Gita study Mumbai 2012- 03.37-43 Lust is not just dangerous but also treacherous

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
so now Arjuna will ask questions 4 times once in the start of the Bhagavad Gita in the 2nd chapter in the 1st chapter he actually gave a decision I won’t fight please tell me what is the Dharma that I should be following then 2nd time that was in 2.7 in 2.4 he asked the question what are the characteristics of Karma and in 3.1 he asked a question why are you confusing me by telling me that Dhyana is better than Karma now you can ask a question that I agree that what you told me about in 3.4 he said that don’t go under the control of Raga so he will ask what is it that causes one to go under the control of Raga by what? by engaged Ayana and engaged impaled towards God Anikshan is called referring to Krishna by his designation as Varshi, descended in the Vrishmir dynasty.
Anikshan unwillingly allows the youth as if engaged by force. So actually, when we fall for self-satisfaction of the intelligence of the youth, it is by our own desire. But why is Arjuna saying Anikshan? Because actually, in our situation, we don’t want to do it.
But suddenly, some power seems to overcome us. And at that time, we do something wrong. We become angry, we become lusty, we become greedy, we become envious.
In this case, Krishna is focused in the Ashtavalk. Becoming lusty, you see. And he’ll come and after that, he’ll say, why did I do that? I never wanted to do such a thing.
So the Anikshan is not that actually it’s happening as it starts. It is by our own will that it’s happening. But our will keeps flickering.
So normally, we don’t want to do something wrong. But sometimes, suddenly our will changes. And we act on it.
So what is that force that impels us to act on it? Mr. Prabhupada explains in the purport that Prabhupada is in a very interesting world. Krishna, Arjuna’s question, Krishna is very sanguine. Sanguine is an old-fashioned word.
It indicates very wise, very thoughtful. Sanguine. And he says, what is it actually that causes one to sin? Now Prabhupada explains that it is not the Supersoul.
Now till now, Krishna has not told Arjuna that the Supersoul is present in the heart. But Arjuna has a background knowledge. That was known in Vedic culture.
That’s why when Bhima went up the mountains, and Hanuman was lying down, and he was not going to cross over Hanuman’s body. Because the Supersoul is present in the heart. That was known.
So he says, what is it? So he is using a personal, novel-like question. Ki, by whom, by what? There is a Upanishad called Kena Upanishad. So, what is that particular entity that causes us to act in wrong ways? See, Krishna will answer in the famous verses.
So, it is lust for Arjuna. And then, it is anger. So, it is born from the word of Ashwini.
And what are these characters called? Mahaswini. Ashwini means to eat. So Krishna says, I eat it, I accept it.
So Mahaswini. Mahaswini means the great devourer. And great devourer, Maha, great sinner, or in Telugu word, great sin, Vidhi.
For Arjuna, no, Enam. This, in this world, why Enam? Is your enemy. So, although they are on the battlefield, and on the battlefield, Arjuna is going to face his enemies, in terms of Gauravas.
Krishna says, Arjuna, you should know that, this is your enemy. Lust is your enemy. And what are its characteristics? It has two characteristics.
Mahasana, Mahapatma. It devours everything. And it impels one towards great sins.
So, what does it mean when you say that lust devours everything? Actually, Mahasana, Mahapatma. So, devours everything. Lust makes men into monsters, and women into witches.
So, lust makes men into monsters. It means, when a man becomes depraved by lust, he’s not going to do anything. He doesn’t think of other people, he doesn’t think of lusty, he doesn’t think of anything.
He becomes nothing like a monster. And, when women get lusty, then they become the witches. Now, what is the characteristic of a witch? A witch is a female entity, but the witch is out there, to exploit and torment and trouble, basically.
And, the witch also has a magical aspect. That is what you are talking about. So, monster is born in terms of brute power and force.
So, whereas witch is in terms of some magical ability, which is malicious. She’s not malicious. So, lust makes men into monsters, and women into witches.
So, that is the Mahapatma. And then, this is actually about Mahapatma. It makes everybody into sinners.
And, as far as the Mahashivoham part is concerned, lust devours everything, leaving nothing as sacred. Lust devours everything. Devours means what? Once a person becomes lusty, the lusty attitude consumes everything.
