Better To Endure Cravings That Seem Unbearable Than To Endure Consequences That Are Unbearable 16.12

Is brought about better to endure cravings that seem unbearable than to endure consequences that are unbearable we are often subjected to cravings that seem unbearable for example somebody is an alcoholic may be even a recovering alcoholic then the urge to indulge urge to drink hits them and when it hits them it is almost impossible to resist it to give it up and what do they do they think all this is unbearable and they give it up then what happens each indulgence makes that craving stronger and initially you might feel even if I give in to it it is not a big problem I drink ok but the problem is when the craving now it seems irresistible but when we give in to it next time when it comes it may even be stronger that means that it may well be such that it makes people it may not only come upon us with greater force but it may drag us with greater force to a greater degree that means we might indulge more and more sometimes we might just drink too much sometimes the alcoholic might drink too much and then might drive and driving under influence and under intoxication can be a serious crime in itself but if say they cause an accident they knock over someone god forbid they they mishandle the car and somebody dies then the consequences would be unbearable initially when the craving comes we only sense the force of the craving and feel that this is too difficult to bear but instead if we consider the force with which the craving is going to make us act and the consequences of the action then we may well realize hey this is not worth it the craving feels unbearable however if we determinedly try to redirect our consciousness elsewhere it is bearable it requires will power and it requires a significant amount of will power to tolerate the cravings but at least to some extent it is in our control however once the consequences hit us then it’s not in our control at all if it becomes a police case then our will power is not going to save us from those painful consequences so there may be consequences that are unbearable and they will be far more serious than the cravings which seem unbearable the Bhagavad Gita points to this downward escalation that happens from 1611 to 1615 it says in 1612 that when somebody starts indulging first it says when somebody gives themselves up to kaam upabhog thinking that sensual living is the purpose of living then they become bound by the shackle by the noose of desires they become sold out to kaam and krodha and for indulging in that particular craving they start committing illegal activities to gain wealth, to gain the necessary resources and the next verse describes how people who are covetous may degenerate to even becoming murderous आट्यो अभिजन्वानस्मि कौन्यस्ति सद्रुष्यो मया याक्षेदास्यामिमोधिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहितः so in the craving for money they may even kill others and they may delight in killing others but eventually that is ghastly karma and the consequences will catch up with them and the consequences will be unbearable therefore it is vital that we before the cravings hit us we calmly remind ourselves maybe even write down the consequences that can happen if we give in to those cravings we may think that I will give in to this craving only up to a particular degree and not beyond that but once the craving hits it is very difficult to regulate how far it will drag us and therefore it is best to work as hard as possible to bear the craving that seems unbearable and especially if we practice bhakti yoga and try to take our consciousness towards Krishna and shelter it in Krishna then bearing the craving becomes relatively easier thank you