Gita 03.43 – Use intelligence to pursue transcendence and subdue lust

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-03-43-use-intelligence-to-pursue-transcendence-and-subdue-lust/

evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā
saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā
jahi śatruṁ mahā-bāho
kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam (Bg 3.43)

Word-for-word:
evam — thus; buddheḥ — to intelligence; param — superior; buddhvā — knowing; saṁstabhya — by steadying; ātmānam — the mind; ātmanā — by deliberate intelligence; jahi — conquer; śatrum — the enemy; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; kāma-rūpam — in the form of lust; durāsadam — formidable.

Translation:
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence [Kṛṣṇa consciousness] and thus – by spiritual strength – conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.

Explanation:
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā: In this way, by understanding yourself to be transcendental to material intelligence,
saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā: situate the mind on the spiritual self (soul).
jahi śatruṁ mahā-bāho: O mighty-armed Arjuna, conquer the enemy! Although you are celebrated for your physical strength, your true glory lies in overcoming a far more formidable adversary—
kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam: —lust, which appears in various forms and is extremely difficult to conquer, yet not impossible. It can be overcome.

Here, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes conquering the enemy by becoming spiritually situated. The previous verse explained the hierarchy of the senses, mind, intelligence, and the soul. Once we understand this hierarchy, we can consciously direct our awareness upwards—towards the soul—rather than allowing it to flow downwards toward sense objects.

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says: evaṁ buddheḥ—use your intelligence; paraṁ buddhvā—know yourself to be transcendental.

This is an important point. In the sādhaka stage, it is our intelligence that sustains us on the spiritual path. At the siddha stage—when we have realized ourselves to be spirit souls—it is prīti, our love and devotion for Kṛṣṇa, that keeps us anchored at the spiritual level. But for now, it is our buddhi, our discerning intelligence, that we must carefully engage to remain spiritually situated.

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā—understand that you are beyond material intelligence. If our intelligence is not sharp, we will be unable to distinguish between matter and spirit. And if we fail to make that distinction, we won’t know what is to be done and what is not to be done.

We will mistakenly believe that material things are the source of true pleasure. As a result, we will see no need to seek a higher happiness in life. Thinking in this way—that material pleasures are sufficient, that they are all we need—we remain deluded, bound by the chains of lust.

Intelligence is what we use, but intelligence or analysis alone is not enough. Intelligence should lead to implementation; analysis should lead to application. That application, Kṛṣṇa says, is saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā—one must steady the mind with the self.

Here, the word “mind” refers to whatever we are conscious of at a given moment. When we say, “My mind has gone somewhere else,” we mean that our consciousness is no longer here—it is focused on something else. We often use the term “mind” to indicate the object of our consciousness.

When someone asks, “Where are you?” they often mean, “Where is your mind?”—that is, where is your attention? When we say the mind is wandering, we are acknowledging that our consciousness is drifting from one object to another. In this way, the “mind” becomes synonymous with whatever we are staying conscious of. When the mind wanders, it means our consciousness is moving here and there.

When we recognize that the mind is the object of consciousness, we can then turn the mind and focus it on spiritual truth—on spiritual substance. When we do this, we begin to experience spiritual happiness, because as the soul becomes situated on the spiritual platform, it starts to realize higher happiness. The soul begins to relish deeper fulfillment.

The ātmā is, by nature, sat-cit-ānanda—eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. The more we become conscious of our spiritual identity, the more we begin to experience that innate joy. Beyond this, when we go further and realize our connection with Kṛṣṇa, the fulfillment becomes even deeper. That connection enables us to relish the highest spiritual happiness. Just as Kṛṣṇa is supreme, the happiness that comes from Him is also supreme.

When we truly realize that happiness to be the highest, it becomes supreme in our estimation. At present, such happiness may seem only theoretical. But as we engage in the practical process of bhakti, we begin to relish that higher joy—and through experience, we begin to verify: “Yes, this truly is higher.”