Nothing is considered sacred by lust. Now, when Ravana was… Ravana is in the traditional theme of sonification of lust. So, Ravana had gone to the heavens, and there he saw this celestial dancer, Rama.
And, as the eyes bulged wide, he started looking at her bodily contours. He bore in her visually. And, as Rama’s eyes closed tightly, he started running away from there.
And, he ran after her, and caught her. And, she just wrenched herself away, and she pulled with her hand, and she said, Actually, you know, I am the wife of Nandakumar. And, Nandakumar is the son of Kumara.
And, you and Kumara are partners. So, I am like your niece. I deserve your protection.
So, he said, In our relationship, I won’t marry you. And, just bounced on her, and annihilated her. And, then, he, after getting done with her, he let her go away.
Although the lords were there all watching, when he was doing this, nobody intervened. Because, they all were afraid of his brute power, and the blessings that he had brought, to both Nandakumar and she. And, afterwards, she ran back and told what had happened to Nandakumar.
Nandakumar knew that he was also her niece. Nandakumar cared for her. And, he said, He uttered an imprecation.
He said, If ever again, you violate a woman’s, forcibly, priest’s will, then, you will fall dead. And, Ramana, no matter how powerful he was, and he knew that he had blessings in his mind, he still knew that, these sort of curses, will work. And, that’s why, he did not touch her.
But, the point at which, he did not violate her, that’s why, he carried her away. the point here is, you know, he had no sense of loyalty left. No sense of loyalty.
For the last time, he was single. And, unfortunately, as our society is becoming more and more, bombarded by sexual stimulation, so, what to do? New relationships are being saved in the West. And, it’s happened in the West, and it’s happened in India also, that, a large number of children, are sexually abused, in their own way.
Most of the sexual abuse of children, happens, through people, whom they know, and whom they trust. Or, whom their parents trust. Whom their caretakers trust.
And, these are, extremely traumatic events. And, now, it’s not just, it’s like, not only heterosexuality, homosexuality is also going on. So, even, male children are not safe.
So, female children, also, and male children, also, it’s a, very brutal kind of violence. Small children, there have been cases reported, of, girls, who were, one, or two, or three years old, and they were violated. And, actually, it’s so crazy.
What is there, in the body of a small girl, infant girl, that gets violated. What is this, Mahamudra, it’s already got, already got. And, the worst part of it is, that it is all, in the Yudhistic culture, Yudhistic culture, means, rejecting all traditions.
So, the idea of rejecting all traditions is, that, nowadays, the main platform, for, sex, is, mutual consensus. Mutual consent. If both people, have different proper, and, there was this, European psychologist, Sigmund Freud.
So, probably called him fraud. Many other people, also called him fraud. So, he was a, he was a perverted genius.
He was intellectually, even in his own way, but, he was quite distorted, in the ideas. So, when he was a small child, he had a sexual attraction, for his mother. And, actually, he wouldn’t fulfil that.
But, then, when he grew up, he, made his own theory, masquerading it, in scientific terms, that, actually, all males, in their childhood, have sexual attraction, towards their mothers. And, all girls, have sexual attraction, towards their, male fathers. And, he called this as the, Viagra complex, Electra complex.
Electra complex, Viagra complex, he gave it names like that. And, actually, so, went into America, just before and after, Second World War period. And, his ideas were, became like a, scientific licence, for, free sensibility.
And, now, subsequent, psychologists have found, that, most of his ideas, were all bogus. They were just, his own speculations, which he had generalised, and he had carved, in scientific jargon, freely. But, there is no scientific research, or thesis, on that.
He didn’t do anything, simple. And, that’s why, even, now, in many societies, say, actually, cross-generational sexual relations, are very common. Whether, the father with the daughter, or the mother with the son, you know, the relationship is, something like that.
Yes. So, the idea of, illicit, is not just, outside marriage, but, it has also become, within the family. Society has become, extremely, degraded.
Now, there are, there are various theories, about how, AIDS originated. One theory is that, it was because, men were so, humans were so lusty, that humans copulated, with monkeys. Because, HIV, is present in monkeys.
And, there is still such that, they, they don’t get affected, so much by HIV. But, when that HIV comes, in human body, then it becomes, more marital for us. So, of course, this theory is debated.
But, the point is that, there is evidence, for this also happening. You know, somehow, trying to build, a sexual relationship, in some way or the other. So, it’s Mahashivoham, nothing is left sacred.
