The Joy of Sublimated Senses – Bhagavad Gita verses 2.64 – 2.66

Chitvish · Jun 19, 2008

The next verse contrasts with the two preceding verses. Having explained to Arjuna the plight of those who surrender themselves to the call of desire without possessing control of the senses, the Lord, in this verse, shows him the reward gained by the man who disciplines himself before plunging into worldly life.

Raagadvaesha viyukthaisthu vishayaan indriyais(h)varan
Aathmavas(h)yair vidhaeyaathmaa prasadam adhigacchathi 2.64

But, moving amidst (unavoidable) sense objects with sense organs which are under control and which are free from likes and dislikes, a man of self-control enjoys tranquillity.

Here Krishna explains the status of the integrated man. He is established in The Self and moves among sense-objects with mind and senses free from attraction and repulsion. The senses and the mind obey his will, as the disciplined self has a very strong will. He takes only those objects which are quite necessary for the maintenance of the body without any love or hatred. His sense of values is very balanced. Though he acts in the world, he is not lost in it. He is above attachment and detachment but contented in himself, not bound by anything.
The results of reaching this state of blissful freedom are described in the verses that follow.

Prasadae sarva dukhaanaam haanirasyOpajaayathae
PrasannachaethasO hyaas(h)u, buddhi: paryavathishtathae 2.65

When the mind is tranquil, the destruction of all miseries ensues. Verily, the Self-Knowledge of this serene-minded person becomes firm soon.
The experience of pure bliss-consciousness puts an end to all suffering; filling the heart with happiness, it brings perfect tranquillity to the mind. The intellect abides in the Self and is quite steady. The miseries of the body and the mind come to an end.

The next verse brings out the glory of the established Self.

Nasthi buddhirayukthasya na chayukthasya bhavanaa
Na chaabhaavayatha: s(h)anithi: as(h)aanthasya kutha: sukham 2.66

For a person without self-control, self-knowledge does not take place. For a person without self-control, contemplation is also not possible. He has no peace. For one without peace, how can there be happiness?

Desire called Trishna (thirsting for sense-objects) is the enemy of peace. A man, who is always thirsting for sensual objects, can never be happy. He will be ever restless and his mind will be hankering for one object or other. Only when this longing dies, man enjoys peace. Only then he can meditate and abide in the Self.

Love,
Chithra.

Cheeniya · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Chithra
The other day I observed a tiny Maruthi 800 sharing the road with a plethora of expensive automobiles. There was nothing special about the Maruthi car except for the message on the rear which read, “One day I’ll grow up to be a Mercedes Benz!” That gave me a momentary relief. If even cars could have such ambitions, it was perfectly normal for me to nurse similar ambitions. Whenever my own Maruthi got overtaken by a Benz or BMW, I used to sigh deeply the warmth of which completely nullified the effect of the air conditioner in the car for the next thirty minutes!

Kanchi Mahaswami often used to say that our attitude towards sense objects should be like that of a cashier in a Bank towards the currency he handled! Until I heard this brilliant example from him, I always thought that to develop a studied indifference towards sense objects was beyond the scope of ordinary mortals like me. Nowadays I find it easier to keep my senses from getting lured by sense objects unnecessarily in the light of the example that the great spiritual leader gave.

According to Sufis, the best way to train our senses to resist the lure of sense objects is to open our senses more to the creations of God than to the creations of man. The former creates a feeling of awe in us while the latter breeds only a desire. If we look at a rainbow and marvel at its exquisite beauty, the presence of the Divine is felt in our heart. Snow clad mountains and mighty oceans have a similar effect on us. When I read about a small bird called Godwit’s ability to fly non stop from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:State><st1lace>Alaska</st1lace></st1:State> to <st1:country-region><st1lace>New Zealand</st1lace></st1:country-region>, a whopping distance of more than 11000 kms, I can not help contemplating on the Divine Power that propels even such small creations of Him. But the sense objects created by man only end up creating a desire in us. An expensive car or a villa by the sea side, a gorgeous piece of dress material or furniture would only create an intense desire to possess them. So in order to wean the senses away from the lure of sense objects, we must open our eyes to Nature which abounds in manifestations of God.

