Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 6

English Translation

One, who after withdrawing the organs of action, sits mentally recollecting the objects of the senses, that one, of deluded mind, is called a hypocrite.

Detailed Commentary

3.6. Explanation—"'karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya... mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate'" (one who restrains the karmendriyas... is called a hypocrite). Here, 'karmendriyāṇi' does not refer only to the five karmendriyas (organs of action: speech, hands, feet, genitals, and anus), but also to the five jñānendriyas (sense organs: ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose), because without the jñānendriyas, actions cannot be performed by karmendriyas alone. Merely restraining the bodily indriyas (senses) while not restraining the mind does not fully constitute hypocrisy (mithyācāra). In the Bhagavad Gita, the jñānendriyas are also included within the karmendriyas. That is why the word 'karmendriya' appears in the Gita, but the word 'jñānendriya' does not. In the eighth and ninth verses of the fifth chapter, actions like seeing, hearing, etc., which are functions of the jñānendriyas, are also counted among the actions of the karmendriyas, which indicates that the Gita considers jñānendriyas to be karmendriyas as well. The Gita also considers the actions of the mind as karma—'śarīravāṅmanobhiryatkarma prārabhate naraḥ' (18.15). This means that all actions occur due to the activity of prakriti (nature). 'Saṁyamya' means to properly arrange the indriyas, but here it implies externally restraining the indriyas, because if the indriyas were truly under control, it could not be called mithyācāra. A deluded person externally restrains the actions of the indriyas, but remains internally attached to them and considers this to be inaction. Therefore, he is called a mithyācārī (hypocrite). Even though he has externally renounced the indriyas and believes that he performs no actions, he is not truly free from karma. Despite the absence of external activity, he is still performing actions driven by ego (ahaṅkāra), possessiveness (mamata), and desires (kāmanā). Worldly enjoyments (bhoga) can be experienced both externally and mentally. Similar impressions (saṁskāras) are formed whether one experiences enjoyments externally or merely contemplates them mentally. A person can renounce external enjoyments due to their own thoughts or social shame, but there is no external hindrance to mental enjoyment. Therefore, he indulges mentally and falsely prides himself on being a renunciate of enjoyments. Indulging in mental enjoyments is detrimental because the opportunity for it is greater. A sādaka (spiritual aspirant) should renounce both external enjoyments and the mental contemplation of them. Arjuna too desired to renounce actions in their form (svarūpa) and asked the Lord, "Why do you engage me in terrible action?" In response, the Lord says that the conduct of a person who externally renounces actions while holding onto ego (ahaṅkāra), possessiveness (mamata), and desires (kāmanā), and who considers himself actionless, is mithyā (false or hypocritical). A sādaka should not renounce actions in their form, but rather perform them devoid of desires (kāmanā) and attachment (āsakti). Context—In the fourth verse, the Lord declared the renunciation of actions to be unnecessary from the perspective of both Karma Yoga and Sāṅkhya Yoga. Then, in the fifth verse, it was stated that no one can remain without performing actions for even a moment, in any state. In the sixth verse, the conduct of one who restrains the actions of the indriyas and considers himself actionless was declared mithyā (false). This proves that merely renouncing actions in their form (svarūpa) does not constitute their true renunciation. In the subsequent verse, the Lord explains the characteristic of true renunciation.