Is Sexual Intimacy Real Intimacy?

In this material world sexual intimacy is considered to be the closest type of intimacy. But what people do not realize is that sexual intimacy is not real intimacy because it is based on a false understanding of the self, in which the body is taken to be the actual self. The way to really connect with another person is not by connecting your bodily covering with his bodily covering. Real connection takes place when one connects one's actual self with the other person's actual self, i.e. one spirit-soul connecting with another spirit-soul. This exhilarating, uplifting connection takes place when the two persons connect with each other by both connecting with Krishna or God.

This real intimacy is described by the great Vaisnava acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as follows:

"A living being's sustenance of existence is to coordinate his activities with his eternal relation with the Supreme Lord Krishna. Krishna is the central pivot of living beings, and He is the all-attractive living entity or eternal form amongst all other living beings or eternal forms. Each and every living being has his eternal form in the spiritual existence, and Krishna is the eternal attraction for all of them. Krishna is the complete whole, and everything else is His part and parcel. The relation is one of the servant and the served. It is transcendental and is completely distinct from our experience in material existence. This relation of servant and the served is the most congenial form of intimacy. One can realize it as devotional service progresses. Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence. That will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction."

So anyone who wants to taste the real joy of intimacy should connect with Krishna and through intimacy with Krishna achieve the real intimacy of pure loving soul-to-soul exchanges with others.

Loving Exchange Between George Harrison & Jayapataka Swami

Loving Exchange Between George Harrison & Jayapataka Swami

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Ring a Bell in the Temple?

Why do we ring the bell in the temple?

Your servant,
Bhakta Shashank

Answer: To Offer Submission the Lord

In his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila, 24.334 Srila Prabhupada describes as the first item of deity worship as follows:

"There must be a big bell hanging in front of the temple room so that whoever comes into the room can ring the bell. This item is called prabodhana, or offering oneself submissively to the Lord.”

The second item is:

"The visitor must chant 'Jaya Sri Radha-Govinda!' or 'Jaya Sri Radha-Madhava!' when he rings the bell. In either case, the word 'jaya' must be uttered.”

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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