When soldiers near their target, they often look for a hideout. But if those soldiers have already penetrated into the enemy ranks and have therein positioned themselves at strategic points, they don’t need a hideout, for they have a hide-in. And if the defending army is to survive this inner sabotage, it needs to be extra vigilant.

Lust is like illusion’s secret agent. The Bhagavad-gita (03.36) declares that lust is our voracious and vicious enemy. This enemy doesn’t need a hideout, for it has a hide-in – the Gita (03.40) states that lust resides inside us, in our senses, mind and intelligence. From there, it sabotages us. How? By promising us pleasure. It paints in our imagination erotic fantasies of unending bliss if we just do its bidding. When we chase those fantasies, lust offers some initial pleasure, but then uses that meager pleasure to entrap us. Once captivated by lust, we crave for things we don’t have and lament for things we have lost – overall, we stay tormented.

Lust deludes us thus by working in tandem with its external agents. Whenever we see tempting sense objects, lust from within lowers the ramparts of our intelligence and conscience. Stripped of those defenses, we end up doing foolish, immoral things to sate lust, which remains insatiable, alluring us again and again.

Just as the defending army needs extra vigilance to counter the inner enemy, we too need extra vigilance to counter lust. Such vigilance can be cultivated by practicing bhakti-yoga diligently. By studying scripture scrutinizingly, we become wise to lust’s wily ways. And by absorbing ourselves in Krishna through service and remembrance, we gradually get a profound inner fulfillment. When we treasure this spiritual joy deeply, we alertly guard it against anyone threatening to steal it, be it from their hideouts or hide-ins.

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