During one incident while holding darshan in Bombay on December . . . (1937) a finely dressed young gentleman was in line. He was weeping and bemoaning. When he approached Baba, Baba stopped him, looked into his eyes and asked, “Did you carry out all my orders?” The young man could not say a word. Baba spelled out, “An order is much more important than any amount of spiritual longing or gifts of thousands of rupees.” Stopping the darshan for this young man, Baba explained to him about sex:
There are seven colors of sanskaras. Red is the worst and the deepest; it is the most lasting impression and takes the longest to be wiped out. These red sanskaras are caused by the sex act, hence they are a great check on the progress and advancement. The sex act is considered a grave sin on the path and prohibited to spiritual aspirants.
Thoughts of sexual desire may come, and even a rush of impulses, but one should not commit any action with another person. Even masturbation is better, though it is harmful to the physique. Sexual intercourse has the worst consequences. It attracts to oneself the worst sanskaras of ages past of one’s partner; hence it is most difficult to wipe out. It incurs immense ineradicable damage to one’s spiritual progress.
The young gentleman knew what Baba meant and moved on. The darshan continued until the late afternoon. In the evening, Baba went to see a film, a comedy entitled Topper.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 7, p. 2249.