Arrival in Riga, Latvia

After a three hour drive from Pune to Mumbai, an eight hour flight from Mumbai to London, an overnight stop in London, a three hour flight from London to Helsinki, and a one hour flight from Helsinki to Riga, plus many long hours of waiting time in three different airports--we finally arrived on Riga, Latvia on 9 April 2012. Even though difficult, it is a great joy to travel on behalf of Srila Prabhupada for serving his worldwide mission of awakening everyone to Krishna consciousness. The entire world is suffering due a lack of Krishna consciousness. It is most sublime and wonderful that Srila Prabhupada has given us the solution.

Hrishikesh Prabhu-Riga Temple President
Welcomes Us to Riga, Latvia-9 April 2012

Sankarshan Das with Hrishikesh Prabhu, Riga, Latvia

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: How Can I Stop Sexual Urges?

Hare Krishna, Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,

Please forgive me should if I mention anything inappropriate, but I am really trying hard to stop my sexual urges and am unable to. I am not yet married, but I don't sleep with any woman. However, due to the urges, I am unable to stop masturbating.

Would that be considered as illicit sex? How do I put an end to that?

Does illicit sex include having sex with one's wife with the intention to enjoy and not conceive a child? If one of the partners wishes to have sex for sense gratification but the other wishes to control, what can the person do in that situation?

Once again, I am really sorry for mentioning anything that I shouldn't have. Please bless me so that I can continue up the ladder of Krishna Consciousness.

Your Servant,
A.N.

Answer: Tolerate the Urge and It Will Go Away

Yes, masturbation is illicit sex. Sex desire is like an itch. The more you scratch it, the more it itches. So if you want to become completely free from sex desire, you must not scratch the itch. If you will tolerate it, it will eventually go away. Simply you must train yourself to tolerate the sex itch without being disturbed. If your nose was itching and you felt an urgent need to scratch it but someone offered you a million dollars if you did not scratch it, could you tolerate the urge to scratch it? Sure you could. For a million dollars it would be well worth it. So kindly understand that the value of tolerating the sex urge is greater than one million dollars and tolerate it. Always remember that you are not your body and detach yourself from your body's urge for sex pleasure.

While sex with one's wife according to the guidelines of the scriptures is divine, non-procreational sex with one's wife is illicit sex. In fact, it is so undesirable that Srila Prabhupada describes it as prostitution his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, Third Canto, Chapter 14, Text 33:

"In other words, sex life with one's wife is equal to prostitution if the regulations are not properly followed."

Human life means to do what Krishna wants. Animal life means to do what your senses want. Therefore if one partner wants to avoid illicit sex and the other partner wants to have illicit sex, the person who is being overwhelmed by lust should learn from the self-controlled person how to bring their lust under control.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, there is a history of Kasyapa Muni and his wife Diti. Diti became afflicted with a lusty desire for sex at an inappropriate time. Because Diti was so desperately craving sex Kasyapa foolishly gave in to his wife's lusty desire. As a result of this inauspicious act of sex, two demons were born who terrorized the entire universe. We should learn from this that instead of giving in to the lusty desires of one partner, one should remain self-controlled and teach the other partner how to also be self-controlled. This is will create a very favorable situation for both the husband and wife to advance in Krishna consciousness. And then if they want to have children and if they follow the prescribed guidelines, they will attract an advanced transcendentalist to take birth in their family.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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