Regulated material life under Vedic guidance gradually elevates the soul toward Krishna consciousness and divine love.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
— August 20, 1971, London 710820SB-LONDON [33:30 Minutes] SB-01.01.03_710820SB-LONDON Pradyumna: [leading chanting of verse] ...pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ [SB 1.1.3] Prabhupāda: Purport first. Pradyumna: Purport: "In the two previous ślokas it has been definitely proved that the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sublime literature which surpasses all other Vedic scriptures due to its transcendental qualities. It is transcendental to all mundane activities and mundane knowledge. In this śloka it is stated that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not only a superior literature but that it is the ripened fruit of all Vedic literature. In other words, it is the cream of all Vedic knowledge. Considering all this, patient... [break] ...one should receive the message and lessons imparted by the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Vedas are compared to the desire tree because they contain all things knowable by man.
They deal with mundane necessities as well as spiritual realization." Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Vedas you will find both the knowledge. Because the living entity, anyone who has come to this material world, the cause is that he wanted to enjoy, imitating Kṛṣṇa. Just like it is practical experience: if we are associated with some big man and he is very opulent, naturally a desires come, "If I could become an important man like him." So that is possible. So as soon as a living entity thinks like that, that he can also enjoy like Kṛṣṇa, then he falls down and he's given the chance of lording it over this material nature.
But to help him, the Vedic knowledge is there. The Vedic knowledge gives him the chance of enjoying this material world under some principles, so that some day he may again come back to home, back to Godhead. This is the Vedic literature. The chance is given because he wanted to enjoy. Just like, for example, one wants to enjoy sex life.
"Yes," Vedic knowledge, Vedic scripture, says, "Yes, just enjoy in married life, not like cats and dogs." This is the difference. So without Vedic injunction, if one wants to enjoy by his whims, then he'll be more and more entangled. But if he follows the Vedic injunction... Just like what is the difference between sex life as married man and woman and without?
So far sex life is concerned, there is no difference. But the restriction and the rules and regulation will not make him mad after sex life. That is the... Just like if anyone wants to eat meat. These are natural tendencies.
So Veda says, "Yes, you can eat meat, but by offering sacrifice, or just offer a sacrifice before the goddess of..., Goddess Kālī." In this way... Actually, it wants to restrict, but one who is obstinate, he wants to enjoy, he's given some Vedic direction, "You enjoy like this." For example... Another example can be given: just like the drunkard. The drunkards are given concession: there are liquor shops.
The government gives some license to a person that "You can sell liquor to the drunkards." But this liquor is not available in every shop. There is a particular shop. One has to purchase liquor from that particular shop. That means government is discouraging, but one who is obstinate, to give him some facility, this particular shop is established. Similarly, when there is allowance for sex life or drinking or meat-eating or even gambling, that is not encouraging; that is minimizing the tendency under discipline. But so far we are concerned, we are above this discipline.