Further, sense objects of the Divine as seen in Nature would create a Spiritual Enquiry in us but the man-made sense objects affect our emotions and may create an emotional imbalance. Conflicts in human relationships, excessive desire for material objects and the disappointment arising out of material objects that keep eluding us would result in severe emotional imbalance and at this stage, wiser people start looking for sense objects that will give them everlasting joy and peace. There is an anonymous Sufi aphorism which declares that “When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found”

It is by losing the egocentric life that we save the hitherto latent and undiscovered life which, in the spiritual part of our being, we share with the Divine Ground. This new found life is more abundant and more meaningful than the other and of a different and higher kind. Further when we are firmly established on the Divine Ground, we find peaceful coexistence with all other living beings easy and natural. I can not describe this better than in the words of Eckhart:
“As long as I am this or that, or have this or that, I am not at all things and I have not all things. Become pure till you neither are nor have either this or that; then you are omnipotent and, being neither this nor that, are all things”
Sri

corallux · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Chithraji & Cheeniyaji (my Gita Gurus),

Day in and day out we are faced with temptations from all sides. Be it the latest gadgets, cars etc. A person who is satisfied with his/her status will just smile & walk away. Whereas a person who craves for the "latest" will loose sleep & health till he/she gets his hands on that gadget.

People feel everyone who comes overseas becomes rich. How many of them see the hard work, sweat & denial of little pleasures that made that person rich?

Sitaji of Ramayan was called "Vaidehi" meaning one has no attachments. Throughout Ramayan we observe the word used is "devoted" when referring to her feelings towards Ramji. Never "attached".

When senses are drawn in, the person rises to a higher plain where all the worldly pleasure seem disgusting. The soul then concentrates on it's set goal-to merge with divinity.

Pleasure of the five sences seem nothing but obstacles in his/her path to realise the higher truth.

Regards,

Corallux

Anandchitra · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Chithra
This is such an unique topic to write on because it is something we deal in day to day life. And hence can easily relate to the frustrations etc.. and so hopefully learn a thing or two here.
When the mind is tranquil, there in we see the destruction of all miseries. Even though we read so many times about the senses and their distractions, it is never an easy to task to be alienated from them. Since they are there all the time, we have to keep a watch on our thoughts all the time too. Is that why its said to keep the mind focussed on God? then these sense forms do not hold as much sway over us? This topic is explained well by you but still I think its more tough than all others since at all levels we have to interact with the senses. Thanks for writing on this.

Chitvish · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Sri,
With every post, you give me new dimensions in interpreting the Gita.I realise my limitations as a Vedanta student "learning" the Gita and you reveal that you are a layman who has "studied" the Gita.
By lack of self cotrol, we unwittingly slip and fall psychologically away from our own merits and efficiencies. Naturally, a young man's potentialities should not be snatched away from him, when he is brimming with ambitions for success and achievements, by his fall.
But how does self-control help at all? What are the benefits?
On the surface we feel it is foolish not to follow the dictates of the mind and not do what pleases us! It is a pain as well as strain to curb the urges, to abide by any law, to conform to any laws of life, thus denying the free thinking of the intellect.We even feel that animals have more freedom.
All the above thoughts are rightly those of a boisterous, loose-thinking, fast acting youngster.He does not like to curb his social privileges, political freedom, individual daringetc to act as he wishes and fulfill his urges. He challenges the rules laid down by scriptures in the name of revolution - he even thinks that religious teachers and saints had become sour with disappointments in their own lives and laid down such rigid rules!
This is the reason Krishna glorifies the blessings of self-control - we bless ourselves and our inner personality widens. Our thinking becomes more mature and our emotions are more balanced.
A person, be he or she a scholar or a professional or a priest or a labourer, puts better performance in his or her chosen field of activity.
Love,
Chithra.

Chitvish · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Lux,
My admiration for you is increasing! I did not know the meaning of the word Vaidehi. So,
A sishya becomes the teacher of a "so called Guru" !
Our exchanges in this forum make me also richer in knowledge for which I am very thankful.

You write
Be it the latest gadgets, cars etc. A person who is satisfied with his/her status will just smile & walk away
This is because he has self-control and can easily move among the tempting sense-objects.

For example, let us say, a drunkard and a teatotaller are walking along the same road. A whiskey bottle is lying by the sidewalk.. The teatotaller is unaffected and passes by. The other pickes it up and runs home "embracing it to his bosom" asthough!
Now the bottle remains the same - why do the reactions differ? The former was repelled; the latter was attracted. Why? In the drunkard's mental makeup, there was the vasana to drink and so his senses ran out to hug it.
So, only if the vasanas are purified and trained, the senses can be controlled. Restraining the senses does not mean physically violating the sense-organs.
Re-education of the mind brings about self-control noble and enduring, rewarding and creative.He discovers a deep sense of peace, for his own benefit.
Love,
Chithra.

