Shloka 26
The Kātyāyanī-vrata, the Stealing of the Gopīs’ Garments, and Kṛṣṇa’s Teaching on Purified Desire
न मय्यावेशितधियां काम: कामाय कल्पते । भर्जिता क्वथिता धाना: प्रायो बीजाय नेशते ॥ २६ ॥
na mayy āveśita-dhiyāṁ kāmaḥ kāmāya kalpate bharjitā kvathitā dhānāḥ prāyo bījāya neśate
The desire of those whose minds are absorbed in Me does not turn into craving for sense enjoyment, just as barley grains scorched by the sun and then cooked can no longer sprout as seed.
The words mayy āveśita-dhiyām are very significant here. Unless one has achieved an advanced degree of devotion, one cannot fix the mind and intelligence on Kṛṣṇa, since Kṛṣṇa is pure spiritual existence. Self-realization is a state not of desirelessness but rather of purified desire, wherein one desires only the pleasure of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs were certainly attracted to Kṛṣṇa in a mood of conjugal love, and yet, having fixed their minds and indeed their entire existence completely on Kṛṣṇa, their conjugal desire could never manifest as material lust; rather, it became the most exalted form of love of Godhead ever seen within the universe.
FAQs
This verse says that for one whose consciousness is fully fixed on Kṛṣṇa, kāma no longer produces more kāma—desire is neutralized and purified rather than becoming a cause of bondage.
In the context of the gopīs’ worship and Kṛṣṇa’s līlā, Kṛṣṇa clarifies that devotion-centered attraction is not ordinary lust; when consciousness is offered to Him, it does not lead to further material desire.
Redirect strong desires toward devotion—chanting, prayer, seva, and remembrance—so the same inner energy becomes purified and stops generating compulsive craving.