Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu prays: Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitām vā jagadīśa kāmaye – “I do not desire wealth, followers, nor the association of beautiful women.”

I was recently reflecting: among these three—wealth, followers and beautiful women—which one is the most dangerous?

In fact, all three are dangerous. But if we have to choose one amongst the three, which one would it be?

If a person has wealth, that wealth can attract followers and also attract beautiful women. If a person has a large following, that following can naturally bring wealth and beautiful women. On the contrary, if someone is hankering for beautiful women, he may eventually lose both his wealth and his followers.

All three are undoubtedly pitfalls on the path of spiritual advancement. But if we have to consider one, then perhaps it could be the desire for the association of beautiful women.

Blessing, or a Curse?

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes sex life between man and woman as the basic cause and root of material existence. It creates a knot in the heart, which gives rise to home, children, relatives and money.

So, the association of women can bring wealth and followers (kids), but there may come a time when one loses both of them as well.

We find a number of examples in the scriptures where people were cursed because of their improper association with women.

Nahusha wanted to enjoy Indra’s wife inappropriately, and as a result, he was cursed to become a serpent.
Indra improperly enjoyed Gautama Muni’s wife, Ahalyā, and as a result, he was cursed.
Yayāti’s attachment to Devayānī and his association with Śarmiṣṭhā also brought about serious consequences. He was cursed.
Rāvaṇa was cursed by Vedavatī, and he was also cursed by Rambhā.

Nalakūvera and Maṇigrīva had tremendous wealth. Their wealth had brought them the association of beautiful women, and that association had further intoxicated them. Intoxicated by their wealth, while enjoying the company of beautiful women on the banks of the Mandākinī, they became so proud that they could not even recognize Nārada Muni. As a result, Nārada Muni cursed them to become trees. Ultimately, they lost their wealth, their position and their freedom.

Rāvaṇa had immense wealth. In fact, he had stolen much of his half-brother Kuvera’s wealth. He had numerous demoniac supporters and followers, and he had gathered beautiful women from all around the world.

But then he desired the most beautiful woman—the source of all beauty, the goddess of fortune herself. And that desire cost him everything.

He lost his fortune. He lost his wealth. He lost his followers. His followers were killed, and ultimately he himself met a pitiable death because of his unruly hankering for the opposite gender. He had wealth. He had followers. He had access to beautiful women. But his uncontrolled desire for one particular woman destroyed all three.

We do not find similar examples where people were cursed simply because they had a lot of followers or a lot of wealth. Obviously, pride in wealth or followers may lead a person to perform sinful activities, which may then lead to suffering or even a curse. But the point is that when one begins hankering for the association of beautiful women, that hankering itself can become a curse to one’s life.

Beautiful Renunciation !!!

When Śrīla Prabhupāda’s father, Gaura Mohan De, arranged his marriage, he noticed that Śrīla Prabhupāda did not find his wife particularly beautiful. He told him that this was actually good, because it would make it easier for him to renounce family life later.

We also find examples of people who had beautiful wives but eventually renounced everything.

Kardama Muni had a beautiful wife in the form of Devahūti, with whom he lived as a householder for some time. But eventually, Kardama Muni left Devahūti and went to the forest to pursue spiritual life.

The Pāṇḍavas had a beautiful wife in the form of Draupadī, but eventually they left her and set out for the forest.

Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī had opulence like Indra and a wife as beautiful as an apsarā (indra-sama aiśvarya, strī apsarā-sama; e saba bāndhite nārileka yāṅra mana)—yet none of these could bind his mind. He had no attachment to his vast estate, material wealth, or extraordinary beauty, because his heart was already drawn toward Kṛṣṇa.

The point is not that women themselves are the problem. The problem is attachment and the desire to enjoy through the senses.

Therefore, scriptures urge to give up unhealthy association and attachment, irrespective of whether one is a householder or a renunciant.

When Everything Becomes Krishna’s Service

Also, a time may come in one’s life when one is able to utilize everything in Krishna’s service. Wealth can be used to serve Krishna,

What should householders do? Some amount can be spent in serving Krishna, followers can be served by giving them Krishna, and if one maintains the principle of one wife, and the husband and wife are chaste in their relationship, that is also considered as a renounced mindset.

A devotee may possess wealth, but he does not consider it his own. He uses it for Krishna. A devotee may have followers, but he does not enjoy their admiration. He engages them in Krishna’s service. And a pure devotee can even engage young and beautiful women in the service of Krishna without having the slightest personal desire to enjoy them.

Śrīla Prabhupada was such an empowered servant of the Supreme Lord that he could engage wealth, followers and even beautiful women in the service of Krishna. He did not desire any of these things for himself.

Nārada Muni instructed Kayadhu in his ashram. Haridāsa Ṭhākura transformed the prostitute who had been sent to seduce him by engaging her in chanting the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra.

Give It Up or Engage It

Therefore, a devotee definitely has to be very careful about the pitfalls in the form of wealth, followers and the desire for beautiful women. One must understand that any one of these—or all three together—can spoil one’s progress in Krishna consciousness.

The ultimate end is either to give these things up or to engage them completely in Krishna’s service, irrespective of one being in the householder or renunciate life.

If we remain attached to wealth, women and followers for our own enjoyment, it is not possible to completely purify the mind. And without purification of the mind, attaining the ultimate goal of life—love for Krishna—becomes extremely difficult.

When we understand this distinction and carefully guard ourselves against these pitfalls, we can continue progressing nicely in Krishna consciousness.