Chitvish · Jun 19, 2008

Dear AC,
The senses are extrovert by nature. They ramble in external fields.We "hug" objects which please us, but shun those that displease us.A closer study reveals that these senses are themselves instruments in the hands of the mind. The mind goads them to indulge in attraction or aversion.
Sri Ramakrishna's life exemplifies this fact.
The sight of dense black clouds with a group of snow white cranes in flight in between, took him into the Beyond.
The make-up of Shiva was going on in his person,
but
the sense of touch with the holy ash all over the body transported him into the Infinite.
He entered Samadhi on just hearing the divine name.
The aroma of the incense used in worship aroused the divine consciousness in him.
The taste of the sacremental food invoked his devotion to God.
Thus all the five senses acted as gateways to him.They were not impediments, but instruments which transported him to perfecting the mind. Such was his discipline!
Love,
Chithra.

corallux · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Gurumata,

The credit goes to you & HER.

Regards,

Corallux

Chitvish said: ↑

Dear Lux,
My admiration for you is increasing! I did not know the meaning of the word Vaidehi. So,
A sishya becomes the teacher of a "so called Guru" !
Our exchanges in this forum make me also richer in knowledge for which I am very thankful.

You write
Be it the latest gadgets, cars etc. A person who is satisfied with his/her status will just smile & walk away
This is because he has self-control and can easily move among the tempting sense-objects.

For example, let us say, a drunkard and a teatotaller are walking along the same road. A whiskey bottle is lying by the sidewalk.. The teatotaller is unaffected and passes by. The other pickes it up and runs home "embracing it to his bosom" asthough!
Now the bottle remains the same - why do the reactions differ? The former was repelled; the latter was attracted. Why? In the drunkard's mental makeup, there was the vasana to drink and so his senses ran out to hug it.
So, only if the vasanas are purified and trained, the senses can be controlled. Restraining the senses does not mean physically violating the sense-organs.
Re-education of the mind brings about self-control noble and enduring, rewarding and creative.He discovers a deep sense of peace, for his own benefit.
Love,
Chithra.
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aishu22 · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Chithra,

This is a very essential topic to read and understand about. To be amongst the sense objects and with sense organs under control is not an easy exercise. We get easily lured by the worldly pleasures. It’s almost similar to an example of placing a tray of sweets in front of a sweet toothed diabetic! But, as <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on">Krishna</st1lace> explains that one who can move on by picking up only the necessary objects without love and hatred is the sublimation of senses. To be just existent and not involved into any is an art and also a path to attain the attached- detached state.

Thanks for bringing out this valuable lesson from Gita.

aishu22 · Jun 19, 2008

Dear Sri
Can't help saying time and again - Your examples and approach to describe the great lessons from gita is really commendable.
Kanchi Mahaswami's example of act like a cashier - keeping in mind that currency flourishes in your hands, but they are not your's - is such a profound and apt example to the very topic that we are discussing here. Trying to be indifferent as you say - many a times have failed, because it needs the mind and soul to co -ordinate and if only the outer self keeps pushing telling - okay i need to act indifferent - attached- detachment and stuff -trust me it ends in hatred. Again we are going to fall into the cycle of desire, love, hatred etc.Many a saint/sanyasin nowadays (those who claim to be) try this, but miserably fail.

Opening our senses to creation of God's - Great thought planted by you Sri .Let me consciously try that. You wrote - "The former creates a feeling of awe in us while the latter breeds only a desire." This must be felt and enjoyed definitely. As you say sri, I’m always fascinated by looking at ants especially the tiny red ones. They are so small, but when a group of them try to carry a single particle of food that we spilt - I’m just awed by god's creation here. There are numerous examples for burying myself in God's creation. The different varieties of fruits/veggies and each one having a unique color/taste in it - what more can be a marvel!

“When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found”
- Profound lines. We cry for what we have lost (person), but fail to understand that the departed soul has some other work to perform. Desires have no limit or end, but keeping them under control and not be ruled by them is a challenge.
Beautiful explanation Sri. Thanks a lot!