Nothing is left sacred. So, therefore, it was actually there, when I had a woman, for the first time. And, this was a sexual relationship, between the most, between the most, yes, not, not, for me, and, for the world.
There is a force, that impels us, to be strong. And, it is that force. Now, many people, don’t even feel like, it is wrong.
They feel like, it is good. But, even if people, don’t have any sense of value, by which, they think that, unrestricted sexuality, is a bad thing. Still, there is a limit, to which, one can increase, sexuality.
It’s because of the, sheer limitation of the body. And, after that, one just gets, fed up with the body. One gets fed up, but still, one doesn’t give it up.
Why? Because that, becoming fed up, is temporary. Because the craving, keeps coming back again, and again, and so, one gets numb. So, as Krishna has told you over here, this is because of lust.
Now, in Vishnuprabhupala, Vishnuprabhupala, writes in the Parpur, this is a very significant, Parpur of Vishnuprabhupala. He talks about, just as, now, the example, that we normally give, for Sriram, Nithal, Dekha, Ravishesh, Yoga, is for, we might call it, for Lord Shiva. But, Prabhupala uses this, for telling, how, love, is transformed into lust.
So, when, that love for God, is, is, comes in association with, the world of materialism, the world of passion, then it gets transformed into lust. This is a very significant, Prabhupala’s, breath, in the formulary of that. How is, how can one be saved, from that? Is, if, therefore, the world of passion, instead of being degraded, into more materialism, what happens is, if we just keep, indulging in lust, lust, all will end up, getting frustrated.
And that frustration, will explode as anger. If, instead of, being degraded, into more materialism, is elevated, to the mode of living. How? By the prescribed, method of living, and acting.
Very important. How, the NDA does, its work with this? By the prescribed, method of living, and acting. Prescribed method of living, means, like what we are living in, Brahmacharya, waking up in the morning, and having a prescribed, daily routine.
And, acting means, there is a lifestyle, overall, prescribed, and acting means, specifically, interacting with women. Interacting with women, that is especially, here, relevant to acting. How do we act with women? So, normally, we can’t, close our eyes, and walk, when we are walking, in the streets.
And even, when we are at temple, we can avoid, glancing at women, as much as possible. We can’t avoid it entirely. So, actually, there is what is, we can check ourselves, by, 1, 2, 3, count.
What is 1, 2, 3, countdown? Now, first glance, is okay. Second glance, is a, sensitisation. Third glance, is like a, subtle point.
So, first glance is that, just put your eyes away from there. Okay, that’s something, that’s not for me. It’s not for me.
I’m not in this life. So, sometimes, it is not just, one glance, two glance, three glance, it becomes a stare. It becomes a stare, that goes, you know.
Now, should we remember, when we are walking, there is a strong hunger, this, for beauty. Especially, by, perception through the eyes. So, that visual, hunger, has to satisfy.
And that is, that is satisfied, by, being in touch with the beauty. And by, serving the beauty. So, that visual hunger, we cannot just deny it.
But, we have to rotate it. Rotate it by, beholding Krishna’s beautiful form. Now, we should go for, experiencing a particular form.
So, they are baffled, repeatedly, fulfilling their desires. And, after, when completely baffled, by two, custom activities, the living entities, begin to, enquire, about their, here. And then, they interfere, say, this enquiry, is the meaning of Vedanta Sutra.
Vedanta Sutra says, Atharva, Brahmaji, Kriyasa. This Prabhupada’s, distinct representation, that, when does, Brahmaji, Kriyasa, happen? Then, one stops doing, Karmaji, things. And one gets fed up with, Karmaji, Kriyasa.
And, one of Karmaji, says, I am not satisfied. Is there some, higher reality? So, one time, in the second or, third time, Prabhupada is giving, a lecture. He said, Vishnu, Vishnu, Vishnu, all of you hippies, you are considered, in your country.
And, he said that, your people, reject you as, frustrated, but I appreciate you. He said, I appreciate that, you are frustrated, because, human life is, meant to be frustrated. Human life is, meant to be frustrated.
Because, when one becomes, frustrated with, multiple pleasures, then, one can enquire, about spiritual pleasure. And, enquiring about, spiritual pleasure, is the sign of, human being. This is, Prabhupada’s, brilliant conviction.
