वासना (vaasnaa)

noun/verb Primarily a noun meaning lust or carnal desire, with a strong association with base or unworthy craving; it also has a rarer verbal sense meaning to perfume or infuse with a scent.
Sense 1 : lust, carnal desire
noun, feminine
Synonyms: काम (kaam), कामेच्छा (kaamechchhaa, formal), लालसा (laalsaa, craving, broader than just carnal), विषय-वासना (vishay-vaasnaa, compound form emphasizing sensual desire)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word carries real moral weight in Hindi -- it is the word used in religious and philosophical discourse (alongside क्रोध, लोभ, मोह) as one of the base instincts a person is supposed to rise above. You will hear it in sermons, in discussions of scripture, and in serious conversations about temptation, rather than in casual chat about attraction.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use वासना (vaasnaa) where they mean a simple, innocent 'wish' or 'desire' -- but this word almost always carries a negative, base, or carnal shade, unlike neutral words like इच्छा (ichchhaa). 2) It is not used for everyday wants like wanting tea or wanting to go somewhere -- reserve it for desire of a bodily or morally loaded kind.
Sample Sentences:
वासना मनुष्य के सबसे बड़े शत्रुओं में से एक है। Lust is one of the greatest enemies of man.
(vaasnaa manushy ke sabse bade shatruon men se ek hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गुरु जी ने कहा कि वासना, क्रोध और लोभ ही मनुष्य के पतन के कारण हैं। The guru said that lust, anger, and greed are the very causes of man's downfall.
(guru jii ne kahaa ki vaasnaa, krodh aur lobh hii manushy ke patan ke kaaran hain।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
साधक को वासना पर विजय पाने के लिए वर्षों तपस्या करनी पड़ती है। A seeker has to perform penance for years in order to conquer lust.
(saadhak ko vaasnaa par vijay paane ke lie varshon tapasyaa karnii padtii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यदि मन में वासना न होती, तो साधना इतनी कठिन न होती। If there were no lust in the mind, spiritual practice would not be so difficult.
(yadi man men vaasnaa n hotii, to saadhnaa itnii kathin n hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शास्त्रों में वासना को आत्मा की उन्नति में सबसे बड़ी बाधा बताया गया है। In the scriptures, lust is described as the greatest obstacle to the soul's progress.
(shaastron men vaasnaa ko aatmaa kii unnti men sabse badii baadhaa bataayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
वह वासना के वशीभूत होकर अपने कर्तव्य से भटक गया। Overpowered by lust, he strayed from his duty.
(vah vaasnaa ke vashiibhoot hokar apne kartavy se bhatak gayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हे प्रभु, मेरे मन को वासना के अंधकार से मुक्त कीजिए। O Lord, free my mind from the darkness of lust.
(he prabhu, mere man ko vaasnaa ke andhkaar se mukt kiijie।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
कथावाचक ने समझाया कि वासना का त्याग किए बिना मोक्ष संभव नहीं है। The storyteller explained that without renouncing lust, liberation is not possible.
(kathaavaachak ne samjhaayaa ki vaasnaa kaa tyaag kie binaa moksh sambhav nahiin hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या कोई सच में वासना से पूरी तरह मुक्त हो सकता है? Can anyone truly become completely free of lust?
(kyaa koii sach men vaasnaa se poorii tarah mukt ho saktaa hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्राचीन ऋषियों ने वासना को जीतकर ही ज्ञान प्राप्त किया था। The ancient sages attained knowledge only after conquering lust.
(praachiin rishiyon ne vaasnaa ko jiitkar hii gyaan praapt kiyaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to perfume, to scent, to infuse with fragrance
verb, transitive This causative-flavored sense is literary and rarely produced actively by speakers; it survives mainly in older or poetic descriptions of scented items like betel leaf or tobacco.
Synonyms: सुगंधित करना (sugandhit karnaa, more common in modern speech)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: You may meet this sense attached to items like पान (paan) that have been scented with tobacco or spices -- वासना (vaasnaa) here is a distant cousin of the noun sense above, both rooted in the idea of something pervading or soaking into the senses.
Sample Sentences:
इत्र से रुई को वासना ताकि पूरा कमरा महक उठे। Scent the cotton with perfume so that the whole room fills with fragrance.
(itr se ruii ko vaasnaa taaki pooraa kamraa mahak uthe।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पुराने समय में पान को इलायची और केवड़े से वासा जाता था। In olden times, paan used to be scented with cardamom and screwpine essence.
(puraane samay men paan ko ilaaychii aur kevde se vaasaa jaataa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उसने तंबाकू को गुलाब जल से वासा। He scented the tobacco with rosewater.
(usne tambaakoo ko gulaab jal se vaasaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यदि तुम इस तेल को चंदन से वासो, तो इसकी सुगंध और गहरी हो जाएगी। If you scent this oil with sandalwood, its fragrance will become even deeper.
(yadi tum is tel ko chandan se vaaso, to iskii sugandh aur gahrii ho jaaegii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
कारीगर पान के पत्तों को कत्थे और सुगंधित मसालों से वासते हैं। The craftsmen scent the paan leaves with catechu and fragrant spices.
(kaariigar paan ke patton ko katthe aur sugandhit masaalon se vaaste hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह वस्त्र चंपा के फूलों से वासा हुआ था। This garment had been scented with champa flowers.
(yah vastr champaa ke phoolon se vaasaa huaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
काश हम इस तम्बाकू को केवड़े से वासते, तो इसकी खुशबू लाजवाब होती। If only we had scented this tobacco with screwpine essence, its fragrance would have been wonderful.
(kaash ham is tambaakoo ko kevde se vaaste, to iskii khushboo laajvaab hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस पान को केसर से वासा जाएगा। This paan will be scented with saffron.
(is paan ko kesar se vaasaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): वासना (vaasnaa)
(sg.f.oblique): वासना (vaasnaa)
(pl.f.direct): वासनाएँ (vaasnaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): वासनाओं (vaasnaaon)
Verb
infinitive: वासना (vaasnaa)
infinitive oblique: वासने (vaasne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): वासता (vaastaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): वासते (vaaste)
habitual/simple (sg.f): वासती (vaastii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): वासतीं (vaastiin)
continuous (sg.m): वास रहा (vaas rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): वास रहे (vaas rahe)
continuous (sg.f): वास रही (vaas rahii)
continuous (pl.f): वास रहीं (vaas rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): वासा (vaasaa)
perfective (pl.m): वासे (vaase)
perfective (sg.f): वासी (vaasii)
perfective (pl.f): वासीं (vaasiin)
imperative (informal): वास (vaas)
imperative (neutral): वासो (vaaso)
imperative (formal): वासिए (vaasie)
future (1sg.m): वासूँगा (vaasoongaa)
future (1sg.f): वासूँगी (vaasoongii)
future (1pl.m): वासेंगे (vaasenge)
future (1pl.f): वासेंगी (vaasengii)
future (2sg.m): वासेगा (vaasegaa)
future (2sg.f): वासेगी (vaasegii)
future (2pl.m): वासोगे (vaasoge)
future (2pl.f): वासोगी (vaasogii)
future (3sg.m): वासेगा (vaasegaa)
future (3sg.f): वासेगी (vaasegii)
future (3pl.m): वासेंगे (vaasenge)
future (3pl.f): वासेंगी (vaasengii)
subjunctive (1sg): वासूँ (vaasoon)
subjunctive (1pl): वासें (vaasen)
subjunctive (2sg): वासे (vaase)
subjunctive (2pl): वासो (vaaso)
subjunctive (3sg): वासे (vaase)
subjunctive (3pl): वासें (vaasen)