Moth and Fire - Danger of Senses

(As evening approaches and lamps are lit, Krishna points to a moth circling the flame.)

Krishna: "Watch carefully, Uddhava. Here comes another teacher."

(Uddhava watches the moth dance closer and closer to the fire, mesmerized by its glow. Suddenly, it flies directly into the flame and perishes.)

Uddhava: "(quietly) A sad end."

Krishna: "Sad, yet instructive. The moth teaches what happens when one is enslaved by sense attraction. The eye was captivated by the beautiful form of fire. The moth could not resist. And captivation led to destruction."

Uddhava: "We are all like moths, then?"

Krishna: "Many are. Consider the man enchanted by a beautiful face. He cannot look away. He sacrifices wealth, reputation, duty, family — all for that form that attracted his eye. And often, when he finally obtains the object of desire, it consumes him as surely as fire consumed the moth."

(Uddhava watches another moth circling)

Uddhava: "Is the teaching to avoid beauty entirely?"

Krishna: "Not to avoid but to understand. The fire is not evil — it gives light and warmth. The form is not evil — beauty is a reflection of divine beauty. The problem is in the captivation — the loss of discrimination, the surrender of will to impulse."

Uddhava: "How does one enjoy beauty without being consumed?"

Krishna: "By remaining the witness. The wise man sees beauty, appreciates beauty, but does not lose himself in beauty. He remains anchored in the Self even as the senses perceive. Like one who watches a fire safely from a distance, warming himself without burning."

Uddhava: "Is this possible? The pull of the senses is so strong."

Krishna: "It requires practice. First, understand the danger. The moth does not understand that fire burns — it sees only light. Wisdom begins with understanding: uncontrolled senses lead to suffering. This understanding itself creates a healthy caution."

Uddhava: "What next?"

Krishna: "Strengthen the witness. Through meditation, develop the capacity to observe the mind's movements without being swept away. When attraction arises, you watch it arise. You see the urge to move closer. But you remain the watcher, not the urge."

Uddhava: "And if one has already been burned — if one has already fallen to sensory captivation?"

Krishna: "(with gentleness in his voice) Then learn from that burning. The moth that touches fire cannot teach others. But you can. Use your suffering as wisdom. Understand viscerally what the scriptures describe theoretically. Many great sages were once great sinners who learned through their falls."

(Uddhava looks at the lamp with new eyes)

Uddhava: "Even light can be a teacher of danger."

Krishna: "Everything teaches, Uddhava. Positive examples show the path. Negative examples show the ditches alongside the path. Both are necessary. The moth serves creation by teaching every seeker: Here is what happens when the senses rule. Learn from my destruction."

Uddhava: "I will remember the moth when temptation arises."

Krishna: "Remember, but without fear. Fear is not the goal — understanding is. The realized soul can sit beside the brightest fire without danger, because they are no longer the moth. They have become the sky in which fire, moth, and destruction all appear as a passing show."

(The lamp flickers as if acknowledging its role in the teaching.)