So, if you become frustrated, then you will enjoy it. And then, we enquire about, spiritual pleasure. That’s what, Prabhupada is saying.
Prabhupada is giving, examples of, how, lust, and anger, can be dovetailed, to Krishna’s self. So, for anger, he gives the example, of Hanuman Ji over here. And then, he concludes by saying, lust is that, when they are, employed in, Krishna consciousness, become our friends, instead of our enemies.
They become our friends, instead of our enemies. So, how does this work out? Lust, lust is a parasite, which is in the background. So, lust is in the background, it acts like a parasite.
And, it’s in the foreground, it acts like a poison. What is the difference, between a parasite and a poison? Parasite is, it keeps sucking energy, sucking energy, sucking energy. It doesn’t destroy us, it keeps sucking energy.
So, if there are, lusty thoughts going on, in the background, then whatever we are doing, we cannot be, single-pointed in that. So, there is a difference, between a parasite, and a poison. If I do it, how will I be able to do it, Will I be able to get away with it? No, but I can’t make it, as I’m acting on it.
So, all those thoughts, are going on, in the background. And, that’s why, a significant amount, of mental energy, is sucked, in that internal energy. So, if lust is in the background, it acts like a parasite, that sucks all my energy.
And, when lust comes in the foreground, it acts like a poison which practically devours our spiritual mutations. We lose all our spiritual tendencies and just develop a materialistic vision and then we act materialistically. So both ways it is bad.
But it is especially bad when it comes in the foreground of our consciousness. Foreground means what? It becomes the main thought in our mind and it is holding us towards action. At that time it is completely poisonous.
So Vishaya and Vishaya are similar. So Vishaya and Vishaya, what is the difference? Which is more dangerous? Vishaya. Why? So it kills you instantaneously.
It takes you step by step. It takes you step by step. Yeah, Vishaya is more dangerous.
It kills us again and again, like after death. And it consumes you. Yes, Vishaya kills just by contemplation.
Kills just by contemplation without consumption. Poison has to be consumed. But even without consumption, just by contemplation lust can destroy us.
Therefore, lust is very dangerous. Now, of course, it is very easy to say that lust is dangerous. But it is difficult to recognise it.
Because the real danger of lust is that it seems to be so pleasurable. It stimulates us. If you see all the others, they tempt us by promising pleasure.
So greed promises contemplation, enjoyment. Anger, although it makes us miserable, what does anger do? It gives you a sense of controversy. If you try to just see what I speak, just see what I do, it gives you a sense of controversy.
Similarly, among all the other thoughts, envy, what happens is, envy actually is the least joyful among all the others. Because when we are envious, actually we don’t get any pleasure really. The only pleasure is that we are thinking that evil will befall on us.
And all the other anathas, pride or illusion, they seem to give us some pleasure. So lust also seems to give us some pleasure. So we will discuss, we will relate about the nature of this pleasure and what Shri Aurobhag says about it.
But at least philosophically we understand that this lust is fake jokes. So once we recognise that, isn’t that very funny? So when we talk about lust, so let’s recite the next verse. And Shri Aurobhag does something very interesting in this verse.
धुलेन आव्यते वकनेर खादर्शों मलेन चाव धोलते नावृतो घरखर तथातेन नावृतम So धुलेन आव्यते वकनेर Krishna has given three examples over here. So first he talks about धुलेन आव्यते वकनेर What does that mean? So fire, smoke. Second is dust, mirror.
And last is moon, moon child. So this is referring to plants, species. This is referring to animals.
This is referring to humans. This is too small. It’s better now.
So Krishna has talked about three levels of coverings over here. So first we start from the lowest, thickest covering, the last he talks about. धुलेन आव्यते वकनेर So when the child is covered by the moon, that is the thickest covering.
And that thickest covering, there is no chance, there is practically very little consciousness expressed. The mother can only feel the child in it. Others cannot even feel anything.
So thoroughly covered. And the child’s emotions nobody can sense. So therefore, that is the covering that is supposed to be.
And the only way the emotions will develop is by the passage of time. Only after the prescribed period of gestation gets over, and there is delivery after the repassage of time, then the child’s consciousness will become animal. So like that, when the soul is in the plants, species, the covering is so great that practically nobody can perceive the consciousness.
