View source for Natural Instinct - Dovetailing Our Eternal Propensities

The living entity is eternally conscious and therefore inherently possesses various inclinations. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that there are two kinds of natural instinct: the contaminated material instinct born of bodily identification, and the pure spiritual instinct born of the soul's eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord.

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=== The Two Types of Instinct ===

Because the soul is active, it must be attached to something. The great ''ācāryas'' point out that as long as we are in the bodily concept of life, our natural instincts are misdirected toward matter. However, when we come to the spiritual platform, our true, original instincts awaken.

* [[Vaniquotes:Human life is not to be carried away by the so-called natural instinct. Natural instinct, material life . . . there are two kinds of natural instinct|Human life is not to be carried away by the so-called natural instinct. Natural instinct, material life . . . there are two kinds of natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are different natural instincts, and when we come to the platform of spiritual understanding, that natural instinct is different. That is real natural instinct|So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are different natural instincts, and when we come to the platform of spiritual understanding, that natural instinct is different. That is real natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Attachment, that is my natural instinct. I cannot be free from attachment. I shall be either attached to this matter or I shall be attached to spirit. If I am not attached to spirit, then I must be attached to matter. This is the process|Attachment, that is my natural instinct. I cannot be free from attachment. I shall be either attached to this matter or I shall be attached to spirit. If I am not attached to spirit, then I must be attached to matter. This is the process.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Jijnasu is our natural instinct, but we go to who has no knowledge. That is the difficulty. We are misled. But the knowledge is there already: the Vedic knowledge is there|Jijnasu is our natural instinct, but we go to who has no knowledge. That is the difficulty. We are misled. But the knowledge is there already: the Vedic knowledge is there.]]

=== The Base Material Instincts ===

When the soul is conditioned by the material energy, it adopts the instincts of the lower animal species. The Vedic literature notes that without proper spiritual education and restriction, the unpurified human being is naturally drawn toward sex, meat-eating, and intoxication.

* [[Vaniquotes:A living entity has got natural inclination for vyavaya, sex life; and madya sevah, intoxication; amisa sevah, and meat-eating. A natural instinct there is. But asuras, they do not try to stop it. They want to increase it. That is asura life|A living entity has got natural inclination for vyavaya, sex life; and madya sevah, intoxication; amisa sevah, and meat-eating. A natural instinct there is. But asuras, they do not try to stop it. They want to increase it. That is asura life.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Natural instinct for sex life, for meat-eating and for drinking. This is natural instinct. But they are restrained. They are co-ordinated by the Vedic injunction|Natural instinct for sex life, for meat-eating and for drinking. This is natural instinct. But they are restrained. They are co-ordinated by the Vedic injunction.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Just like attraction for the opposite sex, a girl or a boy. That is natural. Nobody goes to school and colleges how to learn how to be attracted by young man, young . . . no. It doesn't require any education. The natural instinct is already there|Just like attraction for the opposite sex, a girl or a boy. That is natural. Nobody goes to school and colleges how to learn how to be attracted by young man, young . . . no. It doesn't require any education. The natural instinct is already there.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The natural instinct of a woman is to enjoy the material world. She induces her husband to enjoy this world by satisfying his tongue, belly and genitals, which are called jihva, udara and upastha|The natural instinct of a woman is to enjoy the material world. She induces her husband to enjoy this world by satisfying his tongue, belly and genitals, which are called jihva, udara and upastha.]]

=== The True Spiritual Instinct ===

The eternal, unchangeable nature of the soul is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that just as it is natural for a part to serve the whole, it is the inherent, constitutional instinct of every living entity to render loving devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

* [[Vaniquotes:Devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct of every living entity|Devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct of every living entity.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Dharma means the natural instinct. The natural instinct is to obey the superior person. Every one of us, we are meant for obeying the Supreme|Dharma means the natural instinct. The natural instinct is to obey the superior person. Every one of us, we are meant for obeying the Supreme.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We sometimes love the body or sometimes love the mind or sometimes love the soul, or in this way, but the ultimate aim is to love Krsna. That is our natural instinct|We sometimes love the body or sometimes love the mind or sometimes love the soul, or in this way, but the ultimate aim is to love Krsna. That is our natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:From his very birth, Uddhava was a natural devotee of Lord Krsna, or a nitya-siddha, a liberated soul. From natural instinct he used to serve Lord Krsna, even in his childhood|From his very birth, Uddhava was a natural devotee of Lord Krsna, or a nitya-siddha, a liberated soul. From natural instinct he used to serve Lord Krsna, even in his childhood.]]

=== The Instinct for Happiness and Glorification ===

Every living being constantly searches for pleasure and has an innate desire to praise others. Advanced devotees observe that these natural instincts are perfectly fulfilled only when they are directed toward the Supreme Lord and His pure devotees, rather than temporary material subjects.

