SENSUAL PLEASURES

ABSTRACT

It is relating to or involving gratification of the senses, either involving Maya but especially related to sexual gratification, inducing pleasurable and or erotic sensations. Plato believed that this sensual world in which we live is inferior to the heavenly realm. Sikh thought is all about spiritual growth with the final union with God through living the life of a householder. This is sought by subjugating lower instincts and developing higher instincts to become a Guru oriented (ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ) rather than being self-willed (ਮਨਮੁਖਿ) and leading to self-destruction.
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The sensual pleasures are an obstruction to spiritual progress. Thus the sensual pleasures are forbidden in Sikh Faith except those for progeny, e.g. here are couple Sabds of Guru Arjan in Raag Asa and Kabir in Raag Gauri on the subject:

ਮਿਥਿਆ ਸੰਗਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਲਪਟਾਏ ਮੋਹ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਰਿ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

ਜਹ ਜਾਨੋ ਸੋ ਚੀਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਭਏ ਆਂਧੇ ॥੧॥

ਮਨ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਕਿਉ ਨ ਅਰਾਧੇ ॥

ਕਾਚ ਕੋਠਰੀ ਮਾਹਿ ਤੂੰ ਬਸਤਾ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਗਲ ਬਿਖੈ ਕੀ ਬਿਆਧੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਮੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਰਤ ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਬਿਹਾਵੈ ਪਲੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਛੀਜੈ ਅਰਜਾਧੇ ॥

ਜੈਸੇ ਮੀਠੈ ਸਾਦਿ ਲੋਭਾਏ ਝੂਠ ਧੰਧਿ ਦੁਰਗਾਧੇ ॥੨॥

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਅਰੁ ਲੋਭ ਮੋਹ ਇਹ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਰਸਿ ਲਪਟਾਧੇ ॥

ਦੀਈ ਭਵਾਰੀ ਪੁਰਖਿ ਬਿਧਾਤੈ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਜਨਮਾਧੇ ॥੩॥

ਜਉ ਭਇਓ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲੁ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਤਉ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਭ ਸੁਖ ਲਾਧੇ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਧਿਆਵਉ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਾਢੀ ਸਗਲ ਉਪਾਧੇ ॥੪॥

ਇਉ ਜਪਿਓ ਭਾਈ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਬਿਧਾਤੇ ॥

ਭਇਓ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲੁ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਣ ਦੁਖ ਲਾਥੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੪॥੪॥੧੨੬॥

Mithi▫ā sang sang laptā▫e moh mā▫i▫ā kar bāḏẖe. Jah jāno so cẖīṯ na āvai ahaʼn▫buḏẖ bẖa▫e āʼnḏẖe. Man bairāgī ki▫o na arāḏẖe. Kācẖ koṯẖrī māhi ṯūʼn basṯā sang sagal bikẖai kī bi▫āḏẖe.  rahā▫o. Merī merī karaṯ ḏin rain bihāvai pal kẖin cẖẖījai arjāḏẖe. Jaise mīṯẖai sāḏ lobẖā▫e jẖūṯẖ ḏẖanḏẖ ḏurgāḏẖe.  Kām kroḏẖ ar lobẖ moh ih inḏrī ras laptāḏẖe. Ḏī▫ī bẖavārī purakẖ biḏẖāṯai bahur bahur janmāḏẖe.  Ja▫o bẖa▫i▫o kirpāl ḏīn ḏukẖ bẖanjan ṯa▫o gur mil sabẖ sukẖ lāḏẖe. Kaho Nānak ḏin rain ḏẖi▫āva▫o mār kādẖī sagal upāḏẖe.  I▫o japi▫o bẖā▫ī purakẖ biḏẖāṯe. Bẖa▫i▫o kirpāl ḏīn ḏukẖ bẖanjan janam maraṇ ḏukẖ lāthe.  rahā▫o ḏūjā. 

People are attached to falsehood; clinging to the transitory, they are trapped in emotional attachment to Maya. Wherever they go, they do not think of God; they are blinded by intellectual egotism.  O, mind, renunciate, and adore God? You dwell in that flimsy chamber, with all the sins of corruption. Pause. Crying out, "Mine, mine", your days and nights pass away; moment by moment, your life is running out. The sweet flavors tempt you, and you are occupied by your false and filthy business. Your senses are beguiled by sensual pleasures of sex, anger, greed and emotional attachment. The All-powerful Architect of Destiny has ordained that you shall be reincarnated over and over again.  When the Destroyer of the pains of the poor becomes merciful, then, as Guru oriented, you shall find absolute peace. Says Nanak, meditate on the God, day and night, and all your sickness shall be banished.  Meditate in this way, O Siblings of Destiny, on God, the Architect of Destiny. The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful and has removed the pains of birth and death. Second. Pause-----Guru Arjun, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 403-1

ਜੇਤੇ ਜਤਨ ਕਰਤ ਤੇ ਡੂਬੇ ਭਵ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਨਹੀ ਤਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥

ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਕਰਤੇ ਬਹੁ ਸੰਜਮ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਮਨੁ ਜਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥੧॥

ਸਾਸ ਗ੍ਰਾਸ ਕੋ ਦਾਤੋ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮਨਹੁ ਬਿਸਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥

