Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 59

English Translation

The objects recede from an abstinent man, with the exception of the taste (for them). Even the taste of this person falls away after realization the Absolute.

Detailed Commentary

Commentary — "Sense objects turn away from the embodied being who abstains from food, except for the taste (rasa)." A human abstains from food in two ways: (1) voluntarily renouncing food or being unable to eat due to illness, and (2) renouncing all sense objects and sitting in solitude, meaning withdrawing the senses from their objects. Here, the word 'nirāhārasya' (one who abstains from food) refers to that sādhaka (spiritual aspirant) who is withdrawing the senses from their objects. A sick person thinks, "What can I do? My body lacks the strength to eat; this is my helplessness." But once recovered, they will consume those very things. Similarly, when the senses are withdrawn from their objects, the objects indeed recede, but the attraction to those objects and the feeling of pleasure (sukha bhāvanā) within the sādhaka do not vanish quickly. For those whose nature is free from attachment (rāga) to sense objects, and who possess intense dispassion (vairāgya), their 'taste' or 'relish' (rasabuddhi) for such objects ceases even in the stage of sādhana (spiritual practice). However, for those who are merely performing sādhana thoughtfully, without intense vairāgya, it is said that even after renouncing the objects, their rasabuddhi does not cease. "Even the taste (rasa) of such a one vanishes upon seeing the Supreme." The rasabuddhi of this Sthitaprajña (person of steady wisdom) ceases upon experiencing the Paramātman (Supreme Self). It is not that merely by the cessation of rasabuddhi, one will necessarily become a Sthitaprajña. However, it is certain that upon becoming a Sthitaprajña, rasabuddhi does not remain. The phrase 'raso'pyasya' implies that rasabuddhi resides in the sādhaka's ahaṁtā, meaning 'I-ness,' and this very rasabuddhi takes the form of rāga (attachment). Therefore, a sādhaka should extract this 'rasa' from their ahaṁtā and think, "I am nishkāma (desireless); attachment or craving is not my nature/duty." In this way, through a nishkāma attitude or nishkāma objective, rasabuddhi does not persist, and upon experiencing the Paramātman, the 'rasa' completely ceases. Connection – What is the problem if this 'rasa' does not cease? This will be explained in the next verse.