256
THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
mahā-śano mahā-pāpmā  
 viddhy enam iha vairiṇam
Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna, His disciple, that “It is lust only . . . which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.” [Bg. 3.37] In the Vedic language there is no word for materialistic “love,” as we call it in the present day. The word  kāma  describes lust or material desire, not love, but the word which we find in the  Vedas  for actual love is  premā , meaning one’s love of God only. Outside of loving God there is no possibility of loving. Rather, there is lusty desire only. Within this atmosphere of matter, the entire range of human activities—and not only every activity of human beings but all living entities—is based upon, given impetus and thus polluted by sex desire, the attraction between male and female. For that sex life, the whole universe is spinning around—and suffering! That is the harsh truth. So-called love here means that “you gratify my senses, I’ll gratify your senses,” and as soon as that gratification stops, immediately there is divorce, separation, quarrel, and hatred. So many things are going on under this false conception of love. Actual love means love of God, Kṛṣṇa.
Everyone wants to repose his loving tendency in some object which is in his opinion worthy. But the question is one of ignorance only, because people have a poor fund of knowledge about where to find that supreme lovable object who is  actually  worthy to accept and reciprocate their love. People simply do not know. There is no proper information. As soon as you have some attachment for anything material, it will kick you upon the face, deteriorate, and disappoint you. It’s bound to dissatisfy and frustrate you. That’s a fact. But these young boys in your country, and all over the world, are accepting, “Yes, that is a fact,” and they are getting the right information from Kṛṣṇa:
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante  
 jñānavān māṁ prapadyate  
 vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti  
 sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
“After many births and deaths, he who is actually wise surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” [Bg. 7.19] Again Kṛṣṇa uses that word  mahātmā , great soul. Therefore our devotees that you have met are not ordinary boys and girls. No. They are to be considered actually wise, great souls because