Love and Lust

August 27, 1999

dear friends,

Below is a story in relation to our lust and love discussion. BUT THE

STORY IS BIT TOO LONG! Sorry for that. = dr c s shah.

-

Story of The Lady and the Monk

Long ago, in the holy city of Benares there lived a beautiful dancer

named Kamini. The busy city was the place of worship of both Divine as

well as the gold. Worship and rituals were routine on the bank of Holy

Ganges. The traders intermingled with monks and saints. Priests also had

there share of business. The Royalty too made their presence felt by

occasional procession in chariots carrying the king and the queens,

prince and princess. it was a lively city.

Our heroine, Kamini, was an orphan who was in the prime of her youth.

The passes of youthful males had made her bold and cautious. But she

also learnt how to react to their advances. Her attractive beautiful

attire and seductive glances made many a noble person come to her court.

She was choosy in her entertainment. Soon she became famous for her

charming attractions and 'courteous behaviour'.

Even the royal house was not spared by her bewitching attractions,

albeit, such meetings were kept secret. Money poured in day and night.

She made most of her personal beauty, and weaknesses of the youthful

males.

Soon she possessed beautiful bungalows and apartments of her own with

wonderful gardens and all amenities in and around. She was happy. All

this made her proud of herself. The power of senses of the prime age

made her desire and experiment more and in diverse ways. She wanted to

attract all men including the scholars and professors. And indeed more

often than not she was successful.

One day, as it happened, a monk came to city of Benares for his special

studies in Scriptures. As was common in those days, he was supposed to

feed himself by begging his food from five houses. The radiant halo of

purity and continence reflected on the face of the Monk. Moreover he was

youthful and well built. He was exceedingly handsome. This young

sanyasin became the 'target' for our heroine. She wanted to seduce this

young man in lure of her youthful charms. She sent her maid servant and

invited the monk to visit her place.

Next morning the sanyasin went to see her. Kamini respectfully welcomed

the guest and requested the monk to stay in her guest room if he had no

objection. This way his studies would be smooth and the problem of

begging for daily food would also be solved.

The monk politely declined the offer and blessed the lady. But, a bit

disappointed and bit hurt, Kamini tried to seek meetings with the monk

on this or that pretext. Wary of her advances the monk at last said, " O

beautiful lady, there is no use of your charms for me. Moreover you also

do not need me right now. There are many others to please you, to serve

you. Many seek your company. "

" I am to day of no use to you, nor I need any thing from you. But one

thing I promise; if any day you need my help, when in your dire need no

one would extend helping hand towards you, O lady, remember me. I shall

be beside you. "

Next day, the monk left the city.

Years passed by. The youthful charms stated turning sluggish with the

advancing age. Occasional gray hair required dyes to show them black!

One by one the close and wealthy associates started deserting her.

Monetary constraints were felt. A bit of melancholy was a natural

reaction to this retreating and fading youth. But, the cruel blow was

dealt when illness surfaced under her glowing skin of which she was up

till now so proud. Kamini noticed some kind of skin lesions which

refused to go away with simple traditional and available medication and

ointments. The condition worsened and a few ulcers were visible on her

limbs. The discharge from them made her sick of herself. She started

remaining indoors.

The wounds and ulcers gradually spread to other parts including her

face. Fever and malaise were added symptoms. Neighbors avoided her, the

maid left her. Rumor spread like wild fire that Kamini is suffering from

incurable and contagious disease.

She was an outcast. People decided to shift her in isolation at the

bank of the far off river. Accordingly on one fateful day, once the

throb of youthful heart, Kamini was alone, confused ill and deserted.

She did not know who fed her; even dogs and cats partook her food. It

was a life not worth living. She decided to give up her life by fasting

unto death. Lying all alone in the broken hut on the torn rug, she

started reflecting in her stupor past life. A faint smile touched her

lip when she remembered her encounter with that monk. " Will he keep his

word? " , she was curious.

