Beauty ＆ Pure 39

　
Let a person not merge with any [kind of] thought, forsaking the state of the Self. If he does so, then let him not feel sorry about it and come again under the spell of forgetfulness. Why? [Tiruvalluvar says:] ‘Let a person not do anything in the first place that makes him later regret, “Oh, what have I done!” If ever he does, then it is better for him not to indulge in any self-recriminations about it.’
Guru Vachaka Kovai v 780.

The quotation is from the verse 655 of the Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar.

It is one of Bhagavan’s characteristics that he often responded to identical situations in different ways. In 1938, when I [Annamalai Swami] was once again troubled by sexual desires, he reacted in a completely different way. For three days my mind had been filled with sexual thoughts, so much so that I began to think, ‘How will I ever attain salvation if thoughts like these constantly come?’
I was so disturbed by these thoughts that throughout these three days I was unable to eat or sleep properly. Finally, I decided that Bhagavan was the only person who could help me. That evening I followed Bhagavan when he went out for his walk and explained my problem to him.
‘Since this desire for women came to me the other day, I have not slept or taken food for the last three days. As these thoughts occur quite often, what will eventually happen to me?’

Bhagavan, after remaining silent for a couple of minutes, replied, ‘Why should you always be thinking that an evil thought occurred at such and such a time in the past? If you instead meditate “To whom does this thought come?” it will fly away of its own accord. You are not the body or the mind, you are the Self. Meditate on this and all your desires will leave you.