Asserted Topics:
The form of Lust
Key Points:
- Semen is the form of Lust
- It resides in the Suksham body and mind
- It gets separated due to women’s related desires.
- Those that have desires to remain as Brahmacharies, should take care not to any desire of women.
- Firm conviction in God and understanding His Mahima (greatness) will achieve victory over Lust
Explanation
In this Vachanāmrut, Yogivarya Gopālanand Swāmi asked Shreeji Maharaj: “What is the form of kām (lust)?” To this, Maharaj replied that vīrya (semen) itself is the form of kām. There was a concern raised that vīrya is one of the seven elements that make up the body, so how can it be considered the form of kām? And what causes its involvement in kām?
Typically, kām is considered to be related to the desire for sexual pleasure. However, Shreeji Maharaj pointed out that vīrya is kām itself. The origin of kām lies in circumstances and environments related to women, while vīrya is produced from food. The food consumed is digested and transformed into blood, flesh, marrow, and ultimately vīrya in a sequence. Each of these components contains the element of fire, known as dhātvāgni. This fire in each element transforms it into the next, with the final element being vīrya. Vīrya is an essential component of the body’s structure and is present in children as well as in women, where it is referred to as raja.
Based on the above discussion, there was a doubt about how an element of the body’s structure can be called kām. Maharaj answered that the mind resides in the manovahā nāḍi (mental channel). When a thought related to a woman arises, the mind becomes very agitated and disturbed, producing a particular type of heat. This heat separates the vīrya from the other six elements, and this separation only occurs due to the thought of a woman. Thus, Shreeji Maharaj indicated that the separated element within the body is kām. If it is not separated, it remains a component of the body’s structure, not kām. When the separated vīrya is expelled through the senses, it is identified as the form of kām. Therefore, merely having the element as part of the body’s structure does not constitute kām. It is the element separated by the thought of a woman that is the form of kām. Consequently, Shreeji Maharaj referred to Lord Krishna as an ūrdhvareta (one who has sublimated sexual energy). At the end of the Rāsa Līlā in the Bhāgavatam, Vyāsa Bhagavān wrote अवरुध्द सौरतः ‘avāruḍha saurata’, indicating that even during the Rāsa Līlā, Lord Krishna maintained his ūrdhvareta, thus kām did not enter.
In this discussion, Swami raised a concern that if the gross element (sthūla dhātu) itself is the form of kām (lust), even if it is separated, then when the body is burned, all the elements should also burn, including kām. So, how does kām arise in another body? Shreeji Maharaj replied that vīrya (semen) remains with the subtle body (sūkṣma deha). This means it stays in the mind. But how is this possible? The mind is atomic and subtle, beyond the senses, while dhātu (element) is gross and not beyond the senses. A gross element cannot reside in something beyond the senses. A subtle element can have a gross element as its basis, but here it is the opposite.
How do we reconcile Maharaj’s statement? The resolution is that vīrya has two forms: (1) gross element form and (2) subtle form. It is said, “अशीतं अन्नं त्रेधा भवति” ‘aśītaṁ annaṁ tridhā bhavati’ – the food we eat transforms into three forms. One becomes waste and is expelled from the body, another nourishes the elements of the body, and the third form leaves subtle impressions on the mind. The same applies to vīrya. It exists in a gross form as part of the body, provides energy for bodily functions, and also leaves good or bad impressions on the mind. The gross vīrya does not reside in the mind, but its impact remains throughout the subtle body.
Taking this into consideration, Maharaj stated that vīrya remains in the subtle body. In reality, the gross vīrya does not stay in the subtle body, but its distorted effect remains there, which is expressed through mental impulses. Thus, it can be said that thoughts related to women are the vīrya in the mind, or they are the distorted effects of vīrya. Therefore, even if the body made of the five elements is burned, vīrya does not burn. It remains in the form of thoughts. Until thoughts related to women are destroyed, true celibacy is not achieved. In this way, kām remains in the mind in the form of thoughts, and hence, the scriptures state, असंकल्पात् जयेत् कामः ‘asaṅkalpāt jayet kāmaḥ’ – by not thinking about sensual pleasures, one can conquer kām.
So, the question arises, why did Shreeji Maharaj emphasize the gross vīrya as the form of kām? The answer is that thoughts related to women and gross vīrya are essentially the same in the gross-subtle framework. However, to conquer kām, regulation of the gross is more effective. Just as pressing the lever increases the speed of a car by releasing more fuel, the vīrya in the body intensifies thoughts related to women. Therefore, controlling the fuel will naturally stop the car. Similarly, regulating the elements will bring thoughts under control, but if one tries to control thoughts without regulating the elements, it is not possible. Hence, Maharaj indicated the gross vīrya as the form of kām. Nonetheless, when thoughts arise, the element will inevitably be secreted.
