Kāma

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ |
manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ||
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā |
jahi śatruṁ mahābāho kāmarūpaṁ durāsadam ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 3.42–43)

“They say the senses are superior [to their objects],
The mind is superior to the senses,
The intellect is superior to the mind,
And that [viz., the self (ātmā)] is what is superior to the intellect.
Thus understanding that which is superior to the intellect,
And steadying the self with the self,
Kill, O you of mighty arms,
The difficult to approach enemy
The form of which is desire (kāma).”

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āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ

āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ
samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat |
tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśanti sarve
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.70)

“One whom all objects of desire enter
Just as waters enter the ocean,
Which remains completely full and of unmoving boundaries,
Attains peace,
And not a desirer of objects of desire.”

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prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān

prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān |
ātmany evātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadocyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.55)

“O Pārtha,
When one completely casts away
All desires situated in the mind,
Being satisfied in the self specifically
By means of the self,
Then one is said to be
One of steady wisdom (sthita-prajña).”

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te’pi nūnaṁ na tāṁ pūjāṁ tyajeyur yadi sarvathā

te’pi nūnaṁ na tāṁ pūjāṁ tyajeyur yadi sarvathā |
tadā tan-niṣṭhayā citte śodhite guṇa-darśinām ||
kṛpayā kṛṣṇa-bhaktānāṁ prakṣīṇāśeṣa-dūṣaṇāḥ |
kālena kiyatā te’pi bhavanti paramottamāḥ ||
yathā sakāma-bhaktā hi bhuktvā tat-kāmitaṁ phalam |
kāle bhakti-prabhāvena yogyaṁ vindanti tat-phalam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.219–221)

“If even they [who perform worship in the manner aforesaid in BB 2.4.213–15, that is, in SB 11.2.47, 3.29.21–24, and 7.9.11] shall assuredly not forsake [even] that [manner of] worship under any circumstance, then when [their] minds are purified by [their] fixity in that [i.e., in such inapt worship] and they have all their faults destroyed by the grace of bhaktas of Kṛṣṇa, who are observers of qualities [in them rather than faults], they too after some time become most excellent, just as desirous (sakāma) bhaktas enjoy that desired result [which they performed bhakti with a desire to attain, viz., insignificant enjoyment of objects of the senses and the like] and in time by the power of bhakti attain that result which is befitting [of bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān and beyond even what one can desire, as alluded to in BB 2.4.216–217, viz., the result of attaining prema, entrance in Śrī Bhagavān’s abode, and the privilege of meeting, sporting, and so forth with him there in the spirit of prema].”

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svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā

svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā | sā cātma-manasoḥ samyogāt sukhādy-apekṣāt smṛty-apekṣād votpadyate | prayatna-smṛti-dharmādharma-hetuḥ | kāmo’bhilāṣaḥ rāgaḥ saṅkalpaḥ kāruṇyaṁ vairāgyam upadhā bhāva ity evam ādaya icchā-bhedāḥ | maithunecchā kāmaḥ | abhyavahārecchābhilāṣaḥ | punaḥ punar viṣayānurañjanecchā rāgaḥ | anāsanna-kriyecchā saṅkalpaḥ | svārtham anapekṣya para-duhkha-prahāṇecchā kāruṇyam | doṣa-darśanād viṣaya-tyāgecchā vairāgyam | para-vañcanecchā upadhā | antarnigūḍhecchā bhāvaḥ | cikīrṣā-jihīrṣety-ādi-kriyā-bhedād icchā-bhedā bhavanti ||
(Padārtha-dharma-saṅgraha: 126)

