lust / love difference

This is confirmed in the Govinda Lilamrita [10.16] as follows: Radharani is expressed as the expansion of the pleasure potency of Krishna. As She is compared with the creeper, Her associates, the damsels of Vraja, are just like the flowers and and leaves of that creeper. When Radharani and Krishna enjoy Themselves, the damsels of Vraja enjoy the pleasure more than Radharani Herself. Although the associates of Radharani do not expect any personal attention from Krishna, still Radharani is so pleased with Her associates that She arranges a meeting of Krishna and the damsels of Vraja, individually. By many transcendental maneuvers, Radharani tries to combine or unite the associates with Krishna. Radharani takes more pleasure in these meetings than in Her own affairs. And, when Krishna sees that both Radharani and Her associates are pleased by His association, He becomes more satisfied. Such association and reciprocation of love has nothing to do with material lust, but because it resembles such unification between man and woman, or the similarity to the combination of man and woman is there, therefore sometimes it is called, in transcendental language, transcendental lust. (More...)

So we have to find out ways how to turn the current. The current is sense enjoyment. Material life means the current is sense enjoyment, and this current has to be turned-sense enjoyment of Krsna. Sense enjoyment is there, but the material civilization, the misled civilization, is that the sense gratification is taken personal. When this sense gratification will be turned towards Krsna, then our life is successful. Just like gopis. Apparently it appears that gopis, they were attracted by young boy, Krsna, and for their sense gratification they made friendship with Krsna. No. That is not the fact. The fact is that gopis used to dress themselves nicely because by seeing them, Krsna will be satisfied, not that for their sense gratification. Generally a girl dresses herself to attract the attention of the boy. So the same thing is there, but it is Krsna's sense gratification, not the gopis'. The gopis did not want anything. But Krsna will be satisifed. That is the difference between lust and love. Love is there, only possible when it is diverted towards Krsna. That is love. And beyond that... Not beyond that..., below that, everything is lust. So we should always remember this. The senses are not stopped, but when the gratification of the senses is directed towards Krsna, that is bhakti, or love. And when the sense gratification is directed towards personal self, that is lust. This is difference between lust and love. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura knew this art, how to turn our activities for the satisfaction of Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Therefore I... "Wonder thy ways to turn our face, adore thy feet, Your Divine Grace." (More...)