Published on September 23rd, 2024 | by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
17The Homosexual Appetite of a Man for Another Man is Demoniac
Lord Brahma, approaching the Lord, addressed Him thus: My Lord, please protect me from these sinful demons, who were created by me under Your order. They are infuriated by an appetite for sex and have come to attack me.
It appears here that the homosexual appetite of males for each other is created in this episode of the creation of the demons by Brahma. In other words, the homosexual appetite of a man for another man is demoniac and is not for any sane male in the ordinary course of life. (SB 3.20.26)
JSD 6.5 Slaughterhouse Civilization
Srila Prabhupada: The priests are after money. They are not first class; they are low-class men. This is the reason that Christianity has fallen down. The priests cannot speak straightforwardly. There is a straightforward commandment–“Thou shalt not kill.” But because people are already killing, the priests are afraid to present the commandment straightforwardly. Now they are even granting man-to-man marriage, what to speak of other things. The priests are sermonizing on this idea of man-to-man marriage. Just see how degraded they have become! Previously was there any conception like this, at least outside America? Nobody thought that a man could be married to another man. What is this? And the priests are supporting it. Do you know that? So what is their standard?
710725SB.NY Lectures
And what is the tapasya? That is also… Brahmacaryena. Brahmacaryena. Brahmacaryena means restricted sex life. Real meaning is no sex life, no sex, celibacy, completely. This is tapasya. Therefore, according to Vedic culture, the first beginning of life is brahmacari. (break) But in the brahmacari life there is no sex life.
Only in the grhastha life there is sex life, married life. I was reading the other day a magazine, Watch… What is that? Watchtower. So this paper was criticizing so many immoral activities in the Christian world. And one item I was surprised to read that a Christian priest has sanctioned marriage between man to man.
That was written there. I do not wish to discuss all those things, but people are degrading for want of this tapasya. People are not taught how to execute tapasya life, tapasvi life. Simply by criticizing will not do. Practically you have to be trained in the life of tapasya. Then it will be effective. Just like we are doing. Here, in our Krsna consciousness movement, in every center, everyone, at least who are living within this temple, must get up at four o’clock to perform the aratrika.
This morning I was asking somebody that if you cannot rise, then you cannot live in this temple. Because this temple is meant for tapasya, not for extravagancy. Unless you follow the life of tapasya, you cannot make progress.
740611r2.par Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes. They’re after money. So they are less than sudras. That is the cause that Christianity has fallen down, that they cannot speak straightly, or otherwise… It is straight commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” And because people are killing, they’re… Now they are give man-to-man marriage, what to speak of other things. The priests, they are sermonizing this man-to-man marriage. Just see how degraded they have become. Whether any conception… At least, outside America, nobody knows that a man can be married with another man. What is this? And they’re supporting it. You know that?
750521rc.mel Conversations
Prabhupada: No. There is no question of high percentage. I said that even a small percentage, there must be some ideal men. At least people will see that here is the ideal man. Just like we are having. Because they are chanting and dancing, many outsiders are coming and they are also learning, they are also offering obeisances. And gradually they are offering their service: “Please accept me.” The example is better than precept. If you have an ideal group of men, then people will automatically learn. That is wanted. But don’t mind, I don’t find any ideal group of men. Even in the priests they are going to hospital for their drinking habit. I saw in some times before in a hospital, five thousand patients, alcoholic patients, priest. Priest should be ideal character. And they are advocating homosex. So where is the ideal character men? If the priestly class they are going to hospital for drinking habit, and they are allowing man-to-man marriage and homosexuality, then where is ideal character?
760108rc.nel Conversations
Prabhupada: That they are doing. Still they are doing. Just like you said, some sprinkling water. They have no philosophy and they violate everything, what is stated there in Bible. Now you say that “Thou shall not kill;” they say, “Thou shall not murder.” They are molding. Now this homosexuality they are sanctioning, man-to-man marriage. They are sanctioning abortion.
