Mahatma Gandhi wrote and spoke extensively on almost every subject under the sun. A sample of his views...

When both (man and woman) want to satisfy their animal passion without having to suffer the consequences of their act it is not love, it is lust. But if love is pure, it will transcend animal passion and will regulate itself. We have not had enough education of the passions. When a husband says, ‘Let us not have children, but let us have relations,’ what is that but animal passions? If they do not want to have more children they should refuse to unite. Love becomes lust the moment you make it a means for the satisfaction of animal needs, it is just the same with food. If food is taken only for pleasure, it is lust. You do not take chocolates for the sake of satisfying your hunger.

You take them for pleasure and then ask the doctor for an antidote. Perhaps you tell the doctor that whisky befogs your brain and he gives you an antidote. Would it not be better not to take chocolates or whisky.

I know, from my own experience that as long as I looked upon my wife carnally, we had no real understanding. Our love did not reach a high plane. There was affection as always, but we came closer and closer, the more we, or rather I, became restrained.

(Interview to Margaret Sanger , Dec 1935, reproduced in The Penguin Reader, edited by Rudranghshu Mukherjee)



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