Sthitaprajna - Gita Chapter 2 Verses 59 to 61

[Guest guest]

Verse 59 to 61:

visaya vinivartante niraharasya dehinah

rasa-varjam raso 'py asya param drstva nivartate

 

The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man, leaving the

longing behind: but this longing also turns away on seeing the supreme.

 

yatato hy api kaunteya purusasya vipascitah

indriyani pramathini haranti prasabham manah

 

The turbulent senses, 0h Arjuna, violently carry away the mind of a wise

man though he be striving to control them.

 

tani sarvani samyamya yukta asita mat-parah

vase hi yasyendriyani tasya prajna pratisthita

 

Having restrained them all, he should sit steadfast, intent on me. His

wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.

 

Verses fifty-nine to sixty-one elaborate the dangers of going after

external objects for internal pleasure. Gamblers, smokers, drinkers find

it hard to quit their habits. Our problem is not the object but the

taste that we have developed through our senses for the objects! The

evolution of the desire for the objects originates when the tastes for

the objects enter into the mind. When the mind meditates on the

"SUPREME," even the tastes for the objects, will disappear! Gita

reinforces the importance of the control over the mind and senses for

removing the desires. When senses are left loose, they propel the mind

to go after the objects and controlling the mind becomes more difficult.

The floating mind remembers the tastes of object and drives the senses

toward the objects! To stop the car on the high way, we have to apply

the brakes to all the four wheels! When one of them fails, we can get

into serious problems. Until we close all the doors and windows of the

house, we have no way of heating the house at the desired level! To shut

the desires, we have to close the body, mind and intellect! The senses

of the Perfect Sage are under control and the sage remains firm in Yoga

on the Supreme.