Acharya Prashant explains the difference between desire and love, clarifying that while both have an object, their purposes are fundamentally different. For desire, the object itself is the purpose. Desire has an object, and so does love, but for desire, the object is equated with the purpose. In contrast, for love, the object is suited to the purpose of liberation. The ultimate purpose of love is always liberation, and the object serves merely as a means to that end. When one is desirous, they simply want the other person and remain blind to what that person will truly bring. If the desired object fails to serve its perceived purpose, it is dropped. In the throes of desire, the object becomes the sole purpose. However, love understands the distinction between the object and the ultimate purpose from the very beginning. Love recognizes the object as a resource in the service of truth or liberation. A key test is to ask oneself during a moment of attraction if one still remembers life's inherent bondage and suffering. If this fundamental truth is forgotten in the pleasure of the moment, the relationship is based on desire, not love. A relationship of love constantly reminds one of the truth. Desire relates to the lower, more superficial aspects of another's being, which the speaker describes as a form of violence. Love, conversely, relates to the higher aspects. Using the analogy of a person being a multi-layered entity (Panchkosha), desire connects with the outermost or most worthless layer, such as the physical body. The loving person, however, seeks wisdom and relates to the highest point in the other's being to serve the ultimate purpose of liberation. The desirous one wants to consume the object for gratification, whereas the loving one uses the object as a tool in service of the ultimate.