And after that Krishna describes give up that attachment.

BG 2.44

bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam

tayapahrita-cetasam

vyavasayatmika buddhih

samadhau na vidhiyate

SYNONYMS

bhoga — to material enjoyment; aisvarya — and opulence; prasaktanam — for those who are attached; taya — by such things; apahrita–cetasam — bewildered in mind; vyavasaya–atmika — fixed in determination; buddhih — devotional service to the Lord; samadhau — in the controlled mind; na — never; vidhiyate — does take place.

TRANSLATION

In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.

Bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam, when one is attached to Bhoga (sense gratification) and Aisvarya (opulence), one becomes attached to sense gratification and opulence. Then, one’s consciousness becomes abducted (apahrita-cetasa). Krishna has heard Arjuna use the same reference earlier when Arjuna mentioned Lobho apahat-cetasa. Arjuna states that our consciousness is abducted by lobha (greed), and that is why we contemplate killing people, including our own relatives, for the sake of wealth. However, Krishna declares that this entire calculation based on wealth and enjoyment, Bhoga and Aisvarya, is rooted in ignorance. Thus, apahat-cetasa indicates that material consciousness itself is a sign of having lost one’s consciousness to the abduction of material desires. When one’s consciousness is abducted, clear thinking is no longer possible (vyavasayatmika buddhih), as mentioned by Krishna in 2.41, where He says that one must be fixed. Those who are not fixed cannot achieve the transcendental destination. And who are not fixed? Those who are attracted to material things. Therefore, Krishna advises Arjuna in 2.44 not to become attached to material things, indirectly implying that if one is attracted to material things, one will not attain one-pointedness of mind.

This insight is significant in our spiritual lives as well. We all understand how attachment blinds us, but we must ask ourselves: How much do I have to lose before I lose my blindness? Dhritarastra serves as an example of this. Dhritarastra’s blindness was not only physical but also intellectual and spiritual. It was caused by attachment. Despite receiving advice from numerous individuals, including Vidura, Bhisma, Drona, Sanjaya, Gandhari, Vyasa, Matreya rishi, and Narada, attachment continued to blind him. Dhritarastra had to lose everything, including his 100 sons and his dignity, before his attachment was severed by Vidura. Fortunately, we do not have to lose as much to overcome our blindness. We can utilize spiritual knowledge by studying and hearing the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and cutting off our attachments one by one. Otherwise, we will have to endure continuous suffering. Thus, we must contemplate how much we have to lose before we can overcome our blindness.

The term “apahrita” used in this context is a vivid word that describes abduction and kidnapping. For example, just as a child going to school may be abducted by a criminal demanding ransom, we, while chanting our rounds and engaging in Krishna consciousness activities, may have our consciousness abducted by lust and greed (Kama and lobha). Our thoughts no longer center on Krishna, and the ransom for the hostage becomes indulgence. We may think that by indulging in our desires, the desires will dissipate, and then we can find peace and do as we please. If indulgence is within the limits of Dharma, it may provide temporary relief, but it will not release us. The difference between relief and release is that relief eases our troubles, while release frees us from them. Indulgence does not grant release. In fact, indulging in lust only strengthens the desire, leading to greater difficulties in overcoming it in the future. Similar to a criminal who receives a ransom and continues to repeat the act, we must be doubly vigilant to prevent our consciousness from being abducted again. We must guard our consciousness to ensure that it is not held hostage.

We must be extremely cautious, as lust and greed can lead us down a path where we continuously pay higher ransoms, eventually becoming completely addicted and lost. We pay the ransom, but moments later, the desire resurfaces, and at that point, we are deeply entangled. It becomes incredibly challenging to extricate ourselves. However, it is possible to break free by redirecting our attachment towards Krishna. When Krishna fills our minds, nobody can abduct our consciousness. In this context, consciousness and mind are used interchangeably because consciousness is directed through the mind. The mind serves as the pathway for consciousness. Therefore, cetasa refers to the soul, which is connected to the material world through the mind. If we fill our consciousness with Krishna and engage in service to Krishna, His presence becomes the strongest deterrent to lust, anger, greed, and other disturbances that attempt to abduct our consciousness. Just as a child with strong bodyguards remains unharmed, with Krishna by our side, nobody can harm us. By adopting this approach, we can safeguard ourselves and protect our consciousness from material attachments. However, this protection is only possible when we recognize the danger, as Krishna warns. If we continue to harbor material attachments and do not give them up, lust and greed will continue to abduct our consciousness.