For maintaining celibacy, it is essential to regulate the gross element and completely eliminate the thoughts related to sensual pleasure. Only then can true celibacy be achieved. It is not possible to completely eliminate vīrya (semen) from the body, but it is possible to eliminate the thoughts related to it. Regulation of vīrya is possible. Lord Krishna maintained ūrdhvareta (sublimated sexual energy) even while in the company of women. Such capability exists only in God. When Lord Shiva was enamored by Mohini’s form, it was considered a lapse in his ūrdhvareta. Therefore, an aspirant should regulate the gross element to prevent thoughts of women both in wakefulness and in dreams. Only then can true celibacy be practiced.
Shukmuni asked how to understand the fact that Lord Krishna had ten sons and one daughter with each of His wives in Dwarka. To this, Shreeji Maharaj replied that in Dwarka, God remained detached by following the Sāṅkhya philosophy, while in Vraj, He maintained ūrdhvareta through yogic power. In Dwarka, God was not a celibate. Detachment and celibacy are two different things. Extreme detachment alone does not make one a celibate. Celibacy is achieved by distancing oneself from women both internally and externally. Although God is the doer, non-doer, and cause of all actions, celibacy and detachment are distinct, as explained through the example of Durvasa Rishi by Maharaj.
The existence of the body is not possible without vīrya, and its presence challenges celibacy. Seeing, hearing, talking to, or thinking about a woman in wakefulness or in dreams can cause vīrya to be released from the body. If it exits through perspiration, it is considered a breach of ūrdhvareta and celibacy. Therefore, it is an extremely difficult path. Maharaj has written that the means to conquer kām is the most challenging. Only those with a strong resolve for worship and deep-rooted detachment from the five senses can achieve celibacy.
Nityanand Swami then asked if hearing such discourses that inspire detachment is the same as achieving detachment. Maharaj replied that if one can compare the joy of God’s form with the worldly pleasure (sensual pleasure) and develop detachment from this understanding, such detachment supports celibacy. This type of detachment arises from a profound love for God’s form and cannot be achieved through ordinary means. Another reason for such detachment is developing a faultless understanding of God or a great person, which in turn makes one faultless. Additionally, Shreeji Maharaj mentioned that discerning the true detachment of a great person is very difficult. A person may remain detached from worldly people or family, but maintaining detachment from their own mind is extremely challenging.
Shreeji Maharaj, who is the supreme God, recalled that even while wandering in the forests, He continuously contemplated the story of Puranjana to ensure that His mind and intellect did not deceive Him. It is essential to introspect and determine whether one inwardly delights in the weak resolutions and desires of the mind or if these worldly desires seem sweet and agreeable. God does not possess such desires, but it is crucial for a spiritual aspirant to check whether their inclination towards worldly objects is based on attachment or necessity. Such discernment does not come easily but requires long-term observation.
Shreeji Maharaj said that although Mulji Brahmachari appear to be naïve, he truly understands the inner detachment of my heart. Despite being honored, receiving various offerings, indulging in excellent food, and being in the presence of female devotees, there is certainly a distinct difference in my behavior compared to others. Recognizing the inner detachment amidst these external circumstances can only be perceived through a highly divine perspective. No matter how intelligent one may be, if their heart is filled with desires, they cannot discern this detachment. Anyone who comprehends the inner detachment of a great person becomes equally free from desires. If one has profound inner detachment but imagines faults through their own intellect, they cannot achieve ūrdhvareta (celibacy).
Shreeji Maharaj stated that only those who engage in the worship of God can understand this concept. There is no pleasure that can rival the joy of experiencing God’s form, particularly the joy of sensual pleasures derived from women. In reality, there is no pleasure in the entire universe that can compare to the joy of God’s form. In the Vachanāmrut, Shreeji Maharaj mentioned that even a fraction of the joy of God’s form cannot be equated to any worldly pleasure. It is clear from historical examples and scriptural statements that nothing other than the joy of God’s form can rival sensual pleasures, which is why it is considered its competitor. The scriptures state, “Kāminī jijñāsā sarva jijñāsā pratibandhinī” – the desire for sensual pleasures obstructs all other desires.
A person who understands the immense glory of God’s form and develops profound love for it can turn away from the pleasure of sensual desires. For one who comprehends the supreme glory of God’s form, the sharpness of their senses diminishes, and worldly desires are eradicated. Maharaj states that if someone truly dedicates their mind to Him without any obstacles, He ensures that nothing is lacking in their spiritual progress.
When someone dedicates their mind to God and hears His words or has His darshan (vision), they become one with the divine form of God. All the knots in their heart dissolve, and they merge with God’s form. If they do not have His presence, their heart burns with longing. Another sign is the immense enthusiasm to serve God. A person with these characteristics is said to have dedicated their mind to God. Until one dedicates their mind to God, sensual desires do not go away, as the mind is still attached to the world. Therefore, achieving celibacy is extremely difficult.