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पुरुषों की कामवासना से डर || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत महोत्सव ऋषिकेश में (2022)
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3 years ago
Lust (Vasana)
Fear
Right Work (Sahi Kaam)
Ego-tendency (Aham-vritti)
Maya (Illusion)
Freedom (Mukti)
Consciousness
Distraction
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the question of whether to fear a man's sexual motive by broadening the scope of what one should be wary of. He explains that one should not be afraid of just a sexual motive, as there are many other things to be concerned about. He uses an analogy: if he is on his way to do something important and someone stops him to play chess, discuss politics, or have sex, all three are equally distracting from his right work. He would not single out the person with a sexual motive as particularly guilty because the one inviting him to play chess is also wasting his time and diverting him from his purpose. This perspective, he clarifies, is only possible when one has a "right work" or a central, important purpose in life. When a person is engaged in their right work, they are naturally saved not only from futile lust but from a hundred other troubles like laziness, theft, and intoxication. The fundamental flaw in human beings expresses itself in numerous ways, and lust is just one of them. Therefore, focusing on just one vice is an ineffective approach. The person who finds the right work in life is saved from all these distractions at once. Acharya Prashant further explains that the core issue is not any single vice but the fundamental ego-tendency (aham-vritti). He criticizes the approach of singling out one flaw, giving the example of so-called celibates who might avoid lust but indulge in gossip, politics, and wasteful spending. He also mentions people who might follow a guru's instruction not to lie but have no issue with being a rogue in other ways. The real solution is to address the root cause, the ego-tendency. When one focuses on the core issue, all other vices are seen as equally problematic distractions. Regarding relationships and physical contact, the speaker states that the primary concern should be whether a person brings meaning and elevation to one's consciousness. A person can waste your time and ruin your life in thousands of ways, with or without lust. If a person with the right purpose enters your life and elevates your consciousness, then even physical intimacy with them is not a sin, as physical contact is secondary to the state of consciousness. Conversely, a wrong person can cause great harm by polluting the mind, even without any physical relationship. The ultimate goal is freedom (mukti) from Maya (illusion). To achieve this, one may need to fight, surrender, or entice Maya; the method is less important than the final attainment of freedom.