A very powerful king conquers his enemies, punishes them, takes them under his control, and takes over their kingdom; His enemies would most certainly be afraid of such a king.
Shreeji Maharaj is such a powerful king. Lust, anger, miser, addiction to delicious food, possessiveness, attachment to relatives, self-admiration, and all such internal enemies have defeated even the demigods who have won over the universes. Shreeji Maharaj, with all His power, shook away those enemies, chased them out, and saved His devotees from those internal enemies.
Gopalanand Swami has said in his Swami Ni Vato that “Lust will be present as long as a person eats food.”
Then how can we be free from lust?
Shreeji Maharaj has said in Vachanamrut that, “As long as this body is alive, breaths, and is conscious, lust will not go away.”
Then how can we be free from lust?
Maharaj said that “The elements of nature are the elements of lust. All the basic elements of nature are the foundations of this body; they will be present as long as this body is alive, and so, lust will be present as long as you are in this body.”
Then how can we be free from lust?
Yet Maharaj showed us the way to be free from lust.
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
[BG 2.62]Definition: Lust is born when one associates with opposite-gender.
Associating with opposite-gender in any possible way, either through words or thoughts or actions, is the channel for the lust to enter us. If we know how to close those channels properly, and if those channels are closed, then lust can’t have any influence on us. Maharaj has taught us methods of properly closing those channels.
To destroy lust, Maharaj stopped His devotees from looking at opposite-gender. He destroyed all eight doors to opposite-gender.
What are the eight doors to opposite-gender?
smaraṇam kīrtanaṁ keliḥ
prekṣaṇaṁ guhyam āsanam
saṅkalpo adhyavasāya.
Definition: Here are the eight doors to opposite-gender: Remembering opposite-gender, talking to or about opposite-gender (including reading about them), actually being with opposite-gender, looking at opposite-gender (even in mind), whispering (or keeping secrets) with opposite-gender, sitting with opposite-gender, desiring to be with opposite-gender, attempting or making plans to be with opposite-gender.
Even if we have lusty desires, if we cut out these eight kinds of relations with opposite-gender, then lust can’t take over us.
So, Maharaj asked us to cut down all kinds of relations with opposite-gender. If we cut all kinds of contact with opposite-gender, including from our mind, then we could be free from lust.
Maharaj has said that the source of lust is not the body but the mind. Lust begins in the mind and then enters the body.
Most of the association with opposite-gender happens in mind. If we want to win over lust, we shouldn’t associate with opposite-gender even in mind; we shouldn’t hold opposite-gender even in mind. Only then could we win over lust.
Otherwise, even Brahmaji and other demigods have lost their battle with lust; they couldn’t win lust with their capabilities. Lord Shankarji was defeated; Lord Brahmaji was defeated; uncountable Rushis were defeated.
If the possibility of associating with opposite-gender is cut out, then we become lust-free. If the channels of contacting opposite-gender are closed, then we become lust free.
It is not that we will completely become lust free; we will be free from lust as long as we do not associate with the opposite-gender in any way. If we again associate with opposite-gender, then our state of being lust-free is broken.
Bhagwan alone can be in contact with opposite-gender and yet be free from lust
Lord Sri Krishna, even while associating with Gopis, stayed as a strict celibate. He, even while dancing Ras with Gopis, stayed as a strict celibate. How is it possible?
On the other hand, people leave everything and go to jungle to perform penance where there is no trace of opposite-gender, yet they are unable to be free from lust. How is it possible?
Maharaj has said that “Even if I am in touch with opposite-gender physically, at mind I am not at all in touch with them.”
Such a feat can’t be performed by anyone other than Bhagwan. But everyone can do this for sure: we can stop associating with opposite-gender in all ways.
Hating opposite-gender doesn’t make us lust-free
We shouldn’t hate opposite-gender or keep blaming opposite-gender. It doesn’t make us free from lust.
Something enters our mind in two ways: when we like something, or when we hate something.
Which of them is more intense?
The intensity of hate is double the intensity of like.
The people who hate opposite-gender are the ones who are intensely associated with opposite-gender. Only those people who associate with opposite-gender in mind speak against opposite-gender.
Maharaj has not asked us to hate opposite-gender or to blame opposite-gender; Maharaj’s ask is us to cut our contacts with opposite-gender.
Two powerful strategies to win over lust
Scriptures mention two strategies to free ourselves from lust.
First strategy:
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
[BG 2.62]Definition: Lust is born due to the association with opposite-gender.
That means association with opposite-gender is the cause of lust.
The strategy here is, when we cut our association with opposite-gender, then we win over lust.
Second strategy:
असङ्कल्पाज्जयेत्कामं
asankalpāt jayet kāmam
[SB 7.15.22]Definition: By driving away lusty desires, we win over lust.
That means lusty desires are the cause of lust.
Here the strategy is, we know we have lusty desires, yet if we do not allow those lust desires to pop up in our mind, then we win over lust.
Thus, “associating with opposite-gender” and “lusty desires” are two causes of lust. To satisfy lust, first, we need to have the scope of associating with opposite-gender, and then we need to have the desire. If we either stop the association with opposite-gender or break the lusty desire, then we will be saved from falling prey to lust.
This is comparable to a lightbulb with two switches. The first switch is “associating with opposite-gender”, the second switch is “lusty desire”. Only when both switches are ON, lust passes through. If any one of the switches is OFF, the circuit is not complete, and lust doesn’t pass through.
If we have lusty desires, yet if we cannot associate with opposite-gender, then our lust cannot be fulfilled, and thus our lust is killed. That is the easiest and best path.
So, first, switch off the association with opposite-gender, and then switch off the lusty desires.
Thus, using these methods, Shreeji Maharaj freed uncountable saints and devotees from the disease of lust.
References:
- Chosathpadi Katha Part 25 (Pad 33-36).
- saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ – BG. 2.62
- asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ – ŚB 7.15.22