In the plants, the only perception of consciousness is in terms of their growth and reproduction. We don’t see any subjective emotions being expressed. Although there have been experiments indicating that they are conscious, but their consciousness is not very easy to perceive.
And is it just our deficiency that we can’t perceive their consciousness but their consciousness? No, it’s not just our deficiency. It is from the scientific point of view, their nervous system is so underdeveloped that they can’t actually perceive. They can’t actually experience consciousness much.
So there is a very big problem. It’s a very big problem that those who exhibit lust too much, they are put in a situation that they cannot go into lusty things further. And then, now lust and mirror, normally we think of lust, okay, I have a mirror, I can’t see something, I get into all the lusty things.
But sometimes there is so much lust that you can’t see the lust of the mirror only. We can not only not see a clear reflection, but we cannot even see the lust. It’s a thick layer of covering.
So like that, the animal species, they exist and they are active. But just like a mirror, it enables us to look at oneself. But if the mirror is closed, we cannot look at oneself.
So like that, animals are aware, but animals are not self-aware. They are aware, but not self-aware. Self-aware means what? They are aware of their own existence.
That is for them, their actions are just mechanical responses to stimuli. They can’t consciously deliberate and decide should I do this or should I not do this. They can deliberate as far as it is in the material tendency.
We can deliberate and decide there is some interest in my work. I should not do this, I should do this. But a deer cannot deliberate.
Maybe like, I was telling, you can’t do Quran, the elephant was a celibate. Radha. So if an elephant is a celibate, it is very difficult for an elephant to be a celibate.
They are just governed by their biological instincts. And so they can’t be self-aware. Remember I talked about the experiment in the Bhagavatam class, Mary Allen experiment about self-awareness.
So, the animals are aware, but not self-aware. Humans can be aware. Humans can be aware.
Not just aware, but also self-aware. So now what is the characteristics of the fire smoke? That initially when a fire is lit, if the person lighting the fire is not expert, then a lot of smoke comes out. A lot of smoke comes out.
But gradually, if the person knows how to stoke the fire expertly, then he can push away the smoke and let the fire release. Similarly, in the human body, the fire is just below the smoke. The smoke is covering and obscuring the person who is lighting it.
But below that there is also knowledge. From which, we can get sattva, sanjaya, dhyana, we can get knowledge. So our purpose is, the person who expertly stokes, he becomes a master.
If he stokes expertly, then he can remove the smoke and bring out the fire. So if a mellow discovers a lot of dust, it will take a long time to clean it. But, if the smoke is around the fire, the person is expert, in a short time it can be removed.
So when Gopal went abroad, in a short time, the smoke was so heavily degraded, that he elevated them while travelling. That’s the expertism in Jainism. So these are the different ways in which the smoke is covered.
So now, what exactly is covered? We will discuss in the next verse. … … … … So what is covered? avatam jnanam etena The jnan is covered. What jnan? Ram actually are you.
Ram actually is not matter. And to emphasise the contrast, Krishna says that, actually the soul is jnani. Jnani, no.
Actually, he is a jnani soul. The soul has chit as one of its integral features. And that chit awareness is covered.
Actually, it is very frightening to describe it for this. Thus we say, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … What is the test? You want to go through the heavenly planets and all the opulences, the apsaras are there. So, they will be cross out of the material world.
Return to this material world. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter anymore.
And, what does it do? Dushpure Anula is material. Anula is fire. Dushpure is that which cannot be pacified, that which cannot be extinguished.
It’s a blazing fire. Now, you know that even materialistic people understand that lust is like a fire. Isn’t it? They have songs like Saavan Chowag Lagaay But their idea is that you know, actually indulgence will extinguish that fire.
But, what happens is, it doesn’t extinguish the fire. It aggravates the fire. It aggravates the fire.
Now, there are Liyatis, realisations, and Dhoravar realisations. They are very very, very Ayurvedic. They are both memorising and contemplating.
So, Liyatis realisations, he says You can never get pacified. Because, for example, just as you put ghee in fire, what happens? And then he says, in the next verse, या दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी दुस्ते जा That is a very difficult word. दुर्मति भी That which is, which misdirects our consciousness in a very horrible way.
या दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी जीवियतो वान जीवियते काम तुछना लुखने पकाम शर्म कामो तुछने जीवियते This is the verse I read, जा दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी जा दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी This is 1914. And he says, this is 1960. जा दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी जीवियतो वान जीवियते जीवियतो वान जीवियते काम तुछना लुखने पकाम काम तुछना लुखने पकाम जा दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी दुस्ते जा दुर्मति भी जीवियतो वान जीवियते जीवियतो वान जीवियते जीवियते means जीवियते पसंगम पाश of attachment is अजरम जरम means old age अजरम means दिना नुजि everything in this world as it grows older it becomes weaker but attachments, the older they become the stronger they become जीवियतो वान जीवियते जीवियतो वान जीवियते just by the passage of time attachments will not grow वगनां तुष्णां दुख्खनि वगनां वगनां तुष्णां दुख्खनि वगनां So when society advances it develops sense gratification then people are going to do more bad then people are going to do more bad A person wants to be lusty In the past, what did the person get to do? Just go to the village prostitute But now a person becomes lusty and he can get to the argues with the whole world just like he did with everybody else and a person can consume his mind so freely So when he is mad and he accidentally comes to India it means it is a lifetime experience Radha Ambala Nehru I will lecture about it Yes, it is a lifetime experience It will take more than a lifetime to remove all the samskaras until she got married So such passionate impressions come in the mind What happens is such impressions they create more and more desires and they increase the long-term existence the existence of living Shri Prabhupada explains in his discussion that enjoyment, medicine, sensation what does it do? It aggravates the symptoms and prolongs the duration of the disease It has this notion that the haematopoietic it will worsen the symptoms the mucosal will become longer and it will become more acute so it aggravates the symptoms and prolongs the duration So the whole of modern society is managing for this not much new research it is just to make the senses of the of everything around us more and more alluring and more irresistible that is the whole purpose Cosmetic industry just the perfume industry the amount of money that Europe and America spend on perfume that is enough to feed all the hungry children of the world billions of dollars and it’s not all cosmetics, only perfume the amount of money that is spent on perfume that is enough to feed all the hungry children of the world so it’s just one indication the moral consciousness is so high and so much systematic allurement is done and the whole media is permeated with this so this actually promotes the degree of liberation of the material existence Now this verse is said Paapavanam Paapavanam means this so now here, now Prabhupada this is a classic sentence while one enjoys sense gratification it may be that there is some feeling of happiness but actually that so called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of this physical thing it’s very important, will leave it up to you while one enjoys sense gratification when one enjoys sense gratification it may be that there is it may be that there is some feeling of happiness some feeling of happiness but actually that so called feeling but actually that so called feeling of happiness of happiness Yes, is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.
Of the sense enjoyer. So, robot technology, is there happiness there? Yes, there will be happiness. So actually, whether there is happiness or not, that is subject to depending on the world that we are in.
If I am in goodness, is there any happiness in liquor? There is no happiness in liquor. But if I am in ignorance, is there happiness in liquor? There is happiness only in liquor and nowhere else. So, that is the conviction of a person.
Because, that person is made to give up everything for the sake of liquor. He will give up his bank balance, he will sell his wife’s jewellery, he will put his house in mortgage. He doesn’t think there is happiness anywhere else, he thinks there is happiness only here.
So, whether there is happiness or not, in the middle of the world, sometimes pictures introduce contradictory statements. Whether there is happiness or not, there is no happiness. Sometimes the example is given by Miraj.
In Miraj, there is no one. So, sometimes the example is given that, okay, there is a lot of happiness in liquor. So, proper saying.
So, if we are in the mode of ignorance, we will feel liquor has a lot of happiness. Similarly, as long as we are in the mode of passion, we will feel that there is a lot of happiness in sex. As we come to goodness, we will feel there is happiness, there is happiness.
And when we come to transience, we will see that there is no happiness at all. So, even when we are in a conditioned state, in the mode of passion, yes, there is happiness. But that so-called feeling of happiness is limited in any consciousness.
Why is it limited? How can happiness be limited? Because that happiness is what locks our consciousness in matter. What does the happiness do? The happiness locks our consciousness in matter. Yes, certainly.
Everybody is talking about it, but you know. Proper clearly saying, that’s why I am using the word though again, that means the happiness that is there in sense gratification. Because, as per what I am saying, so-called feeling of happiness in sense gratification.
So, locks our consciousness in matter. So, lock is a significant word over here. Example.
