Desire

kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās

kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās
teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṇā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ |
utsṛjyaitān atha yadu-pate sāmprataṁ labdha-buddhis
tvām āyātaḥ śaraṇam abhayaṁ māṁ niyuṅkṣvātma-dāsye ||
(Aparādha-bhañjana; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 3.2.35; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.16)

“I have obeyed the wicked dictates of kāma and so forth for so long and in so many ways! Yet they have never taken pity upon me, and I have never felt any shame or satisfaction! O Lord of the Yadus, at last I have abandoned them and attained proper understanding: I have taken shelter in you, the Abode of fearlessness. Please engage me in your service.”

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ghṛta-kumbha-samā nārī

ghṛta-kumbha-samā nārī taptāṅgāra-samaḥ pumān |
tasmād ghṛtaṁ ca vahniṁ ca naikatra sthāpayed budhaḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“A woman is like a pot of ghee, and a man like a burning coal. Therefore, the wise should not place ghee and fire together.”

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āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ

āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ nairāśyaṁ paramaṁ sukham |
yathā sañchidya kāntāśāṁ sukhaṁ suṣvāpa piṅgalā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.8.44)

“Hope [i.e., material desire] is the greatest unhappiness, and hopelessness [i.e., freedom from material desire] is the greatest happiness, as after completely cutting away any hope for a lover, Piṅgalā slept happily.”

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dharmārthaṁ yasya vittehā

dharmārthaṁ yasya vittehā varaṁ tasya nirīhatā |
prakṣālanād dhi paṅkasya dūrād asparśanaṁ varam ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.2.49; cited in Hitopadeśa: 1.174)

“For one who desires [alt., pursues] wealth for the sake of dharma, desirelessness [alt., non-pursuit] is better, just as remaining untouched by mud from afar is better than washing [it off after touching it].”

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icchopaśamanaṁ kartuṁ

icchopaśamanaṁ kartuṁ yadi kṛtsnaṁ na śakyate |
svalpam apy anugantavyaṁ mārgastho nāvasīdati ||
(Yoga Vāsiṣṭha of Vālmīki: 7.36.30)

“If one is not able to calm one’s desire completely, then doing so should be pursued at least a little. One [who remains] situated on the path will not come to ruin [whereas those who gives up will never be successful].”

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asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ

asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ krodhaṁ kāma-vivarjanāt |
arthānarthekṣayā lobhaṁ bhayaṁ tattvāvamarśanāt ||
ānvīkṣikyā śoka-mohau dambhaṁ mahad-upāsayā |
yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsāṁ kāmādy-anīhayā ||
kṛpayā bhūtajaṁ duḥkhaṁ daivaṁ jahyāt samādhinā |
ātmajaṁ yoga-vīryeṇa nidrāṁ sattva-niṣevayā ||
rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvaṁ copaśamena ca |
etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā puruṣo hy añjasā jayet ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavata: 7.15.22–25)

“One can conquer desire (kāma) with negative resolve [e.g., resolutions such as ‘this is not for my enjoyment’ in regard to objects of desire], anger with rejection of desire [for violence], greed with vision of the detriment (anartha) [i.e., the meaninglessness, vice, etc.] within desired ends (arthas), fear with consideration of truth, lamentation and delusion with rational examination [i.e., discrimination between the self and non-self], pride with service to great persons, obstacles in yoga with silence, violence with indifference to desire and so forth. One can overcome suffering caused by other beings with compassion [i.e., actions performed for their benefit], suffering caused by destiny [i.e., foreboding] with meditation [on Bhagavān], suffering caused by the self [i.e., the body] with the strength of yoga [e.g., prāṇayāma, etc.], sleep with a sattvic diet, rajas [i.e., passion] and tamas [i.e., ignorance] with sattva [i.e., goodness], and sattva with composure [i.e., indifference towards even sattvic action]. A person can quickly conquer all of these [however] by means of bhakti to the guru.”

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vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ |
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)

“One endowed with śraddhā who shall hear about or describe this extraordinary play and so forth of Viṣṇu with the ladies of Vraja attains superlative bhakti to Bhagavān, quickly casts off the heart disease of kāma, and without delay becomes steadfast.”

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yaṁ yam antam abhikāmo

yaṁ yam antam abhikāmo bhavati yaṁ kāmaṁ kāmayate so’sya saṅkalpād eva samuttiṣṭhati tena sampanno mahīyate ||
(Chāndogya Upaniṣad: 8.2.10)

“Whatever final wish one has, and whatever object of desire one engenders desire for, that, just because of one’s resolve, manifests in full, and endowed with that, one becomes gladdened.”

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yo ha vai kāmena kāmān

yo ha vai kāmena kāmān kāmayate sa kāmī bhavati |
yo ha vai tv akāmena kāmān kāmayate so’kāmī bhavati ||
(Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad: 2.25–26)

“One who engenders desire for objects of desire with desire [to enjoy those objects of desire] is a desirer [of those objects], but one who engenders desire for objects of desire without desire [to enjoy those objects of desire] is a non-desirer [i.e., may appear like a desirer or enjoyer of those objects but actually is not].”

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