View source for Attraction - From Material Bondage to Supreme Devotion

The drive to love and be loved is the most powerful force within the living entity. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when this natural propensity is misdirected toward the temporary material world, it becomes the primary cause of suffering and bondage. However, when this exact same energy is redirected toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it becomes the key to eternal liberation and bliss.

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=== The Root of Material Bondage ===

The engine of the material world is the basic biological and psychological pull between the genders. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that this seemingly innocent attraction quickly implicates the living entity in a complex, inescapable web of social and economic responsibilities that cement their conditioned status.

* [[Vaniquotes:The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence|The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The man lives simply to be attracted by women, and the woman lives simply to be attracted by men. That is the basic principle of material life. As soon as these attractions are combined, people become more and more implicated in material existence|The man lives simply to be attracted by women, and the woman lives simply to be attracted by men. That is the basic principle of material life. As soon as these attractions are combined, people become more and more implicated in material existence.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:As soon as people join to satisfy their sex desire, the attraction becomes greater and greater. An apartment is needed for privacy, and then one has to earn a livelihood and acquire some land|As soon as people join to satisfy their sex desire, the attraction becomes greater and greater. An apartment is needed for privacy, and then one has to earn a livelihood and acquire some land.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:As a result of this (sex relation of male and female), both the male's and female's attraction for sweet home, motherland, bodily offspring, society and friendship and accumulation of wealth becomes the illusory field of activities|As a result of this (sex relation of male and female), both the male's and female's attraction for sweet home, motherland, bodily offspring, society and friendship and accumulation of wealth becomes the illusory field of activities.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The sum and substance of material life is attraction for the opposite sex. The sum and substance of spiritual life is attraction to Krishna|The sum and substance of material life is attraction for the opposite sex. The sum and substance of spiritual life is attraction to Krishna.]]

=== The Illusion of Worldly Affection ===

Conditioned souls mistake their material attachments for true love, not realizing these ties are temporary mechanisms of the illusory energy. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that this false affection creates a hard knot in the heart, making one completely pessimistic about spiritual life and assuring repeated transmigration.

* [[Vaniquotes:This material world is an atmosphere of attraction between male and female. That attraction takes the shape of a knot in the heart, and by material affection it becomes still more tight|This material world is an atmosphere of attraction between male and female. That attraction takes the shape of a knot in the heart, and by material affection it becomes still more tight.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:This attraction (between the lover and the beloved) causes the living entity to fall down in this material world|This attraction (between the lover and the beloved) causes the living entity to fall down in this material world.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The misguided materialist does not know that his very body is impermanent and that the attractions of home, land and wealth, which are in relationship to that body, are also temporary. Out of ignorance only, he thinks that everything is permanent|The misguided materialist does not know that his very body is impermanent and that the attractions of home, land and wealth, which are in relationship to that body, are also temporary. Out of ignorance only, he thinks that everything is permanent.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Every conditioned soul has a natural attraction and attachment for material things, but one must simply give up this attachment and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead|Every conditioned soul has a natural attraction and attachment for material things, but one must simply give up this attachment and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Unless you become pessimistic, you will not be able to go back to home. If you have little attraction for this world - "It is good" - then you have to remain here. Yes. Krsna is so strict|Unless you become pessimistic, you will not be able to go back to home. If you have little attraction for this world - "It is good" - then you have to remain here. Yes. Krsna is so strict.]]

=== The All-Attractive Supreme Person ===

To conquer material desires, one requires a superior object of affection. The Vedic literatures reveal that God is a person whose very name defines His primary characteristic. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is the absolute reservoir of all beauty, and realizing His all-attractive nature is the perfection of knowledge.

* [[Vaniquotes:Krs means "attraction," and na means ananda, or "bliss." Krsna is known as Mukunda because He wants to give everyone spiritual, eternal, blissful life|Krs means "attraction," and na means ananda, or "bliss." Krsna is known as Mukunda because He wants to give everyone spiritual, eternal, blissful life.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:When I utter the word Krsna, it means God. It is Sanskrit word, Krsna. Those who are Sanskrit student, you know krs-dhatu, "attraction," - one who attracts|When I utter the word Krsna, it means God. It is Sanskrit word, Krsna. Those who are Sanskrit student, you know krs-dhatu, "attraction," - one who attracts.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The personal form of Lord Sri Krsna is so attractive that it comprehends all attraction, all bliss and all tastes (rasas). These attractions are so strong that no one wants to exchange them for material enjoyment, mystic powers and liberation|The personal form of Lord Sri Krsna is so attractive that it comprehends all attraction, all bliss and all tastes (rasas). These attractions are so strong that no one wants to exchange them for material enjoyment, mystic powers and liberation.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:It is said in this verse (CC Madhya 8.139), sarva-cittakarsaka: “Everyone is naturally attracted by Krsna.” This attraction is within everyone’s heart, and when the heart is cleansed, that attraction is manifested - CC Antya 20.12|It is said in this verse (CC Madhya 8.139), sarva-cittakarsaka: “Everyone is naturally attracted by Krsna.” This attraction is within everyone’s heart, and when the heart is cleansed, that attraction is manifested - CC Antya 20.12.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Brahma said, "My dear Lord Krsna, Your very name suggests that You are all-attractive. The attraction of the sun and the moon are all due to You"|Brahma said, "My dear Lord Krsna, Your very name suggests that You are all-attractive. The attraction of the sun and the moon are all due to You."]]

