The following is the incident narrated by sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal, 35th Jagat Guru of the Sringeri Sarada Peetham:
Source: "Exalting Elucidations"
It is one of my favorite books containing many such invaluable gems from the life of Sri Abhinava Vidya Tirtha Swamigal.
Here is the narration:
When I was about 20 years of age, two Bairagis, who lived in the banks of the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, came to Sringeri. They wanted to have Sannidhanam's[Paramacharyal's] darsana and seek some clarification from him. As he was in seclusion at that time, they were unable to approach Him. They met me. One of them looked weak and some what effeminate, while other had powerful muscles and resembled a wrestler.
In course of his conversation with Me, the first one hesitatingly said, "I have been leading a life of renunciation but am not free from sexual desire. While I never misbehaved with any woman, but thoughts troubled me off and on. This was the situation till a few months ago, when I met a Baba and posed my problem to him. He gave me a large packet of powder and said that if I consumed a little of it every day, I would obtain relief. I have been sincerely following his advice. My desires have largely vanished. I think that I have gained a great deal of spiritual benefit. However, my muscular strength has come down and my chest has become little like of a female. My companion is in need of help to deal with the lust. He is hesitant to take the Baba's medicine because he fears that his muscles will become weak. He wanted to ask Guruji whether in the interest of spiritual growth, he should overcome his hesitation and resort to the medicine. I wanted to ask Guruji if I should continue with this medicine or whether Guruji would give me some other medicine without the side effects. We have, however, not had the good fortune of being able to talk to Him. Would you like to keep and use some of my medicine that I have? I can replenish my stock from Baba who gave it to me." I declined his offer.
The second person asked me, "You are young. Are you not troubled by sexual thoughts?" I answered that I was not. At this, both of them asked, almost in unison, "Will you please help us and tell us what we should do?" I answered, "Do not use the medicine. You cannot gain any spiritual benefit by checking the sexual instinct through it. Kings employed eunuchs in their harems because they were confident that they were confident the eunuchs would not be tempted and misbehave with women. However, none regards those eunuchs as great celibates. None deems that they became spiritually great on account of castration. On the other hand, all of regard, sage Suka as established in continence and as spiritually great. His body was intact but he was so free from desire that even damsels in the nude did not care to cover themselves when he passed them. A dumb person does not lie but he is not looked up to as one who never lies. A person who is unconscious is not revered as a yogin just because he is free from all thoughts of the world. Incapacity does not confer spiritual benefit. The medicine with you temporarily and partially reduces you to the state of a eunuch. It is, as
far as gaining spiritual benefit is concerned, no better than castration. I shall provide you a medicine that will enable you to be rid of lust and gain spiritual benefit.
Then I asked them to go to Saradamba's temple, spend half an hour gazing at Her with devotion and to pray to her with faith to rid them of lust. They returned after half an hour. I told them, "In the Durga-saptasati, it is said that all women are the Divine Mother's forms. Whenever you are tempted by the sight of a woman or think of a woman with desire, immediately think of the gracious Divine Mother. Feel that it is She who is in the form of all women. Also implore her now and then from the bottom of your heart to free you from lust." "Need not contempt for women to be cultivated to combat lust?" asked the muscular Bairagi. I replied: "No. Just as desire is bad for your mind, so is hatred. Both likes and dislikes are impurities that agitate the mind. The scriptures speak of seeing the defects in an object just to neutralize a preexisting attachment to born of the notion that the object is pleasurable. The aim is definitely not to generate hatred. Suka certainly did not hate or look down upon any woman. He looked upon everything as the Supreme Brahman". The Bairagis left Sringeri shortly thereafter.
They returned after about a year. This time, both of them looked healthy and muscular. On seeing me, they joyfully said, "Swamiji, your medicine is very effective and has no side effects." I clarified it was not My medicine and that what were working were Saradamba's grace and their dedicated efforts. During this trip, they had the good fortune of getting Sannidhanam's(Paramacharyal's) darsana and blessings.
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