What is love and how it is different from hatred?
Question by: Chandni Poddar, student, Lucknow
Love is the very essence of our being. It is the very nature of our real self. But, the problem is that we don’t know its full dimensions and see it only through genetical, physical and social frames. The trio too is the part of love. But, they only express love in part, not fully. That is where they become a problem!
The right term for the word love is yoga, which connects the two and unites them oneness. This is love —the force to unite—-which is forcing you to become one with the object of love. The object of love can be anything—from a person to a gadget. However, when this yoga is expressed partially, it is called the force of attraction and when it expresses fully, it makes you the object of love itself. How? Radha and Krishna are deeply in love. One moment, Radha says I am Krishna Himself. What does it mean? It means love is the force which evolves you into the object of your love. When you become what you are, you don’t feel the pangs of separation. That is the fullest dimension of love.
But, just look around and see what is happening. A boy meets a girl and says I love you and after some time he says I hate you, I don’t want to see you again.Why? Because, the boy and the girl failed to evolve to the higher level of love. Because, they take physical presence, closeness for love, which is love but of the lower kind. What it does? It further degenerates into hatred. Therefore, hatred too is the lowest expression of love. Hatred can evolve into love. Ravan is the fittest example of this. He hated Ram and created a situation where he got killed by Ram. He said during his last moments “Hey Ram, we are One.” Here hatred finally evolved into genuine love of oneness with the object of hate (that is love).
Even the physical union between two persons is an attempt to realise that oneness. But, it peaks into a climax and then both are back to the plane of separation. That too is love, but of a lower kind. Krishna says in Chapter 7 बलं बलवताम् चाहम् कामरागविवर्जितं ।। धर्म अविरूद्धो भूतेषू कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ: ।। I am the force of union which is without the trigger of lower impulses. I am that sexual union which doesn't violate the law, O the Descendent of Shakuntala and Dushyant. What does it reveal? Even the sexual union which is not driven by the lower impulse is divine union. Krishna says, I am that. Who is Krishna? Yogeshwar, the Supreme force of union. He calls Himself अधियज्ञ in Chapter 8. The term means the joiner of the two into Oneness.The lower impulse of love is attraction that results in hatred and there is no real bonding then. Therefore, seek true love.--VS