07. AIDS – The plague of the century.

“When we can not control someone, we stop treating them amorously.”

“Infected children with the HIV virus rapidly develop AIDS. Since that beginning of the
epidemic, about three millions children under the age of 15 have been infected with the virus.
The majority of those children have developed AIDS and died.”

“AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is an illness caused by a virus called HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus). When the virus enters the human organism, different to
other viruses, no symptoms are recognized. What occurs is a slow, progressive destruction of
the body’s immune system.”

“There is no danger of AIDS infection except through sexual relationships without

precaution, the sharing of infected syringes, through blood transfusions, and the transmission
of the virus from mother to fetus in the womb”.

“Always do something beautiful to save the world, a lack of caring shows a lack of
compassion.” – Srila Guru Maharaj

The theme of AIDS has the whole world in fear. Most important organizations debate what to
do with this disease that is killing a large part of humanity. On the other hand, drugs are
injected with shared syringes, and societies promote free sex and homosexuality. AIDS, in a
large part, is caused by wrong sexual dealings. Whilst every person has the free will to choose
their type of sexual life, we should carefully discriminate to get a clear understanding on the
issue of AIDS and what part we play in it.

Almost all over the world, governments are promoting the use of condoms as a way of
avoiding the spread of AIDS. It is not an intelligent solution; and it is wasting time and
resources. The broadcasting of a free and uncontrolled sexuality is misleading society into
indiscriminate promiscuous sexual activity, without recognizing its severe consequences. It
ignores that AIDS is only one symptom of such erroneous social behavior. Publicity to
propagate “sexual freedom” devoid of moral principles is the cause of abortion, the killing of
children (infanticide), divorced families and street children. This comes a result of a wrong
mentality; AIDS is only the monster, putting fear into mankind, which has come from such
“sexual freedom”.

All sexual activity that does not have as its end means the procreation of a child within a
family unit is seen as a backward act, not very developed or elevated, within the parameters of
the spiritual culture of Yoga. As part of Yoga, the Vedic scriptures are studied to extract
wisdom and orientation for the whole of humanity. In relation to AIDS, which is a relatively
new disease, we can conclude that homosexuality is a highly dangerous activity. The
homosexual act, in itself, just stimulates the senses; it can not produce children, engendering
no responsible outcome, as it is does not entail creating a family and sacrificing oneself for it;
though children can be, and are, adopted,
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a great Master from India, declared that the family unit is the best
way to learn to work, and sacrifice oneself, for others; and that the sequel to this is Universal
Love, which is taught in the sacred teachings of Yoga. The lust that drives us to carnal desires
is an excessive identification with the material body. Such lust is best controlled within a
monogamous relationship, in a home, where one sacrifices to care for its members.

The argument that the formation of stable homosexual couples avoids the propagation of
AIDS, whilst based on good arguments, ignores the fact that homosexuality does not comply
with the principal function of the sexual act, which is to bring children into the world. There
exist so many ways to be entertained. May people consider sex, pornographic movies,
homosexuality, masturbation etc., as major forms of entertainment. They do not take into
account that the higher reality of human life is found in the search for Truth and Self-
realization. People are confused about the meaning of life and they waste this rare form of
human life by looking for temporary pleasures; stimulating the senses of the body through the
sexual act, or with a new drug that excites the nervous system, producing strange and
interesting sensations.

The perfection of life can never be found in artificial sensual sensations. It can only be found
in surrendering to God. The prayer to get out of the problems we encounter in life should be:
“O my Lord, please let me be an instrument of your Love. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”

If we practice celibacy, or are faithful within our couple, we can avoid a lot of suffering. If we
use the sexual act only to engender children into a family unit we can bring in to the world
great souls, thus aiding to arrive at Yogic perfection within married life. The promotion of
free sex and drug addiction are activities produced through degradation, which take place in a
very contaminated world without spiritual values. Remember Sodom y Gomorra. How many
times were they warned? And yet they did not want to learn.

How many more people shall die from AIDS, until society again accepts virginity and the
purity of men and women as something very sacred? One’s virginity should be protected in
order to dedicate ourselves to family life upon marriage. This way, our children can be happy
with the mother and father working together for a common cause. Not the opposite, wherein a
dysfunctional family is threatened by a newly-born child infected with AIDS, who will die
within its infancy.

The debates that presently take place concerning the medicines to relieve the effects of AIDS,
the help given to those with the illness, the tolerance of society towards its victims, etc, are
surely full of goodness, with a sincere desire to help those who are suffering; but it has to be
noted that the most important needs are beyond these. The most needed debates are those that
bring forth spiritual education, engendering superior values so that the entire world follows
good examples so as not to be led into such a fallen position.

Those with AIDS are in a situation very difficult to imagine, but they should now be more
stimulated to look for God through self-realisation, and to take the sacred mantras that can
give them a progressive, positive understanding of their existence. It does not matter is such
an understanding comes to them even at their death, because the Vedic understanding takes us
beyond the bodily concepts of birth and death. It opens up the doors of our lives to a
permanent existence, where there are no more afflictions caused by ignorance and egoism.
Please, seriously take into account these words, and take this understanding to all the places
you can.

Srila Guru Maharaj

Translation: Gopini devi dasi & Gopananda dasa