* [[Vaniquotes:Which decreases, that is not real happiness. That is illusion. Ramante yoginah anante satyanande cid-atmana. Cit, that is spiritual, spiritual ananda. Really we want ananda, happiness, blissfulness. That is our natural instinct|Which decreases, that is not real happiness. That is illusion. Ramante yoginah anante satyanande cid-atmana. Cit, that is spiritual, spiritual ananda. Really we want ananda, happiness, blissfulness. That is our natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:To glorify a great man is a natural instinct for living beings, but they have not learned to glorify the Lord. Perfection of life is attained simply by glorifying the Lord in association with a self-realized devotee of the Lord|To glorify a great man is a natural instinct for living beings, but they have not learned to glorify the Lord. Perfection of life is attained simply by glorifying the Lord in association with a self-realized devotee of the Lord.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:It is a natural psychology in every individual case that a person likes to hear and enjoy his personal glories enumerated by others. That is a natural instinct|It is a natural psychology in every individual case that a person likes to hear and enjoy his personal glories enumerated by others. That is a natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The people in general want to read (that is a natural instinct), but because their minds are polluted they want such literatures|The people in general want to read (that is a natural instinct), but because their minds are polluted they want such literatures.]]

=== Dovetailing Instincts in Devotion ===

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not an artificial imposition that requires us to become emotionless stones. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that spiritual life simply means dovetailing our existing natural instincts—such as singing, dancing, and eating—directly into the loving service of the Lord.

* [[Vaniquotes:We do not want stopping the natural instincts of the living entities, we simply want them to be dovetailed in Krishna's service|We do not want stopping the natural instincts of the living entities, we simply want them to be dovetailed in Krishna's service.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We prosecute these Krsna consciousness activities through singing, dancing, eating, & talking philosophy received through authorized disciplic succession, & therefore it gives us everything we want, without any artificial change of our natural instincts|We prosecute these Krsna consciousness activities through singing, dancing, eating, and talking philosophy received through authorized disciplic succession, and therefore it gives us everything we want, without any artificial change of our natural instincts.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Brahma said, "My Lord, I can understand that the superexcellent quality of the service rendered by the residents of Vrndavana is due to their spontaneously engaging all natural instincts in Your loving service"|Brahma said, "My Lord, I can understand that the superexcellent quality of the service rendered by the residents of Vrndavana is due to their spontaneously engaging all natural instincts in Your loving service."]]
* [[Vaniquotes:To attain perfection, one must make devotional service the center of life. In this way one can awaken his natural instincts by work, association and education|To attain perfection, one must make devotional service the center of life. In this way one can awaken his natural instincts by work, association and education.]]

=== Overcoming the Material Nature ===

Even when one realizes their spiritual identity, the ingrained habits of the material body can be difficult to overcome. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that by the mercy of the Lord, a sincere devotee can transcend even the fiercest material instincts, adopting the peaceful and nonviolent nature of a true Vaiṣṇava.

* [[Vaniquotes:Kaliya said, "Your Lordship knows well that it is very difficult to give up one’s natural instincts, although by such instincts the living creature transmigrates from one body to another"|Kaliya said, "Your Lordship knows well that it is very difficult to give up one's natural instincts, although by such instincts the living creature transmigrates from one body to another."]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Kaliya said, "My dear Lord, I (Kaliya) am born as a serpent; therefore, by natural instinct I am very angry. How is it then possible to give up my acquired nature without Your mercy? It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of Your maya"|Kaliya said, "My dear Lord, I (Kaliya) am born as a serpent; therefore, by natural instinct I am very angry. How is it then possible to give up my acquired nature without Your mercy? It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of Your maya."]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Vaisnava does not like to kill. But if there is necessity . . . just like Arjuna had to kill. That is by the order of Krsna, not by his own will. By his own will, Krsna did . . . Arjuna did not like to kill, to fight. That is Vaisnava's natural instinct|Vaisnava does not like to kill. But if there is necessity . . . just like Arjuna had to kill. That is by the order of Krsna, not by his own will. By his own will, Krsna did . . . Arjuna did not like to kill, to fight. That is Vaisnava's natural instinct.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:He does not fight out of his own will, because a Vaisnava's natural instinct is not to do harm to anyone. However, when a Vaisnava knows that Krsna wants a particular thing done, he does not care for his own considerations|He does not fight out of his own will, because a Vaisnava's natural instinct is not to do harm to anyone. However, when a Vaisnava knows that Krsna wants a particular thing done, he does not care for his own considerations.]]

=== Conclusion ===

In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully resolves the conflict between our mundane urges and our spiritual calling. The living entity is eternally active and cannot simply cease to exist or extinguish its natural inclinations. The problem lies not in the instinct itself, but in its misdirection. In the material world, our natural instinct to love, glorify, and find bliss is pervertedly manifested as mundane attachment, lust, meat-eating, and intoxication. However, Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not seek to brutally suppress these inclinations. Instead, it offers the sublime process of dovetailing them in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By singing the holy names, dancing in ecstasy, honoring sanctified food, and glorifying the Lord, our original, pure spiritual instincts are naturally reawakened. When we fully transfer our attachment from matter to spirit, we transcend the ferocious dictates of the material body and return to our joyful, constitutional position as eternal, loving servants of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:Natural_Instinct|Natural Instinct]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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