are thousands of case studies that illustrate that animal food is not suited for our stomachs since human intestines cannot absorb and digest animal flesh in an optimal way.
No Gambling:
There should be no gambling or messing with fate. This principle is based on the pillar of truthfulness.
Gambling destroys truthfulness. This is self-evident. Gambling transforms a person into a liar and a cheat. Gambling invariably causes anxiety and feeds greed, envy, and anger.
Sincere seekers (as taught by Rasika Vaishnavas and Vedic Scriptures) surrender completely to Lord and rely on Him by putting forth honest, sincere effort in whatever work (permitted by scriptures) they do in order to maintain body and other social responsibilities, and eventually offering it to Him. God has assured in the Bhagavad Gita (9.22) that "There are those who always think of Me and engage in exclusive devotion to Me. To them, whose minds are always absorbed in Me, I provide what they lack and preserve what they already possess". So, for the fulfilment of one's life, one should depend on God and abstain from engaging in gambling and other unlawful acts.
Gambling and other short-term illicit activities divert you from spiritual practises and do not need you to rely on Lordships, and are thus strictly prohibited for any human being.
No Intoxication:
The scriptures expressly prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages and intoxicants. This principle is based on the austerity pillar.
There are numerous arguments against the usage of intoxicants. It is not difficult to understand because anybody with a rational mind recognises that intoxicants are physically, intellectually, and spiritually harmful. It undermines the notion of austerity because individuals use drugs to evade their pain in the tangible world; they do not want to face that austerity. Drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, as well as any drink or food containing caffeine, cloud the mind and overstimulate the senses, making it impossible to practise bhakti-yoga principles.
You and everyone else agree. Even intoxicant manufacturers agree. The statutory warning can be seen anywhere. Tobacco use is lethal. Tobacco smoking causes mouth cancer... Drinking is harmful to one's health. We see such warnings all over the place. Can't we just avoid it?
No Illicit Sex:
This principle is based on the pillar of cleanliness. What exactly is illicit? Illicit sex destroys cleanliness. This is sex that occurs outside of marriage or for any reason other than procreation. It is both lawful and religious if a person marries according to the ritual specified in the scriptures and engages in sex with his wife in order to have nice children. Any other method of satisfying one's desire for sexual fulfilment is considered illegal.
No sexual relationships with anybody but a religiously married wife, and only for the sake of having God Conscious children. Procreation and sex are intended to result in the birth of a God Consciousness child. Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita (7.11), "I am the sex life that is not contradictory to religious principles."
If a married couple is unable to control their urges, they can assist each other by doing more sankirtan and chanting and by participating in sexual activity less gradually. Grishasta ashram (marriage life) is not intended to enjoy sexual life, but rather to help each other grow in spirituality by chanting intensely and helping each other remember Lordships' pastimes, reading scriptures, serving Vaishnavas, and rendering sincere loving devotional service to the Lord.
Conclusion:
Today, the general public considers all four regulative principles to be significant. This is the result of the Kali Yuga, and it is difficult to just listen to these teachings until one begins to really chant the holy names of the Lord in the form of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. By adhering to these principles, you are not repressing yourself, but rather elevating yourself to a higher level. By chanting, you gain a higher taste and, depending on your level of realisation, you leave material desires behind. Trust me, this is my genuine experience, not something I read or heard somewhere and then wrote down.
Again, all solutions can be explained in scientific detail, but who cares? Whoever has to follow will follow, and whoever does not believe it is true is free to take the long route. You really don't need to read this. Eventually, Maya (God's illusionary force) is very strong, and history shows that the best tricksters have been duped by the father of all world-class tricksters, Sri Krishna, the controller of the illusionary force (who is an expert in tricking to give the results of your bad karma and ignorance).