So, the weight that is there, the pleasure in the weight, that there is some, there is some food over there. It is not meant to give the fish happiness. It is meant to take the life of the fish.
Similarly, there is some cheese over there in the mouse trap. But that cheese is not meant to give the mouse happiness. The cheese is meant to trap the mouse.
So, yes, there is happiness. But that happiness is not meant to make us happy. That happiness is meant to trap us.
So, Prabhupada says that, so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of sense gratification. Because that so-called feeling of happiness traps us in the cycle of birth and death. Similarly here.
So, therefore, it is an enemy. What is an enemy? Enemy is what we call the sufferer. You see.
So, lust is not a direct enemy. In the sense that, it is a counterbalance to the happiness problems. It is not a direct enemy.
What Prabhupada says is not. But Prabhupada says, this world is a dangerous place. So, as Prabhupada says, this world is not only dangerous, it is treacherous place.
What is the difference between dangerous and treacherous? Dangerous means, there is danger and I know it is dangerous. But treacherous means, it has to be very comfortable. Treacherous is a person who can be trust in between us.
So, lust is dangerous. But lust is dangerous means treacherous. Because it doesn’t appear like an enemy.
It appears like an enemy. Therefore, it traps and betrays us. Now Krishna will describe.
Arjuna is a general. He is a commander. If you tell him, there is an enemy, have him fight him.
Fight the enemy. Because you have to look at the enemy. So, Krishna has told, in the previous verses, the modus operandi of Arjuna.
Modus operandi is how he acts. So, he has told, he covers the knowledge. After covering the knowledge, what does he do? That enemy causes, desires to burn like firewoods.
Now, if you say, my knowledge is covered. How can my knowledge be covered? That knowledge is covered because lust occupies all knowledge acquiring abilities. Now, Krishna describes in this verse.
So, he is saying, what are the knowledge acquiring abilities that the senses, the mind and the intelligence. So, Krishna says, this is the inversion of the world coming. The mind experiences emotions.
And the intelligence has analysis. And that’s how we perceive the world. So, what Krishna is saying is, that lust has abducted our knowledge acquiring abilities.
And that’s why we can’t acquire our knowledge. It’s like a person’s glasses are red tinted. In everything, everything is red.
So, like that, all the glasses, the senses, mind and intelligence glasses, they are red tinted. And that’s why, they appear to, they show us everything in the world as potential lust. As potential lust.
So, that’s how the world is seen. So, now in the, in this society, actually speaking, what happens is, when the eyes are filled with lust, then everything that we see, is seen in terms of sensual pleasure. In terms of sensual attention.
And that vision is so heavy. That vision, because everything we see is perceived in terms of how much sensitivity we have in this world. And that’s why then, as I said earlier, there are no sacred relationships left in the world.
So, now Krishna described, how should one live. And Prabhupada explained that, how does, in this very interesting purpose, Prabhupada said that, first lust enters the senses. Then it captures the mind.
After that comes the mind. Then intelligence becomes the capital. The capital is headquarters.
Also lustful propensities. And the intelligence is the immediate next-door neighbour of the soul. The lusty intelligence leads the soul to act in a lusty phase.
So, our intelligence, as Prabhupada said, we are meant to use our intelligence to control the enjoyment directly. But we are used to enjoy intelligently. Enjoy in a way that nobody will find out.
That’s how we get protected by our spiritual faculties. So, now Krishna is talking in this verses. How to deal with this? Asmath Aachaarya Paryanthaam Vandhey Guru Paramparaam Vandhey Guru Paramparaam Niyamya Bharatarshava Aapmanam Prajahiyenam Jnana Vigyananarshanam So, again Krishna is given a frightening warning.
Again another describer. First he used the word. Now he is telling, Jnana Vigyananarshanam So, it destroys knowledge.
It destroys realisation. So, how is it? Now, Prabhupada translates Vigyan in two ways. First he translates it in the translation as scientific knowledge.
And then he translates it as self-realisation. Parapurthi translates as urge for self-realisation. So, what does lust do? It makes us forget that I am not the body, I am the soul.
And not only that, it makes me forget, it destroys even my desire to get some higher knowledge. It destroys the urge for self-realisation. That’s how it is.
