Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 60

English Translation

For, O son of Kunti, the turbulent organs violently snatch away the mind of an intelligent person, even while he is striving diligently.

Detailed Commentary

Commentary on ।।2.60।। — 'yatato hyapi... prasabhaṁ manaḥ' — The phrase 'yatato hyapi puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ' here refers to a learned person who strives, engages in *sādhana*, performs every action with discernment (*viveka*), renounces attachment (*āsakti*) and the desire for the fruits of actions, desires the welfare of others, brings them happiness, holds benevolent feelings and acts accordingly, who has a thorough knowledge of duty (*kartavya*) and non-duty (*akartavya*), and of the essential (*sāra*) and non-essential (*asāra*), and who understands the consequences of actions (*karma*). Even of such a striving, learned person, the turbulent senses forcibly draw the mind towards sense-objects. As long as the intellect (*buddhi*) is not fully established in the Supreme Self (*Paramātmā*), and as long as some importance of the world (*saṁsāra*) remains within it, the *saṁskāras* (subtle impressions) of past enjoyments persist. Until then, even the senses of a wise person are not completely under control. Due to the *saṁskāras* of past enjoyments manifesting before the senses, they forcibly pull the mind and intellect towards sense-objects. There are many examples of *rishis* (sages) who became disturbed when confronted with sense-objects. Therefore, a *sādhaka* (spiritual aspirant) should never believe, "My senses are under control," and should never harbor the pride (*abhimāna*) that "I have become a master of my senses (*jitendriya*)." Connection: In the previous verse, it was stated that as long as *rasabuddhi* (attachment for the taste of sense-objects) persists, even a striving learned person's senses do not allow them to be established in *Paramātmā*. Therefore, the means to overcome this *rasabuddhi* is described in the next verse.