=== Overcoming Mundane Lust through Bhakti ===

Artificial renunciation inevitably fails because the soul cannot remain inactive. The pure process of ''bhakti-yoga'' teaches that by actively engaging the senses in worshiping the Lord, one naturally develops a distaste for the lower modes of material affection and lust.

* [[Vaniquotes:Unless one has got spiritual attraction, he will be attracted by the material|Unless one has got spiritual attraction, he will be attracted by the material.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In the beginning of our spiritual life we must worship Madana-mohana so that He may attract us and nullify our attachment for material sense gratification. This relationship with Madana-mohana is necessary for neophyte devotees|In the beginning of our spiritual life we must worship Madana-mohana so that He may attract us and nullify our attachment for material sense gratification. This relationship with Madana-mohana is necessary for neophyte devotees.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Bhaktim param devotional service is so potent that the more one advances in this line, the more he loses his attraction for material life|Bhaktim param devotional service is so potent that the more one advances in this line, the more he loses his attraction for material life.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Yamunacarya says, Since I have become attracted by the beauty of Radha and Krsna, when there is attraction for a woman or a memory of sex life with a woman, I at once spit on it, and my face turns in disgust|Yamunacarya says, Since I have become attracted by the beauty of Radha and Krsna, when there is attraction for a woman or a memory of sex life with a woman, I at once spit on it, and my face turns in disgust.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:You also mentioned that how can I give up attraction for woman; when you learn to love Krishna, then you can forget your lusty desires for women|You also mentioned that how can I give up attraction for woman; when you learn to love Krishna, then you can forget your lusty desires for women.]]

=== The Pinnacle of Spiritual Attraction ===

The highest reality of the spiritual world is completely devoid of material contamination. The ''ācāryas'' explain that the supreme, original form of attraction exists in the eternal conjugal pastimes of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Lord Kṛṣṇa, which serve to liberate the mind from all mundane concepts.

* [[Vaniquotes:The captivating power of woman, and man's susceptibility to such attraction, must also exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world and must be represented in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord|The captivating power of woman, and man's susceptibility to such attraction, must also exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world and must be represented in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Radharani is so beautiful that Krsna becomes enchanted. That is spiritual sex. That is not ordinary. Therefore the attraction of Radha and Krsna is not ordinary thing|Radharani is so beautiful that Krsna becomes enchanted. That is spiritual sex. That is not ordinary. Therefore the attraction of Radha and Krsna is not ordinary thing.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Krsna and Radharani are both transcendentally qualified, and both of Them attract one another. Yet in that transcendental attraction, Radharani is greater than Krsna, for the attractiveness of Radharani is the transcendental taste in conjugal love|Krsna and Radharani are both transcendentally qualified, and both of Them attract one another. Yet in that transcendental attraction, Radharani is greater than Krsna, for the attractiveness of Radharani is the transcendental taste in conjugal love.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In Goloka Vrndavana there is an exchange of love known as parakiya-rasa. It is something like the attraction of a married woman for a man other than her husband|In Goloka Vrndavana there is an exchange of love known as parakiya-rasa. It is something like the attraction of a married woman for a man other than her husband.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:By understanding the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna one is freed from the grip of attraction to material so-called love between man and woman|By understanding the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna one is freed from the grip of attraction to material so-called love between man and woman.]]

=== Conclusion ===

As Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully concludes throughout his teachings, the symptom of attraction is eternal because the soul is eternal. The fundamental error of the conditioned soul is attempting to satisfy this eternal craving with the temporary, deteriorating manifestations of the material world—specifically the attraction between male and female and the subsequent entanglements of family and wealth. This misplaced affection simply binds the soul to the cycle of birth and death. True intelligence means understanding that material life is but a perverted reflection of the spiritual reality. By consciously transferring one's affection to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the process of ''bhakti-yoga'', the tight knot of mundane lust is effortlessly untied. Ultimately, by meditating upon the pure, transcendental conjugal attraction of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, the devotee attains the supreme perfection of love and returns back home, back to Godhead.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:Attraction|Attraction]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

(See our [[Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles|Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles]])
[[Category:Vanipedia Gemini - Articles]]
[[Category:Vanipedia Articles - Understanding What Is Materialism]]
[[Category:Vanipedia_Articles - Understanding Liberation and Bondage]]
[[Category:Vanipedia Articles - The Science of Devotional Service to God‎]]

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