Gita 05.23 – The war against lust is a war of attrition

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-05-23-the-war-against-lust-is-a-war-of-attrition/

śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ
prāk śarīra-vimokṣaṇāt
kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ
sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ (Bg 5.23)

Word-for-word:
śaknoti — is able; iha eva — in the present body; yaḥ — one who; soḍhum — to tolerate; prāk — before; śarīra — the body; vimokṣaṇāt — giving up; kāma — desire; krodha — and anger; udbhavam — generated from; vegam — urges; saḥ — he; yuktaḥ — in trance; saḥ — he; sukhī — happy; naraḥ — human being.

Translation:
Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world.

Explanation:
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa says:
śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ: If one can tolerate here itself, in this world,
prāk śarīra-vimokṣaṇāt: until the point of giving up the body (death),
kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ: the urges born of desire for sense enjoyment, or the frustration that arises when such desires are not fulfilled,
sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ: such a person is well situated in yoga and attains happiness.

This verse continues the thread of thought developed over the past several verses. In the previous verse (5.22), Kṛṣṇa said: ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ—the wise (budhaḥ) do not delight (na teṣu ramate) in the pleasures that arise from the contact of the senses with their objects (ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā), because they know such pleasures end in misery (duḥkha-yonaya eva te) and are temporary (ādy-antavantaḥ).

On hearing this, a natural question arises: even if we know that sense pleasure is temporary and ends in misery, still the desires do not vanish—they continue to persist. What should we do about them?

Merely knowing the right thing does not immediately remove the wrong desire. Simply understanding that something is undesirable does not make it feel undesirable. Intellectual knowledge and emotional experience do not always align. The desires still arise, and we feel the urge to enjoy. So, what is the solution?

Kṛṣṇa says: if possible, tolerate them—śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ. At first glance, this may sound like “if it is not possible, then don’t do it.” But that is not Kṛṣṇa’s intention. In fact, when a kṣatriya is told, “If it is possible for you, then do it,” such words ignite his valorous spirit: “What is there that is not possible for me? Of course I will do it!”

Kṣatriyas are meant to be aggressive and are trained for battle. One way of fighting is to charge against the enemy with force—either destroying them or driving them into retreat. But another dimension of courage is endurance. At times, kṣatriyas may have to engage in a war of attrition. A war of attrition means that neither side launches a decisive attack, but both employ various maneuvers and strategies to gradually wear down the other. In such situations, the true test lies in endurance—whoever can hold out longer ultimately emerges victorious.

That endurance is akin to tolerance. In the battle against lust and other desires, we cannot drive them away permanently. Lust does not simply vanish; it lingers and, after some time, resurfaces. Thus, the struggle against lust is a war of attrition. We cannot forcefully banish it, but we can wear it out. This happens gradually—again and again, by refusing to indulge, by not giving in. Each act of resistance weakens it further, until eventually, lust becomes so worn out that it fades away.

That stage may be far away for most of us, because at present lust often attacks us with great force and frequently dominates us. Still, Kṛṣṇa says, soḍhuṁ—if you can tolerate, then do so. How long must we tolerate? This is the essence of the war of attrition—one has to endure for a long, long time. Our patience must outlast the patience of the enemy. As Kṛṣṇa states, prāk śarīra-vimokṣaṇāt—until the very moment we give up the body, until the point of death, we must continue to tolerate.

A war of attrition is often fought when two enemies are locked in a face-off but neither is able to advance. For example, during the First World War, trench warfare was employed. Both armies dug trenches, and soldiers remained inside them. If either side attempted to come out and advance, the opposing army, from the safety of its trench, would shoot down those trying to move forward. In the battles between France and Germany, and in other similar situations, such trench warfare dragged on for years, with soldiers practically confined to their trenches.

In such a war, the side that becomes exhausted first will eventually lose. The moment a soldier comes out of the trench, he is shot down. In the same way, we are engaged in a battle where, although we can resist lust, we cannot eradicate it quickly. We must wear it out gradually. We should expect that lust will remain until the very moment of death. Kṛṣṇa is preparing Arjuna for the long haul, emphasizing that this tolerance must continue until life’s end.

Until the moment of death, one should tolerate the urges born of lust—kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ. When lust is frustrated, it transmogrifies, taking on the ghastly form of anger. Therefore, both the urges of lust and anger must be endured until life’s end. Such a person is truly engaged in yoga (sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ), walking the path that leads to unlimited happiness (sukham akṣayam aśnute). As Kṛṣṇa has already said in verse 5.21, one who is thus harmonized in yoga attains inexhaustible happiness.

Kṛṣṇa states here that such a person will be well situated (sa yuktaḥ). In fact, He says, sa sukhī naraḥ—such a person will be happy. Yet, many of us may not associate tolerance with happiness. If someone is attacking us and we have to endure, or if desires arise and we must tolerate them without indulgence, it can feel exhausting. How, then, can this be called happiness?

In truth, endurance alone does not make us happy, although it does provide relief from misery—because indulgence only worsens the misery. For example, if a person has a sore, rash, or wound and keeps scratching it, the condition only becomes worse. If the person refrains from scratching, that restraint itself prevents further aggravation and reduces the suffering. But if, along with not scratching, medicine is applied to heal the rash, then the problem is cured completely.

Similarly, the practice of yoga is not meant for external show but for inner transformation. It connects us with our inner spiritual reality, and through that connection, one experiences true happiness.

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa states that if the yogī can tolerate the forces of desire and anger until the end of life, that person will remain connected, harmonized, and happy—even in this very life. Spiritual happiness is not reserved only for the next life; even now, the more we turn inward, towards the soul and the Supersoul, the more we discover joy. Since Kṛṣṇa is always present and is the all-attractive reservoir of happiness, by focusing on Him, we can experience true and lasting bliss.

Thank you.