Adi-lila, Chapter 4 319
dtmendriya-priti-varicha—_tare bali ‘kama’
krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare ‘prema’ nama

SYNONYMS

dtma-indriya-priti_for the pleasure of one’s own senses; vafichd—desires; tdre—to
that; bali—| say; Rama—lust; krsna-indriya-priti—for the pleasure of Lord Krsna’s
senses; icchd~desire; dhare—holds; prema—love; nama—the name.

TRANSLATION
The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kama [lust], but the desire to please the
senses of Lord Krsna is prema [love].
PURPORT
The revealed scriptures describe pure love as follows:
sarvathd dhvamsa-rahitarn
saty api dhvamsa-karane
yad bhava-bandhanam yinoh
sa prema parikirtitah
“If there is ample reason for the dissolution of a conjugal relationship and yet such
a dissolution does not take place, such a relationship of intimate love is called pure.’’

The predominated gopis were bound to Krsna in such pure love. For them there
was no question of sexual love based on sense gratification. Their only engagement
in life was to see Krsna happy in all respects, regardless of their own personal in-
terests. They dedicated their souls only for the satisfaction of the Personality of
Godhead, Sri Krsna. There was not the slightest tinge of sexual love between the
gopis and Krsna.

The author of Sr7 Caitanya-caritamrta asserts with authority that sexual love is a
matter of personal sense enjoyment. All the regulative principles in the Vedas
pertaining to desires for popularity, fatherhood, wealth and so on are different
phases of sense gratification. Acts of sense gratification may be performed under
the cover of public welfare, nationalism, religion, altruism, ethical codes, Biblical
codes, health directives, fruitive action, bashfulness, tolerance, personal comfort,
liberation from material bondage, progress, family affection or fear of social
ostracism or legal punishment, but all these categories are different subdivisions of
one substance—sense gratification. All such good acts are performed basically for
one’s own sense gratification, for no one can sacrifice his personal interest while
discharging these much-advertised moral and religious principles. But above all this
is a transcendental stage in which one feels himself to be only an eternal servitor of
Krsna, the absolute Personality of Godhead. All acts performed in this sense of
servitude are called pure love of God because they are performed for the absolute
sense gratification of Sri Krsna. However, any act performed for the purpose of
enjoying its fruits or results is an act of sense gratification. Such actions are visible
sometimes in gross and sometimes in subtle forms.