Acyutananda: Yes. Two homosexuals were married by a priest.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Now they have a church where the priests are homosexuals and the attending people are homosexual.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Tamala Krsna: Now they have churches for homosexuals. That means the priest is a homosexual, and the persons who come are homosexuals. A special church for homosexuals.
Prabhupada: Just see. Is that religion?
770428rc.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: No, they are drinking. They are having homosex. They are encouraging homosexuals, giving man-to-man marriage. You know that? This is going on. Doing everything nonsense.
N98:720928MW.LA conversations
Prabhupada: …the injunction of the scripture, and still they say, “We do not know.” So many drunkards priest, they are going to hospital for treatment ,and they are eating, and they are getting married man to man, and still they say, “We do not know what we have done.” Just see how cheaters they are.
Jayatirtha: In the last six years…
Prabhupada: Hm?
Jayatirtha: In the last six years in the Catholic church, 25,000 priests have left and taken up…
Prabhupada: 25,000?
Jayatirtha: 25,000 in six years.
Prabhupada: What is that?
Jayatirtha: Have left the Catholic church, priests.
Prabhupada: Left.
Jayatirtha: Ordained priests, they have left and gone off to marry or whatever. Especially they are concerned that they can’t marry. Catholic priests are not allowed to marry.
Prabhupada: Marrying? They are marrying man to man ,what to speak of marrying. Sodomy.
Jayatirtha: So that’s the alternative. Either they’re leaving or they’re marrying man to man.
Prabhupada: Homosexuality. They are supporting homosexuality. So degraded, and still they say, “What we have done?” They do not know what is degradation, and they are priest. They are teaching others. They do not know what is the meaning of degradation.
740614rc.par Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes. Some of our men, at least one, left our association. He thought that “This is denying the primary necessities of life.” Rayarama, Rayarama. He left for this reason, that we do not allow the bare necessities of life. Illicit sex, intoxication… He was first-class criminal on this account, but he could not give it up. Therefore he left.
Devotee: Yes, I spoke with him in San Francisco, and he said, “Swamiji will not be successful because he does not allow free love in his movement.” He says, “That is why I had to leave because there was no place for me and my boyfriend.” Even he was not attracted to having a girl, but he had a boy. That boy used to be also your typist. He was from Harvard University.
Prabhupada: That Neil.
Devotee: Yeah, Neil.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Devotee: And he told me that “Swamiji will not be successful in his movement because he will not allow free love.” I just saw him in San Francisco before I went to India two and a half years ago. We were trying to get him to come back to the temple.
Prabhupada: No, he cannot give up these bad habits.
Pusta-krsna: You said in Geneva that no one has died from giving up cigarettes or illicit sex. So it is not so hard to do.
Prabhupada: No, it is not hard. Now the Christian church is giving liberty, man to man marriage. Most unnatural.
Devotee: Previously they didn’t allow divorce. The first principle was there is no question of divorce. Then so many people began leaving the Catholic Church. So then they allowed divorce. And then they did not allow abortion. So again so many people left the religion. Now they allow abortion. And now they are allowing man to man marriage.
Prabhupada: Just see.
Devotee: They compromise just to keep their followers.
Bhagavan: It’s a matter of money.
Prabhupada: And that is freedom. So Raya Ramananda left because such freedom is not allowed here. So we have to allow this freedom like the church? (laughs)
hare Krishna
i have listened to all the arguments repeatedly about Krishna proclaiming Himself as the sex life under marriage and thus making homosexuality a sin by default but why m i born like this ? why do I have attraction for same gender , just reading scriptures will not change my psychophysical nature , it was brahmajis mistake that he created some entities by mistake but why are those inclinations are in me what have I done to be born like this ? to fight with prejudice of whole society being born as a homosexual and getting a shastric reference to be born a sinner by default is a great burden to live with , and that’s the breaking point of any homosexual person trying to enter in devotion . just knowing that one is not body but soul doesn’t help that’s why hetero find their way through marriage but homo they are left nowhere they are condemned to suffer emotionally and psychologically because they have a dissatisfied marriage. only a person born homosexual will know how of a trouble it is and the challenges one has to face and i can hardly relate to any arguments given by any ordinary straight guy to give me advice on it cuz you aren’t born this way it’s easy for you to quote things while enjoying their heterosexual normalcy .
