The Sublime Value of Devotee Association

In this world there is nothing more sublime, pure, and wonderful than the association of Krishna's devotees because such association, if taken in the proper manner, bestows the highest benediction upon the conditioned living beings who are currently caught up in the cycle of repeated birth and death. Such association liberates us from all suffering and delivers us back to our original identities that we once had in the spiritual world before we fell down into this rotten material existence. Therefore we must always take advantage of this greatest of all blessings, the association of Lord Sri Krishna's devotees. This will enable to quickly and easily attain the supreme perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead.

Devotee Association is Simply Wonderful

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Blessed by Srila Prabhupada

Answers According to Vedic Knowledge

Question: Should We Give Up Sex?

My wife and I have lost interest in material desires like big car, big house or luxury lifestyle etc, which seems absolutely fine. We are very happy about it that Krishna is giving his mercy. So now we both want to progress our life towards Krishna and whatever we earn that should be utilized to satisfy Krishna's senses.

However, now that we both have also lost interest in physical desire for each other as well, we both feel that we are losing something. Sometimes one of us wants sex but at that time the other does not feel the same. So we are both feeling a little frustrated.

I know that as per the Bhagavad-gita if sex is being used for procreation it is divine. So should we ignore it completely and only concentrate on serving Krishna at this point of life since we are desiring now to be purely fixed in Krishna consciousness?

Thanks and Regards
(Name withheld for confidentiality)

Answer: Non-Procreational Sex Must Be Given Up

That is first class that you are both becoming free now from sex desire. This is a great victory. In the spiritual world there are husbands and wives who are unbelievably beautiful, but yet they are not attracted to each other. They are only attracted to Krishna. Married couples who are fixed in Krishna consciousness do not engage in sex at all unless they are trying to have a child. They are not interested even in hugging and kissing, what to speak of having sex.

So you should not feel frustrated. Srila Prabhupada explains that if we tolerate the sex itch instead of indulging in sex, the itch will go away. Conversely if we give into the itch, it will keep bothering us for our entire life. It has been seen that even a dying man can be sexually inclined.

However, since sex is divine if it is used in producing Krishna conscious children, if you and your wife desire more children, you may continue having sex while at the same you are cultivating your Krishna consciousness. The system for Krishna conscious householders who want to have children is to first take permission from the spiritual master to try for a child. If the permission is granted, then once a month five days after the wife's menstrual cycle the husband and wife both chant at least 50 rounds of Hare Krishna japa mala and then engage in sex. And if the wife is pregnant, then there is no more sex life till the child is born and at least six months old. Children conceived in this way are very special sent by Krishna.

So the conclusion is that you should both feel happy that you are going beyond bodily consciousness by coming to the liberated platform of Krishna consciousness. And if you want to have more children to raise them in Krishna consciousness so that they can be liberated from the cycle of birth and death, this an option that will also liberate your from sex desire.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari