VERSE 3

In the third stanza, Sri Sankara speaks about lust. Every one knows that one may conquer other things, but lust is the most intractable of all.

Enticed by woman's beauty, her bosom and the region of the navel,

Do not allow yourself to be lost;

They are only forms of mere flesh,

Think of them as such every time you look at them.

Do not allow your eyes to stray about here and there. Keep them from forbidden things. Otherwise, says Sri Sankara, you will be caught in the vortex of lust. Yes; women look pretty; but do not be carried away by the external appearance of the body. A woman who belongs to another cannot be yours. To covet what cannot be had leads but to misery. Do not deceive yourself saying that it is harmless pleasure to look at handsome women. Looking at things will not produce satisfaction. It only breeds desire.

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