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DISCOURSE 39
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not travel with other men. They should not also go on pilgrimages with other men. They should not accompany other men to hotels, movies, or dramas. Just as men should be cautious with respect to their relations with other women, women also should be careful not to associate with other men.
The fascination for other women can be very dangerous. Ravana's fascination for Sita brought about his ruin. Did not Ravana have his queens in his palace ? He had thousands of queens in the harem. Yet, he became infatuated with Sita; and he made an ignoble attempt to make her his own. What was the consequence? You know it.... give up your desire to make another woman your own. Discard from your mind the very idea of loving another woman.
FREE ASSOCIATION; THE WAY TO A TOTAL RUIN
The situation is very serious. In large cities it has become common for some men and women to mix freely; to wander about freely, to converse; to laugh; and to dance together. Illicit intimacies also are on the increase. They do not even talk of Dharma. They do not even think of the soul and the Supreme Soul. Probably, they have not even heard of sin and merit. To them, life is nothing but impetuous passions and inebriate luxuries and enjoyments. "We have to be born again after death". This idea never even occurs to them. Who can convince them of this truth ? If you start imitating them, you will be ruining yourselves. Stupid and thoughtless people imitate what they see in movies, on the T.V. screen and what they read in cheap magazines. When a man becomes infatuated with other women and when a woman becomes infatuated with other men, agitations arise in family life. The family life of such people becomes chaotic. Mutual love and affection fade away. Quarrels arise and financial problems also appear in those families. Their prestige in society declines and someday, they will be totally ruined.
At present, discussions take place on the question of the relationship between man and woman, in newspapers, magazines and at seminars. Most people who participate in those discussions favour a free association of men and women. My
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