It makes no difference gay or straight. Both are madly after sex, one with the same sex other with the opposite sex. In both cases, gay and straight, they have to give up this desire for sex and restrain themselves. For straight people they get married but can only have sex once a month for the purpose of having a Krishna conscious child. So that is also no sex for all intentional purposes.
So the point of Krishna consciousness is to realize we are not these material bodies. And if one is still so attached to this material body and convinced he is the body and is not prepared to at least theoretically accept that he is not the body but the spirit soul within the body and as spirit soul he has no connection with these bodily desires, then he can not become Krishna consciousness.
So there is no question of Krishna consciousness if we are thinking we are the body and the body is gay. That type of thinking is anchoring us on the material platform. We have to realize, at least theoretically, that we are not these material bodies and it is the body that is “gay” not the soul, not me. And that attraction is only an attraction for the flesh and it is pointless and unsatisfying.
The real satisfaction, the spiritual satisfaction is Krishna consciousness.
So the point is devotees can not enjoy heterosexual normality, they can only have sex once a month when they want a child. And the other point is male devotees can be friends of course, but that is not homosexuality, that is friendship. So there is no difference. Everyone is bound by the same rules. Sex is only for having children within marriage. It is never for sense gratification.
Otherwise, if we are having sex for sense gratification, then we are in maya, we are fallen, we need to rectify ourselves… Otherwise we are gliding down to hell very quickly. Not a nice ending…
I find the above most amusing. firstly the Catholic Church never has allowed divorce, neither has is accepted abortion, and in regards to homosexuality and gay marriage it is totally against such, this when I write is 2021, so unless someone knows better the teachings of the church are as I state above. If your guru was enlightened he would have known this and not have accepted the nonsense from his followers.
what an idiotic state. interesting that corruptions within the church took hundreds of years to develop, when the rot set into Iskon even when the guru was present. Jokers.
Why don’t you ask the pope what he thinks about gay marriage and divorce and abortion? His answers may surprise you.
Slipper Shot article to those so-called “Devout Hindus” who support Sodomy. All Dharmic and Abhrahamic religions are against LGBT. LGBT and Feminism are Marxist Agenda to destabilize the basic unit of any Civilization i.e Monogamous Family.
Very nice article. Recently in india the government has criminalized homosex and people are saying, ” They have taken away our rights. ” Just see. And other rascals are writing articles like ” Homosex in Hinduism” to justify homosexualty. I just wanted to ask, whether homosexuals existed in previous times and if yes, how were they punished ?
Hare Krishna Anurag
It seems homosexuals have always existed but in any sane civilization this sort of behavior is not encouraged. In India traditionally this was there in a very limited way and there were separate communities of these people who were integrated into the Vedic society in some way. So they were not punished in the Vedic times. But somehow accommodated. Still it was considered to be a sinful thing and no ordinary man would ever engage in such a thing. It was considered very dishonorable, very sinful. But there were some separate societies where this sort of activity may have gone on. But it was not permitted in the general society. The punishment and criminalization of homosexuality in India was a British introduction. It is not from the Vedic times.
So we are not saying that homosexuals should be punished by the state or put in prison or anything like that. We are saying that advancement in spiritual life and sex life are two opposing forces. Unless sex is used within marriage for having children it is the most powerful force to bring us down to material consciousness and to destroy our advancement in spiritual life.
So all we are saying is that for those people who want to actually make advancement in spiritual life then they have to refrain from sex life except for within marriage for having children. Any other sex life will make it impossible for us to advance in Krishna consciousness.
So we are not particularly signalling out homosexual sex. Any sort of sex will keep us on the material platform and block our advancement in spiritual life. So the restrictions on sex life apply equally to both homosexuals and heterosexuals in Krishna consciousness. Everyone has to follow the same rules: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Lead a Krishna surrendered life and every problem (including homosexuality,etc.) will be solved in your way.
