Kama is both cosmic and human energy, which animates life and holds it in place. In Kama: The Riddle of Desire, Gurcharan Das examines how to cherish desire in order to live a rich, flourishing life, arguing that if dharma is a duty to another, kama is a duty to oneself.
Everyone has temptations…right? Would you trust someone who has never been tempted? In the book, we come across these quotes that talk about temptation…and the author’s views on the topic!
“There are no easy answers in ethics and it often comes down to one’s own judgment and self-image. Of course, one should do right by others, but it is also important to do right by oneself.”
“The pleasures of adultery may be momentary and often mixed with fear, but they are clearly worth it, according to poets (of the classical Gupta age that persisted in the medieval courts)”
“When conflicts of temperament of tastes surface (in a marriage), you ask insistently, ‘Why did I marry?’ And since you are brainwashed by romantic propaganda, you seize the first occasion to fall in love with somebody else.”
“Infidelity is merely a matter of the flesh—a weakness that humans are prone to, like needing to pee. Loyalty is a matter of the heart.”
“It is a false myth that there will be only one great love in your life. To believe thus is either a sign of emotional immaturity or a wish on your part to make you believe your life is more interesting than it is.”
“We should not praise celibacy—it is not natural or particularly admirable. I believe that we should praise fidelity instead, which helps to make marriages endure. Fidelity is an achievement, worthy of dignity and praise.”
“My life has taught me that human desire never seems to end; as soon as you have what you want, a new and unforeseen desire emerges.”
Gurcharan Das weaves a compelling narrative soaked in philosophical, historical and literary ideas in the third volume of his trilogy on life’s goals. Available Now!
