Gita 02.61 – Control, concentration, conquest – three stages in dealing with the senses
tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya
yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā (Bg 2.61)
Word-for-word:
tāni — those senses; sarvāṇi — all; saṁyamya — keeping under control; yuktaḥ — engaged; āsīta — should be situated; mat-paraḥ — in relationship with Me; vaśe — in full subjugation; hi — certainly; yasya — one whose; indriyāṇi — senses; tasya — his; prajñā — consciousness; pratiṣṭhitā — fixed.
Translation:
One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his consciousness upon Me, is known as a man of steady intelligence.
Explanation:
This verse marks the first introduction of bhakti in the Bhagavad-gītā, where Kṛṣṇa speaks of Himself as the object of devotion. Here, He answers Arjuna’s question about how an enlightened person controls the senses. He states:
tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya: Having restrained all those (senses),
yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ: making them properly situated or fixed on Me,
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi: one who conquers his senses,
The word saṁyamya refers to control or restraint, indicating opposition—one is actively combating and subduing the senses. However, here it refers to vaśe, meaning conquest, which is a stage beyond mere control.
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā: such a person is firmly situated in intelligence.
This verse describes three stages. First, one must control the senses. Then, with the senses under control, one should fix the consciousness on Kṛṣṇa. Once the consciousness is firmly fixed on Kṛṣṇa, one can truly conquer the senses.
The critical element here, distinguishing this verse from the previous one, is the addition of ‘mat-paraḥ’—indicating that devotion to Kṛṣṇa is the key factor in achieving true mastery over the senses.
Until now, Kṛṣṇa has been Arjuna’s instructor, guiding him since his surrender in the second chapter. As a teacher, Kṛṣṇa has explained how to control the senses. But here, He reveals a different role—not just as the instructor of sense control, but as the very object of the controlled senses.
Many may teach sense control and offer methods to restrain the senses, but Kṛṣṇa alone is the one on whom the controlled senses are meant to be fixed. This means that He is the ultimate goal—yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. When one’s consciousness is thus centered on Him, true conquest of the senses follows.
In connection with the previous two verses, verse 2.59 states paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate—one becomes steady in sense control upon experiencing a higher taste. This verse (2.61) clarifies what that paraṁ dṛṣṭvā actually is: yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ—fixing the consciousness on Kṛṣṇa. When one achieves this, true success in sense control follows.
If we follow the flow of the Bhagavad-gītā literally, this section primarily describes the characteristics of a self-realized person. Before this, the discussion focused on karma-yoga. In this section, ‘mat-paraḥ’ appears in just one-half of one-fourth of a verse—meaning that only one-eighth of a verse explicitly mentions bhakti.
When we talk about control, it always has a purpose. For example, when driving a vehicle, we are advised to keep it under control. However, keeping a vehicle in control does not mean keeping it motionless—it means keeping it on track.
Similarly, in sports, when we say a batsman is in control, it does not mean he is motionless. Rather, it means he is playing well, anticipating how the ball will spin or seam, and responding accordingly. To be in control does not imply stillness; rather, it means acting with awareness and precision.
The same principle applies to a charioteer. Keeping the horses under control does not mean keeping them motionless but ensuring they stay on course. Likewise, controlling the senses does not mean making them inactive, though such a notion may arise at times. True sense control means keeping the senses on track—aligned with one’s duty and ultimately leading to the pure state of spiritual consciousness, culminating in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
When we talk about controlling the senses, if it is only in the negative—”don’t do this, don’t do that”—such control cannot last long. There must be a positive dimension, which means engaging the senses in a constructive way. The most positive engagement is devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
Until now, the Gītā has not spoken about Kṛṣṇa or the soul’s relationship with Him. That is why, at this stage, the focus is not yet on fully engaging all the senses in devotional service—though that will come later. Here, the emphasis is on yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ—making Kṛṣṇa the object of one’s consciousness, fixing the mind on Him. By doing so, one progresses on the spiritual path and ultimately attains Him.
What exactly happens when we fix our consciousness on Kṛṣṇa?
We have all experienced that the demands of the senses become especially strong when we have nothing constructive to do. When the mind is restless, dragging us in different directions, it often happens because, as the saying goes, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” If we are not engaged in meaningful work, our natural tendency is to seek pleasure in lower pursuits.
We all have an innate need for pleasure, though where we seek it varies according to time, place, circumstance, and individual nature. Since most of us have engaged in sense gratification in the past, our default tendency is to seek pleasure in it whenever we lack constructive engagement.
The way to counter the default urge for sense gratification is not merely by saying ‘no’ to it through brute force but by saying ‘yes’ to something higher and better. The highest and most fulfilling engagement is Kṛṣṇa.
When we fix our consciousness on Him, we connect with the all-attractive, all-wise, and all-powerful Supreme Person. Kṛṣṇa possesses six opulences in full—He embodies and personifies the culmination of all our heart’s deepest attractions. Loving and serving Him brings the greatest happiness.
Even if we do not yet realize Kṛṣṇa’s beauty or feel deep love for Him, simply fixing our consciousness on Him brings happiness. That happiness sustains us in our spiritual journey, drawing us closer to Him, until we ultimately attain Him by realizing His love, His beauty, and His sweetness.
Even to fix our consciousness on Kṛṣṇa, a certain level of sense control is necessary—no doubt. However, control is different from conquest. Control implies opposition—it means restraining the senses despite their inclinations.
We all have some degree of sense control, and we use that initial self-restraint to direct our minds toward Kṛṣṇa. When we do this consistently, the senses gradually become transformed—they become won over by Kṛṣṇa’s beauty. This leads to true conquest, where the struggle fades, and our life becomes peaceful and joyful.
Thank you.
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