To beware is to be cautious about danger. To be aware is to be conscious of oneself and one’s surroundings.

Both of these can help in our spiritual life, but to be aware is more positive and productive. The Bhagavad-gita (02.54-72) describes the characteristics of self-realized souls and also mentions how we seekers can progress towards their level of self-mastery. During that description, the Gita (02.59) outlines the limitation of the strategy of beware – we still feel discontented – and the advantage of the strategy of being aware: we become steady.

The next two verses expand on these two strategies. The next verse (02.60) talks about the ultimate futility of the strategy of beware: seekers, despite being intelligent and vigilant, are still dragged down by their senses. Though they beware of their lower desires, they still relapse into sensuality.

Why? Because thinking constantly about not indulging in something is unpleasant, especially when that thing allures with pleasure that seems immense, immediate and irresistible. Such thinking makes us feel deprived of pleasure, thereby impelling us forcefully to seek some enjoyment somewhere. Since we have been considering as enjoyable the particular temptation that we have been resisting, we often indulge in that very temptation in our frenzied search for pleasure.

To avoid such an eventuality, we need to have a more positive focus. The next verse (02.61) states that we can steadily control our senses when we become aware of Krishna and focus on him.

Certainly, while focusing on Krishna, we also need to beware of the danger of sensuality so that we don’t unwittingly expose ourselves to unnecessary temptations. But by ensuring that such temptations don’t become the focus of our awareness, by ensuring that our awareness remains centered on Krishna, we can make our spiritual journey more peaceful and joyful.

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