(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 April 2015, Durban, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Lecture: Sexuality and Spirituality)
Continued from “Saturday night and I ain’t got nobody”
We are not speaking out against sexuality but it is not the goal of life. It is not the all-in-all. Even having kids is not the all-in-all. Women especially, may desire a kid, you know, there is something in their nature, there is no doubt about it and that is fine. But family life is not everything. It is not everything! A family life without spirituality, where does it go? Where does it take you? What is the difference between an animal family and a human family if there is no spiritual life? Dharmena hina pasubhih samanah, says the Sanskrit text (Hitopadesa). Without dharma, without any spiritual life, human life is the same as animal life.
So we think in this way – first about the soul, first about being a devotee. Let me invest in that and then alright, then family life follows. That is fine but first be a devotee! That is all. So simple and then everything falls into place. That is my message to you. It is simple and you naturally step in where you fit. Like when I came to Krsna consciousness, I was not alone at that time. For twenty-four years, I was in the ghrastha ashram which is the married ashram. Twenty-four years, you know! Then for four years, I was in the vanaprastha ashram and now eighteen years in the sannyasa ashram. There is nothing wrong with family life. That is fine. But first, be a devotee and then choose your ashram. Then it is right, then sexuality also falls in place. First a devotee. It is about being a devotee!