Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 26

English Translation

Others offer the organs, viz ear etc., in the fires of self-control. Others offer the objects, viz sound etc., in the fires of the organs.

Detailed Commentary

4.26 Explanation: Regarding "'śrotrādīni Indriyāṇyanye saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati'" (Some offer the Indriyas, beginning with the ear, into the fires of Saṁyama)—here, offering the Indriyas into the fires of Saṁyama is termed Yajña. This means that in solitude, the five Indriyas—śrotra (ears), tvacā (skin), netra (eyes), rasanā (tongue), and ghrāṇa (nose)—should not be attracted whatsoever towards their respective objects (sound, touch, form, taste, and smell). The Indriyas should themselves become embodiments of Saṁyama. Complete Saṁyama should be considered achieved only when there is a total absence of rāga-āsakti (attachment-attraction) from the Indriyas, Manas (mind), Buddhi (intellect), and Ahaṁkāra (ego) (Gita 2.58, 59, 68). Regarding "'śabdādīn viṣayānanye Indriyāgniṣu juhvati'" (Others offer sound and other sense-objects into the fires of the Indriyas)—sound, touch, form, taste, and smell—these are the five Viṣayas (sense objects). Performing the oblation of the Viṣayas into the fires of the Indriyas becomes a Yajña. This means that even while the Indriyas come into contact with their objects in daily life, no perturbation (vikāra) should arise within the Indriyas (Gita 2.64, 65). The Indriyas should become free from rāga-dveṣa (attraction-aversion). The Viṣayas should not possess the power to generate rāga-dveṣa in the Indriyas. In both types of Yajñas mentioned in this śloka, Siddhi (attainment of Paramātmā) occurs only when there is a complete absence of rāga-āsakti. To eradicate rāga-āsakti, two types of processes have been described in the form of Yajña—in the first process, the Sādhaka practices Saṁyama of the Indriyas in solitude. Saṁyama of the Indriyas is achieved through Viveka-vichāra (discriminative thought), Japa (chanting), Dhyāna (meditation), etc. Upon achieving complete Saṁyama, when rāga is absent, the Sādhaka maintains an equal state in both solitude and worldly engagement (vyavahāra). In the second process, the Sādhaka, while interacting with the world using Indriyas free from rāga-dveṣa, also eliminates rāga-dveṣa from the Manas, Buddhi, and Ahaṁkāra. Upon the absence of rāga, their state remains equal in both worldly engagement and solitude.