Beyond Valentine’s Day: The Beauty of Real Love

Love—it’s a word that has inspired poetry, movies, and countless heart-shaped chocolates every Valentine Day. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself:
👉 What is real love?
👉 Is it the grand gestures we see in rom-coms?
👉 The perfectly curated #CoupleGoals posts on Instagram?
👉 Or is it something deeper—something timeless, like the true essence of Valentine?

Let me take you on a journey through two eye-opening experiences that completely changed my perspective on love—ones that might make you laugh, reflect, and maybe even rethink your own relationships.

Experience 1: “I Love My Dog More Than My Husband”

During my time at Ohio State University, I attended a massive youth festival with over 50,000 students. Amidst the excitement, I was manning a yoga stall, sharing books on self-discovery and spiritual wisdom. That’s when I met her—a cheerful woman browsing through a book titled Divine Love.

Our conversation started casually until I asked her an innocent question:
“Who is the one person you love most in your life?”

She hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said,
“Honestly? My dog.”

I blinked. “More than your husband?”

She nodded without hesitation.
“Yes. My dog loves me unconditionally. With my husband, I always feel pressure—to look beautiful, to dress up, to be attractive. My dog doesn’t care how I look. He just loves me for who I am.”

Her words shook me.

If love is based on physical attraction or conditions, what happens when those things fade? It reminded me of how we treat new gadgets:
📱 At first, we’re obsessed—showing it off to everyone and handling it with care.
⏳ Over time, we take it for granted—a few scratches don’t matter anymore.
🔄 Eventually, we start looking for an upgrade.

Is that how we treat love too? Exciting at first, but discarded when the novelty wears off?

But true love isn’t like a gadget that loses its appeal—it’s not about looks, wealth, or fleeting passion. It’s built through care, presence, and selflessness. And the purest form of love? The eternal connection between the soul and the Divine—a love that only deepens with time.That’s the true essence of Valentine.

So the next time you say “I love you,” ask yourself:
👉 Is it real love—or just a limited-time offer?

Experience 2: Valentine’s Day—Every Day?

It was my first year at Ohio State University, and the campus was buzzing with excitement. Valentine’s Day was around the corner, and students were busy planning grand romantic gestures—ordering flowers, buying chocolates, booking dinner reservations. You could practically smell the roses in the air! 🌹

While walking across campus with a friend (a dedicated practitioner of yoga and mindfulness), I decided to tease him a little:

“Hey, tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. Got a hot date?” 😉🔥

Without missing a beat, he calmly replied:
“We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day.”

I laughed. “Come on! Why not?”

I was expecting some long philosophical lecture about consumerism or modern relationships. Instead, he simply said:
“Because that’s not love.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? Then what is it?”

With a knowing smile, he replied:
“That’s lust.”

I almost dropped my chai. ☕ “Wait… what?! How can you say that?”

He explained patiently:
“Most people mistake lust for love. Lust is about taking—when the excitement fades, so does the relationship. But real love is about giving—putting someone else’s well-being before your own.”

Then he added something that completely changed my perspective:
“That’s why we don’t wait for Valentine’s Day to express love. In bhakti-yoga—the yoga of devotion—love isn’t just one day; it’s a way of life.”

His words hit me hard.

Why wait for February 14th(Valentine’s Day) to express love when we can make it a daily practice? Why limit ourselves to roses and chocolates when we can cultivate something far more meaningful—selfless care and genuine connection?

This simple conversation inspired me to explore the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, which explains love in its truest form: not as fleeting passion but as eternal devotion.

What Can We Learn from These Stories?

Both experiences taught me that real love isn’t about grand gestures or fleeting emotions—it’s about selflessness and commitment:
✅ Love isn’t transactional: It’s not about what you get in return; it’s about what you give without expectations.
✅ Love isn’t temporary: It doesn’t fade when beauty or excitement does—it grows stronger with time and effort.
✅ Love isn’t just for Valentine’s Day: True love is expressed every day through small acts of kindness and gratitude.

In bhakti-yoga, this kind of selfless love extends beyond human relationships to our connection with the Divine—the ultimate source of unconditional love.

A Personal Reflection: The Real Meaning of Love

As they say, love is in the air. Love is everywhere! In other words, no one really knows what love is—except for marketing minds who mint money on “love” by selling products to a gullible audience.

Of course, love cannot be put into mere words. But one thing is for sure: true love must have a universal definition—one that doesn’t change based on the type of relationship but embodies the same core values across all relationships.

When I read Srila Prabhupada’s biography (Lilamrita), I realized what true love really means: selfless service born out of genuine care for others’ well-being—whether it’s crossing oceans to share spiritual wisdom or personally guiding his disciples with compassion and patience.

As Srila Prabhupada beautifully said:
📜 “Love is reciprocal, voluntary—a good exchange of feelings. Then there is love.” (Washington DC, July 8, 1976)

And as Mother Teresa profoundly put it:
📜 “Hunger is not of the belly but of the heart.”

Check out our special series on Sacred Relationships Series here :

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDmWIv45YXoXNfH2TppJNnsJevYmXtsqm

Explore our special course on relationships:

A Call to Rethink Love

This Valentine’s Day, let’s go beyond roses and hashtags. Let’s make love more than just a one-day event or a fleeting emotion tied to appearances or conditions.

💡 Why not pick up a copy of the Bhagavad Gita this Valentine’s day instead of another box of chocolates? While roses wither and greeting cards fade, the wisdom of the Gita teaches us about a love that never dies—the eternal bond between the soul and the Supreme.

Because real love isn’t bound by time or looks—it’s eternal.

And maybe… just maybe… it starts with asking ourselves:
👉 Am I loving selflessly—or just upgrading my gadget?

📲 Connect with the Speaker for More Insights

🌐 YouTube: Madan Sundar Das Official
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💬 What do you think defines real love? Share your thoughts below! ❤️

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