P.S.: Follow the 18.66 shloka of Srimad Bhagawat Gita.
thank GOD someone has finally spoken THE TRUTH !!!!!!!!!!!
I understand that Prabhupada comes harsh on each and everyone. I understand also that attachment to sex is a worldly folly and the only way to rise spiritually is detach oneself from sensual pleasures that attach us to the lower levels so that the spirit can soar high. I find one thing incomprehensible though, its the distinction between heterosexuality and homosexuality. Homosexuality is not intended its a nature, and its not illicit. All sex is equally illicit unless procreation comes of it per se, but tell me how many hare krishnas only have sex for the purpose of procreation and how many of their sexual activities get condoned simply on the basis of their orientation being Heterosexual? I left ISKCON alone only because they are so hompphobic. You cannot be homosexual and a member of ISKCON. All the best in your spiritual journey.
Hare Krishna Asit
You are right. Sex is only permitted within marriage and then to have children. Anything else is illicit sex. So homosexual activities are always illicit sex. But there is a proper use for heterosexual sex. Krishna even says he is sex life according to the regulative principles in the Bhagavad-gita; He is talking about this heterosexual sex within marriage for having children.
There is a saying that two wrongs don’t make a right. So that some hetrosexual so-called devotees are breaking the regulative principles does not make homosexual sex alright.
We have to know that if we break the regulative principles we are not devotees. So any sex outside marriage or in marriage if it is not for having children is illicit sex and is breaking the regulative principles.
I don’t know if you know this but homosexuals don’t just have sex all the time. Replace “activities” with “sex”. I found the Hare Krishna movement a few years ago when my aunt had died and I had thought that you know I finally found something that I can be myself in and not be told that my god doesn’t love me because of who I am but now I really don’t know. I don’t appreciate your interpretation of the verse that you gave us because it’s inaccurate. No where in the verse does it say anything about gay people. And if Praphupad was saying stuff like that then sho I am definitely leaving the movement. It is disgusting how you guys are so Hippocratical. You justify you being homophobic by saying “you have to realize that you are not this body. You have to get away from the material world” but Praphupad let himself dwell in materiel emotions like anger and hatred and judgement. And to you it’s ok if he does it (but out of hate anger and judgement) and you praise him and have statues for him but when a Homosexual person is “dwelling” in the material world by loving someone it’s wrong and demonic. I don’t get it. Krishna made us the way we are. Why are we judging each other because of that. I can be gay and still love and cherish my god.
You are not the material body. Understanding this is the prerequisite to becoming Krishna conscious. So if you are determined to identify with your body as a “male homosexual” then you can not become Krishna conscious. Because you are not a “male homosexual”, you are an eternal spirit soul who has an eternal relationship with Krishna that you have currently forgotten. So unless we are prepared to let go of our false material identifications like “male homosexual” and surrender to the actual fact that we are not these material bodies, but we are the spirit souls within the bodies, then Krishna consciousness will always remain a mystery to us.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna! Only within the last few months of my thirty-two years have I began to learn of India’s cultural richness. More importantly, I have found truth in Kishna Consciousness. I am gay (that is, I am attracted instinctively to men). I can accept this is not in accord with the need for celibacy when one is not having children. My question is this, what am I supposed to be doing if grhasta is not made for me? I have tried in the past to be with women…sexually. I will not be brainwashed into thinking that I canbe fixed and my body will eventually find this pleasurable. It is not pleasurable. I was unable to perform the act, I became ill and vomited. I do not want children either. Don’t get me wrong, please. I am not looking to justify homosexuality. I am hoping someone will tell me this means I should renounce grhasta and join the priestly order. Giving up this ashrama and accepting that maybe I am this way to hasten my journey to Krishna Consciousness. In other words, I have been made gay to overcome it and devote myself to preaching, teaching, self-realization and the like. Would this not mean that I should leave over my “career;” seeing that this idea of career has been for nothing more than to accumulate things like money, food, and a home? I do own my home, I am in a sex-less gay relationship, and I am working. Why am I saying this? I recently attended a festival where TWO men who are priests basically told me not to think that being a devotee meant quitting my job, selling my house, and devoting myself fully to the movement. What else can there be for me if I am not to be “true” householder? I don’t really want wealth, a home, or any of these things we are told we must have in western society. Nothing in this world is appealing to me anymore unless it’s end goal is to bring me closer to Krishna. Perhaps I should be directing this to the local temple manager who has opened so many doors of realization, but I hesistate to tell anyone in the movement that I am “gay” because of the obvious stigma associated with laying one’s sinful desires bare. I am trying to find my place in serving Krishna… I believe this to be a student and then sannyasin… but how can I ignore what those men told me about keeping my life as it is now? What do I do?
