Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.25.17
Ūti· What drives us to actRecognize Conditions That Stir Sexual Desire
“On the outskirts of that city were many beautiful trees and creepers encircling a nice lake. Also surrounding that lake were many groups of birds and bees that were always chanting and humming.”
What the purport teaches
- The gardens and lake indirectly represent bodily arrangements for sense enjoyment, especially those that stir sexual impulses. These impulses become active when the body reaches maturity.
- Sexual desire can be stirred by seeing, touching, talking or even thinking. The purport emphasizes that subtle contact can also agitate the mind.
- Because this impulse is strong, a brahmacārī or sannyāsī is instructed to avoid intimate, solitary association with women. Learning alone does not make one immune to agitation.
Try this today
Avoid one unnecessary situation today that you know tends to stir sexual agitation.
Ask yourself
Which situations or thoughts tend to disturb my self-restraint?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.