CH 2, Verse 64

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Chapter 2

Verse 64

 

Raaga-dveshha viyuktais tu vishhayaan indriyaish charan /

aatma-vashyair vidhey'aatmaa prasaadam adhigachchhati //

 

But the self-controlled man, moving among objects with his senses under

restraint and free from attraction and aversion, attains peace.

 

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA – 11

As taught by Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji

Compiled by: Swami Dattananda

Bhakti Mala, February 1993

 

The self-controlled man alone attains peace. In other words, the man who has no

control over his mind cannot get peace. When the mind is not controlled, it gets

disturbed by the thoughts of some worldly object. If the object is far away or

not readily available for his enjoyment, he becomes worried. It is a state of

unhappiness and suffering.

 

When a man gets attracted to an object, he starts thinking about it constantly.

He remembers it always. Wherever he goes, he cannot stop thinking about it. This

constant thought creates a desire in him to possess that object, and, as a

natural course, he loses his peace. His mind becomes full of tension and he

suffers.

 

How strong is the attachment of a man to the objects of this world! His wealth

is dear to him, his relations are dear to him, and all his possessions are dear

to him. He is inordinately attached to them. He finds it difficult to detach his

mind from them even for a second. He accepts only those things that he likes,

and discards those that he hates. Because of his feelings of attraction and

aversion, his mind becomes restless.

 

Therefore, the Lord says that he who is free from attraction and aversion

attains peace. When a man is attracted by an object, definitely he loses control

over his mind. In the same way, when a man dislikes a thing, his mind gets

agitated and loses its peace. Man in reality is the Self, which is above all

sensations like attraction and aversion, and pleasure and pain. Therefore, in

order to acquire peace of mind, one should rise above likes and dislikes and

attraction and aversion. For that, one should develop detachment and dispassion

for the objects of this world.

 

The wise man never attaches himself to anything in this world. He abandons all

worldly objects. He knows that every object in this world is tainted with the

character of bringing endless misery. Disease, decay and death are the qualities

of worldly objects. The wise man has realized this truth, and so he gives them

up and gets established in his own Self and enjoys eternal peace and happiness.

As he is not attached to anything, he never likes or dislikes anything. So it is

said the self-controlled man is free from attraction and aversion. This is the

real state of peace. Such a man, with his senses and mind under restraint, may

move anywhere in the world. But nothing of the world can attract or disturb him

as his mind is firmly rooted in his own Divine Self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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