Abominable Conditions and Illusion of Māyā

In his teachings, Śrīla Prabhupāda provides a vivid description of the "abominable" (jugupsitam) states of material existence. He explains that while certain conditions are objectively wretched—such as the life of a hog or the ten months spent in a womb—the living entity remains satisfied due to the potent illusion of māyā. This "spell of māyā" prevents the soul from desiring a way out of its degraded situation. Understanding why life becomes abominable and how to recognize these conditions is the first step toward spiritual recovery and the attainment of a transcendental body.

Spell of Satisfaction in Abomination

One of the most paradoxical features of material life is that the living entity is satisfied in even the most abominable conditions. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a worm living in the midst of urine and stool or a hog eating excrement feels happy in its environment. This is the "covering influence of māyā." Human beings, too, are often satisfied with their standard of living, however abominable it may be, thinking they are "quite all right" while performing all sorts of sinful actions.

• The living entity is satisfied in any abominable condition. Even if he is born as a worm living within the intestine or abdomen in the midst of urine and stool, still he is satisfied. This is the covering influence of maya.
• This spell of maya is called avaranatmika sakti because it is so strong that the living entity is satisfied in any abominable condition.
• Even a hog, who lives by eating stool, finds himself happy, although a person in a higher mode of life sees that the hog is eating stool. How abominable that life is.

Abominable Habits and Modern Society

Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies specific habits—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication—as the foundation of an abominable life. He critiques modern society for encouraging these behaviors, noting that activities like abortion and unrestricted sex make the "whole atmosphere abominable." When human intelligence (kṛti) is used for such "miscreant" (duskṛti) activities, society deteriorates into a hellish condition where people glide down to the status of animals.

• We first advise all the disciples in our Krsna consciousness movement to avoid illicit sex, which is the beginning of all abominable life and which is followed by meat-eating, gambling and intoxication, one after another.
• Hippies and murderer in the name of religion. This is their culture. And abortion. Because there is no such culture, therefore the result is the abortion and killing and bombing, making the whole atmosphere abominable. This is your culture.
• The demons are described in the Bhagavad-gita as duskrtis, or miscreants. Krti means "very meritorious,” but when duh is added it means "abominable."

Transmigration into Abominable Species

According to the laws of karma, those who indulge in abominable activities are forced to accept abominable bodies in their next lives. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that those in the mode of ignorance (tamo-guṇa) go down to hellish worlds or are born as birds, beasts, reptiles, or even serpents. He cites the example of a demigod who performed abominable acts and was subsequently forced into the body of a serpent. This downward evolution is the result of neglecting the soul's relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

• According to Rsabhadeva, such activities (sinful) are inauspicious because they force one to accept an abominable body in the next life.
• Beneath the human level there are eight million species of life: birds, beasts, reptiles, trees, etc., and, according to the development of the mode of ignorance, people are brought down to these abominable conditions.
• Krsna asked, "How is it that you performed such abominable activities that you got the body of a serpent?” The demigod then began to narrate the story of his previous life.

Purification from Abominable Conditions

Despite the grim nature of these conditions, Śrīla Prabhupāda provides the solution through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Devotional service is so powerful that it can lift a person "at once from any abominable condition." Even if a devotee accidentally commits an abominable act due to past habits, the Lord, situated in the heart, purifies them. The test of a mahā-bhāgavata is the ability to turn others from abominable material life to the Lord’s service, just as Jagāi and Mādhāi were transformed.

• If one becomes a Vaisnava under the principles of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he can be lifted at once from any abominable condition, svapacam varistham.
• The Lord says that even if a devotee commits an abominable act, he should be considered a sadhu, or a pious man, because of his unflinching devotion to the Lord.
• A maha-bhagavata can turn a living entity from abominable material life to the Lord's service. This is the test of a maha-bhagavata.

Conclusion

Recognizing the "abominable nature of this material body" and the deceptive "spell of māyā" is essential for spiritual awakening. Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages everyone to take to bhakti-yoga, which makes the previously attractive but abominable habits of material life become "distasteful." By surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, the living entity is protected from gliding down to lower species and is instead elevated to the supreme, transcendental platform of eternal life and bliss.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Abominable. 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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