In the Vedic language, their word for materialistic "love'' as we call it at present day; "kama'' lust for material desire, not love. The word for love, actually love we find in Vedas is "prema'', meaning one's love of God, only. Outside God, there is no possibility of loving. Rather it is lusty desire the whole range of human activities, whatever and whenever, so long with this atmosphere of matter, the every activity of the human being - or any living entity - is based upon or given impetus, and thus polluted, by the attraction between male and female, sex-desire. For that sex-life, the whole universe is spinning round - and suffering! That is the harsh truth. So-called love, here, means "you gratify my senses, I'll gratify your senses,'' and as soon as that gratification stops: immediately there is divorce, separation, quarrel, hatred. So many things there are, going on under this false conception of love. Actual love means love of God, Krishna.
Letter to Lynne Ludwig, 30 April, 1973