Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 58

English Translation

And when this one fully withdraws the senses from the objects of the senses, as a tortoise wholly (withdraws) the limbs, then his wisdom remains established.

Detailed Commentary

2.58. Commentary: The phrase 'Yadā saṁharate... prajñā pratiṣṭhitā' employs the analogy of a tortoise. Just as a tortoise, when moving, displays its four legs, one tail, and one head, but when it retracts them, only its shell is visible; similarly, a *Sthitaprajña* withdraws his five *Indriyas* and mind from their respective sense-objects (*viṣayas*). If even a slight connection of his *Indriyas* and mind with the *viṣayas* persists, he is not considered a *Sthitaprajña*. Here, the verb 'saṁharate' signifies that the *Sthitaprajña* fully withdraws his *Indriyas* from the *viṣayas*, meaning he does not even contemplate the *viṣayas* with his mind. In this *śloka*, the word 'yadā' is given, but 'tadā' is not. Although, according to 'Yattador Nitya Sambandhaḥ' (the eternal correlation of 'yat' and 'tat'), wherever 'yadā' appears, 'tadā' is implicitly understood; that is, 'tadā' is inherently included in the word 'yadā'. The non-inclusion of 'tadā' here carries a profound meaning: the experience of the self-evident principle (*svataḥ-siddha tattva*) that arises from the withdrawal of *Indriyas* from their respective *viṣayas* is not bound by the limitations of time. This is because that experience is not the result of any action (*kriyā*) or renunciation (*tyāga*). It is not something that is produced. Therefore, there is no need to include 'tadā' here. Its necessity arises only where one thing is dependent on another. For example, even when the sun is in the sky, if we close our eyes, the sun is not seen, but as soon as we open our eyes, the sun becomes visible. Here, there is no causal relationship between the sun and the eyes; meaning, opening the eyes does not create the sun. The sun was the same before; it was the same before we closed our eyes, and it remained the same even when our eyes were closed. However, closing our eyes prevented us from experiencing it. Similarly, when the experience of the self-evident Supreme Self (*svataḥ-siddha Paramātmatattva*) arises from withdrawing the *Indriyas* from their *viṣayas*, that experience is not an object of the *Indriyas*. This means that the self-evident *Tattva* remains the same even while in relation to pleasures (*bhogas*) and while experiencing them. However, due to the veil of association with *bhogas*, that experience is not perceived, and as soon as this veil is removed, the experience manifests. Connection: The mere withdrawal of *Indriyas* from their *viṣayas* is not the sole characteristic of a *Sthitaprajña*; this will be explained in the next *śloka*.