Vyasadeva has written that the senses are very powerful. Even a learned man should not remain alone with his mother, sister, or daughter, as he may become attracted to them (falling into lust).
maatra svasr duhitra va naviviktaasano bhavet
balavaanindriyagraamo vidvaanasamapi karshati
One should not sit closely with his mother, sister, or daughter, for the senses are so powerful that even the most learned and self-controlled can be attracted to them.
(Shrimad Bhagavatam 9.19.17)
Upon hearing this, his disciple Jaimini stood up and said, “Master, I do not understand how the senses can pull even a learned man. Please explain this further.” Jaimini was a great scholar of the Vedas. Without answering his question, Vyasadeva said, “I need to go to Badrinath for a few days. You take care of the hermitage until I return, and then I will answer your question.” Jaimini did not understand his guru’s divine play.
Jaimini’s Sense Control Tested
One evening, as Jaimini returned from bathing in the Ganga, light rain began to fall. At that moment, his guru appeared before him in the form of a young girl. She had anklets on her feet that made a melodious sound. When Jaimini saw the beautiful feet of the girl, he became enchanted. The girl said to him, “Please protect me. I am stuck in the forest alone. I will leave in the morning if I could stay at your hermitage for the night. As a woman, it’s unsafe to stay alone in the forest at night.”
Jaimini replied, “Only celibates live in our hermitage, and our guru is also not here, so it is not possible.” The girl said, “I am seeking your protection right now, and it is one’s duty to protect those who seek shelter, whether a man or a woman.” Jaimini said, “I am in charge of the hermitage and will give you a room for the night. Lock the door from inside and do not open it until morning, even if I ask you to.” The girl agreed and entered the cottage, locking the door behind her.
Jaimini Got Trapped In The Game Of Senses
As Jaimini sat to meditate, the vision of those feet and the sound of the anklets echoed in his mind. He tried repeatedly to focus his attention, but his mind wandered. He thought I should ask who she was and how she got stuck in the forest. He went to the cottage door and said, “Open the door.” From inside came the reply, “Jaimini asked me not to open the door, even if he asks.” Jaimini said, “I am Jaimini.” The girl responded, “Jaimini said not to open the door, even if he asks.”
Jaimini then removed the roof of the cottage and jumped inside. When he saw the beautiful form of the girl, he became utterly captivated. In a sweet voice, she asked, “Why have you come here, my lord?” His senses, mind, and intellect were fully focused on her form. Jaimini asked her, “Will you accept me as your husband?” The girl replied, “For a sage like you, I would gladly give my life, but there is a condition you must fulfill. You must take me to the temple with a blackened face while carrying me on your back.”
Jaimini’s Guru Revealed Himself
Jaimini thought, “It’s nighttime, no one will see.” He blackened his face and carried the girl on his back toward the temple. The girl occasionally slapped him on the back as they walked. Jaimini thought, “It’s for marriage; I’ll bear it.” As they neared the temple, she slapped him hard. When Jaimini looked back, he saw his guru, Vyasadeva, standing before him. Vyasadeva said, “Now, do you understand how even a learned man can be overpowered by the senses?” Jaimini bowed and replied, “Yes, Guruji, I understand.”
naaree nayan sar jaahi na laaga
ghor krodh tam nisi jo jaga
lobh paans jehin gar na bandhaaya
so nar tumh saman raghuraaya
yah gun saadhan ten nahin hoee
tumhaaree krpa paanv koee
Shri Ramcharitamanas
“Who can escape the arrows of a woman’s eyes? Only those who see the Lord in everyone.”
The Churning Of The Ocean By Demigods and Demons
When the demigods and demons churned the ocean and brought forth the nectar of immortality, the demons grabbed it and fled. The demigods, disheartened, approached Lord Vishnu and said, “We will never get the nectar now.” Lord Vishnu then took the form of Mohini, an enchanting woman. When the demons saw her, they were mesmerized. They willingly handed the pot of nectar to Mohini, and she gave it all to the gods, not allowing the demons a single drop. However, none of the demigods were enchanted by her form because they knew she was Lord Vishnu Himself.
The key takeaway from this story is that the arrows of lust do not pierce those who see the lord in every woman.
Narrated By: Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