ਹੀਰਾ ਲਾਲੁ ਅਮੋਲੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਉਡੀ ਬਦਲੈ ਹਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਖਾ ਭੂਖ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਲਾਗੀ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਨਾਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥

ਉਨਮਤ ਮਾਨ ਹਿਰਿਓ ਮਨ ਮਾਹੀ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਧਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥੨॥

ਸੁਆਦ ਲੁਭਤ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਰਸ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਿਓ ਮਦ ਰਸ ਲੈਤ ਬਿਕਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥

ਕਰਮ ਭਾਗ ਸੰਤਨ ਸੰਗਾਨੇ ਕਾਸਟ ਲੋਹ ਉਧਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥੩॥

ਧਾਵਤ ਜੋਨਿ ਜਨਮ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਥਾਕੇ ਅਬ ਦੁਖ ਕਰਿ ਹਮ ਹਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥

ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਤ ਮਹਾ ਰਸੁ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਭਗਤਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਿਓ ਰੇ ॥੪॥੧॥੫॥੫੬॥

Jeṯe jaṯan karaṯ ṯe dūbe bẖav sāgar nahī ṯāri▫o re. Karam ḏẖaram karṯe baho sanjam ahaʼn▫buḏẖ man jāri▫o re.  Sās garās ko ḏāṯo ṯẖākur so ki▫o manhu bisāri▫o re. Hīrā lāl amol janam hai ka▫udī baḏlai hāri▫o re.  rahā▫o. Ŧarisnā ṯarikẖā bẖūkẖ bẖaram lāgī hirḏai nāhi bīcẖāri▫o re. Unmaṯ mān hiri▫o man māhī gur kā sabaḏ na ḏẖāri▫o re.  Su▫āḏ lubẖaṯ inḏrī ras pareri▫o maḏ ras laiṯ bikāri▫o re. Karam bẖāg sanṯan sangāne kāsat loh uḏẖāri▫o re.  Ḏẖāvaṯ jon janam bẖaram thāke ab ḏukẖ kar ham hāri▫o re. Kahi Kabīr gur milaṯ mahā ras parem bẖagaṯ nisṯāri▫o re. 

Those who try to do things by their own efforts are drowned in the terrifying world-ocean; they cannot cross over. Those who practice religious rituals and strict self-discipline - their egotistical pride shall consume their minds.  Your God and Master has given you the breath of life and food to sustain you; Oh, why have you forgotten God? Human birth is a priceless jewel, which has been squandered in exchange for a worthless shell. Pause. The thirst of desire and the hunger of doubt afflict you; you do not contemplate God in your heart. Intoxicated with pride, you cheat yourself; you have not enshrined the Word of the Guru's Sabd within your mind. Those who are deluded by sensual pleasures, who are tempted by sexual delights and enjoy wine, are corrupt. But those who, through destiny and good karma, join the Society of the Saints float over the ocean like iron attached to wood. I have wandered in doubt and confusion, through birth and reincarnation; now, I am so tired. I am suffering in pain and wasting away. Says Kabir, meeting with the Guru, I have obtained supreme joy; my love and devotion have saved me. -----Kabir, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 335-15

Conclusion:

If one is longing for sensual pleasures and achieves it, yes, one is enraptured at heart. The mortal gets what he wants. One who is greedy for the property of land, gold, horses, servants, women, relatives, and many other sensual pleasures, is overpowered with weakness and trampled by spiritual trouble, leading the individual to carnal. One should always be mindful, to avoid sensual desires. Whoever avoids sensual desires goes beyond mindful spiritual progress and attachment to the world.

ਅਨੇਕ ਜਤਨ ਕਰੇ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਵਸਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥

ਕਾਮਿ ਕਰੋਧਿ ਜਲੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ॥

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੇ ਮਨੁ ਵਸਿ ਆਵੈ ਮਨ ਮਾਰੇ ਮਨਹਿ ਸਮਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੫॥
Anėk jaṯan karė inḏrī vas na ho­ī Kām karoḏẖ jalai sabẖ ko▫ī.Saṯgur seve man vas āvai man māre manėh samā▫iḏā. ||15||.

Making countless efforts, sexual desire is not overcome. Everyone is burning in the fires of sexuality and anger. Serving the True Guru, one brings his mind under control; conquering his mind, he merges in the Mind of God. -----Guru Amar Das, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1062-13

ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਪੰਚ ਪੰਚੇ ਵਸਿ ਆਣੈ ਖਿਮਾ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥

ਸੋ ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਨੁ ਵਡ ਪੂਰਾ ਜੋ ਭੈ ਬੈਰਾਗਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ॥੩॥
Inḏrī pancẖ pancẖė vas āṇai kẖimā sanṯokẖ gurmaṯ pāvai. So ḏẖan ḏẖan har jan vad pūrā jo bẖai bairāg har guṇ gāvai. 

Whoever overpowers the five sense organs is blessed with forgiveness, patience, and contentment, through the Guru's Teachings. Blessed, blessed, perfect and great is that humble servant of God, who is inspired by the Fear of God and detached love, to sing the Glorious Praises of God. -----Guru Amar Das, Raag Parbhati, AGGS, Page, 1334-16