The ātmā can sometimes be referred to as the soul. So, when we say “the soul on the spiritual platform,” it essentially means to live spiritually. Whether we use the word ātmā to refer to the mind or to the soul, the essential point remains the same—live at the spiritual level.

Use intelligence to understand that we are transcendental. If we are aware that we are transcendental beings—spirit souls—then how can matter provide us true happiness? Since matter cannot give lasting fulfillment, we naturally begin to seek happiness in spirit.

When we understand this and start seeking spiritual happiness, then, as we begin to experience that higher joy, that very experience marks our conquest over lust. Even before we fully taste that higher happiness, the knowledge that “I am a spiritual being” initiates our spiritual journey. That awareness itself begins to redirect our consciousness towards spirit rather than matter—and this redirection is a significant step forward.

Because when our consciousness is directed toward spirit, we start seeking spiritual happiness. Lust, on the other hand, keeps us trapped in the pursuit of sensory pleasures. Turning our focus away from matter and toward spirit is the beginning of breaking free from that cycle.

The awareness of our spiritual nature redirects our search for happiness toward the spiritual realm. This shift in focus itself becomes a disincentive for pursuing the material happiness that lust promises. The decisive conquest over lust, which Kṛṣṇa speaks of here, lies in becoming situated on the spiritual platform—that is, becoming self-realized.

Now, we may say that self-realization seems like a long, long way off. Yes, it is—but we should not think of self-realization as a binary process, like digital logic: either 0 or 1. It is not a one-or-zero switch. Rather, it is an analog process—gradual and incremental.

At every moment, we are making a choice—we can either move toward self-realization or remain in self-delusion. Every time we remember Kṛṣṇa, connect with Him, and serve Him, we are advancing on the path of self-realization. And every time we choose sense gratification—every time we indulge in sense objects—we are reinforcing self-delusion.

It is like the needle on an analog meter, gradually moving from 0 to 1. Slowly but steadily, it shifts. The movement may be evolutionary, but the result will eventually be revolutionary. Through many such small, incremental steps, the pointer eventually reaches 1.

In the same way, with each moment, each minute, each hour, we make a choice—to turn away from Māyā and to turn toward Kṛṣṇa. With every such conscious choice, we are moving closer and closer to Him.

Although each individual choice may not seem significant, underestimating its importance can be a serious mistake. Often, we think that progress toward Kṛṣṇa will happen through a quantum leap. Sometimes, a major life crisis may shake us and prompt a strong inner resolve: “I just want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.” While such moments are powerful, they are usually temporary. The crisis will pass, and if that was our only impetus for surrender, our motivation will fade—and we may slip back into our old patterns, living under the influence of Māyā.

Sustainable progress toward Kṛṣṇa doesn’t come from a one-time dramatic moment, but from consistent, conscious choices. Every time we choose Kṛṣṇa, it is a significant step forward. Not because we cover a vast distance in that moment, but because we are reinforcing a pattern—a habit—of choosing Him. Before we can reach Kṛṣṇa, we must repeatedly choose Him. And choosing Kṛṣṇa is not a one-time event—it is a daily practice.

Our struggle with lust will diminish when we stop habitually choosing lust and start habitually choosing Kṛṣṇa. The more we cultivate the habit of choosing Kṛṣṇa, the less intense our inner battles become—and the smoother our spiritual journey will be.

In that sense, it is like an analog meter—where each choice brings us closer and closer to the “1” stage. The “0” stage represents Māyā, while the “1” stage represents Kṛṣṇa. The wonderful thing is that the closer we move toward 1, the resistance, in one sense, becomes less—not because the temptations disappear, but because our inclination to choose them begins to diminish.

Through these steady, incremental choices—by repeatedly situating ourselves on the spiritual platform—we make real progress. And even if we cannot do it continuously, we can strive to do it consistently. If the mind wanders, we bring it back. We may not always be constant, but we can be persistent.

Each time the mind drifts, we bring it back again—and again. By doing this repeatedly, we gradually increase the frequency with which the mind stays on Kṛṣṇa. Eventually, this frequent redirection becomes steady, and by fixing the mind steadily on Kṛṣṇa, we can conquer lust.

Thank you.