By Vishakha Devi DasiTrue love is not casual but is an act of will that requires the lover’s concentration on and commitment to the beloved (in Sanskrit called asakta-manah — "mind attached"). In other words, love is about my beloved's—and not my own—thoughts, feelings, and desires. True love is selfless. One who would love is concerned with and alert to the beloved in every sphere of life. In fact, one who would love sees everything in relation to the beloved and sees the beloved everywhere. This does not mean losing oneself in the infatuation of love, but finding oneself. Those who truly love understand their own identity (vijnana — "realized knowledge"), and they act in accord with that understanding.
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