What can we resist temptation?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
What leads the temptation to intention is perception. Temptation comes from outside. When will the temptation create an intention from itself? When there is perception.
When I perceive that this is a source of pleasure and that this is a source of greater pleasure than anything else. At that moment, we think, this is a source of greater pleasure than Krishna. This is what I want.
So, the temptation creates intention with its false perception. But if our intention is very strong, I want to serve Krishna, then we won’t dwell so much in that temptation. When we don’t dwell so much in the temptation, the temptation cannot pervert our intention.
So, that’s why the more we hear regularly, the more by hearing about Krishna, by associating with devotees of Krishna, our devotional intention becomes strong. And to the extent our devotional intention is strong, then other perceptions which may come in the course of our life, then they won’t sabotage us. They won’t distract us.
Say, if I’m coming to the temple, I’m driving by, and I’m coming to the temple, and if I’m eager to come to the temple, Oh, there’s a program here, I want to attend the program. If I’m eager, then I just straight come to the program. But, if I have myself at the temple, but then, I look around, it’s a movie theater.
This looks like a nice movie. Or along the way, there’s a sports stadium. There’s a cricket match going on over here.
So, if my intention is not strong, then whatever temptation comes on the way, that temptation will cause distraction. Now, this is very graphic. If somebody is going to one place, suddenly they end up at another place.
That can also happen at times. But internally, this is what happens to us. If our intention to come towards Krishna is strong, then the temptations will be present, but they won’t distract us.
But if somebody is going on a sightseeing tour, and I think, maybe I can go to the temple, maybe I can go here, maybe I can go there, then we will be caught. If we are casual, we will become casualties. If we are casual in our devotion, then our devotion will become a casualty.
Because there are so many desires that come up.