Page 44 - Desire to Disaster

Question : Then why are women called the stepping stones
to hell?

Answer : Because her body, her appearance, her image
arouses men and incites them to commit acts of
passion.
He who does not wish to get burnt in the fire of attachment
and aversion should get rid of women from his mind. Meaning,
he should not gaze at women, not converse with them, should
not think of women, not talk about them, etc. In case he
happens to come across a woman despite not intending to,
he must ensure that he controls his desire to stare at her and
should curb any attraction towards her. If he manages to
remain unaffected by her, he is saved. Else, he will be pushed
back into the web of desire and enticement. Hence, man’s
true enemies are lack of self-control and attachment.

Rupsen had never met Sunanda but had only gazed at her
from afar. His inability to stop himself from ogling her and
the steps he took in order to meet her in person were part
of his lack of self-control. His strong desire for Sunanda
deepened his attachment and made his lapse all the more
serious. After he died in an accident, he suffered the normal
agonies of being in the womb. Over and above that, he had
to undergo the hellish pains caused by his former beloved
Sunanda, who was desperately trying to abort her child, not
realising that Rupsen’s soul had taken birth in her womb.
Rupsen was in great pain.

One would not wish the agonies Rupsen was experiencing on
one’s worst enemy! And he had to suffer all this as a result
of his lack of self-control and deep attachment. Hence, what
should one beware of? One should constantly remain aware
that attachment and the absence of self-control cause great
sorrow. One should constantly ruminate on how to lessen

44 Desire to Disaster