“A wish for an unattained object for one’s own sake or for another’s sake is [called] desire (icchā). This is produced by contact of the self and mind out of regard for pleasure (sukha) and so forth, or, out of regard for a memory (smṛti) and so forth. It is a cause of effort (pratyana), remembrance (smṛti), merit (dharma), and dermit (adharma). Lust (kāma), craving (abhilāṣa), attachment (rāga), resolve (saṅkalpa), compassion (kāruṇya), aversion (vairāgya), deceit (upadhā), intention (bhāva), and so forth are varieties of desire. Desire for copulation is [called] lust (kāma). Desire for eating is [called] craving (abhilāṣa). Desire for repeatedly enjoying an object is [called] attachment (rāga). Desire for a non-immediate action is [called] a resolve (saṅkalpa). Desire to remove the pain of another without regard for one’s own sake [i.e., without selfish interest] is [called] compassion (kāruṇya). Desire to avoid an object as a result observation of a fault [in the object] is [called] aversion (vairāgya). Desire to deceive another is [called] deceit (upadhā). Internally concealed desire is [called] intention (bhāva). Varieties of desire exist based on varieties of actions (kriyās), such as the desire to do and the desire to remove.”

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sukhaṁ tu jagatām eva kāmyaṁ dharmeṇa jāyate

sukhaṁ tu jagatām eva kāmyaṁ dharmeṇa jāyate |
adharma-janyaṁ duḥkhaṁ syāt pratikūlaṁ sacetasām ||
nirduḥkhatve sukhe cecchā taj-jñānād eva jāyate |
icchā tu tad-upāye syād iṣṭopāyatva-dhīr yadi ||
(Bhāṣa-pariccheda: 145–146)
“Pleasure (sukha), that which is the entire world’s object of desire, arises by means of merit (dharma). Pain (duḥkha), which is produced by demerit (adharma), shall be [defined as] that which is unpleasant (pratikūla) for all conscious beings. Desire for painlessness and pleasure arises specifically from knowledge of these, whereas desire shall come about for a means to these [i.e., to painlessness and pleasure] if there is awareness of [something’s] instrumentality to that which is desired [viz., painlessness and pleasure].”

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tasmād asad-abhidhyānaṁ yathā svapna-manoratham

tasmād asad-abhidhyānaṁ yathā svapna-manoratham |
hitvā mayi samādhatsva mano mad-bhāva-bhāvitam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.28)

“Therefore, one should reject desire for [alt., meditation upon] the asat, which is like the illusion in a dream, and upon me fully fix the mind imbued with bhāva by way of contemplation of me.”

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āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā

āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā |
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 3.39)

“The knowledge [i.e., discernment] of the knower is covered by this perpetual enemy in the form of kāma, which is like an insatiable fire.”

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kiṁ durāpaṁ mayi prīte tathāpi vibudharṣabhāḥ

kiṁ durāpaṁ mayi prīte tathāpi vibudharṣabhāḥ |
mayy ekānta-matir nānyan matto vāñchati tattva-vit ||
na veda kṛpaṇaḥ śreya ātmano guṇa-vastu-dṛk |
tasya tān icchato yacched yadi so’pi tathā-vidhaḥ ||
svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi |
na rāti rogiṇo’pathyaṁ vāñchato’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.9.47–49)

“[Bhagavān Viṣṇu:] O best of the devatās! What is difficult to attain when I am pleased? [Nothing]. Still, a knower of the essence—one whose mind is one-pointed upon me—does not desire anything other than me. A pitiable seer of substance in [worldly] objects does not understand his own good. If at will someone shall give those [i.e., essenceless worldly objects] to him, [then] he too is of such sort [i.e., then that giver of worldly objects is also ignorant just like the desirer of them is]. One who has knowledge of the highest good himself certainly does not speak of karma to one who is ignorant. An excellent doctor does not administer that which is unsalutary for a patient even if [the patient is] desirous [of that].”

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nāsti tṛṣṇā-samaṁ duḥkhaṁ nāsti tyāga-samaṁ sukham

nāsti tṛṣṇā-samaṁ duḥkhaṁ nāsti tyāga-samaṁ sukham |
sarvān kāmān parityajya brahma-bhūyāya kalpate ||
(Unknown source)

“There is no suffering like desire. There is no satisfaction like renunciation. Completely relinquishing all desires, one becomes fit for the state of [i.e., experience of] Brahman.”

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