Page 23 - BIKC - Eng

ÄDI-RASA 5

austerity and celibacy (brahmacarya), by controlling the mind, by
controlling the senses, by giving up one’s possessions in charity, by
being avowedly truthful, by keeping clean, and by practicing yoga-
äsanas... Unless one is master of his senses, he should not be called
gosvämé, but go-däsa, servant of the senses. Following in the
footsteps of the six Gosvämés of Våndävana, all svämés and
gosvämés should fully engage in the transcendental loving service
of the Lord. As opposed to this, the go-däsas engage in the service
of the senses or in the service of the material world. They have no
other engagement. Prahläda Mahäräja has further described the
go-däsa as adänta-go, which refers to one whose senses are not
controlled. An adänta-go cannot become a servant of Kåñëa.” 20

ÄDI-RASA

Sex is so overwhelmingly present in the material world that the
question must arise, “Where has this sex desire come from?” The
answer is that sex originates from God. In the spiritual world,
Kåñëa and His consorts are spontaneously attracted to each other
and engage in pastimes of love together. This is called ädi-rasa, the
original and real sex desire, the supermost platform of spiritual
exchange. This ädi-rasa is free from all material contamination,
and is as different to mundane sex attraction as gold is to iron. 21
Devotees who are without a trace of any mundane desire and
who are situated on the highest platform of spiritual
understanding, such as Çukadeva Gosvämé, Rüpa Gosvämé, and
Rämänanda Räya, have appreciated and glorified this ädi-rasa.
Indeed, Kåñëa Himself accepts the form of Lord Caitanya,
adopting the mood of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, just to taste the full
sweetness of this ädi-rasa. When this incomprehensibly elevated
service mood is perverted and twisted by souls envious of Kåñëa’s
enjoyment, it comes out as nasty mundane sex desire, which
enthralls the conditioned souls and poses an ever-present menace
for the aspiring transcendentalist.
Why is it that the jïänés and yogis undergo great austerities,
strenuously endeavoring to overcome material desires, but still can