There is a difference between Moh (Enchantment or Infatuation) and ignorance. If you explain something good to an ignorant person, he accepts his mistake and changes himself. If you explain something good to an enchanted (Mohit) person, he accepts whatever you say, but doesn’t change himself.
Maharaj Dhrutarashtra had intense Moh on Duryodan. He respected Vidurji as his brother and minister, and also respected Lord Krishna, but didn’t take their suggestion because of Moh on his sons.
He knew that he should at least give half of the kingdom to Pandavas. He never did that, and never tried to stop the wrong doings of Duryodhan. When someone asked Drutarashtra to control Duryodan, he used to reply, “I am trying to make Duryodan understand the situation, but I am helpless.”
Vidurji explained all the knowledge to Drutarashtra (known as Vidurniti). Drutarashtra accepted that whatever Vidurji said was right, but he could not act right because of Moh (infatuation) on Duryodan.
In Satsang, many times we might have heard of not having Moh to procure money, and that if we run after money, our own life would be spoiled. But once we leave the prayer hall, we are back to square one. That is called Moh.
Moh is also different from worldly desire. One would feel shy to execute bad desires and would not show off doing bad desires. On other side, the person with Moh would not feel shy to do that wrong activity. He also doesn’t mind showing off that activity. He would in turn argue, “Am I the only one in this world doing this activity? The whole world is doing. Why should I not do?” They use knowledge and arguing skills to protect and prove their Moh.
If we have worldly desire, we go against the desire saying that it is not right to do on the path towards God. But if we have Moh, we would never go against it. We go for it, and support it.
Scriptures say that Ravan is the embodiment of Moh. Ravan was highly educated but could not act as per scriptures. He was a highly knowledgeable King but could not act as per his subjects. He acted as per his own intense desires.
In the final war, whenever Lord Ram tried to kill Ravan with an arrow, he would appear again laughing. Lord Ram was tired and worried on how to kill Ravan. Then Vibhishan suggested that Ravan has nectar on his navel. So, Vibhishan said to Lord Ram to at once leave 31 arrows. (10 arrows for 10 heads, 20 arrows for 20 hands, and one arrow targeting the navel.) That is how Ravan was killed.
Similarly, we listen to many spiritual matters from a Saint that must be developed in our very life. Once we get away from the Saint, all the material things come back to us and take over us, like how Ravan comes back to life each time, even after hit by Lord Ram’s arrow.
To get rid of Moh (Ravan), only activities related to God (Ram) (like Chanting mantra, Meditation on God, etc.,) is not sufficient. Satsang with a real Sadhu (Vibhishan) is essential to kill Moh (Ravan). A real Sadhu removes Moh from our life from its very roots.
References:
11th July 2017: Phoenix, AZ
Vachanamrut Gadhada Middle 1