I have been thinking about this for some time now, that we mostly think of ‘Lust’, in sexual terms. But, there are many forms of lust. Lust for money, lust for power, lust for violence and hatered, lust for material possessions, etc. But in all these forms of Lust, Love is missing.
Srila Prabhupada uses this word ‘lust’ in many references, through out his lectures, conversations, letters, and his many books.
Just out of curiosity, I went to Vanipedia and typed in the word lust in search bar, and 1,532 records came up.
In the Bhagavad-gita Arjuna asked this very important question of Krishna:
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? (Bg 3.36)
And Krishna replied:
The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world. (Bg 3.37)
Srila Prabhupada referred to lust as “the disease of the heart”.
Full Text and purport
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? (Bg 3.36)
Purport
A living entity, as part and parcel of the Supreme, is originally spiritual, pure, and free from all material contaminations. Therefore, by nature he is not subjected to the sins of the material world. But when he is in contact with the material nature, he acts in many sinful ways without hesitation, and sometimes even against his will. As such, Arjuna’s question to Krsna is very sanguine, as to the perverted nature of the living entities. Although the living entity sometimes does not want to act in sin, he is still forced to act. Sinful actions are not, however, impelled by the Supersoul within, but are due to another cause, as the Lord explains in the next verse.
The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world. (Bg 3.37)
Purport
When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Krsna is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion. Or, in other words, the sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed into yogurt. Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world. Wrath is the manifestation of the mode of ignorance; these modes exhibit themselves as wrath and other corollaries. If, therefore, the modes of passion, instead of being degraded into the modes of ignorance, are elevated to the modes of goodness by the prescribed method of living and acting, then one can be saved from the degradation of wrath by spiritual attachment.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded Himself into many for His ever-increasing spiritual bliss, and the living entities are parts and parcels of this spiritual bliss. They also have partial independence, but by misuse of their independence, when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust. This material creation is created by the Lord to give a facility to the conditioned souls to fulfill these lustful propensities, and when they are completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities, the living entities begin to inquire about their real position.
This inquiry is the beginning of the Vedanta-sūtras, wherein it is said, athāto brahma-jijnasa: one should inquire into the Supreme. And the Supreme is defined in Srimad Bhagavatam as janmādyasya yato ‘nvayād itarataś ca, or, “The origin of everything is the Supreme Brahman.” Therefore, the origin of lust is also in the Supreme. If, therefore, lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Krsna consciousness-or, in other words, desiring everything for Kṛṣṇa—then both lust and wrath can be spiritualized. Hanuman, the great servitor of Lord Rama, engaged his wrath upon his enemies for the satisfaction of the Lord. Therefore, lust and wrath, when they are employed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, become our friends instead of our enemies.
Again, just out of curiosity, I went to Vanipedia, and typed in the word ‘Love”. Srila Prabhupada used the word ‘Love’ 18,121 times.
I guess love of God, or acting in Krishna consciousness, is the best remedy to overcoming lust.
