Our eyes hunger for alluring sense objects. On seeing such
objects, we look over them, sometimes again and again. Wanting to extract as
much pleasure as possible from those objects, we consume them visually.
But whatever pleasure we get leaves us dissatisfied and
tormented.
Why dissatisfied? Because most sense objects are
unattainable. Even if we attain some of them, their beauty is short-lived. And
even while that beauty lasts, our physical capacity to enjoy them remains
limited.
Why tormented? Because the more we visually prey on sense
objects, the more our craving for them grows, eventually becoming irresistible.
By courting desires that are on one hand irresistible and on the other hand
insatiable, we make ourselves miserable.
The Bhagavad-gita (02.59) acknowledges our hunger for
pleasure by stating that abstaining from sense objects feels like starvation.
And yet the same verse assures that if we persevere in our abstinence, we will
become pacified and satisfied when we get a higher taste. That higher taste
comes from appreciation of higher spiritual reality. Gita wisdom explains that
underlying our sensual thirst for ephemeral beauty is our spiritual longing for
Krishna. He is the all-attractive Lord of our heart – the original source,
supreme manifestation and ultimate reservoir of everything beautiful.
To relish Krishna’s beauty, we need to purify ourselves by practicing
bhakti-yoga diligently. And while we are becoming purified, we need to overlook
temptations. That is, we need to neglect temptations by conscientiously raising
our vision beyond them. On seeing tempting objects, we can avoid dwelling on
them by redirecting our consciousness elsewhere, preferably towards
constructive activities in Krishna’s service. By thus preventing our heart from
getting entangled at the sensual level, we make it available for Krishna. And
he, by his mercifulness and sweetness, purifies and propels our heart towards
perennial pleasurable absorption in him.
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