Lust and anger are twin companions. The Bhagavad Gita (16.21) cautions that these two in association with greed form a triple gateway to hell. The agitation caused by lust and anger is the greatest challenge to forbearance. Under their sway, people forget who they are and act in a manner they would not approve of in saner moments. He who is able to withstand the force of lust and anger even while alive is regarded by the Bhagavad Gita (5.23) as a yogi and a happy man. Commenting on this verse, Shridhara Svamin forcefully describes the immensity of the task: “A dead man is able to withstand the urge of passion or anger though his body is embraced by a wailing young woman or burnt by his sons and others. If someone is able to withstand that urge even while alive, he alone is a yogi and a happy man.”
Remaining unaffected by the force of lust and anger is possible only by God’s grace. To be conscious of God’s grace in our lives, we need regular spiritual practice and sincere prayer for detachment from sense objects.
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