Thinking this way she landed into a state of delirium and semi coma.

Next day the monk came to her. Silently. The pus discharge from the

wound was offensive and unbearable. But the sanyasin persevered.

Carefully, with the concern and efficiency of a doctor, he started

cleaning her. Herbal medicines were prepared, and potions and ointments

were made ready for daily medication and application. It took days

before some improvement was noticed in her condition. Her fever

subsided. Ulcers started healing. The skin was no more fetid.

Kamini opened her eyes. She was confounded to see a oldish monk serving

her. She tried to put everything in proper perspective, but her memory

failed her. She was still very exhausted and weak. But she protested,

saying: " O Noble One, you need not serve this useless creature. I was a

sinner and I must pay for my sins myself. "

But the monk said in most sweet voice and with love, " Dear sister, don't

you remember me, have forgotten me! We were together in Benares, you

were busy. I had promised to come to you when you needed me. This is the

time. I have come not only to help you but also to complete my sadhana -

spiritual practices - of seeing God in suffering and disease. In these

last month or so, I have been able to see the same Divinity in you that

I see in saints. My vision has become clear. I thank you for giving this

opportunity to serve you. Please accept my salutations! "

The lady was at her wits end. " Can there be such a noble and wonderful

soul who thinks the server of less value than the one who is served! Can

receiver be any time great than the donor! Can anyone really see purity

in me. "

But the treatment she received, the way the monk behaved with her, all

made Kamini sure of his sincerity and honesty. She did not see any

hypocrisy in his actions and speech. There was no discrepancy in his

thoughts, words, and deeds.

Kamini requested him to read from the scriptures and tell her more about

religion and God. The monk accepted her as his first disciple and taught

her the perennial philosophy of ancient Indian and other religions.

After enough of discourses and sermons, one day Kamini desired to be

taken near the bank of the Ganges. There during her night long

meditation she gave up her body.

The monk returned to his ashrama.

*

dr c s shah

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August 28, 1999

Dear Omtatsat,

Please see my replies to Jairam, Kathi and Karen for answers to your

remarks.

Edith

March 29, 2008

Dear friends ,In love even an object is elevated to life. Stones and trees speak to you; the sun, the moon, the entire creation becomes alive and divine. In lust evena living being becomes a mere object.· Lust brings tension; love brings relaxation· In lust there is cunningness and manipulation; in love there is playfulness.· Lust focuses on a part; love focuses on the whole· In lust you want to grasp and possess; in love you want to give and surrender· In lust there is effort; love is effortless· Lust brings violence; love brings sacrifice· Lust demands; love commands· In lust you are confused; in love you are focused· Lust is dark and monotonous; love has many modes and colors· Lust says, "All I want you to have is what I want." love says, "I want you to have what you want."· Lust causes feverishness and frustration; love causes longing and pain· Lust imprisons and destroys; love liberates and sets you free.If someone's lust is interrupted, they become angry and start hating. Hatred in the world today is not out of love, it is out of lust.Shiva, the embodiment of innocence and love, was meditating. His meditation was disturbed by an arrow of flowers from the lord of lust. As soon as Shivaawoke, he opened his third eye and the lord of lust, "Manmatha" - one who churns the mind - was reduced to ashes.Lust grips the mind, tires the body and dulls the intellect. Lust when indulged brings inertia, and when suppressed brings anger. Lust is nothing but primordialunharnessed energy. The same energy when harnessed manifests as enthusiasm, sparkle, sharpness of intellect and love.What can you do to sublimate lust and transform it into love?· Take cold water baths· Moderate your intake of food· Undertake creative challenges· Be playful. People who are in grip of lust cannot be genuinely playful, and then there is no lust.· Be generous, when you realise that you are here only to give, and then lust is sublimated. Lust makes you possessive and greedy.· Remember death· Be in love with the divine.

With love and regards,k.s.vishwanathan