Anartha - Giving Up Unwanted Things Through Devotional Service
Have you ever wondered why, despite massive technological advancements, modern society seems increasingly burdened by anxiety, addiction, and unrest? The Vedic literature provides a very clear diagnosis: modern civilization is completely obsessed with anarthas. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that anarthas are unwanted, unnecessary things that have no real meaning or value for the eternal spirit soul. To achieve genuine happiness and peace, we must learn how to identify these anarthas and, more importantly, how to systematically eliminate them from our lives.
Root Misconception
The foundation of all our problems is a simple but profound misunderstanding of our own identity. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the original anartha is the bodily conception of life—the false belief that we are the physical body rather than the eternal spirit soul. From this one massive misconception, a limitless chain of unnecessary desires and anxieties is born.
- Anartha, this anartha, this misconception of life, if you want to discard this misconception of life, that "I am this body," and you act according to that consciousness and suffer... This is your disease.
- You can dress with so many outward coverings. But we spirit soul, we do not require this material dress, but somehow or other we have got it. This is anartha. Anartha means unwanted.
- Material existence begins with the illusioned bodily conception of life, and on the basis of this conception there ensues a series of unwanted things (anarthas). These unwanted things are actually mental desires for various types of sense gratification.
- Because I have accepted this body which is made of either of the three modes of material nature, and identifying, therefore I have created so many anartha. Anartha means unwanted things.
Acquired Bad Habits
Based on this false bodily identification, we develop artificial needs. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that no living entity is naturally born with a desire to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or eat meat. These are completely unnecessary habits (anarthas) that are learned strictly through bad association. Unfortunately, modern society actively encourages and profits from these destructive addictions.
- Nobody learns to smoke from the very birth. He has to eat something. He drinks milk, the child. He doesn't say, "Give me a cigarette," but you have learned it by bad association. This is called anartha.
- Anartha means things we do not want. Artificially we are practiced to things. Just like meat-eating. Meat-eating, we do not practice it from the beginning of our birth.
- People will not die without coffee and tea. But they have made the whole world self-dependent on coffee and tea, mercantile policy. There is anartha.
- Four things of sinful activities - illicit sex and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating - these are anartha. Anartha means it is not necessary at all.
The Cure: Bhakti-yoga
How can we free ourselves from these deeply ingrained habits? Trying to quit artificially through sheer willpower usually fails. Śrīla Prabhupāda provides the ultimate, positive solution: bhakti-yoga. By associating with pure devotees and engaging our senses in the practical, joyful service of Kṛṣṇa, the desire for all these unwanted, meaningless things is automatically vanquished.
- Anartha means meaningless. No artha. Artha means meaning. So if we want to stop this anartha, misconception of life, then we have to take to bhakti-yoga.
- If we turn our attention to Krsna's service, to bhakti-yoga, we can force ourselves to give up all anarthas, unwanted things.
- Whatever abominable characteristics we have developed, if we want to counteract it, we have to take to bhakti-yoga only. Anartha. Anartha. We have developed so many anartha. We don't require it, but we have developed all these symptoms.
- If you are really enthusiastic, these anarthas will be vanquished automatically.
The Test of Spiritual Advancement
In the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, spiritual advancement is not measured by cheap magic tricks or sentimental displays of emotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes a very practical standard: you can measure a person's spiritual progress by observing how completely they have given up their anarthas. Real devotion means living a simple, pure life, completely free from unnecessary material entanglements.
- That is the test who is a devotee. Simply by advertising himself, advertisements will not do. How much you are freed from the anarthas.
- The first step is that you must associate with devotees and then take to bhajana-kriya. Then see, examine yourself that whether you are free from all the anarthas, all the unwanted things.
- If one is still attached to all these habits (illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling), he should know that he is not making progress. When one is actually advanced in bhajana-kriya, all these anarthas (unwanted things) will be finished.
- Practically everyone can see that you Western boys and girls, so many anarthas you practice, but as soon as you come to bhakti-yoga, everything is finished.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings are incredibly practical. He does not demand that we give up everything and live in a cave; rather, he asks us to intelligently analyze our lives and discard the anarthas—the habits and desires that bring us nothing but disease and anxiety. By replacing these unwanted things with the sublime chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, our lives immediately become peaceful, meaningful, and perfectly aligned with our eternal spiritual nature.
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 Anartha. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.