FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.14

आसुरी मेढ्रमर्वाग्द्वार्व्यवायो ग्रामिणां रति: । उपस्थो दुर्मद: प्रोक्तो निऋर्तिर्गुद उच्यते ॥ १४ ॥
āsurī meḍhram arvāg-dvār
[aasuree medhram arvaag-dvaar]
vyavāyo grāmiṇāṁ ratiḥ
[vyavaayo graaminaam ratih]
upastho durmadaḥ prokto
[upastho durmadah prokto]
nirṛtir guda ucyate
[nirritir guda uchyate]
āsurī — called Āsurī meḍhram — the genitals arvāk — of the fools and rascals dvāḥ — gate vyavāyaḥ — performing sexual affairs grāmiṇām — of common men ratiḥ — attraction upasthaḥ — the faculty of procreation durmadaḥ — Durmada proktaḥ — is called nirṛtiḥ — Nirṛti gudaḥ — rectum ucyate — is called.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āsurī meḍhram arvāg-dvār
āsurī
called Āsurī
meḍhram
the genitals
arvāk
of the fools and rascals
dvāḥ
gate
vyavāyo grāmiṇāṁ ratiḥ
vyavāyaḥ
performing sexual affairs
grāmiṇām
of common men
ratiḥ
attraction
upastho durmadaḥ prokto
upasthaḥ
the faculty of procreation
durmadaḥ
Durmada
proktaḥ
is called
nirṛtir guda ucyate
nirṛtiḥ
Nirṛti
gudaḥ
rectum
ucyate
is called.
The city called Grāmaka, which is approached through the lower gate of Āsurī [the genital organ], is meant for sex, which is very pleasing to common men who are simply fools and rascals. The faculty of procreation is called Durmada, and the rectum is called Nirṛti.

When the world becomes degraded, civilization becomes demoniac, and for the common man the rectum and the genitals are taken very seriously as the centers of all activity. Even in such a sacred place as Vṛndāvana, India, unintelligent men pass off this rectal and genital business as spiritual activity. Such people are called sahajiyā. According to their philosophy, through sexual indulgence one can elevate oneself to the spiritual platform. From these verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, however, we understand that the desires for sexual satisfaction are meant for the arvāk, the lowest among men. To rectify these rascals and fools is very difficult. After all, the sex desires of the common man are condemned in these verses. The word durmada means “wrongly directed,” and nirṛti means “sinful activity.” Although this clearly indicates that sex indulgence is abominable and misdirected even from the ordinary point of view, the sahajiyās nonetheless pass themselves off as devotees conducting spiritual activities. For this reason, Vṛndāvana is no longer visited by intelligent men. We are often asked why we have made our center in Vṛndāvana. From the external point of view, it can be concluded that Vṛndāvana has become degenerate due to these sahajiyā activities, yet from the spiritual point of view, Vṛndāvana is the only place where all these sinful persons can be rectified by means of taking birth in the forms of dogs, hogs and monkeys. By living in Vṛndāvana as a dog, hog or monkey, the living entity can be elevated to the spiritual platform in the next life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Āsurī, the lower door, is the penis. Sex life is the place called Grāmaka. Durmada is the sense organ called the penis. The gate called Nirṛti is the anus. Grāmaka is the sense object of the penis. It is called here enjoyment of the materialistic people. It is defined as sex life (vyavāyaḥ).
Grāmaka through Āsurī (genitals) is sex; Durmada is procreative faculty; Nirṛti is rectum. The lower gates are honest about what they do; the soul-decision is whether to follow them downward.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I letting the lower gates lead me when intelligence should lead?
  • What would respect-without-rule by the lower gates look like?
📝 My note

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