Gita 02.58 Inevitable exposure to sense objects is different from initiated or instigated exposure

Outer world but is rooted solidly in the inner world. Thank you. Krishna is speaking urging here that we keep away from the sense objects so that we can avoid getting caught by them.

We minimize our exposure to the sense objects. Now, there is inevitable exposure to sense objects and there is invited exposure to sense objects and there is implanted exposure to sense objects or instigated, let's explain what inevitable exposure to sense objects means that when we are interacting, when you are functioning in the world, we walk along the streets, we talk with people, 50% of humanity is going to be of the opposite gender to which we are going to belong and so with society being increasingly moving towards some kind of gender neutrality where women are playing many of the roles which men were playing earlier. So, it is we will be exposed, men will be exposed to women, women will be exposed to men and this is just inevitable.

Now, inevitable exposure to sense objects often happens at a functional level where we may have colleagues, we may have neighbors, you might just be walking along the streets and you might interact with some people that is just inevitable and Krishna is saying that just as a frog, as a tortoise withdraws its senses inwards, similarly, we should withdraw our senses. Even Krishna is speaking this, his point primarily is that we should be able to focus on the reality of our identity and see and perceive in a way that harmonizes with the purpose that emerges from our identity. So, that means that if I understand that I am a soul and spiritual growth is my purpose, then we can move onwards in pursuing that purpose in a steady way.

So, there is inevitable exposure to sense objects that means that we as souls cannot avoid seeing sense objects, but when we say that a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, it is not that the tortoise is meant to live with withdrawn limbs throughout its life, it also had a life of its own. For living its own life, it needs to use its senses, use its limbs. To move around like that, for functioning in this world, for living our life, we need to use our limbs.

At the same time, we also need to recognize that our usage of limbs depends on many factors which are beyond our control. These are factors that are of such serious concern that for our living, for our functioning, we need to interact. Now, apart from this inevitable exposure to sense objects, there can be invited exposure or there can be implanted exposure by instigated.

Invited exposure means that we may go out of our way to look at sense objects. You know, we may nowadays with internet so easily available, looking at obscene images is actually easier than even getting bread from one's fridge because at least getting the bread requires getting up from one's one's seat and going to some place. But, this seeing images does not require that.

We just sit on our device and we click some images and things pop up. So, it can be extremely dangerous, extremely detrimental. So, this is invited exposure wherein we go out of our way for searching and when we do this, we are not we cannot say this is inevitable exposure.

This is invited exposure. So, when we recognize that we have certain vulnerabilities, there are certain ways in which we fall prey to sensuality. At that time, the onus is on us to take care and to avoid such exposure as much as we can because without avoiding that exposure, we will subject ourselves to unnecessary trouble.

So, for example, if you have vulnerability, say to abusing the internet connections for certain unworthy purposes, then having a filtered internet connection may be what is essential for us to move forward in our life. It is a filtered connection to protect us from getting caught in avoidable temptations. So, apart from the invited temptations, there are instigated and instigated exposure.

Instigated exposure means somebody else instigates it against us. That means that the whole industry which capitalizes on the human vulnerability to sensuality, especially the vulnerability of the male visual faculty to the female form and uses that to catch people with their eyes. And if we are to avoid being caught thus, we all need to recognize that we have to take things one at a time, take things in such a way that they help us move forward in our journey towards Krishna.

So, especially knowing that there are people who want to make money out of us, if they get us addicted, if they get us hooked, then we will be in trouble. Knowing this, we need to exercise extra caution whenever we are trying to deal with issues where our vulnerabilities are coming to the fore. Just like a warrior, if they have some wounds from before, they know that those are the points where they are vulnerable and they need to be cautious.

So, knowing that, they will make sure that we do not fall prey for machinations over there. They will make sure that they take care of their own spirituality and protect their spiritual consciousness. So, Krishna is saying, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs, merely a wise person withdraws the senses from the sense objects.

What it means is that we need to be aware when there is danger. And on recognizing, on acknowledging the possibility of danger, we need to prepare in advance to recognize what are our danger stimuli, as the word we may use, what are our triggers. And by recognizing our trigger, we can actually protect ourselves.

The more we acknowledge the danger that our triggers expose us to, the more we can resist those triggers. And the more we can move forward in making sure that we do not let ourselves be misled by people who are out to exploit us. The difference between paranoia and precaution is in purposefulness.

The difference between paranoia and precaution is in purposefulness. When we are purposeful, this is what I want to do. And this is what is important for me.

And while doing this, if something obstructs me, then at that time, I will make sure that I will not succumb to it. But paranoia means that one is constantly fearful. So, rather than the purpose being the defining, rather than the purpose being the defining feature of our consciousness, unfortunately, something else becomes the defining feature of our consciousness.

So, if we keep our purpose clear and strong for ourselves, then we will be able to move onwards steadily in our life. And by that, we will be able to ultimately attain Krishna. So, the whole principle of the Bhagavad Gita here is that we.