Answer
As I just explained, the issue is not fear itself. First comes respect—respect for the Lord’s nature and for His laws. When you truly respect the Lord’s law, you understand that it will act. God has created these mechanisms, and you cannot play with them. That understanding creates healthy distance. So the foundation is respect.
If you disregard the Lord’s instructions in this matter, then there is something to fear. Therefore, the focus is not on fearing māyā, but on fearing the consequence of disrespecting the Lord’s guidance. That is a very different orientation.
If you fear the sense object itself, it can become dangerous, because your mind remains absorbed in that object. But if you fear breaking the Lord’s instruction, your mind stays fixed on His instruction. That is what is required. In that way, your contemplation is purified, and you remain protected.