So, Vigyan, Prabhupada translates it as the urge for self-realisation. So, there is a cartoon I saw once in a magazine. So, I was reading the text in that.
So, what they say is this. So, the boy is proposing to a girl and the girl is saying, you don’t love me, you love only my body. And the boy is saying, it is my will, it is what the cartoon says.
What is the difference between you and your body? He says, no, no, no, I love you very much. That’s what is being said. So, what happens is, that lust burns one to body consciousness.
Lust burns one completely to body consciousness. Jnana-Vigyan-Mahashtana. And slowly this destroys knowledge and self-realisation.
Prabhupada goes, very interested in Vigyan, he goes from the Chitra Shloka Bhagavatam. And he says, this knowledge of how to conquer lust is given by the Lord himself. And then, significant word over here is Aadam means in the beginning.
So, in the beginning, it can be, right Prabhupada was explaining, right in the childhood. Once you control the lust, you will not be troubled. But, if it is not possible to control love and gender, then even a late beginner can become a lover of God by following the regular principles of the holy service.
So, from any stage of life, or from the time of understanding its urgency. So, Aadam means, if you cannot do it from childhood, from the time you understand its urgency. It’s like, somebody has got cancer.
The earlier it is detected, the easier it is to cure. But, no matter at what stage it is detected, it starts deteriorating. So, like that.
From the moment of understanding its urgency, one can begin the regularities in Krishna consciousness. And turn the lust into love of God. So, now in the next verse, Krishna Prabhupada has described how he has a hierarchy.
So, in this previous verse, he says, first control the senses. So, So, Aadam means in the beginning. And Aadam can also apply to the individuals.
So, even if the mind and the senses cannot control, at least control the senses. That means, don’t engage physically. And, if you don’t engage physically, then gradually, the hierarchy can also get replaced.
Krishna again, a hierarchy. Indriyan Paranyahul Indriyan Paranyahul Indriya Pya Paramana Indriya Pya Paramana Manasastu Parabuddhe Manasastu Parabuddhe Yog Buddhe Paradastu Sa Yog Buddhe Paradastu Sa This is the hierarchy. This is the sense objects at the bottom.
Indriyan Paranyahul Senses are all sense objects. Indriyan Paranyahul The mind is above that. Manasastu Parabuddhe is above that.
Yog Buddhe, the soul is above that. Now, the big circle indicates the conditioned soul. The soul, along with the indriyan, the mind, and the senses.
That is the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul, by default, is the downward gravity pull, the retroactive conditioned soul towards the sense objects. And by nature, the conditioned soul will pull down.
So the only way for the conditioned soul to pull down is to have some upward grip. To have some upward grip. When that upward grip is there, then the soul will stay at the spiritual level.
And, in the next one, Krishna will describe that how that upward grip will be established through Buddhi. You see that line? It comes from what? So, our senses may go wild, our mind may also go mad, but, when Buddhi is strong, then without Buddhi, we can connect to Krishna. And the connection to Krishna, just our Buddhi cannot save us.
But, our Buddhi can give us, the, our Buddhi can make us recognise the necessity of connecting to Krishna. Just philosophical analysis cannot save us from Buddhism. Philosophical analysis can make us take Shakti of the Guru.
Take Shakti of the Guru and realise Krishna. That will save us. Evam Buddhe Parambuddha Evam Buddhe Parambuddha Samsthavyaatmanam Atmanam Samsthavyaatmanam Atmanam Jai Shatrum Mahabhavo Jai Shatrum Mahabhavo Kamarupam Durasadam Kamarupam Durasadam Evam Buddhe In this way, if you have Buddhi, Parambuddha, which teaches us about the spiritual path.
And then, Samsthavyaatmanam Study your mind. One Atman is in the mind. Another Atman is the soul.
Study the mind. With your Buddhi. In this way, Jai Shatrum.
Conquer this. Create a new place. You have to recognise Mahabhava.
You are a powerful warrior. Show your power by destroying this enemy. With this karma, you will become the last enemy.
Any formidable enemy. And, how to do this actually? Krishna will talk about it in the next chapter immediately. What does it mean to keep on the spiritual path? In this chapter, it is clearly explained.
So, take care of what is necessary to transcend this. So, we continue. We will come back to this later.
Shri Shraad Bhakti Kali Jai Shraad Bhakti Kali Jai Jai Jai Jai Jai