Hare Krishna!
As you have hinted at if you look at being gay from the other direction, ie: not being interested in women sexually, then this is a great advantage for one who wants to become Krishna conscious.
Krishna consciousness means we have to break free from the bodily concept of life. And the most entangling aspect of the bodily concept of life is the attachment that develops from the union of a man and a women. There is nothing more entangling than this.
The process of Krishna consciousness will elevate our consciousness to the level where we are experiencing transcendental pleasure which will make any so-called pleasure we experience from sex with men or women insignificant. Meanwhile sex remains the highest so-called pleasure in the material world and it can be very difficult to become free from this entanglement.
The only way is to follow the process of Saddhana-bhakti as Srila Prabhupada has taught us.
As far as the two men from ISKCON you met who were advising you to keep your life as it is and not join the temple, that is standard ISKCON preaching now. Basically they say, stay home, keep working, come to the temple on Sundays and give us money. But the society that we are living and working in is so contaminated with the bodily concept of life and materialism and sinful activities of all types it is practically impossible to become Krishna consciousness living in this environment.
That is why Srila Prabhupada created the ISKCON temples. So that another society, a spiritual society, could be created within this material world, and those seriously interested in cultivating spiritual life could take shelter of this ISKCON society and the pure devotees who were living within ISKCON and by their good association they could learn how they could also transform their lives and become pure devotees of Krishna.
Unfortunately this vision is long gone in ISKCON and temples have either closed or been turned into “Hindu churches” showing the Deity to Hindus on Sundays and collecting money from them.
So I do not think you will find what you are looking for at ISKCON.
The only real option that is available to us right now is to seriously study the books of Srila Prabhuapda and to try to put his teachings into practice in our own lives.
There is a great need for an “International Society for Krishna Consciousness” at the moment. But even if we could create a small group of sincere devotees dedicated to seriously following the teachings of Srila Prabhupada this could become quite a world changing organization. A small number of sincere devotees working together is a very powerful force.
So hopefully such a group of sincere devotees can come together and push on the mission of Srila Prabhuapda which is fundamently distributing his original transcendental books, performing sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra, and distributing Prasadam, food that has been prepared by devotees and offered to Krishna with love. These are the three things that will transform the world… We need to form an organization to give shelter and encouragement to devotees who want to engage in this work and to push on Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtan movement… This is the only hope for a world which has gone so far down the wrong track…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madahudvisa dasa
Dear Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
I too am a homosexual. Don’t fret! Any sexual attachment is not conducive to spiritual life. You say you have a boyfriend. A person can also be attachment. This I would warn you about even more than the fact that you happen to be gay.
Gay is only a designation. Krsna loves you. You must understand when His Divine Grace talks of homosexuality being “unnatural” he is speaking along spiritual lines. That was his “job” as a spiritual master. Attachment to sex of any kind is not good for spiritual life. Remember that we are ALL Krsna’s devotees. Straight, gay, black, white, etc. Prabhupada’s words may sound harsh, but he was no less harsh with anyone else.
I hope this helps.
Hare Krsna!
Dearest Radhe Giridhari Prabhu,
Hare Krsna
i thank you for this very balanced and encouraging approach while replying this thread.
Gauranga!!